Tofu Tom Kha Soup for Cook the Books June/July Selection: A Cook's Tour & Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

Hello Friends! It's been a while again I am afraid. Still not doing much in the kitchen but, every now and then, I pop in and make something I am craving like this Tofu Tom Kha Soup inspired by Thailand and my book-inspired dish for Cook the Books and our June/July pick of A Cook's Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines (or my e-book's subtitle: In Search of the Perfect Meal) by Anthony Bourdain, hosted by Claudia of Honey From Rock. (See her post here)

According to Goodreads (as I wasn't sure) I first read A Cook's Tour back in 2002. I was a bit shocked that it was 20 years ago, which made my reread of it almost like reading it for the first time. This time, having lost the great Anthony Bourdain in 2018, it was a very bittersweet journey through the pages. Also, although lapsed at times, my mostly vegetarian lifestyle probably led me to squirm a little more while reading it (poor little piggy, especially...) than when I was a full-blown carnivore. I was happy to revisit Bourdain's stellar food writing. Although he is rough around the edges, his love and respect for food and food traditions and his ability to make even the dubious to downright nasty sound anywhere from possibly edible to downright delicious are unmatched. I especially enjoyed his times in Asia--Vietnam and Cambodia where I have not journeyed yet to Tokyo where I spent a lot of time but not as adventurously as Bourdain. I really think you can't go wrong with any of Bourdain's books or shows, as sad as they are to read and watch with him gone. The world truly lost a talent and I appreciated getting him back for a bit with this book. 

For my dish inspiration, I was going to make a Vegetarian Pho Soup based on Bourdain's Vietnam travels. but at the last minute I was really craving Thai flavors and creamy coconut milk so I tossed together a Tofu Tom Kha Soup. It's not traditional and I took some shortcuts but it totally hit the spot. 

Quick and Easy Tofu Tom Kha Soup

By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen

(Makes About 4 Servings)

2 Tbsp peanut oil or other cooking oil
2 lemongrass stalks, peeled and bruised (or 1 Tbsp Gourmet Garden Lemon Grass Paste)

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (or 2 cubes Dorot frozen crushed ginger)

1- 2 Tbsp Thai Yellow or Red Curry Paste
4 cup non-chicken/vegetable stock
4-5 kaffir lime leaves, torn

1 medium carrot, peeled and diced

1 can baby corn

1 can straw mushrooms 

8-oz tofu pressed and cubed (or 1 package Nasoya Baked Sesame Ginger Tofu, 7 oz) 
1 pinch brown sugar
2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 can (400 ml) of coconut milk
400 ml canned coconut milk
fresh lime juice to taste
Thai basil to garnish

Add the peanut oil to a large pot over medium heat and add lemongrass stalks and ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add curry paste and cook another minute or two. 
Pour the stock into the pot and add the kaffir lime leaves, carrots, baby corn, and mushrooms and bring to a simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the tofu, sugar, and soy sauce and cook another 5 minutes. 
Reduce heat add the coconut milk and stir for 2 minutes, not letting it boil. Add lime lime juice to taste. Serve with chopped Thai basil and enjoy!

Notes/Results: I love Thai soups--the blend of creamy and tangy with the lime leaves and juice so this was a great way to avoid takeout. The shortcuts came from the pantry--the curry paste, canned baby corn and straw mushrooms, and the freezer and fridge--lemon grass paste, cubes of frozen ginger and pre-marinated and baked tofu. All added lots of flavor. I am a mild spice person, especially lately since COVID and a newish asthma inhaler did a number on my taste buds, but you could certainly add more curry paste or a Thai chili or two if you want to up the spice level. I will make this again. 

Today (7/31/22) is the deadline for this round of Cook the Books and Claudia will be compiling all the entries on the Cook the Book site. If you missed this round and like food and books and foodie books, join us for August/September when we will be reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats. 

We have a few friends who have been waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen for quite a while now! Let's take a look!

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shared Coleslaw Macaroni Salad and said, "This salad combines two old fashioned picnic favorites: coleslaw and macaroni salad! Does it get better than that? ... Think of this salad for guests with special eating needs. It meets gluten-free, vegan, dairy -free and kosher-parve standards. It can be made quickly and stored in the refrigerator for at least 2 days."

Melynda of Scratch Made Food brought French Lentil Salad and says, "French Lentil Salad is a taste of springtime! Yes you read that right, this lentil salad with fresh vegetables and a light vinaigrette is light, delicious and the perfect salad to make right now!"

Debra of Eliot's Eats made Nicoise Style Chopped Salad, saying, "The farm bag delivery is the highlight of my Tuesdays. Most of the recipes that they feature are great. This one is pretty darn tasty (even though all the ingredients were not included in the bag). In hindsight, I should have thrown in the sliced mushrooms that came that week. (Please note the original recipe calls for Kalamata olives. Not having any, I left them out. I did add a few more capers to adjust.)"

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor shared Potato Salad Two Ways, saying, "This is a decent potato salad which is easy to prepare. Doug liked it (and he doesn't like potato salad) so I am going to call this a win. Here is a snap of the dish before the sour cream was added.  It could be served warm like this.Here it is chilled with the sour cream added.  Winner either way, just depends if you like a warm or chilled salad."

Thank you, Judee, Melynda, Debra and Tina for joining me and being patient while I got around to posting. 

If you'd like to join in Souper Sundays, I am opening up the below link for two weeks.

Anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches any time during the two weeks and I will post a recap of the entries on Sunday in two weeks.) 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.  

To join in this week's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you.

On your entry post (on your blog):

• please mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post.
• you are welcome to add the wonderful Souper Sundays logo (created by Ivy at Kopiaste) to your post and/or blog (optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

8/14/22 Update! Extending one more week! Use this link and I'll combine both in a recap post. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!

 

Thai Yellow Curry Shrimp Soup with Jasmine Rice for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I was having one of my frequent Thai yellow curry cravings and had some shrimp in the freezer, yellow curry paste in the fridge, and some vegetables to use up. For my base, I used Mark Bittman's Shrimp in Yellow Curry and added the vegetables and extra liquid to make it soup. 

If you aren't a shrimp fan, just insert your favorite quick cooking protein. You can adjust the vegetables to you favorites and add as much heat as you want. I am a medium-spice person. 

Thai Yellow Curry Shrimp Soup 

Slightly Adapted from Mark Bittman via NewYorkTimes.com 

(Serves 4)

2 Tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

1 cup minced onion

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 Tbsp minced ginger or galangal

(I added 1 lemongrass stalk, peeled & bruised)

1 tsp minced hot chili, or to taste

1 Tbsp curry powder or to taste (I used 2 heaping Tbsp)

(I added 4 cups vegetable broth)

(I added 1 cup carrots, thinly sliced)

(I added 1 cup thinly sliced sweet peppers)

(I added 1 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced if large)

2 cups fresh or canned coconut milk

2 lbs large shrimp, peeled

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp nam plan (fish sauce), or to taste

(I added the juice of 1 lime + extra to serve)

1/4 cup minced cilantro or mint

1. Place the oil in a large soup pot and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, and chilies and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and the mixture pasty. Add the curry and cook, stirring, another minute. Add the carrots and sweet pepper if using and cook another minute. 

• 1. Add the broth and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until about 5 minutes until they soften slightly. Add the coconut milk, mushrooms, shrimp, a few pinches of salt and a little black pepper and cook about 10 minutes until the shrimp turn pink.
  2. Add half the nam pla and lime juice, stir, then taste and add more  if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and serve with jasmine or sticky rice.
  

  
  
  Notes/Results: Exactly what I wanted today and it will be perfect for lunches this week. I cooked Jasmine rice in my rice cooker and keep it separate until ready to serve. I will happily make this again.
  
  
  

  
  
  Linking up with I Heart Cooking Clubs where it's Potluck week.
  
  

  

  
  

  Let's see who is here in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week!

  
  2 

craftygardner.com is here with a Carrot and Squash Soup saying, "The cooler weather is fast approaching and that means delicious soups to warm us up. A purchase of a 10 lb bag of carrots for $1.99 meant I had to come up with lots of ways to use them.After making carrot and sweet potato soup I decided to make some carrot and squash soup just by changing up the recipe a bit.Thank you to and Judee for joining me this week!" 

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shared Greek Lemon Soup saying, "If you like lemon, you'll love this powerful Greek lemon soup. Imagine a simple vegetable soup in a tangy lemony broth that is easy to make and a delight to eat. This interesting ethnic recipe is one of my mother-in-law's recipes and has been in our family for years. It is simple, delicious, lemony and healthy." 

Here at Kahakai Kitchen I made a Warm Barley Salad with Herb Pesto to go with a recently reviewed book. Cooked with shallots, garlic and broth, and then tossed with a pesto of dill, chives, parsley and a little rosemary and topped with feta and olives, it was a delicious lunch. 

Thank you for joining me this week!

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy healthy week!

 

The Book Tour Stops Here: A Review of "Remedios" by Deborah Clearman, Served with Guacamole & Toasted Tortillas

It's been a couple of months since I have done a book tour review so I'm excited to be today's stop on the TLC Book Tour for Remedios, a new novel by Deborah Clearman. Accompanying my review is a recipe for a Guatemalan-style Guacamole, served with Toasted Flour Tortillas inspired by my reading.

Publisher's Blurb:

Fernando Granados is a university professor in financial trouble when a boyhood friend he hasn’t seen in thirty years reenters his life. Memo Galindo, now part of a notorious Mexican cartel, soon persuades Fernando to build a meth lab on his country property, just outside the ancient town of Remedios. Fernando’s strong-willed wife Sandra and their beloved 18-year-old son Félix each fall under Memo’s charismatic spell. The cascading family crisis plays out on a larger stage, from its roots in Guatemala’s civil war in the ’80s to corruption in the Guatemalan army and American DEA, in a country where even the forces of nature wreak vengeance.

Paperback: 228 pages

Publisher: New Meridian Arts (July 13, 2020)

My Review: 

I have never watched Breaking Bad, or Narcos or been that interested in television shows, movies or books about people caught up in the drug trade but I wanted to read Remedios because I was on the TLC Book Tour for Deborah Clearman's book of short stories Concepción and the Baby Brokers (see my review here). Although Remedios is a novel, like Concepción and the Baby Brokers, it is set in Guatemala and features a gritty look at people caught up in something dangerous. Fernando (Nando) Granados is a university professor with a wife (a previous student) he has never cheated on, children, and several brothers that live with them. Having overspent on a renovating and improving their large home, Nando was in bad enough financial trouble that he looks a large loan from a local loan shark and is getting desperate about how he will pay him back when a friend he hasn't seen in decades shows up. The last time Nando saw Memo Galindo, they were teenagers attending a political meeting that ended with the military shooting it up. Nando and his older brother escape but Memo is left behind and forced to become a soldier to save his life. There are rumors he is part of a dangerous Mexican drug cartel and when Nando offers him a place to stay on some rural family property, Memo soon has him looking the other way while he builds a meth lab there, disguised as a cleaning supply manufacturing business. Nando is desperate to pay off his debt and thinks he can keep himself and his family from getting their hands dirty. Memo has some ulterior motives and long-held grudges with Nando, and soon he is involved with his wife and getting his oldest son involved in the business with some disastrous consequences. 

Remedios is not a light nor happy read but it is a quick and compelling one. I found myself caught up in this story and shaking my head in dismay as the ramifications from bad decisions pile up. I also liked getting another glimpse of Guatemala over the past few decades from Clearman, who divides her time between there and New York. I look forward to her next book.

 -----

Author Notes: Deborah Clearman is the author of Remedios (New Meridian Arts Literary Press, 2020), Concepción and the Baby Brokers and Other Stories Out of Guatemala (Rain Mountain Press, 2017), and Todos Santos (Black Lawrence Press, 2010). Her short fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals. She wrote and illustrated The Goose’s Tale for children.

Deborah is the former Program Director of the NY Writers Coalition, a nonprofit organization dedicated to offering creative writing workshops to disenfranchised populations throughout New York City. She has led writing workshops for seniors, the homeless, and adults in public housing, and since 2011 has led an ongoing weekly workshop for women and men in jail on Rikers Island. She lives in Manhattan and Guatemala.

Since her first visit to Guatemala in 1978, Deborah has been back many times, living for a year in the village of Todos Santos in 2001-2002. She continues to maintain a close connection to the country and her Guatemalan friends to this day.

Find out more about Deborah at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Food Inspiration:

There was a fair amount of food inspiration for a small book. Mentions included: soup, red wine, oranges, tortillas to wipe up sauce at mo0st every meal, fish, salad, brandy, avocado trees, fresh eggs, oranges, limes, onions, linked sausages, coffee, rice and beans, brandy, whiskey, lemon trees, chile rellenos, chicken and rice, steak, grilled shrimp, tamales, atole, mutton, fruit and Prosecco, sandwiches, candy bars, ice cream, cappuccinos, beans and tortillas, and McDonalds.

For my bookish dish, I looked up easy Guatemalan recipes and when Guatemalan guacamole appeared, I knew that's what I wanted to make. I have been craving guacamole and liked how most of the recipes I pulled up were pretty simple, most just relying on lime juice, oregano and white onion. I used the one from TasteForTravel.com for my starting point, adjusting the lime and salt to my tastes.

Guatemalan Guacamole 
Slightly Adapted from TasteForTravel.com
(Makes about 2-ish Cups)

• 3 avocados, pits removed
• 1 1/2 Tbsp white onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• juice of 1 lime or more to taste
• 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
  

Mash avocados in a bowl with a fork until mostly smooth. stir in onion, oregano and lime juice. Taste and add salt to taste.

Notes/Results: I like how simple this guacamole is. Oregano is not an herb I typically put in my guacamole and I liked the addition as it pairs well with the lime and makes the flavor a bit more complex. The tortillas I used were small soft "street taco" style that I toasted over my gas burner and they were tasty but tortilla chips would also perfect.

I'm sharing this post with the Weekend Cooking event  being hosted by Marg at The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. It's a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. You can see this week's post here.

Note: A review copy of "Remedios" was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for my review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own. 
 
You can see the other stops for this TLC Book Tour and what other bloggers thought of the book here.

 

Blog Tour book Review for "Mayhem" by Estelle Laure, Served with a Fruity Green Juice Smoothie Recipe

Happy Aloha Friday! It has been a long week and I am so happy for the weekend. To help take us there, I have a review the new young adult novel, Mayhem by Estelle Laure and accompanying my review is a Fruity Green Juice Smoothie, inspired by the book.

Back Cover Blurb:

The Lost Boys meets Wilder Girls in this supernatural feminist YA novel.

It's 1987 and unfortunately it's not all Madonna and cherry lip balm. Mayhem Brayburn has always known there was something off about her and her mother, Roxy. Maybe it has to do with Roxy"s constant physical pain, or maybe with Mayhem's own irresistible pull to water. Either way, she knows they aren't like everyone else. 

But when May's stepfather finally goes too far, Roxy and Mayhem flee to Santa Maria, California, the coastal beach town that holds the answers to all of Mayhem's questions about who her mother is, her estranged family, and the mysteries of her own self. There she meets the kids who live with her aunt, and it opens the door to the magic that runs through the female lineage in her family, the very magic Mayhem is next in line to inherit and which will change her life for good. 

But when she gets wrapped up in the search for the man who has been kidnapping girls from the beach, her life takes another dangerous turn and she is forced to face the price of vigilante justice and to ask herself whether revenge is worth the cost. 

From the acclaimed author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back, Estelle
Laure offers a riveting and complex story with magical elements about a family of
women contending with what appears to be an irreversible destiny, taking control and saying when enough is enough.

                                             Wednesday Books (July 14, 2020) 304 pages

My Review: 

When I first signed up to be on the blog tour for this book it was tagged as a mash up between The Lost Boys (one of my 80s movie favorites) and The Craft (another movie I enjoyed) although now the publisher's blurb is saying The Lost Boys and Wilder Girls (on my TBR list) and a feminist YA novel. Since I have not read Wilder Girls I can't comment on that, but definitely the setting is totally The Lost Boys with the California town of Santa Maria in the book modeled on Santa Clarita in the movie and of course Santa Cruz in real life. There are vampires--although we really manly hear mention of them, a few movie lines sprinkled in, and even the vampire-chasing characters The Frog Brothers--who look, dress and act the same as they do in the movie. They don't play a role in the story so I think it is just mainly a homage to the movie and if there are no copyright issues, I have no beef with them being there and like what they add to the setting. The book is set primarily in 1987, and I love the era and having spent a little time as a tween on vacation in Santa Cruz in the earlier 80s, the California beachy boardwalk setting is perfect for the book and its magic and darkness. 

There are a lot of potential triggers in the story from domestic abuse, drug use and abuse, sexual assault and crimes against women. The author addresses these triggers in her forward and said she wrote it so girls who feel powerless could imagine being invincible and a bit as a healing salve for her own past. The main character, Mayhem, and her mother Roxie return to Santa Maria from Texas after more than a decade of Roxie running away from the pain and life there after her love and Mayhem's father's tragic death. Mayhem knows little about her family, the only father and grandparents she knew were her stepfather, Lyle, and his family and they aren't good experiences. Lyle abused Roxy, and it isn't until he starts on Mayhem that the two flee back to the Brayburn family farm that Mayhem's aunt runs. There Mayhem meets the three foster children her aunt has taken in and is getting ready to adopt, and she begins to learn the family history from a journal started by her great-grandmother and added to over the years by other Brayburn women. The journal, the odd behaviors of the community toward her family (gift baskets at the front gate in tribute), the constant presence of crows, and other weird things begin to put the puzzle pieces in place for Mayhem to discover she comes of a line of very powerful women with supernatural powers. Mixed in with the family drama, there are missing teenage girls in Santa Maria and it is suspected they are the victims of a serial killer, that Mayhem and her new family try to identify. I don't want to go too much into the details of what happens, as if you are going to read this book, it's best to let the story unfold, which it does quickly, picking up pace and tension as it does. 

Overall, Mayhem was a good, dark, nostalgic escape. It's a fast read at just over 300 pages and I would have liked a bit more development for some of the characters and a less abrupt end. There are a couple parts of what happened that I am still unclear about--perhaps left purposefully vague. With the subject matter, I would say it would be better for older teens and young adults rather than younger. If like me you are a Lost Boys fan and love your 80s with a good dose of female empowerment thrown in, you should enjoy it.



-----

Author Notes: Estelle Laure, the author of This Raging Light and But Then I Came Back believes in love, magic, and the power of facing hard truths. She has a BA in Theatre Arts and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults,
and she lives in Taos, New Mexico, with her family. Her work is translated widely
around the world.

You can connect with Estelle on Twitter or Instagram.
 

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Food Inspiration:

There was food to be found in Mayhem and it ran the gamut from convenience foods to healthy, natural foods. Mentions included Cheetos, granola, soft-boiled egg, soup, Twinkies, Hostess Cupcakes, cake iced with colored sugar, Nacho Cheese Doritos, Coke, donuts, bulgur wheat and nutritional yeast, coffee, frozen yogurt, little cakes with delicate flower icing, roast and potatoes, lettuce, oranges and baskets of fruit, chocolate-covered almonds, rock candies, vegetables, Rockets and Fudgescicles, hot cocoa, tacos, chimichurri sauce, green juices and fruit, green tomatoes, fresh peaches from the orchard, mint iced tea, plums, ice cream cones, rice and beans, with lime juice, a salad of avocado, lettuce, cucumbers, and pumpkin seeds, cheese plate, jelly beans, and tea.

For my bookish dish, I was going to make rice and beans and the salad with avocados, cucumbers and pumpkin seeds or a vegan version of the Barbacoa tacos mentioned in the book using jackfruit. Alas, I have had a small stomach thing this week and it wasn't interested in having any of those things inside it. Instead, I went to the the chapter in the book where Mayhem comes down to a table full of green juice and fruit and decided to make a green juice smoothie full of fruity goodness.

Smoothie recipes are pretty fluid--you can use what you have on hand or what fruit look like best. If you use frozen fruit and banana with cold juice you don't need ice cubes but if your fruit is fresh, ice cues will help thicken your smoothie.   
Fruity Green Juice Smoothie
By Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Makes 2 Servings)

1 banana, chopped and frozen
1/2 cup frozen peaches
1/2 cup frozen pineapple
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 cup apple juice (if you want less sweetness, use water or unsweetened almond milk)
juice of 1/2 lemon
juice of 1/2 lime
1 Tbsp chia seeds, optional 
2 cups baby spinach or greens of choice
about 10 leaves fresh mint

Put ingredients into the container of a high-speed blender. Start blending on low speed and increase to high. Blend on high speed for 50-60 seconds until mixture is smooth.If smoothie is too thick, add additional juice or water until desired consistency. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Notes/Results:  This smoothie is on the sweeter side which was perfect for what my stomach said it wanted or any recalcitrant children unwilling to eat their greens. I added the mint, chia seeds and pineapple juice to make it better for my digestion and it helped. I had one portion when I made it and saved the second for the next day. I will still make the tacos and salad at some point, but I will happily make and drink this again.


I'm sharing this post with the Weekend Cooking event that was held at Beth Fish Reads, but is now being hosted with Marg at The Adventures of An Intrepid Reader. It's a weekly event that is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share. You can see this past week's post here.

Note: A review copy of "Mayhem" was provided to me by the publisher in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own. 

 

"Satay'in Alive" Vegan Satay Soup with Chickpeas & Tofu for Souper Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

There has been so much pain this week with protests, riots, and so many people hurting, that it seems a bit frivolous to post a soup. But soup is my comfort, both making it and eating it, and while I won't go through the list of things I am doing to understand, to do better, to be better, as none of it seems truly enough, please know that I am trying. I see you, I hear you, I support you, and I stand with you. Black Lives Matter.

My soup inspiration this week comes from a spice blend. I was happy to get a package a few weeks ago with two more seasoning blends from The Book Club Cookbook whose line of Book Blends, Song Blends and TV Blends are both punny and delicious. In that box I received the Book Blend, Shallot's Web (air-dried shallots that I used in these baked eggs) and the Song Blend, Satay'in Alive. I wanted to do something fun with this blend and decided on making a vegan satay in a bowl, a soup full of spice and peanutty goodness.

Although I highly suggest you go online and order some of this blend of garlic, onion, coriander, orange zest, lemongrass, turmeric, smoked paprika ginger, salt, chipotle powder and cayenne, the flavors you find in the Indonesian dish of skewered meats, marinated and grilled. (Right now they are donating part of their proceeds to the NACCP Legal Defense Fund and Donor Choice) If you can't wait, you can blend your own seasoning--there are plenty recipes online. (You just won't get the delight of recieving the cute box, fun labeled bottle and delicious blend.) ;-)

For the soup, I used the spices as a base with veggies and aromatics, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, vegetable broth, peanut butter, cubed tofu and lime juice. Then topped it with some of the things you gt with satay--julienned cucumbers, cilantro, chopped smoked peanuts and lime wedges. You could of course swap out the tofu for meat, chicken or shrimp.

Satay'in Alive Vegetarian Satay Soup with Chickpeas & Tofu
By Deb, Khaki Kitchen
(Makes About 6 Servings)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 Tbsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic minced
2 1/2 Tbsp Satay'in Alive Satay Seasoning or equivalent Spices
1/2 Tbsp yellow curry powder blend
5 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 heaping cup creamy peanut butter
about 1/3 cup brown sugar, or to taste 
1 lb extra-firm tofu, water pressed out & cut into 1-inch cubes
1 can (15 oz) coconut milk
juice of 2 limes, or two taste + extra wedges for serving
sea salt and black pepper to taste, if needed
To Serve: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts (I used smoked peanuts), julienned cucumber, lime wedges, Sriracha or sambal oelek (Indonesian chili suce) and basmati rice if desired

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, Satay'in Alive Seasoning, and curry powder, cooking another minute or two until fragrant. Add broth, tomatoes with their juices, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, whisk in the peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth. Let soup simmer for about 10 minutes or until veggies are just tender and flavors meld.

Gently stir in the tofu cubes and coconut milk and return to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes. Add lime juice, taste and adjust seasoning--adding sea salt and pepper if needed. (Depending on the broth & peanut butter you use--you may not need much if any salt). 

When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top with cucumber, peanut and fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and chili sauce or paste on the side and with basmati rice if desired. Enjoy!

Notes/Results: This soup is so good! It's rich and satisfying, but not too heavy--the lime juice and spice lighten up all of the creamy richness. That also makes it good for eating in warm weather or cold. Originally I didn't have the sugar in the soup but it needed the balance of flavor so I added it and wrote it into the recipe. Play with the flavors and spice level to your liking--it's not very spicy, so if you want you can add more to the soup itself or serve it along side. I am very happy with how it turned out--it's a great way to use this fun seasoning blend (thank you Judy & The Book Club Cookbook) and I will happily make it again.

You can see the other dishes I've created with these seasoning blends:

North Carolina Fish Stew with Where the Crawdads Zing Compound Butter 

(Not So Traditional) White Soup with Dried and Prejudice Seasoned Salt

Note: I received these seasoning blends to try from The Book Club Cookbook. I was not compensated in any way for my posts and my feelings and experiences using them are my own. 

Let's see who awaits in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week:

Tina of Novel Meals brought Fresh Fruit Salad inspired by the food in Rosamunde Pilcher's classic novel, The Shell Seekers, saying "The fresh fruit available in England might have been different than what I had on hand, but it’s a refreshing accompaniment to any meal."

Thank you to Tina for joining me this week!

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, health week. Be well and be better.