Minnesota Wild Rice Soup - I Need to Find Lactose Free Butter in Taipei

To make the Minnesota wild rice soup, you'll need a little bit of butter and some milk. I was lucky to find lactose-free milk at a grocery store. Why I used the word lucky? Interesting fact, it's estimated that at least 70% of Asians are actually lactose-intolerant, but somehow lactose-free dairy products are not common at all in Taiwan. Only a few selected stores carry lactose-free milk, and so far I haven't found any lactose-free butter.

I'm lactose intolerant too, but for the entire pot of wild rice soup, I've only used 4 tablespoons of regular butter. I think the symptoms should be weakened at least by half? But lactose intolerant or not, I'm so gonna dig into this soup once done. 

Minnesota wild rice soup - 

Ingredients (about 5 to 6 bowls)?

• 1 cup wild rice
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Some salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 

How?

Trim the ends then cube the celery. I can only find the skinny variety when I went to the grocery store, not the best choice but it'll do. Peel and cube the carrot. Also peel and cube the onion. Peel and chop the garlic cloves.

Bring out a big Dutch oven, add 4 tablespoons of unsalted butte and switch to medium heat. Once the butter almost all melted, add in chopped celery, carrot, and onion. Also add 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

Give it a quick mix and cook till the veggies soften a bit. Then it's time to add the chopped garlic. Mix and continue to cook 1 or 2 more minutes.

Add the wild rice along with 4 1/2 cups of chicken stock, 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. You can use other types of herbs, mixed Italian herbs sounds like a good alternative.

Bring the entire thing to a boil then adjust the heat to keep it at a light bubbling stage. Put on the lid but do open, check, and stir once a while, especially the bottom. Make sure nothing is burning or sticking onto the pot. Cook for 40 minutes.

Remove the lid and keep the soup at a simmer. Mix in 1 1/2 cups of milk.

Taste and see if need more salt or even add more water, stock, or milk to dilute the soup. Also continue to cook it until the wild rice reaches your desired texture. Once all checked, scoop to serving bowls and enjoy.

I like to crack even more black pepper right before serving. Just love that spicy aroma with hearty soup at the same time.

And now let's just wait and see if that 4 tablespoons of butter will do any damage to my lactose intolerant body. But before that, my tummy seems pretty content after a big bowl of Minnesota wild rice soup.

Extended reading:

• Ham and potato soup
• Caldo de albóndigas (Mexican meatball soup)
• Sopa de estrellitas