Cucumber / Peanut Ramen Soup

So I had a mushy cucumber, that could not be peeled. Threw it into the freezer, and it turned hard. What can you do with frozen cucumber?

Put it into soup.

Ingredients

• 1 package Ramen soup mix.
• 6 cucumber slices, frozen, and yes unpeeled.
• 1/4 t curry powder.
• 1/4 t ginger.
• 1/4 t mustard.
• 1/4 t sesame seeds.
• 1/2 t brown sugar.
• 1/2 t vinegar.
• 1/2 t peanut butter.
• 1 h mixed greens (bagged salad).

Preparation

1. Boil water.
2. Dump ramen flavour packet, spices, sugar, vinegar, peanut butter into 1 quart soup bowl.
3. Pour boiling water into bowl, mix everything well.
4. Add ramen noodles, crumbled.
5. Fill bowl with water, to 1" below rim (don't want water overflowing when you carry the soup bowl).
6. Add cucumber slices and salad greens.
7. When the bowl is cool enough to carry, the noodles will be nice and soft - and the cucumber slices will be just slightly chewy.

Serve with a nice chunk of sourdough bread.

Black Bean Salad

This is a quick variation on the ever popular three bean salad - with a kick.

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
• i can corn (drained)
• 1 red pepper (diced)
• 1 bunch cilantro (chopped finely)
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 fresh lime
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Mix dressing.
2. Toss veg mixture.
3. Pour dressing over vegs.
4. Toss again.
5. Chill in refrigerator, if you can wait.

Guacamole

Guacamole is one of my favourite appetisers, to enjoy at a typical Mexican restaurant.


It's not hard to make, as long as you get the avocado ripe!


Ingredients

• 1 large / 2 medium ripe avocado
• 1 lime / 1/4 C lime juice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 medium onion (red is preferred, i used white)
• 1 roma tomato
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Cut the avocado(s) in half, remove pit(s), scrape contents into mixing bowl.
2. Dice avocado, using a nice sharp knife, in mixing bowl. No mess, knife goes right through.
3. Immediately add lime juice, to keep avocado green, and mix well.
4. Smash, then mince garlic, mix into diced avocado.
5. Dice jalapeno and onion, mix into avocado mix.
6. Dice tomato, mix into avocado mix.
7. Chop cilantro, mix into avocado mix.
8. Add salt, to taste.
9. Garnish with a couple cilantro stalks, and some tomato (or a splash of Mae Ploy), and serve.

Thai Style Peanut Sauce

Thai Style peanut sauce is a tasty addition to many quick meals. I keep a pint in the refrigerator, for anything that needs a kick.

Ingredients

• 1/4 C peanut butter
• 1 serrano chili pepper, carefully and finely minced (**)
• 2 T Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
• 2 T soy sauce
• 1 t brown sugar
• 1 T sesame paste (Tahini)
• 2 T sesame or vegetable oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 t ginger powder
• 1/4 C yogurt - plain, unsweetened

Preparation

1. Mix all ingredients, adding chili sauce, soy sauce, oil, and lime juice a bit at a time, and to taste, until the mixture is thin enough to pour.
2. Make it thin, to marinate cucumber slices - medium thick, to use as salad dressing - or really thick, to use as dip for sourdough bread, or taco chips.
3. The one rule is that you should make it in quantity, because it will be eaten in quantity.

Inspired by Season With Spice: Easy Thai Peanut Sauce - and limited by reality (and what I had in my kitchen).

(**) Follow Safety Precautions when you prepare this, please.

More New Spices

I ran out of dried mint a month ago, and I've been waiting to get another bag. I finally got the opportunity to visit my favorite Middle Eastern grocery, this week.


A huge bag of dried mint, for $3.00 ($20.00 worth, at a supermarket). Plus caraway, cardamom, and ginger root.

I'll buy spices in plastic bags, especially at these prices - but I hate storing spices in the bags, when I have this collection of empty spice jars. The jars are way more convenient to open, when I cook.

This is at least $50.00 at supermarket prices (except you can't get black caraway, anywhere). At Afghan Market in Concord, this was just over $10.00.

Unlike my last spice purchase, I know everything here. The black caraway is an essential in my chili and similar dishes - Cuban Style Black Beans, for instance. And the mint will go into a lot of dishes - including the Sesame Mint Rice.

A most satisfying afternoon shopping.

California Style Lime Peanut Bean Curry

Beans and peanut curry are a great combination. Dried beans keep forever in the pantry - and can be used easily in an emergency.

This is similar to California style red beans - except the flavourings use a curry powder base, instead of chili powder - and the lime / peanut butter. And, it takes some from the Cuban style black beans - except the sour black beans use an orange, but the red beans are sweeter and use a lime.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 2 - 3 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, 1//4" squares
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped, 1/4" squares
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t garam masala
• 1 T ginger
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 1 lime, scrubbed and whole

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices. Do not add lime, peanut butter, or tomato sauce, yet.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like - I suspect that you can't overcook this recipe, as long as you add water periodically. Sample beans and sauce, an hour after start.
6. If the beans and spices make you sneeze, you have just enough spices. The peanut butter and tomato sauce will bring the spice level down.
7. At 1 1/2 hours, the beans will be chewy. Add peanut butter, using a fork, stir until dissolved and mixed. Then add tomato sauce and the lime, stir again.
8. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
9. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
10. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread.
11. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

California Style Red Beans

This is similar to Cuban style black beans - except the flavourings use a chili powder base, instead of curry powder.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour.

• 1 lb dried red beans
• 1 - 2 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/4" sections
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t Kashmiri chili powder
• 1/2 t cumin
• 1/2 t mustard
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/4 t tumeric
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, in water, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. 2 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style sesame mint rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

Cuban Style Black Beans

This is quick, and easy to fix.


Don't rinse the beans, any more than necessary.

Only rinse the beans twice, to make sure they are clean - then stash in refrigerator while you prepare the other ingredients. No soaking overnight - and no repeated rinsing, and removing all of the flavour. That may be the missing ingredient, that I have not found - until yesterday.

• 4 C dried / 4 x 14 oz cans / 1 lb dried black beans
• 3 - 4 carrots, well scrubbed and chopped, 1/2" sections
• 3 - 4 cloves of garlic, quartered
• 1 medium onion, chopped, 1/2" squares
• 1 orange, scrubbed and whole (opt)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 1 sweet pepper, chopped
• 2 cubes / 2 t bouillon
• 2 bay leaves, whole
• 1 t caraway seeds (black caraway is best)
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 1 t cilantro
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1 6oz can tomato sauce (opt)

1. Rinse beans, twice, in large bowl. Let them sit in the refrigerator, while you prepare the vegetables.
2. When vegetables are ready, dump beans and water - un drained - into a large pot.
3. Add orange (opt), vegetables, and enough water to make everything float.
4. Bring water to a boil, and add spices.
5. Reduce to simmer, cover, and let them cook. Most recipes claim 1 1/2 hours - I decided 2 - 3 hours gives me what I like.
6. When beans are soft enough to eat without chewing, they are ready.
7. Turn off stove, uncover, let them sit until they are cool enough to enjoy.
8. Serve over Bengali style rice, with sourdough bread. Garnish / mix with mango salsa.
9. Refrigerated over night, they are even more tasty.

New Spices

After some urging by friends, I tossed some of my older spices. This week, I ordered some new ones, to replace a few that I ran out of recently - and to try some different ones.

Sent by Mark & Reese at Season With Spice, using USPS Express Mail. 3 days after placing the order, I was taking the picture.

Now, to find some new recipes. I am familiar with coriander and mustard. And I have a few curry recipes. Garam Masala I am just learning - and the other two will be completely new.

So, Google is your friend, we'll see what happens.

Sesame Mint Rice, Bengali Style

The difference is in how you cook it. This started out as plain old white rice - see how more interesting it looks, as fried rice? Learn tasty it is!


An online friend gave me a link to a video from a Bangladeshi cooking show (no longer available), where they demonstrate how to cook Basmati rice.

Well, I speak not a word of Bengali, nor do I have any Basmati rice - but the technique used, in cooking the rice, intrigued me.
I've eaten lots of Chinese fried rice (wok cooked), this was the first time I tried frying it myself (in a deep pot, no less). Here, we have all 5 identified healthy spices.

>> See it done!

Ingredients

• 2 C white rice.
• 4 C water (3 1/2 C for the rice, 1/2 C for the vegs).
• 1 t bouillon (opt).
• 2 or 3 pods cardamom.
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper.
• 1 stick cinnamon, broken up or 1/2 t cinnamon.
• 4 (1/2 t) cloves.
• 1/4 t coriander powder.
• 1/2 t curry powder.
• 1/2 t garam masala.
• 1 t ginger.
• 1 T mint.
• 1 T sesame seed.
• 1/4 t tumeric.
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced / 1 1/2 T minced garlic.
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (opt).
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped. Or 1/8 C dried, minced onion, with 1/8 C water added.
• 1/2 C yogurt - unflavoured, unsweetened. Or 1/2 C peanut butter, with 1/4 C extra water.

Preparation (Or See it done!)

1. For easiest cooking, get all of the ingredients ready for the pot, before heating it up. It seems like extra work - but the end result is worth it!
2. You want the rice clean and very dry. Only rinse the rice, if specifically instructed on the rice paskage. If you rinse it, let it drain until completely dry.
3. The cinnamon stick is the fun ingredient. It provides little flavour bursts, with the cinnamon stick slivered, then chopped into little 1/8 square fragments. If the cinnamon stick is tough and hard to chop (cinnamon stick is just tree bark), soften it in the microwave for a minute with a teaspoon of water in a saucer.
4. Heat up a dutch oven, and add cooking oil to cover the bottom. Turn heat down to 50%.
5. Saute the rice. Add white rice - and stir frequently, until it becomes a light yellow / tan.
6. Add ingredients to the rice, in proper order. For each ingredient, one by one:
   • Stir the rice, making a hole in the rice, to expose the bottom of the pot.
   • Add the ingredient into the hole, stirring constantly, until the air fills with the aroma.
   • Mix the ingredient into the rice, stir again, and continue with next ingredient.
7. The ingredients, in proper order:
   • Garlic. Stir until aromatic.
   • Onion. Stir until soft and transparent.
   • Mint / Sesame. Stir until aroma is enjoyed.
   • Cardamom / Cinnamon. Stir until aroma fills the air.
   • Other herbs / spices. Stir briefly, until spices are warm. Do not inhale the spices vapour - as cayenne pepper is caustic.
     • bouillon.
     • cayenne.
     • cloves.
     • coriander.
     • curry.
     • garam masala.
     • ginger.
     • dried onion (if not using fresh onion).
     • tumeric.
8. Add water, bring to Boil (100%), stirring occasionally.
9. Add yogurt or peanut butter, and stir.
10. Reduce heat to Simmer (25%), cover - and cook until all visible water is gone, stirring regularly.
11. When visible water is gone, and you cannot hear boiling, stir once more, turn stove off, stir again, cover, and let it sit. Have faith - do not remove the lid to check. Let it sit for 10 - 15 minutes, then uncover.
12. When rice is soft, you're done.
13. Garnish / mix with chopped celery / cucumber / green onion / tomato.

You get flaky, soft rice, with a nutty flavour, and a hint of cinnamon, ginger, and mint. It's not Basmati rice - that's a registered trademark - but it's not sticky like my previous Sesame Mint Rice.

In truth, the only things common between my recipe and the one in the video is "rice", onion, and probably tumeric (maybe cinnamon?). It was still educational, learning how to fry rice.


Sesame Mint Rice, topped with Cuban Style Black Beans.


http://recipes.nitecruzr.net/2015/05/sesame-mint-rice-basmati-style.html



See it Done!

Heat up a pot until water drops sizzle, and add oil.

Add rice, turn heat down to 50%. Stir rice, frequently, as it toasts. Toasted rice has a wonderful yeasty aroma.

As it toasts, rice will get gradually browner.
See the beautiful golden tan? Stir constantly. This is how the yeasty flakiness starts.

Saute rice and garlic briefly, and make a hole to saute the onion.
See how the rice is becoming a beautiful golden brown?

Add onion, and saute until it's soft. Then mix that into the rice.
The rice is becoming a rich, chocolate brown.

Mix the onion into the rice, and make a hole. Add the mint and sesame seed, saute until the aroma fills the air.

Make a hole for the cardamom and cinnamon, and saute that briefly. A new aroma wafts to your nose.
See how dark the rice gets - contrasting with the green mint and white onion and sesame seed?

Add the herbs / spices, let them warm briefly, and mix with the rice.

Note that in contrast with the inspiring aromas of cinnamon, garlic, and mint, the spices will have a harsh aroma.


Inhaling the vapour, as the cayenne pepper toasts, is not recommended.

Add the water and bring it to a boil (100%), add peanut butter or yogurt, mix well.

Peanut butter.

Yogurt.

Simmer lightly (25%), covered, until no water is visible. Stir, turn off heat, cover, let it sit until it's cool enough to not burn your mouth.


You get flaky, soft rice with a yeasty undertone - and hints of cinnamon, garlic, mint. and onion.

Sesame Mint Rice

Encouraged by my recent success with using mint as a spice, I decided to continue.


Jalapeno slices added, as a garnish. What can you do, to photo rice, after all?

Ingredients

• 2 C rice
• 4 1/2 C water (4 C for the rice, 1/2 C for the onion flakes)
• 2 t bouillon
• 1/2 t curry powder
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1 T mint
• 1 T sesame seed
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 T onion flakes

Preparation

1. Start with rice, in water.
2. Bring water to boil, stir frequently.
3. Add bouillon, spices, garlic, onion.
4. Reduce to simmer, cover.
5. Stir occasionally.
6. When all of the water is absorbed by the rice, and the rice barely sticks to the spoon, stir once more, cover, and turn heat off.
7. Let rice finish cooking, and cool.
8. Serve topped with a bit of salsa (Herdez is my fave), sourdough bread, and lemonade.

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A variant of this dish is prepared Bengali style.

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Curry Potatoes

I love the smell of Curry Potatoes with garlic in the evening - it smells like - - - dinner.

Eat first, take pictures after. And this is what was left.

Ingredients

• 6 medium / 12 small potatoes, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 T sliced jalapenos
• 1 T nopalitos
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can red beans
• 2 T bouillon powder / 2 cubes bouillon
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 t coriander powder
• 1/2 t cumin powder
• 1 T curry powder
• 1/2 t garam masala

Preparation

1. Chop potatoes, slice garlic.
2. Heat up dutch oven, until water sizzles on bottom.
3. Cover bottom with oil.
4. Saute garlic 15 seconds or so, just long enough until the room fills with the aroma.
5. Add potatoes, stir like crazy 1 - 2 minutes until potatoes brown just slightly.
6. Add beans and tomatoes, mix. With the right amount of potatoes, the top layer should be 1/2 floating in juice.
7. Add nopalitos and jalapenos, and a bit of juice from each jar.
8. Add spices, and mix well.
9. Bring to boil, reduce to slow simmer.
10. Stir frequently.
11. When potatoes just stick to the spoon, cover pan, turn off heat, let it finish and cool down to not burn your mouth.
12. Serve with sourdough bread, or steamed tortillas - and dark Mexican beer.