Tortilla Soup

How about a piece of Mexico in a bowl???  That's exactly what you get with tortilla soup!! My Mofo Post 3 is this flavorful bowl of tortilla soup that is an apt representation of what mexican culture truly is. The history of tortilla soup is not clearly known although most of the traditional ingredients have been carried through generations.  The classic tortilla soup is a simple broth combined with onions, garlic, chiles, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime and topped with crispy fried corn tortilla strips. The addition of fresh corn adds a good amount of crispiness along with a touch of thickness from the black beans making this a satisfying soul food of sorts. 

Serve the soup along with some veggie quesadillas or spicy spanish rice to complete your mexican fiesta!!

Ingredients:

For soup:

3 cups water or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
14.5 oz can of no-salt diced tomatoes
15.25 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or paprika
1 tbsp olive oil
2 fresh ears of corn (1 1/2 cups corn) , roasted
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3-4 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch squares
Salt & Pepper, to taste

For garnish:

1 avocado, diced
3-4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Lime juice, to taste

Method:

For the soup:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut the corn (or flour) tortillas into 1-inch squares and place them on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix well to coat and bake for 10-12 mins. Remove from oven when slightly golden.

For garnish:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the corn tortillas into 1 to 2-inch strips, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper (add chilli powder for a spicier strips) and place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10 mins or so until golden and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a stock pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil on medium-high heat, add onions, garlic and jalapeno. Sauté for few mins until the onions are translucent.

Add the red bell pepper and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the diced (or crushed) tomatoes (you can also include 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste, cumin powder and chilli powder. 

Add water (or broth) and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10-15 mins.

Meanwhile, either grill or roast the fresh corn (I did mine on a stove top). Cut the corn off the cob and set aside. 

After the broth has simmered for 10 mins or so, add the roasted corn and black beans and cook for 1-2 mins. 

Add tortilla squares and stir well and simmer for 5-10 mins until they are slightly soft. You can leave the soup chunky or puree until smooth. 

Ladle the soup into serving bowls, squeeze some fresh lime juice and garnish with chopped avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips. Enjoy!!

Makes 3-4 servings.

African Peanut Soup

I know exactly what you are thinking....the last ingredient you could possibly think of, when making soups, is peanuts, right? When I was coming up with a list of soups to make this month, this soup came across as a total surprise. Of course, I was a bit hesitant about the idea of using peanuts/peanut butter in soups. Don't get me wrong, I love peanut butter, but it was just hard to imagine how it would work in a soup. Anything is worth a try, what do ya say?? So, here's the african peanut soup making its way to Mofo Post 2.

Most of you probably know that peanuts are not technically nuts but rather belong to the legume family. They contain similar nutritional value and so, they are conveniently considered as nuts. Peanuts are a good source of protein and dietary fiber.

Peanut soup is common throughout Africa and has several variations based on the region. It is normally served during celebrations or special occasions. This soup is slightly thick and more stew-like. It is traditionally served over rice/Fufu (starchy accompaniment for stews or thick sauces) or one of its variants. The main ingredient of Fufu is usually a grain like millet or corn, or a tuber vegetable like cassava or yams. Fufu is made differently all over Africa although they commonly involve boiling, pounding and stirring until the fufu resembles a thick and smooth texture. 

The rich and creamy texture from the peanut butter with a bit of heat from the cayenne pepper makes this soup irresistible. Peanut lovers, here's a recipe that is sure to become one of your favorites!!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
2 big tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth (I used chunky)
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup scallions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 
Salt, to taste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper powder (optional)
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (for garnish)

Method:

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic until the flavor releases. 

Add onions and ginger and sauté  until the onions are soft and translucent, for 4-5 mins. 
Add the sweet potato and cook for few mins. 

Add tomatoes, cayenne pepper and salt. Stir well and cook until the tomatoes get a bit pulpy. Add the vegetable broth and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins or so. 

In a bowl, add the peanut butter and a ladle of the hot soup and whisk well until the mixture is smooth. You can either add this mix directly to the soup or set aside.

Remove the soup from the heat. Use an immersion blender (my preferred method when making soups) or food processor and pureé the soup until smooth (you can partially leave it chunky or skip this whole process if you like your soup to be chunkier).

Return the soup back to the pot and mix the nut butter mixture into the soup until well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 12-15 mins. If you find the soup to be thick (the way its meant to be), you can add a little more broth. 

Note: This soup should be thick and smooth.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with scallions and chopped peanuts. This soup can be served as-is or over rice to make a complete meal.

  

For variation, you can add carrots or yams instead of sweet potato, green or red bell pepper, collard greens/kale (west african soup version). Add some warm spices like cumin/ coriander/cloves/curry powder for a spicy & flavorful twist.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Minestrone Soup

It is that time of the year again...yep, Vegan MOFO kick started early this year. September is Vegan month of food. It is my first time participating in this event and I can't wait to see how this month unfolds with the recipes in my list. I have chosen to do Soups from around the globe along with some of the classic comfort soups. 

My Vegan MOFO Post 1 is this hearty italian minestrone soup. Minestrone is a thick soup that is made with vegetables, pasta or rice, beans and some italian herbs. Minestrone soup is referred to 'cucina povera' (translates to 'poor kitchen' in italian) style of cooking which adheres to dishes with rustic and rural roots. The preparation and ingredients of minestrone soup has changed over the centuries and varies widely across Italy. It is probably one of the dishes that does not have a fixed recipe, which I think, serves as an advantage for the cook to get more creative.

The choice of vegetables is totally up to the individual. Some of the classic veggies included are onions, celery, beans and potatoes. This hearty soup makes for a satisfying meal. Give it a try!!

Ingredients:

1 large onion, finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced into 1/2 inch pieces (approx. 3/4 cup) 
1 medium zucchini, diced (approx. 1 1/4 cup)
2 stalks celery, chopped 
1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 1/2 cups organic low-sodium vegetable broth
14.5 oz can no-salt diced tomatoes
1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped
15.5 oz can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1 cup whole grain elbow pasta (or any pasta of your choice)
Salt & Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, adjust to taste (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsely
3/4 tsp dried basil

For garnish (optional):

1 tbsp nutritional yeast
8-10 cashewnuts

Method:

Fresh veggies work best for this recipe although you can substitute with frozen too.

In a stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add chopped garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for a minute until the flavor infuses.Add onion and cook until slightly translucent.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3-4 mins. Add the green beans and cook for 4-5 mins. Add the dried oregano, parsely and basil and cook for few mins.

Add the vegetable broth and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper and mix well. Reduce to the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until all the vegetables are tender, for about 10 mins or so.

Stir in the cannelini beans, pasta and zucchini and cook for 8-10 mins until the pasta and vegetables are tender. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, for 4-5 mins. 

Add more salt & pepper, if necessary. 

Ladle into bowls and garnish with vegan parmesan (mix of cashews + nutritional yeast). Serve hot with bread sticks. 

For variation, you can use potatoes instead of zucchini, red kidney beans instead of cannelini beans and also farro (wheat-based grain) instead of pasta.

To know more about what other Vegan MOFO-ers are cookin' up, check out the entire list here!!

Makes 5-6 servings.