Archive for the ‘SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI’ Category
Fish Chowder III
April 25, 2019 Lee
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Fish Chowder III

Adapted from an internet recipe.
Another great sounding fish chowder recipe, any whitefish can be used, boneless and skinless. I look forward to making this.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500 grams whitefish fillets, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces, (1 lb)
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2½ cups potatoes, chopped
  • 1 can baby clams, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper, and as desired
  • 2 cups milk

Instructions
 

  • In a large, melt the butter on medium heat, when melted, add the celery, onion, garlic, and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Add the potatoes, fish, clams, water, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for about 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stir occasionally.
  • When the potatoes are tender, stir in the milk. Leave on a simmer and cook, stirring often until the chowder is heated through.
  • Ladle into bowls, sprinkle some black pepper on top, serve with crackers.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Variants. 1. Use 1-2 containers of oyster meat (Thailand, think Tesco), drained, in place of clams. 2. Use evaporated milk in place of whole milk.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,FISH - ALL,Fish - White Fish,SEAFOOD - ALL,Seafood - Clams,Seafood - Oysters,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Healthy Mushroom Soup
March 7, 2019 Lee
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Healthy Mushroom Soup

My creation, I had some King Oyster mushrooms in the fridge so I decided to make a soup. This is not a milk or cream based soup, in place of that, I used mushroom stock. This is a delicious soup.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 5 cups King Oyster mushrooms
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 spring onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter, or 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups mushroom stock, I use 1 cube dissolved in hot water
  • 2 small tubes egg tofu, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • salt and pepper, to taste, as desired
  • sesame oil, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Prep the mushrooms by slicing in half lengthwise, then slicing each half into 1/2 inch pieces. Dice the carrot into about 1/2 inch cubes. Roughly mince the garlic. Chop the spring onion whites into 1/2 inch pieces, the greens into 1 inch pieces.
  • In a pot on medium heat, add the butter, when melted, add the garlic and mushrooms. Stir often until the mushrooms are softened, not browned.
  • Add the mushroom stock, carrot, and spring onion, season with a pinch of black pepper as desired. Let the soup simmer until the carrot is just tender.
  • Slice the egg tofu. Here is what a tube looks like as well as one sliced.
  • Add the egg tofu to the soup turn off the heat, leave on the burner, and cover for about 15 minutes, this will heat the egg tofu. Season with salt and black pepper to taste or as desired.
  • Ladle into bowls and add a drop or two of sesame oil as desired. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
My creation that turned out better than expected, Lee Thayer.
Thailand.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Winter Melon & Minced Pork (冬瓜香菇炒肉粹)
February 25, 2019 Lee
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Winter Melon & Minced Pork (冬瓜香菇炒肉粹)

Peng's Kitchen, Singapore.
Great sounding recipe from a friend in Singapore. This is a Chinese dish and sounds easy, and tasty.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Singaporean
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 700 grams winter melon, (about 1½ lb)
  • 8 Shiitake mushrooms
  • 150 grams ground pork, (5-6 oz)
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 slices fresh ginger
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • salt, to taste, as desired
  • extra light olive oil, as needed

For the Marinade

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • dash white pepper, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Add the ground pork to a bowl and add the Marinade ingredients, mix together and set aside to marinate.
  • Peel the winter melon, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut the two halves into bite size cubes.
  • Chop or rangiri the carrot. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and dice the caps and finely dice the stems.
  • In a large non stick pan, heat 2 tablespoons of extra light olive oil, when hot, add the ginger and stir fry until fragrant.
  • Add the mushrooms and stir fry for 2-3 minutes to soften them.
  • Add the ground pork and mix into the mushrooms.
  • Add the melon, carrot, and water. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the melon is tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Drizzle in the sesame oil, taste, and season with salt as desired. Place in a serving bowl and serve family style. Enjoy.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Rangiri cut for carrots - to cut carrots like this, cut a piece of the carrot off at an angle, then rotate the carrot ¼ turn, cut another piece off at an angle, repeat the turning and cutting. This makes for bite size pieces that gives more surface area per piece. This is a perfect shape for soups, stews, Japanese curry, simmered dishes.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,: SINGAPOREAN,PORK,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Bitter Gourd & Tomato Soup (苦瓜番茄汤)
February 19, 2019 Lee
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Bitter Gourd & Tomato Soup (苦瓜番茄汤)

Peng's Kitchen, Singapore.
This is a Singaporean Chinese soup and it sounds delicious as well as easy to make. This is essentially how most soups in Asia are made.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Singaporean
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large bitter gourd
  • 4 plum tomatoes
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 slices fresh ginger
  • 350 grams pork ribs, (12 oz)
  • 2½ liters water, (2½ quarts)
  • salt, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cut the ribs between each bone. Cut the bitter gourd in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds with a spoon, cut each half of the gourd lengthwise into 2 or 3 strips then cut each strip into 1 inch pieces. Remove stem end of the tomatoes and cut into quarters. Chop the carrots into bite size pieces, Rangiri method works well for this. And finally, cut 2 slices from a piece of ginger.
  • Add all ingredients except the salt, to a large pot, and add the water.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, skim off any foam on the top, and cook for 2 hours.
  • Taste and season with salt as desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with rice on the side.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Rangiri cut for carrots - to cut carrots like this, cut a piece of the carrot off at an angle, then rotate the carrot ¼ turn, cut another piece off at an angle, repeat the turning and cutting. This makes for bite size pieces that gives more surface area per piece. This is a perfect shape for soups, stews, Japanese curry, simmered dishes.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: CHINESE,: SINGAPOREAN,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Bak Kuet Teh (Teochew)
February 3, 2019 Lee
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Bak Kuet Teh (Teochew)

Peng's Kitchen, Singapore.
This is a pork rib soup of possible Chinese origin, and this is the Teochew (Malaysian) version. This soup is garlic and white pepper based and the broth is generally light. I look forward to testing out this version, and soon.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Malaysian
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • Draw String Tea Bag

Ingredients
  

  • 2 kilos pork ribs, (4 lb)
  • 4 heads garlic, cloves peeled
  • 50 grams white peppercorns, (1¾ oz)
  • salt, as desired
  • 1 draw string tea bag

Instructions
 

  • In a dry pan, add the white peppercorns and put on low heat, stirring often until fragrant. Remove the peppercorns from the pan and allow to cool.
  • Place peppercorns in a mortar and lightly crush, if no mortar, than just put a zip lock bag and lightly pound with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin.
  • Place the peppercorns in the draw string tea bag.
  • Rinse and cut ribs into 1 bone sections. Place the ribs, garlic, and tea bag with the pepper, in a large pot.
  • Add water to the pot to cover the ribs, bring to a boil for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, taste the broth after about 30 minutes of simmering and season with salt as desired and remove the tea bag with the peppercorns if desired.
  • If adding daikon, hard boiled eggs, or mushrooms, add those and simmer for 15-30 minutes more.
  • Serve with rice on the side.

Notes

Th pork ribs are about 115 Baht/kilo. For 4 servings, this is about $1.80 per serving.
Variants: 1. Lamb, beef, and ox tail can be used instead of pork, increase simmering time. 2. Add daikon or carrot, sliced. 3. Add hard boiled chicken or quail eggs. 4. Add whole stemmed Shiitake or button mushrooms.
* High Cost $1.51+ per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: CHINESE,: MALAYSIAN,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Soba Noodle Soup
February 1, 2019 Lee
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Soba Noodle Soup

This is a base recipe for a Japanese soba noodle soup, you can change this in many ways. Link to the Shortcut is listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients
  

  • 1 bundle soba noodles
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons Bonito Flavored Soup Base, Mizkan is a popular brand in the US
  • 30 grams Buna Shimeji mushrooms, roots trimmed, separated, (1 oz)
  • 1 bunch baby bok choy
  • 1 hard boiled egg, chicken or duck, sliced in half lengthwise, (Shortcut)
  • fresh spring onion greens, sliced, for garnish, optional
  • white sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Bring a pot of water, large enough to hold the soba noodles completely in the water, to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes, then drain and place in a serving bowl.
  • While cooking the soba noodles, heat the 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soup base, mushrooms, and bok choy. Boil for about 1 minute or until the mushrooms and bok choy are tender.
  • Pour the soup over the noodles, place the two haves of the egg in the bowl, garnish with a little bit spring onion greens and sesame seeds as desired.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcut: Perfect Hard Boiled Chicken Eggs, Perfect Hard Boiled Duck Eggs.
Variants: 1. Use chicken broth/stock instead of the soup base. 2. Add a drop or two of sesame oil to the completed soup. 3. Use vegetables other than bok choy. 4. Add fried tofu to the soup. 5. Add cooked and chopped chicken to the soup.
This recipe for 15 Minute Soba Noodle Soup Recipe is courtesy of Rasa Malaysia.
United States.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: JAPANESE,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Pork Rib Soup with Winter Melon
January 29, 2019 Lee
4 Comments

Pork Rib Soup with Winter Melon

This is a Thai, non spicy soup, that is common in the rural areas due to the melon being very common and low cost. It is delicious yet so simple to make. There is many ways to make pork rib soup, this one uses winter melon. The melon, called Fock in Thai, is often grown in peoples yards, and readily available in local markets for low cost, so the only items to purchase are large shallots and pork ribs.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kilo pork ribs, (2 lbs)
  • 1 large winter melon
  • 2 large shallots
  • salt, to taste, as desired

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the strip of ribs and cut between each bone.
  • Place ribs in a pot and cover with about 2 inches of water and bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low boil. Cook the ribs for about 30 to 40 minutes. Use a large spoon and skim off any foam. You are making a basic pork broth and the ribs will be nice and tender.
  • While the ribs are cooking, prep the winter melon by peeling it first. slice off each end. Cut the melon in half lengthwise, use a spoon and scrape out the seeds, then cut each half into 2-3 long slices as well. Chop the long slices into about 1 inch pieces.
  • This is what a winter melon looks like, you will want to peel it before you cut it apart. Winter melon is also known as wax melon and ash gourd.
  • Prep the large shallots, trim of each end, peel, then quarter. Use a heavy pestle, rolling pin, or meat tenderizer and smash the quarters, this does two things, releases the liquid in the shallots, and keeps the pieces large, as a diced shallot would simply disappear in the soup during cooking. This photo shows our tool of choice for this, a 3 lb granite pestle.
  • Add the shallot to the pot between 30 and 40 minutes into cooking, leave on a low boil for another 5-10 minutes. Taste the broth and season with salt as desired.
  • Add the winter melon and cook on a low boil for about 20 minutes or until the melon is tender. Taste the broth and season with salt as desired.
  • Typically served family style in a large serving bowl in the center of the table, and people have a bowl of rice, they scoop out some ribs, melon, and broth over their rice.

Notes

Low cost per serving.
Recipe provided and cooked by my wife, Rrayada Thayer.
Thailand.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,5 Ingredients or Less,: THAI,PORK,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
One Pot Chickpeas & Pasta (Pasta e Ceci)
January 12, 2019 Lee
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One Pot Chickpeas & Pasta (Pasta e Ceci)

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This sounds easy and delicious. There is several shortcuts to use less canned products that taste much better as well. Read the Variants listed in the Recipes Notes section for some great sound alternatives to change this up or to make your own signature dish. Links to the Shortcuts are listed in the Recipe Notes section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 2 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • salt and black pepper, as desired, to taste
  • 1 can chickpeas, 15 oz can, drained, rinsed or 2 cups cooked, Shortcut
  • ½ cup dry small pasta, shells, diatlini, etc.
  • 2 cups hot water, or chicken broth, stock, or bean broth, Shortcut

Instructions
 

  • Add the oil to a medium sized pot and put over medium heat, when hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring often until it is fragrant and lightly browned.
  • Add the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper as desired to taste, and stir that in for 30 seconds.
  • Add the chickpeas, pasta, and hot water, stir together then lower the heat and let this simmer, stirring often, until the pasta is tender and the liquid has been mostly absorbed by the pasta. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  • Ladle into bowls and enjoy.

Notes

Low cost.
Shortcuts: Chicken Broth (Pressure Cooker), Chicken Stock (Pressure Cooker), Chickpeas (Pressure Cooker), Great Northern Beans (Pressure Cooker).
Variants: 1. Use chicken broth, chicken stock, or bean broth from either chickpeas or Great Northern beans in place of water. 2. Use Great Northern beans (cooked or canned) in place of chickpeas.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: ITALIAN,PASTA,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Tom Yum Teen Gai
January 10, 2019 Lee
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Tom Yum Teen Gai

One of the most popular soups in Thailand is Tom Yum, and the most popular with tourists is Tom Yum Goong, goong is shrimp in Thai. This is a spicy and sour soup, the name comes from 'tom' meaning the boiling of the soup, and 'yum' meaning the spicy sour aspect of it. This recipe is for Tom Yum Teen Gai, 'teen' meaning feet, and 'gai' meaning chicken. No set amounts with this, which is typical in Thai cooking, but taste and adjust seasonings as you go. This is NOT a soup for those with acid reflux. There is many ways to season this, this is how my brother in law prepared it, and he is an excellent cook. Some families do not share their 'secret ingredients' to anyone, even in their own family.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine Thai
Servings 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 500-1000 grams chicken feet, scrubbed and trimmed, (about 1 to 2 lbs)
  • 3-4 stalks lemongrass
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 3-5 shallots, peeled and quartered
  • handful fresh kaffir lime leaves, young leaves are best
  • 20-30 Bird's Eye Chilies, pounded in a mortar
  • 10-15 cherry tomatoes, whole, or 3-4 plum tomatoes quartered
  • 1-2 handfuls fresh mushrooms, straw, oyster, or white crab works well
  • 10-15 small limes, halved, you will juice these later
  • salt, as needed to taste
  • MSG, as needed to taste, totally optional
  • fish sauce, as needed to taste
  • sugar, as needed to taste
  • water, as needed

Instructions
 

  • Place the cleaned and rinsed chicken feet in a pot and add water to cover by about 2 inches. Pound the bundle of lemongrass with a pestle or the flat side of a meat tenderizer, tie the bundle into an overhand knot, add to the pot. Add the garlic, shallots, and lime leaves to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a low boil. The Tom part of the name is the boiling process, as this soup is on a low boil the entire time while cooking. Let the feet cook for about 20-30 minutes.
  • While the feet are cooking, add the chilies to a mortar and pound them to get them all crushed, not looking for a paste, just well crushed.
  • This will give you the idea on how many chilies to use.
  • When the feet are good and tender, add the tomatoes, mushrooms (white crab were used in this), chilies from the mortar, and squeeze in the juice from about 5 limes (squeeze into a cupped hand, juice will go into the soup, seeds stay in your hand). Pot is still on a low boil.
  • Stir in a spoon of sugar and a couple of splashes of fish sauce. Still boiling.
  • Taste and adjust salt, fish sauce, lime juice, and MSG if using, to your liking. Continue to gently boil the soup and taste again about 10 minutes later and adjust as needed. Goal is sour but with the distinct spiciness from the chilies. (Here it is finally turned off and a serving bowl ladled out.)
  • Ladle into a serving bowl and serve family style just letting people spoon out what they want.

Notes

Low cost.
Prepared by my brother in law who is an excellent cook.
Thailand.
#1 Go-To Recipes,* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: THAI,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI
Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup
January 9, 2019 Lee
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Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup

Adapted from an internet recipe.
This is Vietnamese in nature and has pork ribs and glass (bean curd) noodles. Bitter melon is also known as bitter gourd. A similar dish is made in Thailand without the ribs or noodles but with mushrooms and carrot instead.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

For the Soup

  • 500 grams baby back pork ribs, the short ones, (1 lb)
  • water, as directed
  • ⅜ cup fish sauce
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt, as directed
  • ½ onion, minced, other half to be used in melons
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 packages bean vermicelli, (glass noodles), about 40 grams per package

For the Stuffed Melon

  • 2 bitter melon
  • 250 grams ground pork, (8 oz)
  • 1 dried medium wood ear mushroom, soaked in warm water, patted dry, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ onion, minced, other half was used in the soup
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions
 

For the Soup

  • First thing is to 'clean' the ribs, and this is a common Chinese way to do this. Rinse the ribs and cut between each bone to make small pieces.
  • Place the ribs in a pot and just cover with water, stir in a pinch of salt, and put on high heat. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat, you are not cooking the ribs, just 'cleaning' them. Drain the ribs and rinse and discard the water. Now we have 'cleaned' ribs.
  • Same pot, add the ribs back, add 3 quarts (12 cups) of water. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 45 minutes. This is doing two things, first, we are tenderizing the ribs (they will be fall off the bone tender, and two, we are making pork broth. Win win. While the ribs are simmering, go ahead and make the stuffed bitter melon listed below.
  • When 45 minutes have passed, go ahead and taste for tenderness (Chef's treat, try a rib, just go with it), now add the onion, garlic, stir, then add the stuffed bitter melon. Let simmer for another 20 minutes.
  • Then add the fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir and taste and adjust the salt as desired. Cook another 5 minutes.
  • Now add the noodles, cook for another 3-5 minutes. This not only cooks the noodles, which cook very quickly, but also reduces the bitterness of the melon.
  • Serve with a few ribs, some noodles, and 3 pieces of the bitter melon, and the broth. Enjoy.

For the Stuffed Bitter Melon

  • You can prepare this while the soup is simmering. Take the two bitter melons, and trim off each end, then slice crosswise into 1½ inch sections. Take a paring knife and cut around the center and push that out, so you have a tube left over. Set these aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, add the ground pork and the rest of the stuffing ingredients except of course, the bitter melon pieces. Mix together and let marinate for 15 minutes.
  • Mix the meat mixture again then stuff the melon pieces with the meat mixture.
  • Add the stuffed melon pieces to the soup at the 45 minute mark when cooking the soup then follow the rest of the soup instructions.

Notes

Pork ribs, ground pork, and bitter melon are inexpensive. This is a low cost meal per serving.
* Best Value $1 or Less per Serving,: VIETNAMESE,PORK,SOUPS, STEWS, CHILI