Mushroom Curry (Shorvedar Khumbi)

This Mushroom Curry (Shorvedar Khumbi) from Madhur Jaffrey caught my eye because of the mushrooms and the spices--I am trying to get through a large container of ground coriander. I am normally a multi-spiced-heavy-on-the-cumin-curry-kind-of-girl and this sounded a bit different. 

Jaffrey says, "I have used ordinary white mushrooms here, but you may make this with almost any seasonal mushroom. Whichever kind you get, cut them into large, chunky pieces so they do not get lost in the sauce."  

Mushroom Curry (Shorvedar Khumbi)
Madhur Jaffrey's Quick & Easy Indian Cooking
(Serves 4)

1 1/2 --inch piece fresh ginger, peeled an chopped
1 small onion (about 4 oz), peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 lb large fresh mushrooms
6 Tbsp vegetable oil (I used less--about 1/2)
3 Tbsp yogurt (I used non-dairy coconut-based yogurt)
1 tsp tomato paste
2 tsp ground coriander
3/4 tsp salt (or to taste) (I used about 1/2 tsp)
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Place the ginger, onion, and garlic into the container of an electric blender along with 3 tablespoons water and blend until smooth.

Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth and cut them into halves or quarters depending upon size.

Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick frying pan and set over high heat. When the oil is hot,  put in the mushrooms. Stir and fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mushrooms have lost their raw look. Empty the contents of the pan into a bowl. Wipe the pan.

Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil into the pan and set over high heat.  When the oil is hot, put in the paste from the blender. Stir and fry 3 to 4 minutes until it starts turning brown. Add 1 tablespoon yogurt and fry for 30 seconds. Add another tablespoon yogurt and fry for 30 seconds. Do this a third time. Then put in the tomato paste and fry for 30 seconds. Put in the ground coriander and stir once or twice. Then put in 1 1/4 cups water, the mushrooms and their juices, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top before serving. 

Notes/Results: This curry is excellent in flavor with the coriander and ginger the most pronounced--a little different than my usual curry flavors but I liked it. I used a mixture of cremini mushrooms and white mushrooms--just because that is what the grocery store had, but wild mushrooms would be really nice in this. Pureeing the onion, ginger and garlic and stir-frying that mixture added a lot to the overall taste. Texture-wise, next time I would put less water in or maybe sub coconut milk for the water--I like a thick. creamy base and this was more thin. Also, I used a non-dairy coconut-based yogurt and maybe a Greek yogurt would have made it a little thicker.  Still, it was good with the flaky paratha (my favorite flat bread from the frozen section of my local Indian market) dipped into it.  The recipe says it serves four but, I think it is more like two generous main-dish servings or four as a side dish or part of a larger meal. I would make this again--with less liquid. 

We are all about Comforting Curries this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs. Stop by and take a peek. 

 

"Cheesy" Potato Soup: A Healthier But Still Decadently Loaded Vegan Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I love when a normally fattening and unhealthy dish can successfully be made into a healthier option. The other day, I really wanted a bowl of the daily cheesy baked potato soup when I was out to lunch with a friend but knew that my arteries and butt certainly didn't need all that saturated fat. Recently buying a copy of Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook (companion to the great documentary about the dramatic health results achieved from removing meat, dairy and oils from the diet), I was pleased to see a "Cheesy" Potato Soup recipe that just begged to be tried. As did the Tofu Sour Cream recipe as a topping for this creamy bowl of yum.

Forks Over Knives says, "A warm, rich and creamy soup, this is a delicious, plant-based alternative to standard dairy-heavy, fat-laden cheese soups. Depending on your taste you can puree all of part of this soup; it will taste great either way."

Cheesy Potato Soup
Forks Over Knives--The Cookbook
(Serves 4)

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and chopped
1 batch No-Cheese Sauce (recipe below)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Saute the onion in a large saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add water 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking to the pan. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the vegetable broth, bay leaf, and potatoes. Bring the mixture to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove the bay leaf. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender with a tight-fitting lid, covered with a towel. Season with salt and pepper.

Return the soup to the pot if necessary and add the No-Cheese Sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the green onions and parsley.

-----

No-Cheese Sauce
Forks Over Knives--The Cookbook
(Makes about 2 1/2 Cups)

Forks Over Knives says, "This low-fat sauce makes great Mac and "Cheese" or Baked Ziti. Best of all it only takes about 5 minutes to put together. It may seem as though the recipe will not work in a blender, but with a little patience it does (and the blender makes for a creamier sauce than you could otherwise make). If your onions are strong, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes, or saute them over medium heat for about 5 minutes before adding them to the blender."

1 large yellow onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 Tbsp cashews, toasted (optional) *see note
1 Tbsp tahini (optional) *see note
1 cup nutritional yeast
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender in the order given and puree until smooth and creamy, adding up to 1/2 cup of water if necessary to achieve a smooth consistency. 

(Note: I omitted the cashews and tahini and replaced with 4 Tbsp cashew butter)
------

Tofu Sour Cream
Forks Over Knives--The Cookbook
(Makes 1 1/2 Cups)

Forks Over Knives says, "Use this healthy dairy alternative in any dish that calls for sour cream. Serve it with baked potatoes and fresh chives, with tacos and enchiladas, or mushroom stroganoff."

One (12 oz) package extra firm silken tofu, drained
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth and creamy. Chill until ready to serve.

Notes/Results: Perfectly cheesy, creamy and decadent--this is a tasty bowl of soup that tastes like something you shouldn't be eating. I am normally the first person to tell you that nutritional yeast gives more of a cheese essence than actual cheese flavor--this soup really does taste pretty cheesy. It could easily be fed to and would probably fool many confirmed carnivores. ;-) 

I pureed about a third of the soup so there were plenty of chunks of potato. The tofu sour cream tastes like the real thing and with the green onions, parsley and a few shakes of Bac-Uns (soy "bacon" pieces) it made for a loaded baked potato-like soup with a fraction of the fat that a normal bowl of this kind of soup would have. The recipe says Serves 4, but they would be pretty big servings and it is a rich soup. I would make the soup again and will make the No-Cheese Sauce and Tofu Sour Cream again for use in other recipes.

Let's see what dishes are waiting in the Souper Sunday kitchen this week.

Joanne of Eats Well With Others is here with this unique Bean Chili with Pecans and Chocolate and says, "No, this recipe absolutely did not come about after I accidentally dropped cookie batter ingredients into a bubbling pot of stick-to-your-ribs, spice-infused, vegetable-rich chili. Never mind that I was definitely not supposed to be eating cookies at all whatsoever when I made this since it was the week before the marathon-that-wasn't and I had every intention of keeping it clean and healthy until the Big Day.  Then Hurricane Sandy happened. And, well, here's the thing. Have you ever tried to get through a natural disaster without extreme beer and/or chocolate consumption?"

Also channeling potato comfort this week, Lea Ann of Cooking on the Ranch made this gorgeous and elegant bowl of Potato Soup (Potato Creme de Fromage) and says, "My mom put Potato Soup on the dinner table at least once a week while I was growing up. Simple with ingredients, and so big on flavor, it’s definitely towards the top of my comfort food list. I make it on a regular basis also, but never seem to think it tastes as good as what she made. Probably just a childhood memory playing tricks on me, since I make it exactly like she did. ... Now and then I like to make this fancier version using Camembert and cottage cheese. It also comes with a high falutin’ name, Potage Creme de Fromage."

Dave of Inspired By eRecipeCards.com has four soups to share this week starting with his NOT Thai Coconut Chicken Soup, about which he says, "I looked at a lot of recipes for a spicy sweet Thai Coconut Soup.  For whatever reason, I was not happy with anything I saw. Mainly, I am just not the kind of cook that buys a lot of single dish ingredients.  It makes things just too expensive.  While my local market has very fresh produce and I am always happy, they do not stock many exotic items.  Plus, unfamiliar ingredients still scare me a little.  So, no Lemongrass, No Fish Paste, No kaffir Lime Leaves, No Thai nam pla, or Vietnamese nuoc nam.  But there are Kansas equivalent ingredients and I did come up with a sweet, little spicy, yet still have an exotic taste and look."  

Dave also made this Root Vegetable Bisque... I Don't Need No Stinkin' Root Vegetable Bisque Recipe, saying "Soups are a great place to use up what's in your produce drawer. Well, this bisque is basically the same idea.  I am just using root vegetables (Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Carrots, Onions and Celery... Um and an Apple, just to screw up the title (and to sweeten the mix)."

Then Dave turned the bisque into this Easy Potato Stew with a Root Vegetable Base and says, "As you well know, a bisque is rarely served as a single course.  Usually you have a sandwich (or 6 more courses of food) to go with it.  I did serve the bisque with a sandwich, but had quite a bit leftover.  I decided to make a new soup from the bisque base and made an easy Potato stew with a Root Vegetable Base.  This worked great as a stand alone lunch next day."

Finally Dave wanted to share his inspiration for his Root Vegetable Bisque saying, ... the whole idea of making a soup on the fly was explored in my Chicken Vegetable Soup... I Don't Need No Stinkin' Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe post where once again I explore the virtues of making a soup on a wing and a prayer."

Janet of The Taste Space made this mean green Veggie Noodly Salad with the Ultimate Peanut Sauce and says, "...With less sweetener, less sodium AND using coconut beverage, we have a winner. A drinkable winner. The twist from the other peanut dressings comes from the bite from molasses and umami from the fermented black bean sauce. Use it to coat anything. Veggies, grains, beans, you name it. Here, I paired it with sliced carrots, thinly sliced sugar snap peas, julienned baby bok choy, kelp noodles and pea shoots."

Finally Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog has a holiday-ready Fresh Cranberry Salad Dressing for Thanksgiving to share and says, "The tart and tangy cranberry is customarily associated with Thanksgiving. Most families either eat homemade or from the can cranberry sauce as a side dish with their turkey!  Well, as a vegetarian I won't be eating turkey, but I will be adding fresh organic cranberries to many of my salads and other recipes. ... This dressing is sweet, tangy, refreshing, and most of all fast and easy to make. You'd be surprised how much you will like this dressing."

Thanks to everyone who joined in this week with their fabulous soup and salad recipes. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Coconut-Curry Crusted Mongchong with Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish

It's all about the condiments--Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week. I found two easy recipes to try in Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking; Fresh Coriander Chutney and Onion Relish, and I tossed together a Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish (local mongchong) and basmati rice to go with them. It made for an easy and relatively quick dinner with lots of flavor.

Coconut-Curry Crusted Fish
by Deb, Kahakai Kitchen
(Serves 2)

2 firm fish fillets of choice (I used mongchong--aka pomfret)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup flour, separated
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
ground pepper to taste
1 egg or egg replacer (I didn't have any eggs!) ;-)
1 Tbsp butter or non-dairy butter spread
1 Tbsp olive oilMix coconut, 1/4 cup of flour, curry, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper together well on a plate or in a shallow bowl. In a shallow bowl, whisk the egg or mix up egg replacer. Spread the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a plate. Dredge the fish in the plain flour and shake/brush off any excess. Then dip fish into in the egg mixture, shaking off any excess and dredge in the coconut-curry mixture, making sure to coat completely.  

Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium high heat. When pan is hot, sauté the fish until nicely browned on both sides and cooked though on the inside.  About 2-3 minutes per side for thinner fillets and up to 6 minutes per side for thicker pieces. 
 
Serve topped with Fresh Coriander Chutney (recipe below)

Jaffrey says, "This is the kind of chutney that is made fresh in our homes everyday. Apart from its sharp, perky taste, it is exceedingly rich in Vitamins A and C as well as in chlorophyll. We eat small amounts 1-2 teaspoons with our meals. It also serves as an excellent dip for snacks such as samosas." 

Fresh Coriander Chutney (Hare Dhaniye Ki Chutney) 
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4-6)

 3 cups (75g) lightly packed fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves & upper leafy pieces, coarsely chopped
1/2 to 1 fresh, hot green chilli, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in the container of an electric blender. Blend, pushing down with a rubber spatula several times, until you have a paste. Empty the paste into a small glass or other non-metallic bowl.

Jaffrey says, "This is one of those relishes that may be served with almost every Indian meal. It may be familiar to you from Indian restaurants where it is nearly always on the table."

Onion Relish (Pyaz Ka Laccha)
From Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking
(Serves 4)

1 medium onion, peeled
3/4 tsp salt
4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp paprika (the redder in color the better)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Cut the onion crosswise into paper-thin rings. Put the rings in a bowl . Add all the other ingredients. Toss and mix. Set aside for 30 minutes (or more) before eating, in order to let the flavors blend.  

 
Notes/Results: Simple, with good flavors in both the chutney and the onions and they complimented the fish with its coconut and curry crust nicely. The chutney is bright and herby with a nice but not too hot burn from the chilli. If you can't do coriander or cilantro, parsley would work well in this. The onions were my favorite--the lemon juice tenderizers them and the paprika and cayenne give them good flavor. Next time I would truly slice them paper thin but I liked the crispness of the thicker pieces too. (I used my small handheld mandoline slicer rather than digging out and setting up my big fancy one that slices very thinly because I am lazy like that.) ;-) I would make both recipes again.

There will be plenty of other Relishes, Chutneys and Pickles over at the IHCC site this week, so stop by and check them out. 

Happy Aloha Friday!
 

The Book Tour Stops Here: Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven and Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds

Karla's relationship with Anna, the grandmother who raised her and her two sisters, has been tenuous at best. Sent to live with Anna when their parents were killed in an auto accident ten-year-old Heather and six-year-old Grace bonded easily with Anna while Karla, fourteen, always felt excluded and bitter toward her grandmother. Now 85, Anna is dying with congestive heart failure and Karla has returned home to help Anna put her affairs in order. Karla is there from a sense of duty while Anna is hoping to heal the rift between them and make the most of the time she has left.

Things Remembered by Georgia Bockoven is a novel about family, love and healing--letting go of the past and finding a future. Although the story centers mostly around Anna and Karla, we get glimpses into the lives of the sisters--Heather happily married to a wonderful man and expecting her third child--a girl, and Grace, a spoiled and self-indulgent actress who is supported financially and enabled in her selfishness by both Karla and Anna. Karla has focused most of her energy and her life on her coffee shop, especially after her divorce, and has closed herself off emotionally from much of the world. Beginning to open herself up to a relationship with Anna introduces her to new friends and a potential love interest. The relationship between the sisters and their grandmother--very different for each sister, is explored as well. 

I found this book to be a fast and engaging read and I could easily relate to the family dynamics of the sisters and the concerns of having an aging parent or grandparent. It is a sweet story and a perfect fall/winter read as it is set over late October and flows into Christmas and beyond. Things Remembered is good pick for anyone who enjoys books about family and relationships. This is the first book of Bockoven's I have read (although I just realized her The Year Everything Changed is sitting in my massive post-Border's closing sale "to read" pile), and I planning on reading more from this author. 

Author note: Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than four million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John.

There was actually plenty of food inspiration in this book. Thanksgiving dinner, home-baked pies and pie crust cookies (I have fond childhood memories of these cinnamony pie crust scrap treats), persimmon cookies, applesauce cake, lasagna, hamburgers... There are even about 17 family-style recipes included in the back of the book, submitted by readers of the original hardback edition. 

In the end, for my book inspired dish, I took inspiration from the the part of herself Karla kept hidden--the mothering, nurturing part. At her core, Karla cares deeply about her family and friends and demonstrates it through her actions.  Making and giving food is a great way of showing you care and so I took the opportunity to bake up a little something for a friend. 

My friend Julie is on a restrictive diet no gluten, dairy, and a host of other ingredients and she has been hungering for some baked goods. I had some nicely brown and over-ripe sweet apple bananas and I whipped them into a vegan Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds. Because I let my GF baking ingredients run out, I bought some Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix and adapted the Banana Bread recipe on their website. (My changes are in red below) The result was some pretty moist and tasty little muffins--studded with mini vegan chocolate chips.
 
Gluten Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins with Almonds
Adapted from Banana Bread recipe at Pamela's Products
(Makes about 10 muffins)

4 tablespoons butter, melted (I used Earth Balance butter substitute)
1/2 cup sugar or honey (I used 1/3 cup agave)
2 eggs, beaten (I used egg replacer)
1 cup banana, mashed
1-3/4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
(I added 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
1/2 cup nuts (optional) (I used 1/2 cup sliced almonds)
(I added 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips)

Beat together butter, sugar or honey, eggs and banana. Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Scoop into lined cupcake pans (about 2/3 full).

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Notes/Results: I am still always a little leery of baking with GF and vegan ingredients (gluten-free mixes, egg replacer, Earth Balance) and having it turn out with the flavor and texture I am looking for but these muffins were actually really good. They turned out moist and not too dense and of course you can't go wrong with lots of mini chocolate chips. I had a couple and gave the remainder to Jules who proclaimed them really good--so I will call them a success. I would make them again. 

Note: A review copy of Things Remembered was provided by the publisher and TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own. 
 

White Bean Soup with Gremolata: Easy, Beany Goodness for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It was the gremolata that pulled me into this recipe. I love the bright and zesty flavor this combination of parsley, garlic and lemon rind gives to food and thought it would be perfect to add flavor to a simple bean soup.

This White Bean Soup with Gremolata recipe comes from Cooking Light via myrecipes.com and goes together quickly and simply. I made a few changes (in red below) and omitted the pancetta and chicken stock to make it a veg-friendly soup. 

 
White Bean Soup with Gremolata
Adapted from MyRecipes.com: Cooking Light--Nov. 2009
(Serves 2-4)

Soup:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta (omitted & added 1/2 tsp smoked paprika)
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
(1/2 cup carrot, chopped)
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups less-sodium chicken or veggie broth (I used 1 quart Imagine Not-Chicken Stock)
1/2 cup water (omitted)
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 (19-oz) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (I used 3 14-oz cans)
1 bay leaf
 
Gremolata:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon minced garlic

To prepare soup, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, and 2 teaspoons garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until almost tender. Stir in broth and next 4 ingredients (through bay leaf). Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To prepare gremolata, combine parsley, rind, and 1 teaspoon garlic. Sprinkle over soup.

Notes/Results: The soup is good on its own, with the gremolata it is even better--so I recommend doubling the gremolata recipe. I added extra beans and doubled the broth--without doing that this recipe would yield about 2 servings. If you eat meat, the pancetta would be a nice touch. I replaced it with some smoked paprika and didn't really miss it. Easy to make, satisfying and with good flavor, I would make this again.

We have soups and stews and a couple of salads waiting in the Souper Sundays kitchen, let's take a look. 

Tigerfish from Teczcape-An Escape to Food is here with Roasted Garlic Black Bean Stew and says, "It was supposed to be only part of the roasted garlic going into this dish but in the end, it's an entire whole bulb of garlic (about 6-8 cloves) into this Roasted Whole-Garlic Black Bean Stew. Garlic-ky!!! Black beans is a great way to up the intake of fiber and protein; also relatively nutritious among beans/legumes especially when it is rich in potassium and iron (folate)."

Janet of The Taste Space made this chunky Moroccan Chana Dal Stew with Green Olives and Preserved Lemons and says, "I liked the creamy nature of the chana dal as a back drop for the stew along with cinnamon and cumin. The buttercup squash was sweet and complemented the grassiness of the green beans (yes, my plants were very prolific this year). For further depth, green Cerignola olives and preserved lemon make this an exotic twist of flavours."

Torwen of Torwen's Blog is back with a creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and says, "Today was kind of a strange day. We are living in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg (now can you pronounce this one *grin*), in a part that borders to another state of Germany. And today I had a holiday and M, who works only 20 km away (but in Hesse) had to go to work. No holiday and no free time for him. Bad for him but good for me :) So I used my time to tend to my slipped disc (basically meaning, I slept long), made a brownie cake for M's birthday and also this wonderfully rich and smoky butternut squash soup which I will gladly share with you, since, although it might look like an ordinary squash soup, is far from it."

Pam of Sidewalk Shoes adapted Dorie Greenspan's Garbure from the Supermarket for the slow cooker and says, "As someone who makes soup practically every single Sunday from October to April, I have eaten a lot of soups, and I have to say that this is in my top 10.  It was wonderful.  It is totally loaded with vegetable and pork goodness.  I used a meaty ham bone and unfortunately didn’t have the optional duck leg and garlic sausage – which probably would have been utterly amazing.  Also, I skipped the turnips because I don’t like them! But even without the optional ingredients – this was fabulous!"

Dave of Inspired By eRecipeCards is here again this week with two soups. The first is this decadent, cheesy stew-like Enchilada Soup. He says, "Much as I try, sometimes I just can't stop myself...This started out as a copy cat recipe and I had every intentions of following the recipe through as written.  If you have never tried the delicious creamy, cheesy, Tex-Mex delight of the Enchilada Soup from Chili's restaurant, you are missing something special. ... Long story short (too late), the creamy delicious ACCURATE Chili's Copy Cat Recipe that Lindsey posted sounded perfect.  But I thought about it and decided I could do a bit better (well, different anyway).  My soup came out much thicker and more of and Enchilada Stew than a soup."

Dave's second soup is this Rotisserie Chicken Corn Chowder about which he says, "Chowders also are traditionally served with those little oyster crackers.  Long time readers will smile when I say, "Who am I to argue with tradition", but in this case.  They go great with chowder! Love this, thick and rich from the Half and Half; a hint of spice from a minced jalapeno, to make up for the cream, loaded with vegetables and plenty of cheese to make it good and hearty! What's not to love."

My pal Stephanie, The Happy Sorceress of Dispensing Happiness is here with this "ridiculously easy and full of flavor" Cambodian Chicken and Rice Soup and says, "I like the cooler temperatures a lot more than Matt. My feeling is that you can  add more layers to get warm, but when it's hot you can only take off so much to get cool! There's another, and more recent, reason I like this time of the year: Matt's more willing to eat soup. (This is called a 'win-win'.) Give it some Asian flavors and he might even have seconds."

Joanne of Eats Well With Others is facing the storm aftermath with this healthy and hearty Broccoli and Cauliflower Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Goat Cheese and says, "The one thing I do have? This quinoa salad. And...it's awesome. Stuffed full of roasted cauliflower, a creamy broccoli pesto, almonds, avocado and goat cheese, it'll fill you with a sense of calm during these crazy times so that all you'll be able to focus on is how happy your taste buds are.  Amidst all of this insanity and utter uncertainty...it is logical, rational and/or reasonable.  And sometimes...that's exactly what you need."  

Finally Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog brings a colorful Shaved Carrot Ribbons and Cranberry Salad. She says, "Two simple vegetables, the carrot and the cranberry ( a berry) create a fabulous fall salad! Low calories, yet in high fiber and nutrition, carrots have a rich orange color that is especially appealing in the fall and add a subtle  sweetness to so many recipes. My creation was absolutely delicious, simple, raw and vegan. I made the salad for "one" and ate it as my lunch,  You can double or triple it for a side dish with dinner." 

A wonderful variety of dishes this week--thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo for all of the details. 

Have a happy, healthy week!
 

Lemongrass Tea (Leelee Chai)

I drink a lot of tea--black, green, oolong. I drink a lot of lemongrass tisane--fresh lemongrass steeped in hot water. I don't normally drink the two together so I was intrigued by this recipe for Leelee Chai--or Indian Lemongrass Tea from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian.

Jaffrey says, "I have only seen this drunk in the West Indian state of Gujarat. In the city of Ahmedabad we were offered large, handleless bowlfuls of it. It had been made very strong and was served sweetened, with milk. You might like to make it weaker and have it without the milk and sugar."

Lemongrass Tea (Leelee Chai)
From Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian
(Serves 4)

2 stalks fresh lemongrass, the bottom 6-inches, thinly sliced
5 tsp Assam or Darjeeling black tea
milk and sugar to taste

Combine the lemongrass and 4 1/4 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain the water into a warmed teapot and immediately add the tea. Allow to steep for 5 minutes. Serve with milk and sugar or plain. 

Notes/Results: I used a first-flush Darjeeling and fresh local lemongrass and it made for a lighter, brighter cup of tea with a slightly floral, lemony finish. Normally I am a no-cream-or-sugar-in-my-tea-kind-of-girl, but this tea was even better with a dash of coconut milk non-dairy creamer and a touch of honey. It's also good iced, with a squeeze of lemon. Definitely drinkable, I will make it again.

There's an Indian Tea Party over at I Heart Cooking Clubs this week. You can check out the tea and tea-friendly treats everyone made by going to the post and following the links.

Happy Aloha Friday!