Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Sopa de Lima
320 kcal a serving, against 485 for the traditional version. That is 165 kcal off, or 34%, with 38.4g of protein. Serves 6. 45 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A whole chicken simmered to make a rich broth, shredded, and returned to the pot with onions, tomatoes and garlic. It gets a massive hit of fresh lime juice and slices of whole lime. The bowls are served piled high with corn tortillas that have been deep-fried in vegetable oil.
What changed, and what each change costs
100g of vegetable oil and 250g of corn tortillas swapped for 100g of corn tortillas and zero oil
Frying the tortillas adds a huge amount of fat to what's otherwise a very lean bowl of soup. Toasting a smaller batch in a dry oven gives you a bit of crunch without turning the broth greasy.
What it costs you. Baked tortillas are tough rather than shatteringly crisp. They don't dissolve into the soup in the same satisfying, rich way that the fried ones do. It's the first compromise you'll notice when you take a bite.
600g of chicken breast increased to 800g
Without the heavy fried tortillas filling up the bowl, you've got to add something else to make this a filling dinner. Packing in extra chicken keeps you full and focuses the dish entirely on the meat and the broth.
What it costs you. It changes the balance of the bowl. It becomes much more of a heavy chicken stew rather than a delicate, brothy soup where the liquid is the undisputed star.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 485 | 320 |
| Protein | 32.3g | 38.4g |
| Fat | 23.5g | 7.1g |
| Saturated fat | 3.7g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 36.6g | 25g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 6.7g | 12g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery.
The method is in the book
This is a fantastic, sharp bowl of food. Call it a massive, acidic dinner built for a cold night rather than a rich, oily restaurant starter and you'll be about right. You lose the decadent crunch of the deep-fried garnish, but the citrus absolutely sings when it doesn't have to fight through a layer of grease. The extra chicken makes it hearty enough to stand alone. It works brilliantly, provided you accept the baked tortillas for what they are.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback