Creamy Cremini Soup

 

From the infant white button, to the teenaged cremini, to the adult portabello, these fleshy mushrooms are hard to resist. Chunky, robust, and flavorful when sauteed, they make a hearty winter soup. I have refrained from putting down exact measurements here to allow for easy customization.

Ingredients

About 2 cups chopped or sliced Cremini or portabello mushrooms

1/2 Onion, chopped

About 2 cups Vegetable stock (or bullion substitute per taste)

About 1/4 cup heavy cream 

dried medium sage leaves (or 1/4 tsp ground sage)

dried bay leaves

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp black pepper, ground

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

garnish: spring onions

Preparation

1. Saute the sliced mushrooms in olive oil, with chopped onions and a pinch of salt in a soup pot.
2. Add the stock, brown rice, sage, bay leaves, and 1/4 tsp  black pepper powder, cover with the lid and allow to simmer on medium heat
   
3. Adjust flavors to taste, sprinkle with more black pepper, stir in heavy cream, garnish with chopped spring onions
4. Serve warm with favorite toasted bread
   

Kidney Bean, Sweet Potato, Kale Soup

Soup seem to be the dish of the month. Thick hearty soups, light brothy soups, cheesy creamy soups, chunky filling stews... with a hunk of sourdough or olive bread to mop every last drop up. Of course, these days, the bread is reserved for the kids, the adults are trying not to indulge in dense carbs for a while.

Kidney beans and sweet potatoes already evoke a thick hearty soup; add in some kale and bok choy and chard, plus some onions and tomatoes and garlic for a good measure, and the soup becomes irresistible.

For spices, I went with turmeric powder, paprika, and Madras curry powder, plus some bay leaves and a sprinkling of powdered nutmeg for the warm notes it adds to the dish.

I soaked the kidney beans in hot water while I got the other ingredients ready; and then threw the soaked kidney beans with some sweet potato chunks and vegetable broth in the pressure cooker.

While the kidney beans was soaking, I chopped up some onions, tomatoes, garlic, kale, bok choy, and about 2 cups of diced sweet potatoes for pan-roasting.

When the pressure cooker is going, sauté the veggies -- onions, garlic, tomatoes, bok choy and kale -- with some salt and Madras curry powder. Pan-roast the sweet potatoes with some salt and brown sugar, and keep handy.

Once pressure cooker has finished its cooking, smash some of the kidney beans and sweet potatoes to form the thick base for the soup, add in the sautéed veggies and simmer gently till flavors meld.

Dish up into bowls and add some pan-roasted sweet potatoes just before serving.

Lentil Balls Veggie Soup

It's getting nippy here heralding the gorgeous season of autumn. I love every season for what it offers, and I await with anticipation all the changes each season brings, but, I must admit I am a bit more partial to Autumn than the other three.

The pageantry of leaves bursting with bright red, deep burgundy, sparkling yellow, shocking orange, and even dark pink, clinging valiantly, only to eventually abandon the tenuous attachment, leaving the starkly bare trees forsaken for the winter.

Colder weather means more warm soups and casseroles, fresh-baked breads and quick biscuits.

I make Steamed Lentil Balls on and off and freeze a batch for other uses. Steamed lentil balls when crumbled and sauteed add the much-relished crunch and protein to vegetable sides in the Paruppusili dishes.

This brothy lentil balls soup is quick and simple for a weeknight meal, especially if the lentil balls are already made and frozen. Simply toss in the frozen lentil balls into simmering vegetable broth, add some veggies and herbs and spices, allow to cook to lentil balls are fork tender again but not too cooked that they fall apart. That's it.

Amaranth Leaves Kohlrabi Coconut-Yogurt Soup

Looks like I've been staying with the amaranth theme for the last few posts as I couldn't pass up the lush green bunch of amaranth leaves at the farmers market... Amaranth stems are irresistible when steamed -- almost like tender asparagus. I might have mentioned that I love saving the stems for special dishes...

And, apparently, anytime I spot kohlrabi I can't seem to walk away without picking up a bunch. From their sizable and wholesome leaves, and their thick yet tender stems, to their squat and plump bulbs, all coming together in a comically cheery package, I love everything about kohlrabi. And it's not just about their looks either. While this relative of Brassica oleracea family has shades of the infamous aroma that cabbage and broccoli are known for, kohlrabi also has a crisp pear-like crunch when raw that is perfect for slaw, and firm texture almost like potato when steamed tenderly.

This yogurt-based soup is a variation of the mor-kozhambu, a south India staple, typically served over steamed rice. The goodness of cumin and fenugreek along with the tropical staple, the coconut, makes this hearty soup a favorite with 75% of the population in the house. The other 25% will hopefully develop a taste for it soon, as it seems like the appearance is the main deterrent in this case.

Ingredients
1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and diced
2 cups chopped amaranth leaves and stems
1 Tbsp coconut oil
½ tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

2 cups yogurt, beaten/whipped to a smooth blend

for the soup base paste:
1 Tbsp cumin seeds, toasted
1½ tsp fenugreek seeds, toasted
2 to 3 green chilies, chopped
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
½ cup dry grated coconut

Preparation

1. Grind the ingredients for the soup base into a fine paste, adding a splash of water as needed to form the paste
2. Heat oil in a sauce pot, add the ginger, turmeric, kohlrabi and amaranth, a pinch of salt, and sauté till aromatic; then, add 2 cups of water, cover and simer till kohlrabi is fork-tender
3. Stir in the soup base paste, adjust salt to taste, cover and simmer till flavors meld
4. Off heat, stir in the beaten yogurt so it doesn't curdle too much
5. Serve at room temperature or chilled

Amaranth Greens Coconut Milk Soup

One portion of the large bunch of amaranth greens from the farmer's market became a spicy amaranth greens curry with rutabaga and beets. Another portion of it became this flavorful coconut milk-based soup as in this recipe.

Rather than the traditional Thai flavors, I went with a simple no-fuss Madras Curry Powder flavoring, something that spells comfort food for me sometimes.

Amaranth greens, bell peppers, onions, and broccoli stems made up the veggie body of the soup. Have I mentioned I love edible stems and save them diligently for such dishes as where they will shine?

Nothing much to the soup - sauté the veggies in some coconut oil, add in some curry powder, turmeric powder, and salt to taste, stir in enough water to get the veggies par-cooked; then stir in enough coconut milk and simmer till flavors meld. Off heat squeeze a half lime over the soup to add a bit of citrus-y goodness, garnish with cilantro before serving

Chayote Squash and Wild Rice with Lentils and Quinoa Soup

Chewy wild rice along with quinoa add texture to this thick stew-like soup, with the lentils adding body, and chayote squash giving it the slightly unorthodox edge.

I grew up eating chayote squash on a regular basis, usually in lentils-based koottu, or as coconut-based molagoottal. I like its pear-like crispness and mild bland flavor that lends itself well to be incorporated into any dish.

Add in favorite herbs from the garden as a bouquet-garni, some garlic, and some cayenne pepper and the stew comes together quite easily.

For a quicker weeknight meal, I pressure cook the wild rice and lentils in vegetable stock. Then, add in the veggies and seasoning, allow to simmer gently, and serve warm.

Kids were unimpressed by the color of the soup, they would have preferred it not so tan and brown, but, they scooped spoonfuls and enjoyed ti anyway.

Cream of Kale Soup

With nicknames ranging from "Power Soup" (no guesses who picked this one) to "Brown Slime" given at home, this filled-with-green-goodness soup is one of my favorites, even if kids drink it reluctantly every time I make it. Fifteen more times and am sure they'll end up loving this soup.

Pressure cook some greens - kale, mustard greens, spinach - with celery, onions, garlic, and mayo coba beans. Then, run it through the blender to make a smooth mush. Then, strain it to remove pulpy lumps for a smooth texture.

At this point, stirring in cream and simmering gently should be fine. But, since I like to use my slow cooker to keep the soup warm and ready for dinner when I come back from work, I poured the strained soup into the slow cooker one morning and let it slow cook till dinner time. Around the 8-hour mark, some heavy cream was stirred in, plus dried basil (I use freeze-dried which feels intense fresh), dried parsley, dried oregano and continued till the slow cooker is done.

Cook longer if preferred for the soup to come together with a creamy  warmth. I start it first thing in the morning and let it slow cook till dinner time - about 12 hours - in the slow cooker.

With a few slices of Pumpernickel bread, the kind made according to "old world methods, utilizing a slow-rise process", from Trader Joe's. Of course, the name "Pumpernickel" itself has fun origins that we talk about every time we eat this bread.

An alternative origin of "pumpernickel" is nearly as strange, if somewhat less savory. "Pumpern" was a New High German word similar in meaning to the English "fart" (so chosen because, like the word "achoo," it imitated the sound it described), and "Nickel" was a form of the name Nicholas, an appellation commonly associated with a goblin or devil (e.g., "Old Nick" is a familiar name for Satan). Hence, pumpernickel is the "devil's fart," allegedly a reference to the bread's indigestible qualities and hence the effect it produced on those who consumed it. (Some word fanciers have claimed that "pumpern" refers to the sound produced by thumping on a loaf of pumpernickel, but that explanation is extremely unlikely.) 

With winter firmly here, the old slow cooker gets a lot of use with stews and soups; quick one-pot meals come about often as well, like casserole and roast vegetables.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

I was all set to post this Cream of Asparagus soup recipe last time and then goofed up a bit -- ended up with mismatched title and recipe as I posted the recipe for the Cream of Arugula soup with the title "Cream of Asparagus soup." Sorry for the confusion, I've gone back and fixed that error.

Same general procedure as for Cream of Arugula soup here - I do love my pressure cooker for making creamy soups, only no moong dal this time. I prefer the texture to be coarse and dense for the Cream of Arugula soup so I didn't strain it. But for this Cream of Asparagus soup, since I use the thicker parts of the stalk for cooking, I strain it to get the chewy bits out.

Asparagus is from a local farm and yet it is a bit pricey here, but it has been quite a hot Spring so far.

This recipe is quite close to the ever-popular Cream of Kohlrabi soup that comes about this time of the year.

Ingredients
1 lb asparagus, woody parts removed, chopped
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon grated ginger
2 Serrano chilies, chopped coarsely
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Colby jack cheese
½ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in the pressure cooker pan, add the onions, ginger, chilies and saute with a pinch of salt till aromatic and onions turn translucent
2. Add the chopped asparagus and stock, cover and cook in the pressure cooker, reserving some tips for garnish
3. When safe to open the pressure cooker, puree with a hand blender till smooth; then strain to remove coarse, chewy fibrous bits
4. Simmer gently, stir in the cheeses to thicken, then the cream and turn off stove
5. Garnish with blanched asparagus tips and serve warm

Cream of Arugula Soup

In the recent heat wave, and my partial neglect, the home garden arugula shot up and bolted. While its delicate white flowers were pretty, I didn't want it to go to seed too soon and spread wildly. So, I snipped the lot of it, stem and all, leaving  just enough for it to possibly recover by autumn.

Of course, salads with arugula tossed in is a staple, but this time I was craving for some hearty dal-like soup. 

I discarded the bottom few inches of chewy woody arugula stalk but used the rest of the thick stem and leaves and flowers for this soup. To add body and protein, I went with the staple moong dal.

This easy-to-cook thick and creamy arugula soup can be served chilled on a hot summer day. I prefer it warm with a hunk of Olive Ciabatta bread.

Ingredients

5 cups chopped washed arugula, stem and all

1 cup moong dal, uncooked (aka mung bean, green gram)

2 Serrano chilies, chopped (reduce if preferred)

1 medium onion diced

2 vine tomatoes cut into quarters

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and ready

1 Tablespoon Coconut oil

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoon cumin powder 

2 Tablespoon coriander powder

3 cups stock or water

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Wash and drain the moong dal, keep handy 

2. Heat coconut oil in pressure cooker pan, add onions, chilies, garlic, and tomatoes and sauté till aromatic 

3. Add the washed and drained moong dal and sauté some more 

4. Add the chopped arugula, some salt, stock or water, and stir well

5. Put the lid on and pressure cook; since dal cooks quite fast, can also just cook in a saucepan instead of pressure cooker

6. When done and safe to open the pressure cooker, stir in the spice powders and simmer gently on low heat

7. Use a hand blender or potato masher to mush up the cooked dal and veggies

8. Stir in some heavy cream and turn off heat; adjust flavored to taste

9. Garnish with spring onions and chives and serve warm or cold

Thukpa Tibetan Noodle Soup

Soups are perfect for rainy autumn evenings, be it hearty and chunky or clear and brothy with just a hint of vegetables and noodles.

Thukpa, ubiquitous in the northern Himalayan regions, is a version of noodle soup that is always popular as it is easy to make and easy to enjoy.

Some wheat noodles and veggies come together in broth/stock, with ginger, garlic, red onion, cilantro, spring onions, carrots, spinach, and optionally chicken, simmered gently, with a touch of garam masala powder for flavor and heat.

Of course, the authentic recipes call for making wheat flour noodles as little dumplings in the soup, but I went with packaged ready-made noodles from the store... One of these days, I might try my hand at the wheat flour fresh dumpling-style noodles for Thukpa.

Cream of Kohlrabi Soup

Some of the kohlrabi bulbs I brought home became baked kohlrabi kofta balls and oven-roasted kohlrabi "fries". And the remaining kohlrabi bulb became this easy-to-make-on-a-weeknight delicious Cream of Kohlrabi soup.

I love the pressure cooker for cooking certain foods. While there are a lot of studies (and myths) floating about regarding loss of nutrients and picking up harmful chemicals in pressure cooking, one has to do one's own research and figure out what makes sense.

Making soups and cooking beans in pressure cooker is something I've made peace with a long time ago. When veggies are cooked in stock/liquid and the liquids are retained in the soup, I am satisfied that nutrient-loss is not alarming enough for me to reconsider at this time. The whooshing whistle of the pressure cooker annoys the kids, but, it is almost music to me. Almost.

Simply chop the onions, garlic, kohlrabi, chilies and pressure cook in vegetable broth with favorite herbs and seasoning. Then, puree it, right in the pressure cooker with a hand blender. Stir in some fat free sour cream or beaten Greek yogurt for a distinct flavor - allow to cool a bit before stirring this in so as not to curdle it. Or, if adventurous, can stir in heavy cream and grated cheeses, simmer gently to a thick consistency.

Ingredients
1 large kohlrabi bulb, cut into smaller chunks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 Tablespoon grated ginger
2 seeded jalapeño or Serrano chilies (optional)
4 cups vegetable broth
herbs and seasoning: thyme, parsley, marjoram, even shiso or other favorite herbs
salt to taste

For creaminess:
I've used any combination of grated white cheddar with cream cheese and a little bit of heavy cream
, maybe some thick Greek yogurt and sour cream beaten lightly, stirred in after cooling a bit....

Kohlrabi Greens with Golden Kuri Coconut Cream Soup

I couldn't resist another giant bunch of Kohlrabi from the farm market for just under two dollars. The Kohlrabi greens along with some Golden Kuri squash from the farm went into a delicious coconut cream and coconut milk based mildly-spiced soup, with fresh lemon grass from my garden.

The variety of Winter squashes available these days is astounding. My favorites tend to be medium-sized thin-skinned with orange flesh and sweet flavor-- not too huge as that will make chopping and cleaning a problem. Not a big fan of spaghetti squash or too-mild acorn squash, I go for meaty Kabocha, Golden/Red Kuri, Butter/Amber cup, Golden Danish, Delicata and such, which can be eaten with the skin on. Who can keep track of these fancy names each variety gets? Butternut squash is an all-time favorite, although I do get some help cutting and peeling it.

This is a simple soup, using thick rich coconut cream and coconut milk and Thai flavors, perfect for Autumn. Served with thin rice noodles, Thai cucumber salad, and deep-fried spring rolls, it is a huge feast for a relaxing weekend.

But, for a weeknight, just the soup would do, in all its hearty glory.

Between the lemon grass in the garden and the citron leaves from the Myanmar store, Mingala International Market, I am addicted to Southeast Asian flavors.

Ingredients
3 cups chopped kohlrabi greens, stem and all
2 cups diced Golden Kuri squash, skin on
1 small Walla Walla sweet onion, diced
water or stock as needed
1 teaspoon coconut oil

For flavoring (pound in mortal+pestle):
some lemongrass leaves/stalk, chopped and ready for pounding
1 or 2 Thai green or red chilies
1 or 2 Kaffir lime leaves or citron leaves
3 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoon grated ginger

Preparation:

1. Flavoring: Combine the ingredients in a mortal & pestle, and pound till thick paste comes together
2. Heat the coconut oil in a pot, add the onions, flavoring, saute till aromatic
3. Add the kohlrabi greens and kuri squash, stock, season with salt, cover and simmer till veggies are par-cooked 
4. Add the coconut milk and simmer till veggies are done, stir some coconut cream if preferred
5. Garnish with spring onions and cilantro and serve warm

Opo Squash, Tomatillo, White Bean, Mango Buttermilk Soup

This mildly spiced tangy soup is a summertime favorite. Tomatillos and raw green mango adds a gentle sourness that is enhanced by buttermilk. Opo squash brings a watery balance to the dish while the beans adds a bit of protein and texture.

We've had yo-yo-ing temperatures lately-- in the 80s one day and down to 50s the next. It seemed like a perfect meal for that warm day.

Ingredients
2 Tomatillos
1 medium green raw mango
1 cup cooked white beans
1 cup diced opo squash

spices to grind:
4 Tbsp grated coconut
1 teaspoon peppercorn
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tablespoon plain raw rice (acts as a thickener)

2 cups buttermilk
1 Tbsp coconut oil
salt to taste
½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

Preparation

1. Grind the spices and keep handy
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the veggies and beans, some turmeric, salt, just enough water to cook the veggies; cover and simmer til veggies are cooked but not mushy
3. Add the ground spice paste, simmer for a few more minutes; stir in buttermilk, adjust salt to taste and turn off heat
4. Serve warm or cold

Opo Squash & Carrots Goan Soup

Incorporating flavors from the cuisine from Goa, India, is always a favorite. Much like Chettinad style flavors from South India, I adapt it for curries or soups that I make on and off.

Most Indian cuisine involve a combination of toasted spices powdered as well as some ground paste to make up the aromatic and mouth-watering masala base.

In this recipe, similar technique is used: turmeric, curry leaves, black pepper, cumin, coriander, dry red chilies, poppy seeds are toasted and ground to a powder. Grated ginger, minced garlic, grated coconut, tamarind concentrate and tomatoes are ground to a fine paste. Then the two are sauteed in oil to release the flavors and used as the base flavors for this soup.

Ingredients
Opo squash, peeled, pulp removed and diced
Carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion,  diced
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups coconut milk

For the masala powder:
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp black pepper
2 to 3 dry red chilies
1 tsp turmeric powder
6 to 8 curry leaves

For the masala paste:
¼ cup grated coconut
1 tomato, chopped
2 Tbsp grated ginger
4 garlic cloves finely minced
¼ cup tamarind water/juice* OR 1 tsp tamarind concentrate

*If using tamarind fruit pulp, seeded, then soak it in hot water and extract the water. For about a walnut size tamarind pulp, add about 2/3rds cup hot water, allow to soak for 5 minutes and extract the juice

Preparation

1. Toast the masala powder spiced till they bloom; then powder it
2. Grind the masala paste ingredients to make a fine paste
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the masala powder and masala paste and sauté till aroma releases, about 4 minutes in medium heat
4. Add the veggies and stock/water and simmer over medium heat till veggies are cooked but not mushy
5. Taste and adjust salt 
6. Stir in coconut milk and garnish with cilantro if preferred
7. Serve warm

Crock-pot Chicken Stew

I am a big fan of Electrical Slow Cooker and Crock Pots. It makes winter night meals a breeze if planned ahead and started early. Warm, hearty stews and soups, vegetables, casseroles, and even fall-apart chicken breasts come out just fine, given a little time, requiring minimal effort.

Marinated chicken breasts were started on the crock pot one Friday night, and allowed to slow cook for about 12 hours; then, in the morning, when the chicken breasts were fully cooked, I added some chopped onions, bell peppers, kale, carrots, tomato sauce, spices/seasoning and continued to cook through the day Saturday, possibly another 4 or 5 hours.

By dinner time Saturday night, aromatic chicken and vegetable stew with flaky, juicy, fall-apart chicken was ready. Served with some home-made biscuits, it was a wholesome winter night meal.

Of course, I don't care much for chicken, so this batch was consumed by the rest of the family. For myself, I like to omit the chicken and double the vegetables, adding cauliflower, chick peas, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, winter squash, edamame and marinated tofu to make a There-Can't-Be-Too-Many-Veggies stew.

Thai-flavored Pea Soup

Split pea soup is a simple favorite, especially for this cold weather. My preferred way to cook split pea soup  is in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients
½ cup green split peas
1 Tbsp grated ginger (or galangal)
1 tsp lemongrass powder
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable stock
1 Tbsp green curry paste
1 14 oz. can light coconut milk
salt to taste

Vegetables: red and green bell peppers, chopped finely; spring onions chopped finely for garnish

Preparation

1. Add all the ingredients except coconut milk, in a pressure cooker and cook till done
2. Meanwhile, saute the vegetables, and prepare the garnish
3. When pressure cooker is ready to be opened, mash the cooked split peas if needed
4. Stir in the coconut milk and heat up the soup gently; add the sauteed vegetables
5. Serve warm, topped with spring onions and croutons if preferred

Acorn Squash Thai Soup

Around this time of the year, I love the variety of Winter squashes in the market. Hubbard, Kabocha, Acorn, Butternut, Delicata, Sweet Dumpling... Not too long ago we had a good yield of Hubbard and Butternut squash from our garden. And as long as they were safe in the cold basement, they lasted for over 6 months.

Be it fragrant fried rice or roasted sides or hearty soups, pumpkins and squashes have been featuring prominently in the meals lately.

Acorn Squash Thai Soup is much like a simple Thai soup, except to boost the squash flavor, I roasted some acorn squash and pureed it and stirred it into the simmering soup.

Grind the soup base ingredients together and keep handy.

Soup base:
2 1-inch piece of dry galangal, reconstituted in water -OR- 2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 Tbsp lime peel, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 medium lemongrass stalk, crushed/pounded a bit -OR- 1 tsp lemongrass powder
2 Tbsp sambal oelek, if handy, else chopped Thai bird chilies or serrano or other chilies of your choice
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp Bragg liquid aminos
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp tamarind paste
2 citron leaves, if handy (instead of kaffir lime leaves)
½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)

Roast about a cup of chopped acorn squash in a 400°F oven for about 15 minutes till done; or pan-roast it with some oil in a cast iron skillet till done. Purée and keep handy.

For the soup:
Acorn squash chunks, as much as preferred from one medium acorn squash
1 to 2 cups light coconut milk
other veggies (optional): carrots, onions, snap peas
1 Tbsp peanut oil or sesame oil
1 cup vegetable stock


Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pan, add the soup base paste and sauté till aromatic, about 5 minutes on medium heat
2. Add the acorn squash and other veggies, stock, a pinch of salt and simmer till vegetable are cooked through but not mushy
3. Stir in the pureed roasted acorn squash and the coconut milk to desired taste and consistency; simmer gently till flavors meld - about 5 minutes
4. Garnish with chopped spring onions and cilantro

Indian Eggplant, Mustard Greens, and White Bean Soup

Eggplant is probably the most-featured fruit (vegetable) in my recipes here - no secret that I love it. Any chance I get to cook them up is welcome - be it traditional Indian recipes with the small and flavorful Indian eggplant, or the spicy Asian recipes, or any new and interesting way that comes about in my kitchen as my mood dictates...

Small Baby Indian eggplant, Calliope, Neon, Ichiban, Kamo, Black Beauty, Italian, White, Green Thai... all varieties of eggplants are much relished - well, some more than others, of course.

Black Turtle, White, Pinto, Red Kidney beans... Chickpeas... these 5 seem to be staple dried beans I stock up on. Periodically, on a weekend, I soak a large batch of them, and pressure cook them. Then, I prefer to freeze them in small portions to thaw and use as needed.

I pressure cook in a couple of batches - one for mushy beans great for refried beans, burgers, and thick soups, one for firmly cooked beans to be added to other dishes like Red Beans & Rice or Bean Salad.

Anyway, a cup of mushy cooked white beans came in handy for thickening this simple soup, and added enough flavor to make this a delicious weeknight meal. Mustard greens wilt when cooked, so add as much as preferred.

Ingredients
About 5 handfuls of chopped Mustard greens
2 Indian small eggplant, sliced into sections
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
6 to 8 cloves of garlic
1 cup cooked white beans
1 cup petite diced stewed tomatoes
2 cups water/stock
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp asafoetida powder (optional)
1 Tbsp oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a pot, sauté the onions and eggplant, add the mustard leaves, beans, the spices, and water
2. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat till vegetables are cooked and the soup is to desired thick consistency

Cari Chay Vietnamese Soup

With the winter weather here, soups, stews, and casserole are on the menu pretty much every day. Most of the time, there is no particular recipe to follow - I simply add a bit of this a dash of that, a fusion of flavors, tailored to my taste...

For a while I've been leaning towards South East Asian cuisine - Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian, Myanmar... subtle differences in local ingredients and flavors make these unique, but many of them have similarities as well. If I am able to find the specific ingredients at the local Asian store, I am pretty excited to use it, else I try to substitute as possible.

Now, not having visited many of the SE Asian countries, I don't quite know the native aromas and presentation other than what I see in restaurants and books, so, no claim to authenticity here.

Curry leaves is an acquired taste - it is not quite bitter like the Neem leaf, but, has a mildly bitter flavor and some subtle undertones. Curry leaves and curry leaf powder (not the generic spice mix sold as "curry powder") are available at most Indian stores.

Any favorite combination of vegetables would be fine - I like eggplant and tofu typically, but also find that soups are a great way to use up the broccoli stems I save up after using the florets in other dishes.

Ingredients
Cari Chay Spice Mix:
2 tsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp Curry Leaf powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Annatto seed seasoning (Achiote) powder
1 tsp lemongrass powder
2 tsp brown sugar (less if preferred)
½ tsp turmeric powder
4 to 6 curry leaves

1 Tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic

Vegetables— broccoli stem, potatoes, carrots, jalapenos, onions, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, tofu

14 fluid ounces coconut milk
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine the Cari Chay Spice Mix and keep handy; chop the vegetables and keep ready
2. Heat the oil in a pot, add the onions, ginger and garlic, sauté, then add the Cari Chay spice mix and sauté till aromatic
3. Add the chopped vegetables, some salt, a splash of water, cover and cook till vegetables are cooked through yet firm, not mushy
4. Stirin the coconut milk, simmer on medium low heat for about 4 to 5 minutes; off heat garnish with curry leaves
5. Serve warm with Bánh mì or plain rice

Coconut Cream Soup with Colorful Peppers and Cremini Mushrooms

Simple, rich and colorful, this Coconut Milk-based Cremini and tri-color Peppers soup can be enjoyed hot from the stove or at room temperature. Make it a bit thicker and it can be a curry served with delicious nutty brown rice. Adjust the flavors for a Thai-style or Indian-style curry.

Ingredients
14 oz. light coconut milk
5 or 6 Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
12 to 16 red, orange, yellow peppers, sliced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 Tbsp Madras Curry Powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper powder (optional)
salt to taste
water or stock as needed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Spring onions, chives, cilantro, roasted peanuts for garnish

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions and mushrooms and a pinch of salt, sautee
2. Add the peppers, spices, coconut milk, stock/water, adjust salt to taste; cover and simmer till peppers are cooked but not mushy
3. Garnish and preferred and serve warm