soup » Thrifty Living

Carrot soup with Thai flavours

Jan 212012

My first inclination was to call this “Thai carrot soup”, but I wouldn’t want anyone thinking this is a traditional Thai recipe or anything, because it isn’t.

It is, however, exceedingly tasty. Nicely spicy from the Thai curry paste and [optional] chilli, and mellowed out with coconut cream.

I’ve tried carrot soups in the past, but they were all a bit… ordinary. And not, in my opinion, blog-worthy. This one definitely is.

Nice served with crusty bread to mop up every last drop from the soup bowl.

You can substitute 1/2 of a 400ml (14 oz) can of coconut milk for the creamed coconut/water mixture, if you like.

Enjoy!

Carrot soup with Thai flavours

British		American
1 tablespoon	mild vegetable oil	1 tablespoon
100g	finely sliced leeks	generous cup
1 small	fresh chilli, minced (optional)	1 small
1 tablespoon	grated fresh ginger root	1 tablespoon
4 cloves	garlic, minced	4 cloves
1	lemongrass stalk, finely sliced	1
100g	finely chopped fresh tomatoes	1 medium
1 tablespoon	red Thai curry paste	1 tablespoon
450g	peeled & chopped carrots	3 cups
1 litre	water, divided	4 cups
50g pkt	creamed coconut	2 ounce
to taste	salt	to taste
	Fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish

1. In a heavy saucepan, saute leek and chilli (if using) in vegetable oil for five minutes, until softened.

2. Add ginger, garlic & lemongrass and saute for an additional minute or two.

3. Add tomatoes and Thai curry paste and continue to saute for another couple of minutes, until tomato starts to break down.

4. Add 750ml (3 cups) of water and carrots and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, until carrots are completely soft.

5. Remove from heat and let mixture cool for 15 mintues. Transfer to a blender in batches and puree (fill blender no more than 1/3 full with hot soup, unless you want to redecorate your kitchen ceiling in “carrot orange”). Return soup to saucepan (you’ll actually have to use another saucepan, unless you’ve got yourself a ginormous blender). Or you can use a stick blender to puree the soup and save some washing up.

6. Put coconut cream in a glass measuring cup and add boiling water to the 1/2 cup mark. Stir until dissolved, then add to the pureed soup.

7. Add additional water until soup it is at the consistency you like (I used about 1 litre (4 cups) water in total.) Heat gently for 10 minutes, until soup is hot and flavours are blended. Add salt to taste.

8. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro).

Makes two servings.

Summer minestrone

Jul 092011

I tend to go through food phases (apparently having never outgrown them), and lately I have been in one of my frequent “soup” phases. I’ve been sticking with favourites like Greek lentil soup and Black bean & sweetcorn soup, but last night I had a hankering for minestrone.

This is a great hearty soup loaded with veggies, beans and pasta that is a meal in itself. A bit of crusty baguette goes nicely on the side. I like to add a couple of tablespoons of red lentils, because I really like the way that red lentils add body to soup. Fresh basil added when serving lends a nice flavour pop.

The type of veggies can be varied to suit… try green beans instead of peas, or add a bit of spinach. If using beans, add them at the start with the carrots and potato; for spinach, add during the last minute or so. I like my veggies diced fairly small, but if big chunks are your thing, feel free to do it that way and adjust cooking time as needed.

The type of beans can be varied as well; I used small white beans, but you can substitute a different type. Cooking the beans from scratch in my trusty Stanley and using homegrown veggies (well, the courgette and potato, anyway), made this a cheap as well as delicious soup.

Enjoy!

Summer minestrone

British		American
1 litre	vegetable stock or bouillon	4 cups
1 tablespoon	tomato puree (tomato paste)	1 tablespoon
3 tablespoons	red lentils	3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons	olive oil	2 tablespoons
45g	onion, finely chopped	1 small
2 cloves	garlic, minced	2 cloves
250g	finely chopped fresh tomatoes	1 cup
35g	small pasta shapes	1/4 cup
55g	new potatoes in small dice	1/3 cup
45g	peeled carrots in small dice	1/3 cup
35g	celery in small dice	1/3 cup
100g	courgette (zucchini) in small dice	3/4 cup
45g	fresh or frozen green peas	1/3 cup
110g	dried small white beans, cooked	generous 1/2 cup
	(or substitute a 400g (14oz) can, drained & rinsed
to taste	salt	to taste
1/4 cup	minced fresh basil	1/4 cup

1. Combine vegetable stock and tomato puree (tomato paste) in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add red lentils, cover and lower heat to keep at a gentle boil. Cook for 20 minutes until lentils are soft.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy skillet (I use cast iron) over medium-low heat and saute onion for five minutes. Add garlic and continue to saute for another minute. Next add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes begin to break down and form a puree. Add this mixture to the simmering vegetable stock (it’s okay to add it even if the lentils haven’t yet cooked for 20 minutes).

3. Whilst the vegetables are sauteeing, bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Add about a tablespoon of salt, then add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

4. When the lentils are soft, start adding the veggies. First add potatoes, carrots and celery and cook for two minutes. Then add courgette (zucchini) and cook for another four minutes. Add peas and continue to cook for an additional four minutes, or until veggies are tender.

5. Add cooked pasta and beans and heat through. Add salt to taste.

6. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and top with fresh minced basil.

Makes two generous (meal-sized) servings.

Greek lentil soup

Dec 092010

It’s taken me ages to make a Greek lentil soup that I really like. The ones I’ve made in the past were okay, but nothing special.

Most recipes for Greek lentil soup that I’ve tried use too many lentils in proportion to liquid ingredients for my taste. A lot use vinegar, which I’ve decided I don’t like in soup (at least, not in this soup). Most use carrots and/or celery, both of which I omitted.

I got the idea of using sweet red pepper and smoked paprika in the soup from Peter Minakis’ blog, Kalofagas – Greek Food & Beyond. Peter also adds raw garlic at the end, which is a brilliant suggestion. I didn’t add carrot or oregano, and used fresh tomatoes instead of passata (tomato sauce). I also sauteed the veggies in olive oil first, instead of just cooking everything together. Since I don’t have a pressure cooker, I made the soup on the stovetop, which worked fine. Other changes I made were using more water in proportion to lentils, and adding a few tablespoons of red lentils, which break down to make the soup nice & thick.

To grate the tomatoes, simply cut them in half and use a large-hole grater, leaving the skins behind.

The soup wasn’t just good, it was excellent, and is one I will make again and again.

The traditional way to serve this soup is with bread, olives & pickled vegetables. We instead served it with bread, Greek potatoes and Greek salad.

Enjoy!

Greek lentil soup

British		American
2 tablespoons	olive oil	2 tablespoons
60g	diced onion	1 small
40g	diced sweet red pepper	1/4 medium
2 cloves	garlic (divided)	2 cloves
780ml	water	3-1/8 cups
90g	continental lentils (brown lentils)	1/2 cup
3 tablespoons	red lentils	3 tablespoons
1/2 teaspoon	salt, or to taste	1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon	smoked paprika	1/2 teaspoon
1/2	bay leaf	1/2
225g	fresh tomatoes, grated	1/2 pound
to taste	freshly ground pepper	to taste

1. In a heavy skillet (I use cast iron) over low heat, saute onion and red pepper in olive oil until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add one clove of garlic and saute an additional minute or two.

3. While the veggies are sauteeing, bring water to the boil.

4. When water is boiling, add sauteed veggies, continental (brown) lentils, red lentils, salt, smoked paprika and bay leaf.

5. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are soft.

6. Add fresh tomatoes, and cook another 10 minutes.

7. Stir in remaining clove of raw garlic and freshly ground pepper to taste, and serve.

Makes two servings.

Creamy coconut chickpea soup

Nov 092010

The weather has taken a cold turn these past couple of days, and that’s put me in the mood for soup!

This creamy and delicious chickpea soup is a favourite. The coconut milk makes it very rich and satisfying, and the combination of spices gives a complex flavour.

I originally snagged the recipe online, though I’m not sure from where. It was called “Rudi’s Soup”, and all I can say is, Thanks, Rudi, for concocting such a fabulous belly-warming delight.

The ingredients list may look long, but it’s mostly spices.

If you’re starting with dried chickpeas, use 110g (generous 1/2 cup), soaked overnight and cooked until tender. Or use a 400g / 14oz tin, drained & rinsed.

Creamy coconut chickpea soup

British		American
1 tablepoon	rapeseed oil (canola oil)	1 tablepoon
1/2 teaspoon	whole cumin seeds	1/2 teaspoon
1	bay leaf	1
2	whole green caramoms	2
1	whole clove	1
60g	chopped onions	1/2 cup
1 tablespoon	minced garlic	1 tablespoon
1/2 tablespoon	grated fresh ginger	1/2 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon	turmeric	1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon	ground coriander	1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon	ground cumin	1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon	paprika	1/4 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	freshly ground pepper	1/8 teaspoon
pinch	cayenne	pinch
240g	cooked chickpeas	1-1/2 cups
150g	diced fresh tomatoes	3/4 cup
250ml	vegetable stock or bouillon	1 cup
200ml	coconut milk	6-1/2 ounces
	(or 50g sachet creamed coconut plus water to equal 200ml)
	salt to taste
	chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish

1. Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamoms and clove. When the seeds begin to crack, add the chopped onions and saute until golden brown, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Saute for one minute. Remove and discard bay leaf.

2. Add turmeric, coriander, cumin powder, paprika, pepper and pinch of ground cayenne pepper. Be careful not to burn the spices!

3. Add chickpeas to the saucepan. Add diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and salt to taste. Simmer, partially covered, on low heat for half an hour.

4. Remove half the chickpeas from the saucepan, and blenderise with the coconut milk until smooth. Pour the blended mixture back into the pan simmer an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste. Serve hot, with chopped cilantro leaves as a garnish.

Makes two servings.

Winter squash & red lentil soup

Jan 202010

Winter squash & red lentil soup

Last year, one of the varieties of winter squash that we grew was Jaspee de vende.

I like Jaspee because the rind is fairly easy to cut through, and can be trimmed quite close… there isn’t a thick layer of hard flesh next to the rind like there is with some varieties. (Then again, maybe it was just because the squash was fully ripe.)

The thing with winter squash is that when you’re cooking for two people, one squash seems to last ages. Though uncut squash lasts months, once cut it needs to be used fairly quickly.

I roasted some of the squash with other veggies, roasted some on its own, and also made a delicious soup. And there is still a chunk left over!

The soup was inspired by one found here. Besides squash, it has potato, red lentils and spices. It’s a smooth and creamy soup, and light in texture… it doesn’t remind one of baby food, like some pureed vegetable soups. It’s easy to make and really tasty, a great winter warmer!

Winter squash & red lentil soup

British		American
1 tablespoon	vegetable oil	1 tablespoon
60g	finely chopped onion	1/2 medium
1	clove garlic, minced	1
1/2 teaspoon	ground cumin	1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon	ground coriander	1/2 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon	curry powder	1/2 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	cayenne pepper, or to taste	1/8 teaspoon
250g	cubed winter squash	1-3/4 cups
75g	cubed potato	1/2 cup
75g	red lentils	3/8 cup
600ml	vegetable stock or bouillon	2-3/8 cups
2 tablespoons	minced fresh coriander (cilantro)	2 tablespoons
to taste	salt & freshly ground pepper	to taste

1. In a medium pot, heat vegetable oil over low heat and saute onion for five minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for two more minutes.

2. Add cumin, coriander, curry powder & cayenne, and saute an additional minute.

3. Add squash, potato, lentils & stock or bouillion. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook over gentle heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables and lentils are soft.

4. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

Makes 2 servings.

Red lentil soup with carrots

Jan 062010

Red lentil soup2

Happy New Year!

On Sunday, Mr Thrifty and I went for a 10.5-mile (17km) hike. When we got back, we were in the mood for something belly-warming and tasty.

I decided to make a red lentil soup which turned out to be most delicious. I slightly modified this recipe from the New York Times.

I doubled the amount of tomato puree (tomato paste). I didn’t add lemon juice because I didn’t have a lemon in the house, and the soup was really tasty without it. But in case you want to add it, I’ve left it in as an optional ingredient.

We ate the soup with toasted sourdough French bread. Then we each had a big plate of roasted veg: brussels sprouts, oca and potatoes. Yummtastic!

Red lentil soup with carrots

British		American
1-1/2 tablespoons	olive oil	1-1/2 tablespoons
75g	finely chopped onion	1 small
1	clove garlic, minced	1
1/2 teaspoon	ground cumin	1/2 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	salt, plus more to taste	1/8 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	freshly ground pepper	1/8 teaspoon
1/16 teaspoon	cayenne pepper, or to taste	1/16 teaspoon
500ml	vegetable stock or bouillon	2 cups
250ml	water	1 cup
100g	red lentils	1/2 cup
1 medium	carrot, peeled and diced	1 medium
1 tablespoon	tomato puree (tomato paste)	1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons	minced fresh coriander (cilantro)	2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon	freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)	1 tablespoon

1. In a medium pot, heat olive oil over low heat and saute onion for two minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook for two more minutes.

2. Add cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne, and saute an additional two minutes.

3. Add stock or bouillion, water, lentils, carrots and tomato puree (tomato paste). Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook over gentle heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

4. Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup.

5. Stir in lemon juice (if using). Ladle into bowls and top with freshly chopped coriander (cilantro).

Makes 2 servings.

Ramen soup deluxe

Nov 112009

Ramen soup deluxe

So maybe it is a bit of a cheek calling lowly ramen soup — that staple of skint students worldwide — deluxe. But this is a really quick and easy meal to make.

So easy it doesn’t even need much of a recipe.

Thinly slice a few small mushrooms. Peel a small carrot and cut thinly on the diagonal. Shred a few cabbage leaves. Locate some kind of protein: tofu, seitan, vegan sausage, etc. I used veggie mutton from the freezer, about 80g (3 ounces).

Then bring 650ml (2-2/3 cups) of water to the boil. Add half the packet of seasoning mix from a package of ramen noodles*, plus two teaspoons of veggie bouillon powder. Add half the block of noodles, and the cabbage, mushrooms and carrots. Simmer for three to four minutes, until noodles are tender and vegetables are crisp-tender. While it’s cooking, thinly slice a spring onion (green onion/scallion) or some chives, and pick a few coriander (cilantro) leaves from the pot on the windowsill.

Pour soup into big bowls and garnish with spring onions & coriander leaves. This makes one ginormous serving, or two servings if you are having something else (like a salad) with it.

* Be sure the ramen noodles you buy are vegetarian… we use Jade brand (curry flavoured) from Aldi, which are marked “Suitable for Vegetarians”.

Soupe au pistou with garlic bread

Oct 022009

Vegan MoFo logo

Today’s culinary journey takes us to France, and I’m featuring a delicious bean and vegetable soup, Soupe au pistou à la niçoise.

Soupe au pistou with garlic bread

And, because soup and bread are such a great duo, I served this soup with garlic bread.

The soup is made with haricot beans (small white beans), plus an assortment of vegetables. It’s seasoned with garlic and basil. I googled around for a recipe, and decided to follow this one, because I liked the idea of pureeing the tomatoes, garlic and basil together before adding them to the rest of the soup.

I followed the recipe closely, though I made the following small changes: I substituted passata (tomato sauce) for the tomatoes, because they get pureed anyway; subbed peas for green beans; and increased the basil. Next time I make it, I’ll be tweaking it again, so I’m not going to post my version just yet.

For the garlic bread, I used this recipe, substituting vegan margarine for butter, and omitting the cheese.

Bon appétit!

Creamy chickpea & potato soup with spinach

Jan 132009

Creamy chickpea & potato soup with spinach

Whilst flipping through a cookbook in the bath t’other day (yes, I read cookbooks like other people read fiction), I came across what sounded like a simple yet interesting soup recipe. Plus, I had all the ingredients on hand.

Chickpeas. Potatoes. Spinach. Cumin, coriander, cayenne. Also tahini and [vegan] cream. I wasn’t sure how the flavours were going to come together in the end, but I’m happy to report that the soup was very, very delicious. The original recipe calls for cornflour (cornstarch) to thicken the soup, but instead I used a couple of tablespoons of red lentils for extra nutrition.

I used Stanley to cook the chickpeas, but a half a 400g/14oz tin (drained & rinsed) could be substituted. (Use the other half to make houmous, mmm.)

Be sure to wash the spinach well, as it is often quite muddy.

Sesame breadsticks are nice with this soup.

British		American
1 tablespoon	olive oil	1 tablespoon
65g	finely chopped onion	1 small
2	cloves garlic, minced	2
1 teaspoon	ground cumin	1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon	ground coriander	1 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	cayenne pepper, or to taste	1/8 teaspoon
600ml	vegetable stock	2-1/2 cups
3 tablespoons	red lentils	3 tablespoons
180g	potatoes, peeled and diced small	6 ounces
55g	dried chickpeas, cooked	generous 1/4 cup
	(or substitute tinned, drained & rinsed)
4 tablespoons	vegan cream	4 tablespoons
1 tablespoon	light tahini	1 tablespoon
80g	fresh spinach, shredded	3 ounces
	salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil over low heat and saute onion until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add garlic and saute an additional minute or two.

3. Add cumin, coriander and cayenne, and cook another minute.

4. Add vegetable stock and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are soft.

5. Add potatoes and chickpeas and continue to simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until potatoes are cooked.

6. Add vegan cream and tahini, stirring until combined. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne.

7. Add spinach and simmer for two minutes, until spinach is wilted.

Makes 2 servings.

Spiced parsnip soup

Jan 092009

Spiced parsnip soup

One of the few things we are still harvesting down on our allotment is parsnips (well, okay, the only thing at the moment). They are nice and sweet… no surprise, since parsnips get sweeter after a frost and we’ve had plenty of those. Ours are rather mutant-sized compared to the ones at the supermarket, but even those that are 7.5cm (3 inches) at the crown don’t have woody cores.

Day before yesterday I made a mildly spicy parsnip soup that was the best parsnip soup I’ve had. It’s from one of my xmas pressie books, 400 Best-Ever Soups by Anne Sheasby. If all the soups in the book are as yummy as this one, I shall be a happy bunny.

The cream is optional… the soup was delicious without it.

The toasted garlic & mustard seed topping is really nice, but be aware that browned garlic does have a rather distinct, slightly bitter taste. We both loved it, but Mr Thrifty opined that the topping might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you want a more subtle flavour, I think garlic croutons would be a good choice.

You will notice that although I don’t like pureed bean soups, I love pureed vegetable soups. Go figure.

British		American
1 tablespoon	vegan margarine	1 tablespoon
40g	onion, finely chopped	about 1/3 medium
220g	parsnips	1/2 pound
1/2 teaspoon	ground coriander	1/2 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon	ground cumin	1/4 teaspoon
1/4 teaspoon	turmeric	1/4 teaspoon
1/8 teaspoon	chilli powder	1/8 teaspoon
400ml	vegetable stock	1-2/3 cup
3 tablespoons	vegan cream (optional)	3 tablespoons
to taste	salt and freshly ground pepper	to taste
For the topping
1 teaspoon	mild vegetable oil	1 teaspoon
1	garlic clove, slivered	1
1 teaspoon	mustard seeds	1 teaspoon

1. Peel parsnips and cut into small dice.

2. Heat a saucepan on low heat and melt margarine. Gently fry the onion and parsnip for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and cook for another minute.

4. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, or until parsnips are tender.

5. Cool slightly, then puree in a blender. Be very careful with hot liquids in the blender… fill no more than 1/3 full and hold the lid on firmly using a folded kitchen towel before switching on. The steam will try to push the lid off the blender. Hot soup being flung around the kitchen is not a good thing!

6. Return soup to the pan and stir in cream if using. Add a little water if it’s too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat gently until just simmering.

7. Whilst soup is reheating, make topping. Heat vegetable oil over medium-low heat and saute garlic and mustard seeds until garlic is lightly browned and mustard seeds start to pop.

8. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with garlic/mustard topping.

Makes 2 servings.

Older Entries

Thrifty Living

Carrot soup with Thai flavours

Carrot soup with Thai flavours

Summer minestrone

Summer minestrone

Greek lentil soup

Greek lentil soup

Creamy coconut chickpea soup

Creamy coconut chickpea soup

Winter squash & red lentil soup

Winter squash & red lentil soup

Red lentil soup with carrots

Red lentil soup with carrots

Ramen soup deluxe

Soupe au pistou with garlic bread

Creamy chickpea & potato soup with spinach

Spiced parsnip soup

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