Saturday, January 2, 2021

Thai Vegetable Noodle Soup

From Forks over Knives  https://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/vegan-soups-stews/thai-spring-noodle-soup/?

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  • PREP-TIME:  / READY IN: 
  • MAKES 6 CUPS
2.4K

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ cup thinly sliced scallions (green onions)
  • 2 tablespoons Thai Spice Blend
  • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or water
  • 1 cup 1-inch pieces green beans
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
  • 4 oz. dry brown rice noodles
  • 1 cup snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise
  • 1 cup 1-inch broccoli and/or cauliflower florets
  • 1 baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 cup unsweetened, unflavored plant milk
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 to 6 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a large saucepan combine scallions, Thai Spice Blend, and ¼ cup water. Cook over medium 2 minutes. Add stock, green beans, and carrots. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Add noodles, snow peas, broccoli, and bok choy; simmer 5 to 7 minutes more or until noodles are cooked. Add milk; cook 1 minute. Stir in lime juice and salt. Garnish with basil.
THAI SPICE BLEND:Try adding it to a vegetable stir-fry and top with fresh cilantro; sprinkle it over a salad of chopped green papaya and bean sprouts; use it to season steamed vegetables and jasmine rice; or make a quick peanut sauce by mixing with peanut butter, tamari, vinegar, and water. By Darshana Thacker, 
294

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons dried lemongrass or lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground white or black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. In a blender or spice grinder combine all ingredients. Blend to a fine powder. Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place up to 6 months.

Saturday, December 26, 2020

KindSoups White Chili

 Brad and Sheila’s Aunt Lynne’s White Chili

very good - 

 
Shopping list:
(4) Tablespoons cooking oil
(2) medium yellow onions
(2) bunches green onions
(6) cloves of garlic 
(2) 4oz. cans, chopped mild green chilies (Used few tablespoons of chopped canned jalapeño)
 (3) teaspoons ground cumin
(2) teaspoons dried oregano
(1/2) teaspoon ground red pepper (like cayenne)
(8) 15oz. cans of Navy or Northern Beans
(12) cups chicken broth or stock   (can use about 10 cups)
(1) pound cooked chicken (hint: I use store bought rotisserie chicken)  (Used baby bellas instead)
(1) bunch fresh cilantro (approx (1 & 1/3) cup – not packed)
(1 1/2) cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mexican blend, etc)
 
Prep before call: Finely chop yellow onions Chop green onions, separating whites from greens Peel garlic cloves and mince
 
Instructions:
Open beans, Drain in colander and rinse with cold water 
Step 1:  In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add yellow onions and the WHITE parts of the separated green onions (reserving green portion for later), garlic and green chilies. Cook vegetables until onions are soft, not browned. Reduce heat to low.
Step 2:  Add cumin, oregano, ground red pepper, to cooked vegetables, stirring to combine.
Step 3:  Add drained beans and and broth.  Raise heat to medium-high.  Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium, to keep at low boil.  Leave at low boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally,  for 45 minutes. While chili is cooking: Remove skin from chicken, if any, and cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces (hint: I use store bought rotisserie chicken) Chop fresh cilantro
Step 4:  After 45 minutes, Reduce heat to medium low, stir in chicken, heat for two minutes Step 5: Stir in Cilantro, Green Onions and Cheese Yield:  Approximately (16) cups
OPTIONAL: If serving at home, garnish each bowl with a spoonful of salsa and diced avocado. 
DO NOT ADD SALSA AND AVOCADO if freezing.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

North African Squash and Chickpea Stew

This was from one of the Saturday evening cooking sessions for KINDsoups.  This is absolutely delicious.  It is very rich and thick and the combination of cinnamon, ginger and turmeric with the fresh herbs is just amazing.  Definitely a keeper!  Photo 12/12/2020.

On Saturday Dec 12th we will be cooking North African Squash and Chickpea Stew together, led by Chef Marissa and Chef Danielle. Please join us via Zoom as we cook together, enough for our own family’s dinner, plus enough to freeze and deliver meals for others, so that they too can enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal! Recipe and shopping list will be available on the Monday prior to each cook together event beginning Saturday at 5pm. (you are free to cook whenever you’d like if our Zoom time is not convenient for you)  

North African Squash and Chickpea Stew

This richly spiced combination of squash, tomatoes and pulses is based around a traditional Moroccan recipe, harira. That dish is actually a soup but, whenever I make it, I find myself veering towards such a thick and chunky texture that ‘stew’ seems a more appropriate description. It hardly matters – it’s a delicious, belly-filling, one-pot dish.

Servings  18

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 large onions, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1.5 cups red lentils
  • 3 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 28 oz can roasted tomatoes (whole, diced, or crushed is fine)
  • 3 good handfuls of parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 large bunches of cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 pounds butternut squash or pumpkin (store pre-chopped is fine!)
  • 3.5 liters (about 15 cups) vegetable stock
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 cup uncooked vermicelli, orzo or other small pasta

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until just starting to turn golden. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, celery, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Now add the lentils, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, parsley and about half the cilantro. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and deseed the squash or pumpkin and cut into large cubes. Add to the pan with the stock and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer until it is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, scattered with the remaining cilantro leaves. 

Sunday, December 6, 2020

Lentil and Spinach Soup

This was week #3 in the Kind Soup series - with Chef Carol Weil


 The background

This recipe is substantially (with some tweaking by me looking at other Dal Palak recipes) from The Immigrant Cookbook:  Recipes That Make America Great.  I wanted to use this cookbook to hearken back to KindWorks’ pre-COVID refugee meal cooking sessions which I miss so much.  So here’s a Shout Out to my homie KindCooks – old and new.  I can’t wait to see you in my kitchen when it is safe for us to be cooking together.  

  • “We asked Chef Hari Nayak for a recipe he thinks best exemplify the Winter season. He gave us this recipe for “Lentil & Spinach Soup” or locally known in India as “Dal Palak.” He explains why it’s great for the Winter by saying, “This is a perfect winter dish. Served over rice it can make a very comforting and hearty meal. You can have this soup anytime of the year but it is especially great for when the weather is cold! Serve it with rice, naan bread, bread sticks, and crusty bread or have it just by itself. This soup has a refreshing austerity that makes it feel like a safe haven amidst decadence and yet it is still nourishing and warm and filling, a wonderful one-bowl meal.”

Lentil and Spinach Soup   

Serves 16

Ingredients

4 T vegetable oil (I use Canola)

4 teaspoons cumin seeds (can use ground cumin but then use less)

4 medium red onions

8 garlic cloves

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 t turmeric

1 lemon, juiced

2 quarts lo salt vegetable broth (added ~2 cups additional water)

4 small tomatoes (Roma are good for this)

4 cups red or yellow lentils – I prefer yellow but if you use red, beware that they cook REALLY quickly and can get REALLY mushy.  Green or brown work fine, will just need to cook longer.

8 cups fresh spinach or 4 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained. 

2 cups coconut milk (used one can)

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper, chile powder, or sriracha to taste

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

1)Heat oil in large saucepan, add cumin seeds (they will sizzle upon contact).  

2) Add onion, ginger, garam masala, and turmeric, and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.  

3) Add tomato and cook until soft.  Add lentils and 7-9 cups of water or broth (start with 8), reduce heat to low, cover, and let gently simmer.   Check after 10 minutes to see if you need more water.  Soup can be thick (less water) or thinner (more water) to your preference.   

4) Stir in the spinach, coconut milk, lemon juice, and salt and cayenne/sriracha/chile powder to taste.  Cover and simmer until spinach is cooked about 5-10 more minutes).  

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro if desired.  Best with another squeeze of lemon.

Prep Before Zoom

Chop onions

Peel garlic cloves

Juice your lemon 

~If using frozen spinach, thaw and drain beforehand

 

See you on the Zoom! 

Topic: KindWorks Simply Soup Saturdays Weekly Zoom Meetings

Time: This is a recurring meeting Saturdays 5-6pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88639038021?pwd=S0xCcnlxUjNiWTlnRStQeEFWNTljZz09

Meeting ID: 886 3903 8021

Passcode: 120464

 

Afterwards:

  • upCounty Consolidation Hub at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown (12901 Town Commons Dr, Germantown, MD 20874), M-F 9am-1pm
  • Cordell Place (a Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless shelter) 4715 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda – 301-986-8780
  • Seneca Heights Apartments  (a Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless dwelling) 18715 N. Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg – 301-519-2530

Join us next Saturday!      (and have a great week)


Sunday, November 29, 2020

Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cozy-autumn-wild-rice-soup/

This is awesome.  I cooked this last night as part of a zoom cooking collective with Kindworks, a wonderful giving organization.  Starting last week, there is a weekly group cooking initiative to produce large quantities of soup to donate to local food banks.  We shop in advance for the ingredients and try to chop the vegetables before the zoom meeting starts.  Then we chat and cook together.  Last night, Chef Saanya started the conversation by asking us to tell kitchen stories from our past, time we spent with our grandparents.  It was a wonderfully warm hour of soup and sharing.  

As many soups are, this one seems like it can easily be altered to suit your tastes.  For instance, I didn't have any Old Bay, which was the main flavor ingredient for this soup.  I had Tagine, which is a Moroccan spice blend of paprika, cinnamon , turmeric, ginger, chili pepper, black pepper and cardamom.  I'll have to make some up, or replenish my supply at Whole Foods.  After dinner, I realized that the 'Best By' date was 2016!  I used a lot of it - might have been able to use less if it were fresh! 

I used only 1/2 of the coconut milk and will try it with another non-dairy creamer.

The wild rice was a wonderful texture with the other ingredients.  I might consider using another hearty grain like farro or bulgur.  

I might try with more kale also.  

From the Gimme Some Oven website, which I will now have to check out: 

This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup features fresh seasonal produce, hearty wild rice, and a zesty creamy broth. The vegan version of the soup is listed here in this recipe, or see options below for the cream sauce version.


SCALE INGREDIENTS
  • 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
  • 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
  • 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
  • 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed

INSTRUCTIONS
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) METHOD:
  1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.
  1. Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes.  Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes.  Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure.  Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.
  1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
  1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
CROCK-POT (SLOW COOKER) METHOD:
  1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of a large slow cooker.  Stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the slow cooker.
  1. Slow cook. Cook on high for 1 to 2 hours*, until the rice is cooked and tender.
  1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
  1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!
STOVETOP METHOD:
  1. Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
  1. Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.
  1. Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.
  1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
  1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!