150 gms green lentils
1 tomato
1 leek
1 carrot
1/2 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp sweet paprika powder
2 maggi vegetable cubes
1 bay leaf
3 cloves (the spice)

Directions

Insert the 3 cloves into the 1/2 onion. Put all ingredients in a pan with 1 litre of water. Boil over a slow fire until the lentils are cooked – about 30 – 40 minutes.

When the lentils are done, remove all the vegetables. Discard the bay leaf and the cloves from the onion. If there is too much “soup” left after you remove the vegetables, take some out and put it aside.

Puree the cooked vegetables with a little of the soup from the pan using a hand blender then pour back into the lentils. Add back some of the soup you set aside if the soup is now too thick. Let the soup heat through. Serve with bread.

But it was alright actually. So I learnt how to make it. Mind you, despite having recipised Gazpacho based on what  I was taught, every time I’ve made it, it turns out different…I don’t really know why. I guess the vegetables are different every time.

Gazpacho is best eaten in hot weather…chilled.

INGREDIENTS

350 gms ripe tomatoes
85 gms red or green peppers, deseeded
240 gms cucumbers, peeled
70 gms onions
3 cloves garlic
150 ml tomato juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red grape vinegar
1 tsp cumin (not the powder)
1 tsp salt or to taste

1 slice of bread (regular version, omit for a low-carb version)

DIRECTIONS

Cut the vegetables roughly into cubes and place in blender. Add all the other ingredients and blend until all the vegetables are liquidised.

If you’re not on a low-carb diet, serve with croutons on top.

INGREDIENTS

150 gms dry red beans or pinto beans – soaked in water overnight
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne powder or chilli powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato purée
1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 vegetable cubes
1 litre water

DIRECTIONS

Drain the beans and boil in 1 litre of water, 2 vegetable cubes and a bay leaf in a pressure cooker for 15 – 20 mins.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions and garlic. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes until soft. Add the cumin, cayenne and paprika and cook for one minute on a low fire. Stir frequently.

Add the tomato puree and cook for a few seconds, then add in the oregano. Add chopped tomatoes and cook slowly for 15 – 20 mins.

When the beans are cooked, add the sauce to the beans and cook through for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with bread or eat on its own.

– Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

INGREDIENTS

150 gms green lentils

1/2 medium-sized onion, minced

2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced

250 gms carrots

1 medium sized tomato, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 vegetable cubes

1 litre water

1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS

Place the lentils, carrots, vegetable cubes, bay leaf and water in a pot and boil until carrots and lentils are cooked. In a separate pan, heat oil and fry the minced garlic, onions and tomatoes. Let it sweat on medium heat.

When the onions are soft, remove from heat, add the boiled carrots and a bit of the soup and liquidise. Add back to the lentils, bring to the boil and let it simmer for a while.

Remove and serve hot with bread.

INGREDIENTS

For the soup:

1/2 chicken, bone-in

2 small carrots

2 medium-sized potatoes

1 small ripe tomato

1 “sup bonjot” spice sachet

Salt to taste

For the saute:

3 – 4 shallots

2 cloves garlic

15 gms mix of local (Malaysian) celery, stalks and leaves and spring onions

2 tbsp Canola oil

DIRECTIONS

Clean and wash chicken then cut into medium sized pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into chunks.

Peel the potatoes and quarter them. Quarter the tomato.

In a pot, put the chicken, 500ml water, and the soup spice sachet and salt and bring to the boil over medium heat. Lower the heat once it has started to boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, carrots and tomatoes and let simmer until they are soft, about 15 – 20 minutes. Check to make sure they don’t overcook.

While waiting, peel garlic and shallots and slice them thinly lengthwise. Wash the celery and spring onions, remove roots and cut them in 2.5 cm lengths.

Remove the soup from the burner when its cooked. Pour the oil into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and garlic and fry until they turn brown. Add the celery and spring onions (its going to spatter!) and mix well to cover it in the oil. Turn off the heat and pour all this into the soup pot.

Serve when desired. Great as a dish with plain boiled rice or on its own as a starter.

INGREDIENTS

250 gms (green) lentils

6 cloves garlic

70 gm onion

2 bay leaves

1 Maggi vegetable or chicken cube

1 tsp tomato puree

1/4 tsps smoked hot pimiento powder (optional)

1 1/2 litres water

DIRECTIONS

Rinse and sort the lentils. Slice the onion lengthwise and peel the garlic. Put the lentils, onions, garlic, bay leaves, vegetable cube and the water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.

Serve hot with country or french bread.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 whole chicken, breasts removed and reserved

2 onions

2 litres boiling water

Salt

2 bay leaves

1 large carrot

1 celery stalk

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

Dice the onion. Peel the carrots and cut them as well as the celery into 1/4 to 1/2 inch pieces. Mince the fresh parsley leaves.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot and sauté the breasts until they are light brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the breasts and set aside. Add half of the onions and sauté until translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Cut up the remaining parts of the chicken (not the breasts) into small pieces to allow them to release their juices in the shortest time possible. If you have a meat cleaver, it makes the job easier, but if you don’t, do the best you can with a chefs knife.

Add the pieces to the pot, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until no longer pink. Return the onions to the pot, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Add boiling water, the reserved chicken breasts, 2 teaspoons of salt, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer until chicken breasts are cooked, about 20 minutes. Increase the heat if necessary.

Remove chicken breasts and set aside. Strain and reserve the broth. Skim fat from the broth. Sauté the remaining onions along with the carrot and celery for about 5 minutes in a little butter.

When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Shred the breast meat into bite sized pieces and add to the pot. Add thyme and the reserved broth; simmer until the vegetables are tender.

Season with salt and pepper, add parsley and serve.

850 gm fresh tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small yellow onion, sliced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

500ml chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, optional

vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, optional

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Wash and dry basil leaves, if using, and add to the pot. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat, add cream and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish in bowl with 3 or 4 roasted vine cherry tomatoes and a splash of heavy cream if you like.