Tuesday 8 December 2015

Heartwarming pumpkin soup

I recently brought some pumpkin soup to a friend who was recuperating from surgery at home and got such a rave review for it that I decided to share this with a broader audience.  It's the perfect antidote to winter - I've found that a cup at lunch really warms you through and through.  I think the thick, creamy texture of the pumpkin and the spices all played a role in creating that warm snug feeling. And the wonderful thing is pumpkin is incredibly rich in antioxidants, high in Vitamin A, an excellent source of potassium, and what's more, low in calories.

On top of all the goodness, it's easy to make, especially  if you have a hand-held blender.  The cooking time is an hour and a half but the actual prep time is at most 20 minutes.   Like all good researchers, I used a mix of sources but I would say the basic recipe I used was from taste.com taking great liberty with it.  The soup is so creamy there is no need to add cream or any added starch.  It's a very healthy soup.

This is also a great time of year to make it because pumpkin is cheap after Halloween.  You'll need about 5 pounds or 3 large pieces (it's okay if you use less, it will just be a little more watery). Pumpkin with deep orange flesh tends to be sweeter.  Rub olive oil, rosemary and black pepper on the pumpkin flesh and place skin side up on a roasting pan.  Roast at 350 degrees for about an hour.   When it is ready, sauté two chopped onions and several cloves of garlic in olive oil in a heavy pot until soft.  Add 8 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, 1 tbsp of ground coriander, dash of chilli and simmer for about 20 minutes with the de-skinned roasted pumpkin cut up into large chunks.  Set it aside to cool for about half an hour.  Put your blender into the soup and blend the pumpkin pieces right in the pot.  It only takes a couple of minutes and it's done.

Serve with parsley or a dob of yogurt in the centre.  Great for a first course at a winter dinner.  It tastes best when piping hot.  I once served it at a dinner when it had not been heated through and through, and I regret it with every spoonful that I tasted.  It lost much of its "bang" when it's lukewarm.


Just aim the blender straight down at the chunks and it won't splatter.



If you don't have a hand-blender, go and get one.  I wish I hadn't waited 10 years to get mine.  It is SO handy - you won't regret it. 



Saturday 7 November 2015

Steamed eggs

Thanks to my dear friend MC, I was able to make a three egg combo for lunch today.  I haven't had steamed eggs for a meal for the longest time so this is a real treat.  What started it was the gift of homemade salted eggs from my friend.  She did a really good job - I've never seen such an outstanding salted duck egg.  Take a look at the firm egg yolk below - and the white was not too salty, as commercial ones tend to be.
  

While a three egg combo used to be quite common in Chinese homes, it is becoming increasingly rare because of concerns about cholesterol.   Although let's face it, three or four eggs shared among a few people is really minimal, well within most people's cholesterol allowance.   For people who have never prepared this before, here are a few quick pointers.


Cut up the salted egg yolk so you can spread it around later in the dish

Whisk together three regular eggs.  Add the salted egg and a ladle of soup stock.  Add a "thousand year old egg"(皮疍), chopped up (available in Chinese stores but it is an acquired taste, so skip if you are not a fan)

Traditionally, minced pork was used as a base for steamed egg.  But in the interest of health and not adding to the cholesterol, I just used whatever I have at home.  In this case, a few King mushrooms, also chopped up.  Enoki mushrooms cut up is also good.

Put the mushrooms at the bottom of a metal dish (better heat conduction).  Pour egg mixture into the dish.  Distribute the "black egg" and the salted egg yolk evenly around the dish.  Meanwhile, heat a pot of water to boiling then put the dish on a steamer rack in the pot.  Turn heat down immediately to just warm.  If you are using an electric stove that remains hot for a long time, you may have to turn down the heat before you put the dish in.  If the water continues to boil, the egg mixture would have a lot of bubbles and texture would not be smooth.  Some bubbles around the edges are sometimes unavoidable and don't affect the texture. It takes about 10-15 minutes for the eggs to set over low heat.  

The white of the salted egg is clearly visible here - this is my favourite part.  To ensure a more even distribution of the egg whites, whisk the egg mixture thoroughly.  For those of you who don't have friends who'd give you homemade salted eggs, they are available in Chinese groceries.

A meatless lunch (with quinoa and black beans, spinach)