White Bean and Mushroom Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale

There are three things that get me through a chilly Canadian winter — a warm blanket and a warm cat both spread on my lap, shivering glances at the calendar waiting for the pages to turn, and a hot steaming bowl of a thick homemade bean and vegetable soup. This soup is just the thing on those days when the winter wind swirls about the house looking for a crack to get through — hearty and nutritious white beans and butternut squash surrounded by a rich and lightly spiced mushroom broth and healthy slices of wilted kale, it's a great way to warm you up and fill you up before composing yourself under some more nice warm blankets for the evening. Apart from some chopping preparation, it's a fast and simple soup to make and enjoy.

White Bean and Mushroom Soup with Butternut Squash and Kale

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on March 8, 2012 A hearty, warming and nourishing soup of white beans, butternut squash and wilted kale in a rich and lightly spiced mushroom broth Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried cannellini (white kidney) beans 4 cups vegetable stock 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 lb (450 g) mushrooms (white, cremini or shitake), trimmed and chopped 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional) 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 bay leaf 4 cups water 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper 1/2 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced Instructions: Rinse the beans under running water and soak overnight covered in several inches of cold water with a little yogurt whey or lemon juice added. Drain and rinse the following day, add to a large saucepan, and cover with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are just tender. Remove from heat and set aside both the beans and the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, wait a few seconds, then swirl to coat the pan. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are a golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean and return to the stove. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the jalapeño if using, and stir for another minute. Now toss in the squash and curry powder and stir to coat the vegetables with the oil and curry powder. Pour in the water, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the reserved mushrooms, beans and the cooking liquid from the beans. Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Discard the bay leaf and season the soup with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper. Add the kale and continue to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until the kale is wilted but still bright green. Remove from heat and serve hot. Makes 6 to 8 servings

Other warming bean and vegetable soups from my kitchen:
Spicy White Bean and Turnip Soup
Italian White Bean and Kale Soup
Chickpea and Cabbage Soup

PULI SADAM / TAMARIND RICE RECIPE / PULIYOGARE

Puli sadham/Tamarind rice/Puliyodharai is loved by all. Its one of the best lunch box recipes.Ideal for travel too..With papad or vathal as side dish, it tastes divine!!
                  I would say my MIL makes the best puliodharai which i’ve tasted so far. Its taste would be equivalent to temple puliogare.(Kovil puliodharai). We are a big fan of her tamarind rice.Yesterday we made this for our trip to tirupathi. It was very flavorful and tasty.Though there are many varieties of pulikachal recipes in this blogosphere ,I wanted to share my version..I’ve tried to give the step by step pictures for beginners & bachelors.Thanks a to ton to my MIL for teaching me this wonderful keeper recipe..Please have a look at the “points to remember “ section before proceeding ..

INGREDIENTS FOR PULIYOGARE PASTE

Tamarind – Big lemon size Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp Curry leaves – 2 sprigs Hing / Asafetida – 3 generous pinches. Salt – As needed Powdered Jaggery – 1 tsp Water – 3 cups To temper: Cooking oil – 3 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal –1 tsp Channa dal – 2 tbsp Red chillies – 10 nos (pinched..refer the picture) Hing – 2 pinches. Curry leaves –  1 sprig To dry roast and grind: Methi seeds – 1.5 tsp – Roast separately. Channa dal – 1 tbsp} Red chilly – 1 no}----------> Roast together.

METHOD

Soak tamarind in one cup of hot water for 20 mins . Extract the tamarind juice using 2 cups of water.Totally it comes to 3 cups of tamarind juice. Pinch red chillies and keep it ready for tempering. Add the turmeric powder , salt , curry leaves and hing as give above. (everything should be raw) In a kadai , dry roast the methi seeds till it crackles. Keep aside. In the same kadai , dry roast channa dal and red chilly till golden brown. Now powder the roasted methi seeds ,channa dal and red chilly to a coarse powder.Set aside. (just run the mixie once or twice) Heat the kadai with 2 tbsp of cooking oil and temper all the items in the same order. Then add the tamarind extract and allow it to boil for 10-15 mins  or till the mixture reduces to half.It depends on the flame u keep. After it reduced to half add the powdered jaggery , ground powder and allow it to boil.. As soon as u add the powder , gravy starts to thicken and bubbles arise with a  gala gala sound. Please watch the video if u r interested.I hope most of u know this sound. This is for beginners & bachelors..My MIL says this is the important step to know the final stage of tamarind paste getting ready. So i thought of inserting a video here.. We call it salangai satham in tamil..Boil it for few seconds and switch off the flame..(Make sure the gravy is in semi solid consistency.Don’t allow it to boil much after adding the powder because the gravy would thicken and there would not be enough paste to mix in rice.. ) Allow it to cool down. Store in air tight container. HOME MADE PULIKACHAL / PULIYOGARE PASTE IS READY..For the above measurements u can make 2-3 cups of tamarind rice for 5 people.

 

 

How to mix

INGREDIENTS

Cooked rice – 2 cups Tamarind paste – As needed Sesame oil – 3 tbsp ( use as needed)

METHOD

• Pressure cook the rice in the ratio of 1:2 if u use basmati rice,We always use steamed rice , so i add 2.5-3 cups of water. Add a tsp of oil in the rice before cooking to get the rice separate.
• Take the cooked plain rice in a wide plate or bowl and add sesame oil.Allow it to cool a little.
• Add the puliogare paste little by little and mix well using a fork like ladle.
• Enjoy with papad !!

POINTS TO REMEMBER

Raw curry leaves, hing and roasted methi seeds gives the flavor to puli sadham .So do not compromise in adding those ingredients. Please don’t forget to add raw curry leaves and hing in the tamarind extract as well as while tempering.That’s the imp step. My MIL sometimes reserve a tsp of the roasted powder and adds at the end on the plain rice before mixing the paste.She says this gives an additional flavour. But this step is purely optional. Always make the paste minimum one day in advance because it takes time to get all the taste blends into it. The shelf life of the paste is 1 week without refrigeration. U can keep it for two weeks provided u reheat it every 3 days by adding little water.If refrigerated it stays good for a month too.. The taste of tamarind paste increases day by day.. U can try adding coriander seeds while roasting the channa dal and red chilly. It gives an additional flavour.But some people may not like this. Also add the roasted peanuts in the end before switching off the flame if u wish to use it. We don’t like peanuts in tamarind rice,so i’ve not added it.. After mixing the paste and rice check for salt , add more if necessary.Add more sesame oil if it looks dry. If u feel its too spicy for u , add more sesame oil and little salt to reduce the spiciness.Here i’ve given measurements for mild spiciness.That would be enough.. If u love to have more spicy rice , then add 2 more red chillies while roasting and powder it along with methi seeds and channa dal. . Also to reduce the tanginess in tamarind paste, just pinch and roast more red chillies and add it to the paste , mix well and add it to the rice after some time. Please prepare the tamarind rice at least one hour before serving.We should give some setting time for the rice to absorb all the taste in the paste. When u make it for lunch box or travel , use ladle to mix the rice and paste . Please don’t use ur hands to mix it.Rice will spoil quickly. Vadagam or vathal would be the best accompaniment for puli sadham. My mom makes a thogayal with fried gram dal /pottukadalai. I’ll post it soon. It goes well for tamarind & lemon rice.

Technorati Tags: Tamarind rice,puli sadham,home made tamarindpaste,puli kachal recipe,puli kachal,kovil puliodharai,puliogare,temple puliogare.lunch box recipes,travel food

Urad Dal with Toor Dal and Spinach and Parsley

I adore simple but flavorful dal soups that are easy to digest. The most time consuming process for this recipe is the preparation, but even that won't take long. A creamy and spicy dish that pairs well with rice and naan bread. I always enjoy cooking Indian vegetarian dishes. The aromas are soothing and stimulate the appetite. That is also a reason why I enjoy visiting Indian grocery stores. There is always something new to explore and add to my overstuffed kitchen, and you will find all the ingredients you need for this recipe there.

I adapted this recipe from 1,000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra. I have written about this book in the past and often find myself pulling it off the shelf when I am not quite sure what to make for dinner. Though not strictly vegetarian, those who don't eat meat will be sure to find lots of dishes to please their palates and vegans won't be disappointed either. How could you be when you have so many recipes included between the covers?

The book features tried and true recipes from various regions of India including not only main dishes, but spice blends, sides (including rice dishes and vegetable dishes), chutneys and pickles, appetizers and snacks, salads, breads, desserts and beverages. This is one book you will not want to be without, whether you are a seasoned Indian cook or just learning about the unique and varied dishes that originate from and are inspired by Indian cuisine. The suggested menu selections, introductions to the recipes, description of kitchen basics and glossary are very helpful and informative.

Urad Dal with Toor Dal and Spinach and Parsley

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from 1,000 Indian Recipes Cuisine: Indian Published on March 6, 2012 A simple, creamy and spicy Indian dal curry great for serving as a light dinner with rice or naan bread Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup skinless urad dal, rinsed 1/2 cup toor dal or chana dal, rinsed 4 1/2 cups water 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 1 pound spinach, trimmed and coarsely chopped 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped 3 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 small onion, chopped 3 - 4 fresh green chilies, seeded and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed 1-inch piece ginger, minced 1 tablespoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida dash of mustard powder 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1 large tomato, finely chopped 2/3 teaspoon garam masala or goda masala for garnish Instructions: In a large pot, combine the dals, water, turmeric and cayenne. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the dal is soft , about 30 minutes. Add more water if necessary. Now add the spinach to the pot, along with most of the parsley (reserve a little for garnish) and continue to cook until the spinach is wilted, about 15 minutes. Heat the ghee or oil in a medium-sized saucepan or frying pan over medium heat. When hot, toss in the cumin seeds and stir and fry until they darken a few shades. Add the onion to the pan and stir and fry until the onion is golden. Next add the chilies, garlic, ginger, ground coriander, ground cumin, fenugreek seeds, paprika, asafetida, mustard powder and salt. Stir and fry for a minute, then add the tomatoes. Continue to cook until this mixture thickens up. Transfer to the pot with the dal and spinach and mix well. Serve hot and garnish with garam masala or goda masala and the remaining parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings

More Indian split bean recipes you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Urad Dal with Tomatoes, Spices and Coconut
Urad Dal with Fresh Fenugreek
Spicy Vegetable Korma with Chana Dal in a Cashew Coconut Tomato Sauce
Tarka Dal

On the top of the reading stack: "The Law" by Frédéric Bastiat

Audio Accompaniment: Kasper Bjørke

Blue Cornmeal Bread with Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jalapeños

Whenever I am treated to a visit from my charming and cherished father-in-law, I like to treat him to something from my kitchen. He always enjoys my baked goods and, like me, is a fan of cornmeal. I drafted this recipe after some brainstorming. Quick breads like this are a speciality of mine. If you can't find blue cornmeal, use yellow cornmeal instead.

A moist cornbread that packs a bit of a punch, baking the jalapeños results in a slightly sweet flavor that reduces the heat and the goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes lend a delightful, rather understated tartness to the bread. Easy to prepare, and for best results use a seasoned cast-iron skillet. All you need to do to season a cast-iron skillet is to grease the pan with some oil and chuck it into the oven for about an hour at 300°. Let the pan cool and wipe off any excess oil. It is also important to note that if you need to wash your cast iron-skillet in dishwater instead of wiping it down, make sure to dry it right away to prevent rust. As well, seasoning it every once in a while helps to make this a perfect non-stick pan. Generally speaking, teflon skillets should be avoided because as they age, little bits of the toxic chemical component of teflon break up and leak into your food.

Blue Cornmeal Bread with Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Jalapeños

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on March 4, 2012 A moist and ever-so-slightly sweet cornbread packed with sun-dried tomatoes, jalapeños and tart goat cheese Print this recipe Ingredients: 3/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature 2 - 3 tablespoons sugar 1 cup blue cornmeal 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose or spelt flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon sea salt 14 oz can of creamed corn (or 1 1/4 cups homemade creamed corn) 3 tablespoons plain yogurt 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 4 - 5 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and finely chopped 5 1/2 oz goat cheese, crumbled dash of cayenne Instructions: Preheat an oven to 375°. Butter a cast-iron skillet or 13 × 9 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat with an handheld mixer or stand mixer until creamy. Now add the cornmeal to the bowl and beat until blended. Add the eggs, one at at time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir and add to the bowl with the butter, eggs and cornmeal and beat until well combined. Now stir in the creamed corn, yogurt, jalapeno peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and cayenne. If you are using a cast-iron skillet, heat the buttered skillet in the oven for about 5 minutes. Add more butter to the pan and transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Let sit for 15 - 20 minutes, cut into wedges and serve. Makes 6 -8 servings

More cornmeal recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Corn Cakes with Blue Cheese and Honey
Cornmeal Crusted Chili
Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins
Polenta Croutons

On the top of the reading stack: Simply South by Chandra Padmanabhan

Audio Accompaniment: Orphx and other Mutek sounds

February Indian Vegetarian Recipe Roundup

As far as I am concerned, one can never have enough Vegetarian Indian recipes on hand. Though I own many high quality Indian cookbooks, I come across a plethora of wonderful creations from my fellow bloggers and so invited them to share one of their favorites this month. A lucky random contributor will receive a copy of Sukham Ayu by Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain at my expense. This incredible book will be sure to inspire enthusiastic lovers of Indian cuisine. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this event. Bon Appétit. And now for the entries:

Up first is Janet of The Taste Space with this Indian Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Chickpeas (Baingan Bharta with Chickpeas) that she adapted from a dish she tried after enjoying it at a friend's party. This blend of "smokey, sultry tomatoes and eggplant" with savory spices sounds and looks simply divine.

My contribution to the event are these rather fancy, but easy to prepare Chickpea Flour Dumplings Simmered in a Spicy Yogurt Sauce. One of my spicier dishes, feel free to tone down the heat but if you enjoy Indian hot as much as I do you won't want to miss out on this dish.

Ramya of My Little Cake Factory submits a Tomato Rice (Veg Pulav) that was inspired by one of her dear family members. Rice is essential to an Indian diet and this one is an ideal choice, especially if you have veggies in the fridge that you need to use up. The spicing here is perfect and even those that live in a household that is not strictly vegetarian will be unable to resist this flavourful and healthy dish.

Rosh of Chef Al Dente shares this recipe for Sarso bina Saag. Inspired by a traditional Punjab classic, mustard greens shine in this easy to prepare healthy dish. Certainly an inspiration to try mustard greens and I will be hunting some down soon to go along with my Makki Di Roti.

Celestial Dragon and the Divine Cherry collectively known as El Pasticcio work their magic and come up with this Bombay Aloo that will surely open up a whole new world for those just beginning to explore the delights, aromas and tastes of Indian cooking in their own kitchen.

A new to me dish - I so love the variety and versatility of Indian cuisine. Ambika of Yen Samayal Arai offers up these Ragi(Finger Millet) Dosa(Crepes) with Kaara with a spicy chutney dip. And we have a small tip: "Rub a cut onion on the tava (if you wish you can use just brush a drop of oil on the onion)if you wish to avoid oil in dosa to get crisp dosa".

Delicio8 comes up with an unexpected dinner after her housemate devoured the leftovers that were supposed to be served for dinner. Surely these filling non-traditional Aloo Paratha made for a delightful and filling meal.

Ambika of Ambika's Kitchen shares this most cherished and traditional recipe for Homemade Rice Papadum (Elai Vadam) that she learned from her mother-in-law. Though a laborious process, even with the help of family members or friends, I am sure these South Indian snacks are well worth the effort. I wish I could help Ambika in the kitchen to learn how to make these.

Priya (Ms. Rosemary) who posts at Goddess of Spice tempts my taste buds with this Paalak Kadhi. Yogurt, chickpea flour, veggies and of course spices come together for a perfect dish that would grace any table and impress your dinner guests.

Corina of Searching for Spice offers up a most mouthwatering Capsicum Subzi. This quick and easy Indian-style stir-fry surely is a good choice for a quick and healthy dinner, especially when served with some rice.

Anjali of Spice n Sugar Tales has me drooling over this Milky Carrot Fudge. A divine sight indeed, even this savory girl could not resist this rather sweet halva. "The carrots go very soft and they drink milk like drunkards left with bottomless beer".

My dear friend Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes presents this heavenly Aloo Gobhi. I could not resist this home-style combination of potatoes, cauliflower and spices. Of course, spicy girl that I am, I would indeed add more chilies as Jac notes.

I really do need to explore eggplant more often and lovely Soma of eCurry certainly has me wanting to dash off to the kitchen or to her table to try these Harissa Stuffed Eggplants. An indulgent dish and usually served in her household on special occasions, this is one dish that should be on your list of Indian vegetarian recipes to try.

Reeta of Mykaleidoscope shares her mom's Desi-style Pasta dish. Bursting with flavour, and especially good with homemade pasta, this surely is a weekend special. Serve with rice or dal or roti for a delightful meal.

Asmita, a Compulsive Foodie, is up next with Green mixed vegetables “Sai Bhaji”. When she first saw this dish, she cringed at the "green mush" that was put before her, but ended up loving this healthy and flavorful dish that includes lentils. Comforting and satisfying, you can't go wrong with this easy to prepare meal that goes well with rice or bread.

Ramya bakes up one of my favorites - Homemade Naan Bread baked on a tawa. I have always wanted to make my own naan breads and this recipe is certainly an inspiration and they can be cooked in the oven too. No doubt making this staple Indian bread at home is far better than the offerings of most Indian restaurants.

Jayanthi of Sizzlingveggies celebrates with this festive South Indian Avial. This vegetable dish is packed with goodness and to be enjoyed with rice or Adai (lentil crepes).

Eggplant is certainly enjoyed by many Indian cooks and this Eggplant Dish in a Peanut Butter Gravy certainly caught my interest. I really enjoy using peanut butter in savory dishes and Christy of My Kitchen Flavors provides us with a dish that goes well with rice or your favorite Indian flatbread.

I can never resist chickpeas and so we have this offering of Chole Palak from Geetha of Sun Moon and Tomatoes. Quick to mix up, and packed full of healthy ingredients and spinach too and a delightful array of spices, this is one dish that will for sure grace your table.

Thanks again to everyone who contributed to this event. I will likely be hosting another on in the future.

Congratulations to Jayanthi who was picked as the random winner. She submitted a South Indian Avial.

No Croutons Required - The Winner for February and the Theme for March

The challenge for February was to come up with a vegetarian soup or salad featuring fresh herbs. Congratulations to Karen of Lavender and Lovage who submitted this tempting Wild Garlic, Lemon & Lovage Soup.

I will be hosting the March edition of No Croutons Required. It is my birthday month and as I am a spicy gal, I am asking for vegetarian soups and salads with a kick of spice. Choose any cuisine you like, so long as spices enhance the flavour of your dish. And, because it is my birthday month, tell me what else you would serve on the menu with links to your creations that can be found on your blog.