About
Tsagaan Shülen—“White Soup”—isn’t just something the Mongols ate. It’s something they believed in. A bowl of privilege and purity, ladled out for the men who once ruled half the known world. Long before Michelin stars and culinary schools, there were the khans of the Yuan Dynasty, sitting inside felt-walled palaces, drinking fermented milk and plotting the shape of continents. And on their tables sat this pale, steaming soup—meat, yogurt, and meaning.
White foods were the Mongols’ way of speaking to the universe. Dairy wasn’t just sustenance; it was holy. A symbol of strength, luck, and divine favor. You didn’t serve this stuff casually. You served it to people whose decisions could move armies. You served it to men born in the saddle, raised on milk and blood, who believed their destiny was carved into the steppe itself.
The dish shows up in A Soup for the Qan—the 14th-century culinary manual written by Hu Sihui, court nutritionist to the Yuan emperors. In between warnings about excess and notes on how to keep a khan alive through a long winter, there’s a simple line: boil mutton until the broth is rich, add fermented mare’s milk, stir in millet. A meal “reserved for high officials and the royal court.” Food not just for the body, but for vitality. Authority. Power.
Picture it: a pot bubbling in a palace that smells like smoke, horsehide, and damp wool. Mutton cooked down until it practically melts. A swirl of yogurt—tangy, strong, alive—cutting through the fat. Maybe a handful of millet to give it weight. No spice cabinet, no decorative herbs, no needless flourishes. Just the raw, honest flavors of nomadic life elevated to something royal.
This was Mongol cuisine at its core—meat, dairy, and grain shaped by a world lived on horseback. A cuisine built for bodies in motion, forged in cold winds and endless plains. Tsagaan Shülen was the exception: richer, creamier, more ceremonial. A white soup for white tents and white foods, believed to carry purity straight into the bones.
Served at diplomatic gatherings, royal feasts, and moments where the fate of nations hung in the air, Tsagaan Shülen wasn’t just nourishment. It was a blessing. A reminder that in Mongol culture, food was never just food. It was fortune. Identity. And sometimes, the quiet heart of an empire.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
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INGREDIENTS
While the original preparation required fermented mare’s milk and open-fire cooking, this adapted version keeps the essence of the dish while making it accessible for modern kitchens.
Ingredients:
500g mutton or beef, cut into chunks - Pick fatty pieces with bones for good flavor
4-6 cups water
1 cup plain full fat yogurt (or kefir for a tangier taste)
½ cup millet or rice (optional, for thickness)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
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Instructions
Instructions:
Prepare the broth: In a pot, bring water or broth to a boil. Add the meat, onion, garlic, and salt. Simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours, until the meat is tender.
Add the grains (optional): If using millet or rice, stir it into the broth and continue simmering until cooked.
Incorporate the yogurt: Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the yogurt, ensuring it doesn’t curdle. Stir continuously for about 5 minutes. You can also just top the soup with the yogurt like I did.
Enhance the flavor: Add black pepper and butter or animal fat for a deeper taste. Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
Serve hot: Traditionally, this soup would be served in wooden or metal bowls, symbolizing the wealth of the household. Enjoy with flatbread or dumplings.
