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Hello
It's here!... Can you smell it? ... Can you feel it in the air?
Even though the days are still warm (in So Cal... sorry east coast pals) I feel fall. Do you? I'm not sure I can put my finger on it. I feel
the warm sunny days that say summer but mixed in the warm breeze I feel a coolness to the air...not quite a chill yet, but a bit of cool. I love it!
Don't get me wrong I love-love-love summer and yet by September I really start to miss my fireplace. I miss snuggling under a blanket and I
miss warm soups for dinner. As a matter of fact, I think our recipe for the month will be one of my favorite soups. I can hardly say it let alone spell it. Thank goodness for spell check!
The soup is Mulligatawny.
If you're a Seinfeld fan, you may remember that the Soup Nazi's Indian mulligatawny was Kramer's favorite soup. And
yes, The Soup Nazi character was based on a real person. His name is Al
Yeganeh and his restaurant, originally located on 55th St & 8th Ave
in Manhattan was called Soup Kitchen International. Today you can own a
franchise and sell your own Soup Nazi soups.
What
I like most about this man besides his passion for delicious soup is
that he is dedicated to feeding the hungry. He has set up a foundation
to help feed our nation's hungry and he also donates a portion of his
company's proceeds to that foundation.
For more information click here.
But I digress, back to Mulligatawny Soup. It
is a lentil based soup with curry, turmeric, rice or sometimes potatoes. Often times the recipes
include chicken or lamb. There are a variety of recipes with a variety of ingredients. My favorite includes coconut milk. I hope you try it this fall. It's a yummy, tummy warming hardy meal.
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THERE'S STILL TIME TO BUY YOUR TICKETS |
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LENTILS AND LEGUMES |
FRUIT OF THE SOUL promises to be a really fun evening. Great food from great restaurants, live music and performances by the kids from
Monarch School.
It is this Saturday and benefits The Monarch School. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Monarch, it's a non profit school for homeless and
at risk children. In many cases their parents have abandoned them or kicked them out of the house. Hard to believe but it's true. These kids have no place to go...pretty much like Blind Side, the new Sandra Bullock movie coming out except
this is real life not the movies.
Robert is one example of the type of kids Monarch feeds, bathes and educates. Can you imagine doing this or being this little boy?
Robert and his poverty-stricken mother moved to San Diego from Virginia, and checked into a cheap downtown hotel. After returning from the beach
one day, he discovered that his mother had checked out of the hotel. She had left him to fend for himself - without money, food or help of any kind. He was 12 years old. For more student stories
click here.
I know I'm on my soap box again but really for either $25.00, $55.00 or $75.00 you can have a great time at a great venue and help a couple of
great causes.
I'd love to see you there!. If you can't attend, consider a donation. You have no idea who's life you could change.
Also benefiting is
Arts which is dedicated to healing, inspiring and empowering children facing life challenges by providing innovative arts-based programs, education and opportunities.
As well as
Olivewood Garden and Learning Center whose mission it is to promote bi-national programs, outreach, dialogue and exchange aimed at promoting healthy, more livable communities in the San Diego-Baja California border region and to foster
educational learning and voluntary service in order to further cross-cultural understanding, collaboration, and expanded philanthropy around the world.
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Lentils are believed to have originated in central Asia, having been consumed since prehistoric times. Lentil seeds dating back 8000 years have been found at archeological sites in the Middle East. Lentils were mentioned in the Bible both
as the item that Jacob traded to Esau for his birthright and as a part of a bread that was made during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people.
Before the 1st century AD, they were introduced into India, a country whose traditional cuisine still bestows high regard for the spiced lentil dish known as dal. In many Catholic countries, lentils have long been used as a staple food
during Lent. Currently, the leading commercial producers of lentils include India, Turkey, Canada, China and Syria.
Lentils are legumes along with other types of beans. They grow in pods that contain either one or two lentil seeds that are round, oval or heart-shaped disks and are often times smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser. They may be sold
whole or split into halves with the brown and green varieties being the best at retaining their shape after cooking.
Compared
to other types of dried beans, lentils are relatively quick and easy to
prepare. They readily absorb a variety of wonderful flavors from other
foods and seasonings, are
high in nutritional value.
Tips for Preparing Lentils:
Lentils can be prepared the day of serving since they do not need to be presoaked. To boil lentils, use three cups of liquid for each cup of lentils. Lentils placed in already boiling water will be easier to digest than those that were
brought to a boil with the water. When the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat to simmer and cover. Green lentils usually take about 30 minutes, while red ones require 20 minutes.
These cooking times can be slightly adjusted depending upon the final use. If you are going to be serving lentils in a salad or soup and desire a firmer texture, remove them from the stove top when they have achieved this
consistency--typically 5-10 minutes earlier than their usual cooking time. If you are making dal or some preparation that requires a mushier consistency, achieving this texture may take an additional 10-15 minutes.
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KITCHEN TIP:
Before
washing lentils you should spread them out on a light colored plate or
cooking surface to check for, and remove, small stones or debris. After
this process, place the lentils in a strainer, and rinse them
thoroughly under cool running water. |
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RECIPE
OF THE MONTH:
Mulligatawny
Soup
8 first-course or 4 main-course servings
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves2 cups dried red lentils
8 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups cooked basmati rice
Lemon wedges
METHOD:
Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high
heat. Add onions and cook until golden brown,
stirring frequently, about 15 minutes.
Add garlic and saut? 2 minutes.
Add garam masala and next 4 ingredients; stir
1 minute.
Add lentils; stir until coated.
Add chicken broth. Bring soup to boil; reduce
heat to medium and simmer until lentils are
very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until
smooth.
Return to pot.
Stir in chicken, coconut milk, and lemon juice.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide
rice among bowls.
Pour soup over.
Garnish with lemon wedges; serve.
It's even better the next day. Enjoy!
This recipe is from The Shamiana Restaurant
in Kirkland OR. Bon Apetit 09/05
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