Bowled over by Soup : Vegetarian Tom yum Thai

We had a hailstorm here in the middle of summer, bringing down the temperature drastically. What else is better on a cool night than a bowl of hot soup? I set the stock base simmering while I chopped all the vegetables, when my son came home, the whiff of the aroma hit the minute I opened the door and he was hungry instantly!

I love Thai cuisine just because it is such an interesting mix of herbs and spices along with the melange of vegetables making it a very healthy cuisine. 

The key to Thai cooking are its ingredients. I often have a jar of a basic Thai paste in my fridge. It is essentially a mix of Galangal, lemon grass, kafir lime leaves, fresh red chillies, green coriander stalks and lemon juice. I grind everything to as fine a paste as possible, and freeze in ice cube trays. I later store the cubes in zip top bags and use the cubes as required. Please use a separate ice cube tray or your regular ice cubes will taste of the paste.

Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients

4 cups water/ homemade vegetable stock

2 tbsp thick tamarind extract

2/3 tbsp of my homemade Thai paste or Tom yum soup paste

1-2 cups chopped Vegetables of you choice ( mine are zucchini, baby corn, mushroom, cabbage, red chillies and spring onions)

4-6 kaffir lime leaves

Few stalks of coriander leaf ( leaf removed, only stem)

10 basil leaves

Salt to taste

Method

Heat water add, tamarind extract, salt, Thai paste, kafir lime leaves, coriander stalks and bring to a boil. When you get a wonderful soupy aroma ( about 5-8 minutes) add the vegetables and cook further for a few minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately with a few leaves of basil. Suwadee

Creativity comes in many colors - mine is called Manarola

My connections with Italy began early in my childhood, it could have started with my first bite of pizza, or while caressing the fabulous ox blood red coral beads my grandmother showed me from her treasure box. Needless to say the love affair had started and continued to build up, Baroque music, art and architecture that flourished under the de Medici family or lately my fondness for Gucci shoes, Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses, Versace dinnerware or Statuario marble flooring.

It is my desire to spend a few years in Italy once in this lifetime, so I secretly take time to practice Italian and dream of Cinque Terra. I often dream of strolling down the Via dell’ Amore (aka blue path) to arrive at Manarola. A picture says a thousand words and here is where I want to be.

While I can’t be there right now, enjoying the wonderful mediterranean climate and cuisine of fresh produce and herbs I made this tomato soup in honor of Manarola, quite literally, don’t you think?

Zuppa di pomodoro alla Manarola con crostini

Ingredients
2lbs/1kg fresh ripe tomatoes
2 med sized onions finely chopped
2-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil + 2 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
½ cup milk or cream
3 fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
¼ cup basil leaves, chopped
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Method
Blanch tomatoes to remove the skin and set aside. Heat olive oil and butter and sauté garlic and onions until they turn translucent. Blend cooked onion and garlic along with tomatoes, milk/cream, spices thyme and basil leaves. Heat the blended mix on a low flame and serve warm with crostini.

Crostini
Slice favourite bread into slices and generously apply butter and grill until golden, top with parmesan cheese.

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This recipe has been submitted for the event, Healing foods, created by Siri of Siri's Corner and hosted by Padmajha of Seduce Your Tastebuds.

Season to keep old memories alive

Time: 5:30am. I woke up. It was cool outside and the breeze came through with a whoosh as I flung open the windows. It was raining.

Standing by the window and looking at the rain made me think of my childhood - spent in Bombay………the rains came down in sheets. Everything around me took on this wonderful silver hue at daybreak. The fragrance of fresh rain and earth made for a heady perfume.

I like the rains.

Overwhelmed, I ran out the door. Standing in the rain, drenched to my bones in utter silence…….what an incredible feeling it was.

I wanted, no needed a bowl of hari moong ki dal. During the monsoons, my mother often made a Mung bean dal that really warmed our cold bones and souls too…..thanks, mom!

Now that I’m back in India and experiencing a monsoon after two decades I just had to make this moong dal from my childhood memories, of course it does not taste half as nice as the one my mom makes, but maybe she will come visit me next monsoon…..wink wink, mom are you listening?

Whole green mung beans are fairly easy to find at most grocers and let’s face it, beans mean lean, so you can have a big bowlful and not feel guilty. I’ve found this dal tastes better when eaten with a hearty bread that sops up the liquid gravy and still holds its texture.

Monsoon Moong Dal

Ingredients
100 gms/ ¼ lb Whole green mung beans, washed and soaked for an hour (if you have the time)
1 large red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped (Roma, if available)
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ inch piece of ginger, chopped
1 green chilli, chopped
4-8 curry leaves (optional)
2 tsp coriander leaves, chopped
½ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin seed powder
½ tsp coriander powder
2-3 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method
Boil the soaked Mung beans and cook until al-dente. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add the cumin seeds, allow it to sputter, then add the garlic, green chilli, ginger and cook on a medium flame until the onions turn pink. Add to chopped tomatoes and spice powders. Cook until the tomatoes are pulpy. Add the cooked mung beans and cook on a low flame for 10-15 minutes, or until the beans have softened but still retain their shape. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves before serving.

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This recipe has been submitted for the event, My Legume Love Affair (MLLA-24), created by Susan of the The Well-Seasoned Cook and hosted by Diana of A little bit of Spain in Iowa

Holy Moly it's a Pozole

If pozole is unknown to you, hominy might be as well. It is a very large-kernel white corn that has been slaked in a solution of lime. It looks a little like chickpeas but has a strong corn flavor and makes this classic dish a hearty treat from Nuevo Mexican cuisine.


This soup is traditionally made with pork shoulders and hominy, and is said to have originated in Jalisco, but many claim it was actually Guerroro! The soup comes in three main versions, one just pork and hominy in a broth, second is as green version flavored with tomatillos & anaheim or poblano peppers and finally the third one is made with dried red chillies (ancho). If you do not find Ancho’s in your neck of the woods, you can substitute it with deghi mirch or paprika powder to give the intense red color and smoky flavor. Fresh roasted corn can be used as a substitute if Hominy is not available!

My version has it all in one bowl: a base of grains – hominy; vegetables – small chunks for flavor and finally garnished with chopped red onions, corn tortillas chips and lime wedges…who needs anything more?

Pozole Rojo de Jalisco
Ingredients
1- 16 oz can hominy
4-6 Roma tomatoes
1 medium sized zucchini, cubed
1 bell pepper (any color) cubed
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 corn tortillas
2 dried ancho chilies2-3 tbsp olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic
½ cup cilantro/fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 cup vegetable stock or 1 cube vegetable bouillon soaked in 1 cup warm water
3-4 cups water
¼ tsp white pepper
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp oregano flower
½ tsp red chili powder or paprika
salt to taste
Garnish: Red onions, red radish, cabbage, sour cream, tortilla chips and lime

Method
Roast on the stovetop, a grill, or in the oven the tomatoes, whole tortillas until spotted with brown and ancho chilies –for a few minutes after which they’ll start to burn and taste very bitter! Break the tortillas into pieces. Blend all toasted ingredients until smooth.

Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Add the garlic cloves and onion and saute over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Drain the can of hominy and add to the pot along with the stock and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 25-30 minutes.
Serve warm garnished with chopped onions, tortilla chips, shredded cabbage, cubed red radish and sour cream.

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This soup is my entry for the event No Croutons Required, inspired by Tinned Tomatoes and hosted by Lisa of Food and Spice.