We were in search of a plant-forward soup with Mexican flavors, so we tried this recipe: https://www.karenskitchenstories.com/2023/01/mexican-vegetable-soup-with-chipotles.html We found the blogger's recipe frustratingly incomplete (for example, she called for "some chicken broth" but did not specify the amount). Regardless, this soup was very tasty. Note: this recipe easily could be vegetarian if you use vegetable… Continue reading Mexican vegetable soup with chipotle (caldo tlalpeño)
Tag: soups and stews
Chinese congee with smoked fish and spinach
We were craving a light, broth based soup with rice, so we tried this recipe: https://www.recipetineats.com/chinese-rice-soup/ This was a quick and easy pantry recipe that yielded surprisingly complex flavors. Our modifications: first, for the protein we used 4 oz Trader Joe's smoked trout (i.e., 1 fillet), which we soaked in water for about 20 mins… Continue reading Chinese congee with smoked fish and spinach
Japanese cellophane noodle soup (harusame)
We returned home, but haven't gone food shopping yet. Relying on pantry ingredients, we tried this recipe: https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-glass-noodle-soup/ Our modifications: first, we made 1.5x the recipe (to yield 6 cups broth). This means: 3 eggs, 3 scallions, 3 Tbsp dried wakame, 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil, and 6 cups liquid (4 cups no salt chicken… Continue reading Japanese cellophane noodle soup (harusame)
Korean curry by Maangchi
I grew up eating S&B Japanese curry, but in the past year I learned about Ottogi Korean curry, which is a cut above. We made this recipe while on vacation: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/curry-rice In this recipe, Maangchi calls for 100 g of Korean curry powder, which is the standard packet size for Ottogi curry powder. We used… Continue reading Korean curry by Maangchi
Indian lentils and rice (dal kichdi)
We made this recipe using jasmine rice: https://www.funfoodfrolic.com/dal-khichdi-recipe/ At the end of natural release after pressure cooking, we folded in about 2 oz of baby spinach to the kichdi. The flavors were strong and it was tasty, but we found the rice mushy. We garnished with fresh cilantro. (Apr. 2024)
Potato leek soup
My husband loves potato-leek soup. We decided to try this straightforward, relatively healthy SkinnyTaste version: https://www.skinnytaste.com/potato-leek-soup/ This soup was delicious and satisfying. (Apr. 2024) Note: We recommend this method to thoroughly clean leeks: https://www.wellplated.com/how-to-clean-leeks/
Ina Garten’s lentil soup
We craved homemade lentil soup, and I remembered Ina Garten's recipe from many years ago. Unlike in the past, I followed the recipe almost exactly: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lentil-vegetable-soup-recipe-1948822. We slightly reduced the salt to 2 tsp and used 1 3/4 Tbsp barrel-aged red wine vinegar. This is a delicious and comforting plant-forward soup. (Mar. 2024)
Mexican chicken tortilla soup (sopa Azteca)
When I was menu planning for the week, my husband requested we make chicken tortilla soup. We tried this recipe by Chef Rick Bayless: https://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/tortilla-soup/ This soup is an ingenious and hearty way to use leftover cooked chicken and tortillas. Our modifications: first, we couldn't find dried pasillo chiles, so we used a total of… Continue reading Mexican chicken tortilla soup (sopa Azteca)
Korean spicy braised catfish with daikon radish
We found a beautiful, juicy daikon radish this weekend, and I couldn't stop thinking about this braised fish dish: https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/eundaegu-jorim Our modifications: first, we couldn't find black cod, so we got 1 1/4 lb fresh catfish filet. Second, we reduced the heat a little: (1) one red Korean finger pepper (down from two); and (2)… Continue reading Korean spicy braised catfish with daikon radish
Indian mung bean dal (moong dal)
We made this recipe as a side dish: https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/moong-dal-recipe/ We used a pressure cooker, and we followed the blogger's tip about adding a bit (1/2 tsp) of red lentil to the 1/2 cup of moong dal to reduce stickiness. We found the instructions confusing and imprecise (for ex, it is vague about the amount and… Continue reading Indian mung bean dal (moong dal)