Curried Vegetable Soup (spicy)

Hearty and warm, this soup will sustain you through a cold, wintry day.  It has 22 ingredients (give or take) and a host of options if you do not favor one of the vegetables.  Reduce the amount of the peppers if you need to tone down the spice level of this delicious soup.  I have greatly modified the original recipe… you could try your own variations if you feel adventuresome.

1     c lentils (any variety)
1/2 c dry millet
6     T olive oil
1     onion, chopped or 1/2 t. dried onion powder
4     celery stalks, chopped
2     large tomatoes, chopped or 1 can chopped tomatoes
4     garlic cloves, minced
10   mushrooms, chopped
7-10 baby carrots, chopped small
5     red potatoes, cubed
1     inch piece of fresh ginger grated or 1 toothpick dipped in ginger essential oil
2     t turmeric
4     t celery seed
3     fresh green chilies, diced
1/2 t black pepper
2     T curry powder
2     T coriander powder
2     t ground cumin
1/2 t cayenne pepper
3     T fresh lime juice
14   c water or vegetable broth
1     large handful fresh parsley, chopped

~ In large stock pot heat olive oil on medium
~ Add: onion, carrots, celery, garlic, ginger, cumin and stir fry 3-4 minutes
~ Add chilies, cayenne pepper and stir for 1 minute
~ Add all other ingredients except lime juice and parsley and bring to a boil
~ Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes
~ Stir in lime juice and simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes
~ Add chopped parsley and serve warm

TIPS:
~  Follow the recipe as closely as possible the first time and then get creative thereafter.
~  Be sure to infuse the spices in the oil first as directed- it is one of the key ways to build the hearty, roasted flare to this dish.
~  Add 1 cup chopped  raw broccoli and or 1 c frozen or fresh green peas.

CREDITS: Sharon Keller

Bette’s Vegetables

Bette is a dear woman I barely know, yet she has made an impact on my life.  Bette surrendered her life to serve God in the country of India where she raised many children-  ten, if I recall correctly.  Three of her children were at the same college I attended.  Her youngest daughter was my roommate.  Bette’s daughter was a lovely girl with a huge servant heart, a constant smile, a prayer warrior, and a friend to die for.  Even before I met Bette, she had touched my life.

As the years passed, my husband and I were also led to India and served in the same area as Bette and her husband had served years before.  The hospital they built was still there, and the nationals talked fondly of Bette and her husband.  Our ministry, in part, was blessed because of their faithful service to God in the years before.  Once again, she had touched my life.

I found this recipe of Bette’s in a book of treasures collected by many missionaries.  The real name of this recipe is ‘Sabji Bhaji’  –yes, it is an Indian recipe, but I hope that won’t scare you from trying this very simple fried vegetable meal.  You might just enjoy letting Bette touch your life.

Bette's Vegetables on rice

3      cups single or mixed vegetables
1      teaspoon turmeric
1      teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2      green onions, snipped
3      Tablespoons olive oil
1      dried red chili pepper (optional)
Rice or plain yogurt

~   For the vegetables, cut, chop, cube, shred, or slice thinly. (See Tips below)

raw veges

~  In a frying pan (or wok) heat oil and saute onion, turmeric, coriander, cayenne, and salt (and red pepper if using).
~  Add all vegetables, stir, and cook on moderate heat for 4 minutes.
~  Cover and cook on low until vegetables are tender but not mushy.
~  Stir occasionally and a tablespoon of water if desired to keep from sticking.
~  Sprinkle a bit of black pepper on top before serving.
~  Serve warm on top of rice with a large spoonful of plain, sour yogurt next to it.  Sounds strange?  Try it.  Bette ate it with just yogurt and a little lemon squeezed on top.  🙂

TIPS:
~  For this recipe I used 2 large carrots, 2 small potatoes and half a head of cauliflower.  Any one or combination of these vegetables  can be used:
cauliflower          cabbage
potato                   egg-plant
gourd                    pumpkin
radishes               spinach
green papaya
~  Bette’s vegetables go well with chicken, but when the budget is thin and you need another dish instead of meat, to grace your table, these savory vegetables will complement nicely.
~  Cooking for just one?  Cut your vegetables to just a cup and trim your spices down accordingly.

CREDITS:  Bette Burrows, photos, Sharon Keller 

Spiced Baby Reds

These potatoes will not win any beauty contests but they will leave your mouth with a flavor to remember.  This spice blend is not for the bland-at-heart so if young children are eating these delicious potatoes, be sure to taste them first to see if they are too hot (spicy), or cut back a little on the chilies when cooking.

Pair these Baby Reds with a simple roasted chicken, other vegetables, lentils, or dried beans and let them steal the show. 
Let me know how you liked them.

20-25 new potatoes or baby red potatoes (small enough to roast whole)
2           teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
2           teaspoons coriander powder
1/4      cup butter
1           teaspoon ground turmeric
1           teaspoon black mustard seeds
2           garlic cloves, crushed
1/8      teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or 2 dried red chilies
              salt to taste

~  Preheat oven to 400
~  Wash potatoes well and pat dry
~  Grind cumin and crush garlic
~  In a roasting pan (or other pan with sides and big enough for the potatoes to remain in one layer) melt butter briefly
~  Add all spices, garlic and salt to butter and stir until spices are blended. 
~  Heat in oven for 4-5 minutes
~  Remove from oven and add the potatoes.  Stir well until each potato is covered in the spiced butter mixture.
~  Bake 20-25 minutes or until poked easily with a toothpick.  Stir potatoes twice in the baking process so that they remain covered in spices.
~  Serve warm.

spiced baby red potatoes

TIPS:
~ I like to use a mortar and pestle to grind my spices. In this recipe make sure you grind them before you crush the garlic; this keeps the spices from getting ‘wet’ and sticking to the mortar and pestle.
~ If your potatoes turn out more spicy/hot than flavorful, try adding a little more salt.
~ Try substituting carrots or turnips for the potatoes. You will need to cut them into manageable chunks about 1 inch squares.

CREDITS:  Adapted from ‘Indian Side Dishes’, p.24; photos Sharon Keller

Simply Roasted Veges

We don’t have a grill so this vegetable fare comes as a result from wanting tasty veges without cooking all the nutrients out of them through boiling or deep-frying.
In the finished photo the vegetables look a little oily, (I need improved photography skills) but actually they are not greasy at all. 
It is a versatile recipe because you can alter it easily for the number of people whom you are serving or you can add in your another favorite vegetable or spice. 

chopped and ready to roast

 

For each person eating you will need
1     large potato
1     large carrot
2    garlic cloves
1/4 green bell pepper (optional)
salt
pepper
olive oil 

~  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
~  Cut vegetables into medium-sized chunks and throw into a large bowl.
~  Peel garlic cloves and cut in half if they are large.  Toss in bowl.
~  Salt and pepper to taste and pour a little olive oil over everything.  Go easy – you will not need much. Stir well to coat the veges.
~  Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with oil. This will keep you from having to pry the potatoes off the foil when finished.  If you use a non-stick baking sheet, you will not need this extra oil.
~  Place in oven for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.
Cooking time will vary depending on how large your chunks are and how soft you like to eat them. 

Our CBF students love these vegetables

 

Tips:
~ For some extra zest, sprinkle a tiny amount of cayenne pepper over the raw veges before you cook them
~ Try not to stack the veges when roasting; they don’t cook as well.  If necessary, use a second baking sheet.
CREDITS: Sharon Keller