Vietnamese Sour Soup

Holy Guacamole, Bat Man! Did I take a lot of pictures this time, or what?!

Our friend, Vinh, was here this past weekend. Last time he was here, we made Vietnamese Spring Rolls. And I took pictures. Lots. But I think I outdid myself this time. Adam was even annoyed (hee hee). This time, it's sour soup. It's definitely a sweet and sour soup, though. There is a lot of prep, but the actual making of this soup is souper easy. We did our prep in the morning so all we had to do was boil water and throw it all in. The amounts below made enough for a small army, so if you decide to try this at your home, I would most definitely half all the amounts, except for the shrimp and fish. Keep those the same. Otherwise, you'll be eating this every day for the next two weeks. I'm just not kidding about this one.

Let's get down to business!

What you need and what to do

Bring 10-15 cups water to boil in a very large pot. I don't have a picture of this one. Imagine me boiling water. It's not hard. Although the altitude does challenge one's patience in the area of boiling time.

Also, prepare several cups of Jasmine rice. We made about 8 cups.

6 medium Malanga (I really wanted a link to this vegetable, but looked high and low for it. No go. I found something that resembled a potato, but this is most definitely not a potato. It's most like celery, and Vinh says you can use celery in it's place. That's what it sort of tasted like, anyway.) If you do go to an Asian food store and find these babies, peel the outer layer using your fingers. It's sort of like if you peeled the entire outside surface of a stalk of celery. The peel is very stringy and tough. Get it all off. Also, cut off any brown you might find.

Look! This one's pregnant!

I was sous chef Sunday evening, and Emma was sous' sous chef. Isn't she cute?
Chop up the Malanga into bite size pieces. You can slice, then half if it's too big.

4 ripe tomatoes. Cut these into wedges.

One or two onions, peeled, halved and sliced.

3 cups fresh okra, stems removed and halved, if large.

One large, or two small pineapple, peeled (is that the word?), cored and chopped into bite-size pieces. Did you know you can suck on the core of the pineapple and get really good flavor and juice as a fun snack? Don't let it go to waste.
See, now you're learning two new things today. Aren't you the lucky one?

Here's the Malanga and okra cut up, sitting in bowls. Waiting.
I'm not sure why I have this picture, but I do.
And I'm not going to waste it.

Next, you need 2 packages of Tamarind Soup base mix. Clearly, you're going to need a trip to the Asian food store for this recipe. I don't know what you'd use in place, but there's a chance your local market might have this, so just go see. I personally haven't checked.
This is a very distinct flavor. It's the sour part of the soup. Very good, mild, not pucker-your-lips tart, just subtle.

Pour the two packages into about 15 cups of boiling water. You're going to need the large pot for this recipe. Did I mention that?

Rinse 6-8 cups bean sprouts in cool water. You want to get off any dirt that might be clinging to them.
I love bean sprouts. Try just dipping raw sprouts in hoisin sauce. Mmmm. I love hoisin sauce.

Clean and chop a big handful of fresh Thai basil.
The basil we had was super sandy, so wash this very well. There's nothing worse than biting down on a nice grain of sand.
Place chopped basil in a small serving bowl. It's a garnish for the soup.

Rinse 1 1/2 pounds fresh shrimp, shells on. These are tiger shrimp. Aren't the beautiful? Really, even raw, beautiful.

Throw these in a smaller separate pot with boiling water. Cook until they're this bright orange/pink color. Even prettier!
Did you know leaving the shell on decreases the amount of shrinkage when cooked? I did not know that. Now I do.
(We've all seen the Seinfeld shrinkage episode, right? No need to say more.)

Rinse the cooked shrimp under cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool them down.

Time to shell 'em!
(Side note: Notice my raised left index finger? Yeah, I almost chopped off the tip last week. Nice.)

Now, you need 1 1/2 pounds fresh catfish, about 3 fillets. Usually, Vinh uses bone-in because it tends to hold up better when cooked, but he could only find boneless here. It worked fine.
Rinse this well under cold water before cooking.

Remember that humongo pot of boiling tamarind soup broth you've got going on the stove top? Carefully lower your catfish into it and cook until tender. Remove from pot and place on serving dish.

This is what it will look like when done. I realize it's not really very appetizing looking, but it's very tasty and tender. You're just going to have to trust me with this one. Until you try it at home.

After you've removed your catfish, toss the okra and onion into the soup broth. Let them cook for about 5-7 minutes. Maybe 10. I really can't remember this step. I must have been hustling a dog out of the kitchen at this point. The seafood smell was making her go crazy bonkers.

Next, add in the Malanga.
Then, add the tomatoes, pineapple and bean sprouts. You're really just going to flash-cook these, about 30 seconds, don't boil them to death. They should still be very fresh, just not cold still.

Using a large strainer, strain the broth into a separate bowl.
Now, you don't really need to do this step, but since most household don't have an extra-huge humongo soup pot, this is the next best thing.

The table spread. See how we placed the shrimp and fish together?
The basil is behind it.
The veggies are all in a bowl with the broth in the background.

Here's how you serve yourself:
First, place some rice in your bowl, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups
Next, spoon in some veggies.

Place however many shrimp and pieces of fish in your bowl.

Pour on some broth.

Sprinkle in some basil, give a squirt or two of both hot sauce and fish sauce (not pictured, oops!), and dish up!
Caution: the contents of your bowl will be extremely hot!

Soup for you!!!
(I know, again, with the Seinfeld.)


If anybody decides to venture into this dish, please let me know how it goes!
Whew! I don't know how the Pioneer Woman does it with all her pictures, recipes, photos and posts. I'm exhausted!

Thanks guys, and happy cooking!

Red Lentil Soup with Flat Bread

This is not a pretty meal, unless you have a pretty bowl to put it in. Which I don't. So, I put up the sort of out-of-focus picture to show some color so it would look pretty. But, what it IS, is good. And easy. Two of my favorite things. Oh, and cheap. Bonus!



What you need

2 c. lentil (I used red)
8 c. broth (beef or chicken) (broth from a box or use bouillon cubes)
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsp lemon juice

Bring the lentils and broth to a boil, cover and simmer 30 minutes on low. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, garlic in the olive oil till golden. Add onion mixture to lentils when done.

After lentils have been going about 15 minutes, add the cumin, paprika salt and pepper.

When it's all done, add the lemon juice.

For the flat bread: you can use any pizza dough recipe you have, or just get the stuff in the freezer.
What you need

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp honey
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. warm water
1 package yeast (= 2 1/4 tsp)

Throw it all in your bread maker or stand mixer. When done, form it into an oblong shape, brush with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper, garam masala or Herbs de Provence, or anything, really, that sounds good. Heat your grill pan, grill or broiler to high. If using the grill or pan, lay dough directly on grill and grill for a few minutes each side (make sure you oil and season both sides). If using your broiler, place on a pizza pan with vents or holes in it and watch it like a hawk because it can burn really quickly. Not that I would know anything about that. Ahem.

Cut up the bread, serve it up warm with the soup and add a green salad. Warm and comforting on a fall evening, especially now that it's getting dark around 4:30pm!

Senate Bean Soup

I found this recipe years ago as a newly married wife, frantically searching for meals for me and Adam that I could prepare after a long day of college (we got married sort of young). Our newspaper carried a food page on Wednesdays, and I came upon this soup. It's easy, hearty and good. I almost always have the ingredients on hand, too. A nice bonus.

What you need

12 oz. smoked sausage, any kind you like, sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup minced celery
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbs. olive oil (or a little more)
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock/broth
2 cups cubed, peeled sweet potatoes
2 cups cubed, peeled baking potatoes
15-oz can navy beans, drained and rinsed
15-oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Sauté the sausage, onion, celery, and garlic in oil in large soup pot or Dutch oven until sausage is browned, 5-8 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and heat to boiling. Reduce to simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes (that's what the recipe says, but I have to say I simmer for at least 30 minutes).

Serve with some sourdough bread or biscuits or any kind of cracker. Warm goodness.

Sausage Corn Chowder

I don't know where she found this recipe, but it's from my mom. This soup is a huge hit with my entire extended family. It's creamy, filled with the goodness of sausage and potatoes. Perfect for autumn, paired with a crisp salad, bread and a glass of milk.

What you need:

1 pound sausage
3 potatoes, cubed and boiled (~20 minutes separately)
1 (11oz.) can evaporated milk (OR, I used equivalent amount of 2%)
1 can kernel corn*
1 can cream corn*
Tabasco, just a dash or to your liking
salt, to taste

*I don't like the taste of canned corn, so I used about 2-3 cups frozen for both of these. You don't have quite as much liquid, so add some water or more milk to the soup after it's all mixed together.

In a large soup pot, brown the sausage (you can add some onion if you want, but we have onion issues here at my house, so I sometimes use onion powder). Add the cooked potatoes, milk, corn and Tabasco. Stir it all up and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer 30 minutes. Taste to add salt, sometimes sausage can be really salty, so I add it after about 15 minutes of cooking time.

Enjoy!

Check back here periodically, I'll be adding pictures as I make these things again. I never remember to take them while I'm making them!

Chicken Chili

Ok, ok, I know. I know. It's not chili weather. But, it's really more of a "tortilla soup," if you will, and it's good, ok? And it takes less than 30 minutes, or it can simmer for an hour and be even better. So, try it!

What you need

1 pound ground chicken
2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1 can diced, 1 can crushed), undrained
2 cans beans (any type, but I like 1 black bean, 1 white bean of some sort), drained and rinsed
1 package frozen corn
1-2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
1-2 Tbs chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp each garlic and onion powder
*seasons are approximate, add what you like

cilantro, cheese, tortilla chips and avocado for garnish

In large soup pot, brown the chicken in olive oil. Add the tomatoes (rinse the tomato cans with water and add this to the pot), beans and corn, seasonings, bring to boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve with the garnishes (is that a word?) at the table and you've got a meal.

Red Lentil Soup

Lentils. So healthy, so pretty, so....blah. At least, that's what I thought. Maybe you are the same way. My husband has always loved lentil soup, so I have tried several different types, but always had the same experience: yuck.

This recipe has changed my thinking. A great mix of Middle Eastern and Indian flavors. Pair it with a simple salad and some naan to dip in and you've got a great, hearty, winter meal.

What you need
2 cups red lentils
8 cups broth (beef is best)
1 tsp cumin (if you like real strong flavors, use more of cumin and paprika, about 2-3 tsp each)
1 tsp paprika
1 lg onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 tsp lemon or lime juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Bring lentils and broth to a boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. After about 10 minutes, add cumin and paprika. Meanwhile, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil till nice and brown, add these to the lentils when sautéing is done. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking lentils for the 30 minutes. You may want to add about 1/2 to 1 cup of water after about 25 minutes. If you do, be sure and adjust your seasonings. You also may want to add about 10 minutes of cooking. When done, add the lemon or lime juice. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

Can you tell, I love my crock pot? I love that the kids and I can run out after nap time to the park and come home to a delicious meal. This one is very easy, with all the prep work done in the morning. Just don't forget to soak those beans overnight, otherwise, well, you know what the outcome will be.... The given amounts are just suggestions, use more or less given your taste.

What you need

2 cans chicken broth (14 1/2 oz each)
2 cans beef broth (14 1/2 oz each)
1 pound black beans, soaked overnight
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup red onion
1 cup chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Put all those ingredients in the crock pot and turn it on: low for 10-11 hours, or high for 5-6 hours.

When it's done, pull out the bay leaf and discard. Puree 4 cups of solids in a blender or food processor, then pour back into the soup.

Add: 2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp. salt

Additional, optional toppings, to stir in:

• dried chorizo sausage
• chopped tomato
• avocado
• cheese
• sour cream
• cilantro leaves, chopped

Great to freeze if you have any left over!

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Everybody has a favorite chicken soup. I actually have a couple. My very favorite is from my friend Melissa, which I will hopefully post soon, but this one is also delicious and super easy (Melissa's is equally delicious, but takes longer to make). This soup is great on a fall or winter day. It actually gets better if served the day or two after you make it. Somehow it all mellows and gets tastier. Serve with tortilla chips, avocado or guacamole, chopped fresh cilantro and shredded cheese.

What you need:

4 cups water
1 whole chicken, either quartered or cut into pieces, skin on
1 onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
14 oz package frozen corn
16 oz package lima beans
14 1/2 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes
1 Tbs sugar
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 to 1 tsp Tabasco
several shakes of oregano and basil
salt and pepper

Bring water, chicken, onion, celery, salt and pepper to boil. Simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes or so. Remove chicken, de-fat and de-bone. Cube or shred chicken and put back into broth. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook about 30 more minutes. Enjoy!

If your in a time crunch and only have 1 hour, do this: use 4 chicken breasts and chicken broth instead of the water. Boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, then follow the rest of the directions. I've done this and it's good, but there's just something about using the whole chicken with all the bones and fat that really adds lots of yummy goodness.