Black Eyed Peas and Collard Greens Chili

Happy New Year!

Over the last few years, I have been cooking black eyed peas and collard greens on New Years day. Each year I try a new recipe. This years is adapted from here. Here’s how I made mine.

Ingredients:

1 cup black eyed peas (fresh or 1 can)
4-6 leaves of Collard greens sliced
green onions (can use regular onion) sliced
2-3 garlic cloves minced
1 jalapeno chopped fine
1-2 carrots chopped
2-3 celery sticks chopped
3-4 tomatoes chopped (can use a can of tomatoes instead)
1-2 tomatoes (juice or use tomato paste)

1-2 tsp olive oil
Seasoning: salt, chili  powder (or paprika), cumin powder, coriander powder, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves

 

Soak black eyed peas overnight if using fresh. When ready to make soup, steam peas in a pressure cooker.

Meanwhile, heat a Dutch oven or large pan with some oil. Add onions and garlic and fry lightly. Add carrots, celery, collard greens, tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the cooked black eyed peas, tomato paste, seasoning and 2-3 cups water (or broth) and mix well. Reduce flame and let simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and some corn bread.

See Also:

A. SOUP. A. WEEK. BLACK EYED PEAS FOR PROSPERITY IN THE NEW YEAR
HOPPIN’ JOHN
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND GREENS WITH NAVRATTAN SPICES TO START THE NEW YEAR
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND COLLARD GREENS
BLACK-EYED PEAS AND COLLARD GREENS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Sprouted Mung Bean and Thai Green Curry Soup

The Thai Flavored, Sprouted Moth Bean and Vegetable Soup was delicious, so this time I decided to try a theme of green curry. This gets even more green than my Green, Green Soup!

As usual, I made this up as I went. To me, Thai green curry  is not complete without coconut milk, baby corn, bamboo shoots and green curry paste. And of course broccoli, Brussels sprouts, celery and kale bring out the green in the soup!

I ended up using more coconut milk that I originally envisioned, so it ended up a lot more creamy. The flavors are mild enough that it can be eaten as soup or serve with some warm Jasmine rice.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup sprouted green gram
3-4 green onions, chopped
2 cups of vegetables: broccoli florets, sliced Brussels sprouts, baby corn, chopped celery, and sliced radish.  Can also use snow peas, zucchini, asparagus, lemon grass, dried lime leaves, green or yellow bell pepper.
1 cup chopped kale
2 cups coconut milk, I used 1/2 creamed coconut and 1/2 lite coconut milk
2-3 tsp Thai green curry paste
salt to taste
1-2 tsp red chili in oil (optional)
2 cups water
some fresh chopped basil leaves
dash of lime juice
dash of sugar
salt to taste

Bring coconut milk, water and green curry paste to a boil. Add in sprouted green gram and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes. Add in the vegetables, except kale and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and some sugar. Add in kale, fresh chopped basil and red chili in oil (optional) and cook for 5-10 minutes until the kale is wilted.

Drizzle some lemon juice and serve warm, with some fresh bread, bowl of Jasmine rice or with some crispy spring rolls!

Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens

The last few years, I have started to cook black-eyed peas with greens on New Year’s day following the Southern tradition. This year’s recipe is adapted from here.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup black eyed peas
3 small red potatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 tomatoes
1 bunch collard greens, rinsed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, chopped fine
1 in. ginger, minced
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1tbsp coconut oil
2/3 cup coconut milk
coconut flakes to garnish

Soak the black-eyed peas in water overnight or for 8-10 hours. Rinse and cover with twice the amount of water and pressure cook.

In a large pan, heat the oil. Add onion and garlic and fry for 5-6 minutes. Add ginger and jalapeno and fry for another minute. Add potatoes, curry powder and garam masala and mix well. Chop and process the tomato in a food processor and add to the pan. Mix well.

Add coconut milk, 1 cup water (or broth), the cooked black-eyed peas with any left over water and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Reduce flame and let simmer for 20 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the chopped collard greens and let simmer for 4-5 minutes till the greens are wilted. Garnish with some coconut flakes and serve warm with some bread rolls.

Happy New Year!

Best of 2015

I had a lot of fun in 2015 trying new recipes from around the world. There are many keepers in the list that i cooked over and over again, and I expect, will continue to do so.

Here are some of my most favorite recipes…

APPETIZERS & SNACKS

Baked Bajji

Baked Vada

GRAINS:

Quinoa Dosa

One-pot Mexican Quinoa

Mango Poha

Quinoa Vangi Bath

Cranberry Poha

BEANS & LENTILS

Cauliflower, Kale, Chickpea  Curry Pot

Black-Eyed Peas and Greens with Navrattan Spices

JAMS & JELLIES

Anise Flavored Kumquat Marmalade

DIPS & SAUCES

Sun-dried Tomato and Jalapeno Hummus

WRAPS & SANDWICHES

Edamame and Zucchini Wraps

CASSEROLE

Zucchini and Yellow Tomato Gratin

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Spaghetti Squash Burrito Bowl

DESSERTS

Pumpkin Payasam

Cherry Swirl with Dark Chocolate & Cherry Bits

Baklava

BREADS, COOKIES & CAKES

Farro and Sun-dried Tomato Foccacia

Cherry and Cardamon Cake

Vegan Pumpkin Bread

Airplane Cookies

JUICES & SMOOTHIES

Watermelon Cooler

CURRIES & MORE

Tomato in Yogurt Sauce

Eggplant Curry with Onion

SALADS

Cherry and Avocado Salad

SIDES

Honey and Sriracha Roasted Brussels Sprouts

SOUPS

Vibrant Beets Soup

Mediterranean Grain Soup

WHAT’S POPULAR WITH YOU?

Amaranth Upma

Amaranth Dosa

Spicy Chickpea and Brussels Sprouts Soup

Valor Papdi Bean

Baked Bajji

Edamame and Zucchini Wraps

Quinoa Upma

Mango Carrot Muffins

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Vibrant Beets Soup

There is something fascinating about beets.

They are vibrant. Sweet. And delicious.

I have been want to make beets soup for a while.

I finally did.

This recipe is loosely based on this recipe from Love Served Daily. I wanted beets to be the primary ingredient. And it was delicious!

Ingredients:

4 medium red beets, washed, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, washed, peeled and diced
2-3 medium tomatoes, washed and diced
1/2 tsp cardamon powder
2 cups water
2-3 tbsp sour cream
salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan or dutch oven. Add diced beets, and carrots and fry for 1-2 minutes.  Add diced tomatoes, salt, cardamon powder and continue frying.

Add fresh ground pepper, water (or broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Using a hand-held blender, process to a smooth paste or transfer to a food processor and pulse till smooth. Add sour cream and mix well.  Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.

Season as necessary and serve warm with croutons or bread.

Black-eyed Peas and Greens with Navrattan Spices to start the New Year

Happy New Year!

The southern tradition of cooking black-eyed peas and greens for luck and prosperity dates back to the Civil War era. The last few years, I have been enjoying following this tradition by trying a new recipe to cook black-eyed peas and greens.

Following a west meets east, I decided to use a blend of 9 different spices in this year’s recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry black-eyed peas
2-3 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut
1 onion, chopped
4 Roma tomatoes
1/2 bunch kale chopped
1 jalapeno, cut
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 in piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1-2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 anise star
1 small cinnamon stick
5 cloves
1/2 tsp poppy seeds
2-3 cardamon seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
dash of turmeric
1-2 tbsp coconut oil
cilantro to garnish
juice of lemon

Soak black-eyed peas for 12-16 hours. Rinse and cover with twice the amount of water and cook in a pressure cooker. If you skip this step, you just need to simmer for longer time period later on.

In a large pan, add coconut oil and dry spices and lightly cook for a minute. Add ginger, garlic, jalapeno and onion and continue to cook till the onion becomes translucent. Add carrots and celery and fry for a minute.

Blend tomatoes in a blender and add the juices to the pan. Add two cups water and bring to a boil. Add cooked black-eyed peas and continue to cook on medium low for about 30 minutes.

Add kale and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Drizzle some lemon juice and garnish with cilantro and serve warm with rice or bread.

Thai Flavored, Sprouted Moth Bean and Vegetable Soup

I made this one up as I went, but you can’t really go wrong with beans or lentils or vegetables for that matter!

A few months ago, while walking through the streets of Boulder Pearl Street Mall, I came across a Savory Spice store. The aroma emanating from the store was intoxicating. The store shelves were lined with spices from around the world. The owner assured me that all the spices were freshly ground at his facility and  that I would have no problem with TSA, if I wanted to carry some spices in my carry-on baggage.

Despite his assurance, I decided to be conservative and only purchased a Thai Red Curry Powder and  dry Cilantro leaves bottle. Fresh cilantro can be found in abundance all year long, although this was the first time I came across dry cilantro in a bottle.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup moth or haricot beans
1 carrot chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 lemon grass stalk chopped
1/2 turnip chopped
2 green onions chopped
1 cup chopped green beans
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt to taste
1 tbsp red curry powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes in oil (optional)
3-4 cups of broth or water
1 cup coconut milk
some lemon juice (optional)

Soak dry moth beans in 2-3 times water for 8-10 hours. Rinse and dry using kitchen napkins. Let sit for 2-3 days to allow the beans to sprout. Note: it is not necessary to make this soup with sprouted beans, you can use non sprouted beans. Also note, if moisture is present it is easy for fungi and bacteria to form on the beans.

To  a large pan add moth beans, chopped green beans, carrot, turnip, lemon grass, green onions, basil and water(or broth), coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and let simmer. Season with salt, and red curry powder and continue to simmer for 1-2 hours. Add red pepper flakes in oil and continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes.

Drizzle some lemon juice and enjoy warm with some bread!

Spicy Quinoa Chili

I had originally planned to make chili a few weeks ago for Chili Night. I ended up not attending that event. Since then, I have been waiting for an opportunity to make chili. This is an old, well tried and tested recipe. I decided to make it with a slight twist.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry red kidney beans
1/4 cup Quinoa
1 Zucchini, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Jalapeno (or two if can handle it) minced
1/2 Yellow Onion chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
1-2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1-2 tbsp oil
3-4 cups broth or water
salt to taste

Soak the kidney beans in some water for 8-10 hours. I typically soak them overnight for 20-24 hrs. I usually like to steam mine in a pressure cooker. You can replace with canned beans instead if you prefer. Set aside.

In a large pan or dutch oven, heat oil. Add chopped onion, minced jalapeno, and garlic and lightly fry for 1-2 minutes. Add chopped zucchini, bell pepper and tomato and continue frying. Season with salt, cumin and paprika.

Fry lightly for 5-6 minutes. Add kidney beans, and 1-2 cups water and bring to a boil. I usually add the steamed kidney beans along with the water used for steaming.

Reduce flame and simmer for about 2 hours on medium low flame. Rinse and cook Quinoa in about 1/2 cup or more water until cooked. Add to dutch oven and continue cooking for another 30-40 minutes.

Serve warm with some sour cream, pickled jalapeno, avocado and salsa. I usually like to pack some in a thermos for a hearty office day lunch.

Enjoy!

See Also

Vegetarian Chili
French Lentil Chili
Red Kidney Bean and Quinoa Soup

Creamy Tomato and Basil Soup

Fall is the time I love to try new soup recipes.  And tomato soup is by far my most favorite soup.  I loved the Creamy Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup from A. Soup. A Week.

If you like tomato soup, here’s an alternate one…

Ingredients:

10-12  Roma Tomatoes or use canned
1 large yellow onion
3-4 garlic cloves
3/4 cup cream
2 blended Roma tomato
2-3 tbsp fresh (chopped) or dry basil
salt and fresh ground pepper
a dash of smoked paprika
a few red pepper flakes (optional)
1-2 tbsp olive oil

If using fresh Roma tomatoes, bring a large pan of water to boil. Add rinsed Roma tomatoes for about ten minutes till you can see the skin starting to peel. Remove tomatoes and set aside.

In a large pan or dutch oven, heat the oil. Add chopped onion and garlic and fry till golden. Season with salt, fresh ground pepper, dash of smoked paprika, peeled tomatoes and 3 cups of broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce flame and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes.

Remove. Cool. Blend with immersion blender. Add 3/4 to 1 cup cream. Season with smoked paprika or red pepper flakes and fresh or dry basil. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve warm, with some bread!

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup with Kale and Lentils

Chill is in the air. The last few days, the Polar Vortex dipped low, bringing an early freeze to the Mid Atlantic and the South. Some parts of the country even saw some snow.  It is way too early for snow!

While salads are refreshing during the hot summer months, come fall and winter, I love to try new soup recipes.

During such chilly weather, I like to turn on the oven to bake cakes, muffins, bread or roast my vegetables. Nicely warms up the house a degree or two as well. Not to mention the aroma that fills the house.

There are plenty of root vegetables out there in fall. You can pretty much mix in your favorite root vegetables to make this soup.

Ingredients:

1 Turnip cut into rings or 1 inch pieces
2 carrots, sliced into rings
3-4 small golden beets, sliced into rings
1 Daikon (winter radish) sliced into rings
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1in pieces
2 cups chopped kale
2/3 cup brown lentils
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp curry powder
juice of one lemon
a few red pepper flakes
salt and fresh ground pepper
fresh or dry cilantro
6 cups broth or water

If using dry lentils, soak for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss all vegetables except kale, with some olive oil, salt and fresh ground black pepper. Lay out on baking sheets and bake for 30 minutes.

Transfer to a dutch oven, or large soup dish. Rinse and add lentils, spices, 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame and let simmer for an hour. Add kale and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes till kale wilts.

Drizzle lemon juice, season with cilantro and red pepper flakes and serve warm!

Croutons or crusty bread on the side wont do harm 🙂