Category: Soups

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SEYAL BREAD – A Sindhi Breakfast for Election Night Dinner

SEYAL BREAD – Bread in an onion and tomato gravy

Come election night, no matter who we voted for, we are all going to need some strong sustenance to get through it. The first dish that came to mind when I conjured something warm, spicy, sour and comforting was a childhood favorite, SEYAL DABROTI (bread). I promise this dish will satisfy your insides and help get through the long night.

I am part Sindhi and part South Indian so growing up our kitchens emanated heavenly smells from both parts of the country. SEYAL in the Sindhi language refers to the browned onion and tomato mix that forms the base for this almost chili consistency dish. As in most traditional dishes, every family has their version of it. It can be red in color from the browned onions or green when prepared in a coriander paste.

Over the years, this dish has evolved into a Red/Green combination. My family loves it as a Sunday Brunch and is definitely on our list of comfort foods. My feeling is this dish was invented out of a need to use bread that had gone hard. All of us hate to throw bread away when its a little stale and really cannot be used in a sandwich. The gravy or SEYAL that is the base for this dish is an extremely versatile one and you could pretty much add any type of bread or fish and it would blend beautifully.

I have used 2 day old baguette that had gone hard so I broke it up into rough pieces before adding it to the gravy. You could even use old Rotis or naans if you would rather avoid bread. And just an FYI, stale bread absorbs liquids better. Here I share with you my version of a Sindhi staple.

Ingredients

6-7 slices of stale bread (white or brown) or a 1/2 baguette cut into 1” cubes or Rotis shredded up.

3 tbsp oil

1 bay Leaf

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsps Coriander powder

14 oz can Crushed Tomatoes

Toppings

1/2 tsp Chaat Masala

Crushed potato chips or Sev ( Crunchy noodles made from chick pea flour)

Chopped cilantro

Salt as Needed

Green paste

1/4 cup Cilantro

1 Serrano pepper

1 clove garlic

3-4 Mint leaves

Blend all green paste ingredients and keep aside.

Heat oil in a sauté pan over a medium flame, add the bay leaf and the onions, cook till they turn a light brown. Now add the green paste and cook, stirring continuously till the oil starts leaving the sides. Add the turmeric, chili and coriander powders and sauté for another few minutes. Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes and add salt, 1 cup water and let it come to a boil.

Add the bread just before serving , mix well and cook for a few minutes.

Serve in individual soup plates and garnish with the Chaat masala, cilantro and the Sev.

I served it with beer but a hot cup of tea or a cocktail would go great too.

Like I said, use old rotis or naans instead of bread, if you wish.

Happy Cooking!

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Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple and Ancho chilies Soup

We live in strange times today when the world is consumed with the COVID19 virus. It has taken over our lives like none else in recent times. 9/11 was devastating but the message was go out and live, as that was the only way to defeat those that would threaten our way of life. But this invader has done the opposite. It has forced us to withdraw, be vary of each other and hoard essentials with no thought for others. We have all witnessed the empty shelves bereft of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, soap and eggs. Fear of course is the number one factor driving this selfish behavior, though how TP is going to get us through this virus God alone knows. Why don’t we all take a step back, reset and be kind and thoughtful to each other and take all the precautions necessary to get us through this pandemic.

We are all scared and worried for ourselves and our loved ones as so little is known about this virus. One way to keep busy is to cook; it has gotten me through some tough times. Especially now with the whole family at home and going out for a meal not being an option, lets all meet up in the kitchen and cook up a storm and bond like never before.

This recipe I share today is a hearty soup whose ingredients are still available on grocery shelves. We all need something warm right now to get through these trying times and a big pot goes a long way.

Soup Recipe
Roasted Butternut Squash, Apple and Ancho Chillies Soup.

2 cups chopped Butternut Squash

1 Apple, cored and chopped

2 Ancho Chillies

1 Quart Organic Vegetable Broth

1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1/2 Teaspoon Tajin or Mexican Chili Lime Powder

1 Tablespoon Olive oil

Salt as needed

Garnish:

2 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds

1 Teaspoon Tajin or Mexican Chilli Lime Powder

(Mix the two and store in an air tight container)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix the squash, apple and chillies, a little oil and salt and spread it out on a large baking pan. Roast for 25 minutes. Take out and let cool.

In a large stockpot take oil, add cumin seeds and when they sputter add the roasted veggies. Sauté for about 5 minutes on a low flame and then add the broth and the Tajin spice. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes on a low flame. Take the pot off the stove and using an immersion blender , purée till you have a nice thick soup like consistency.

Put it back on the Stove and cook for a couple more minutes.

Garnish with the pumpkin seed mix and serve hot in individual bowls. You could also add a dollop of sour cream or grated cheese as garnish.

Wine pairings:

I served it with an Austrian Gruner Veltliner which is a dry white wine with savory aromas, spicy flavors and good acidity. It holds up well to the robust flavors of the ancho chillies. There are some great ones with 93 points available on wine.com and Binny’s.

Happy Cooking!

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FOOD SWAP: Eating between Friends

One of the dilemmas that come with being empty nesters is that no matter how little you cook there is always some food left over. That is not necessarily a bad thing but after years of eating what the kids like or having to finish what’s left in the refrigerator, one wants to enjoy the culinary freedom to cook/eat what you like, when you like and if you like. Throwing food away just because you cannot stand to eat it anymore is not an option: let me make that loud and clear. Being from India I have a team of ancestors looking over my shoulder, tut tutting, even if I think about it.

I have tried buying smaller quantities of vegetables and meat so as to cook smaller portions but to no avail. I still have that one little cup left over, not enough for another meal. I tried making double portions , one for that day and one to freeze for a snowy day. The L&M right away said, and I quote; “ Didn’t we just have this the other day”. As they say desperate times call for desperate measures.

Fortunately I have friends in a similar conundrum so I have decided to ask them if we could set up a Food Swap. An excel spreadsheet or even a simple WhatsApp group is all we need to get started. Pick a day of the week and post what you are planning on cooking. See who all are interested and viola, you have a Food Swap. Of course these have to be people who have similar tastes in foods (picky like me) and have a love for the art of cooking and eating. One needs to keep in mind Food restrictions and diets but then you don’t have to accept every dish. Saying no can’t do is okay among friends. That is one reason to keep the group small. Even if you have say 5 people, you are covered for the week and all you have to do is prep for salads and sides. It’s always fun to try someone else’s cooking to shake things up mid week. I would love to hear from you telling me what you think and if it is doable for you.

Today I share with you a soup I recently cooked which was just perfect for lunch as well as a starter for dinner. I used Almond flour for the roux so it was healthy and Keto. Make a huge pot (impossible to do it any other way) and use it as a Food Swap.

Tomato cabbage soup with Sweet Potato(or kale) Ribbons

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup sweet potato ribbons ( Ribbons of kale or spinach work great too)

1 14 oz can whole San Marzano tomatoes

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 onion finely chopped

2 pods garlic minced

2 jalapeño peppers deseeded

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons Almond flour ( Or All purpose flour)

2 tbsps Avocado Oil (or one of your choosing )

1 tablespoon butter

Salt as needed

In a large pot take oil, add the bay leaf, sauté for a couple minutes and then add the garlic. Sauté on a low flame for a couple minutes. Now add the chopped onions and sauté till light brown. Introduce the butter and when it melts add the almond flour and sauté till you can smell a nutty aroma. Add the tomatoes and the jalapeños and bring to a boil. Take the pot off the stove and using an immersion blender, purée this mixture.

Put the pot back on the burner and add the stock, cabbage and sweet potato (or kale) ribbons. Add salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes so that the veggies retain some of their crunch.

Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions:

  1. Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese of your choice.
  2. Goes great with a side of warm garlic bread.
  3. Avocado and greens salad with my Lemon Jalapeño dressing (June 26’ 19)

Wine Suggestions:

Even though it is a vegetable soup, the onions, garlic and the almond flour make it a pretty hearty meal. A nice medium bodied red like a Merlot or a Shiraz will be a great accompaniment. The medium tannins and acidity complement the tomatoes and the veggies nicely. I served a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo which went well with the soup and the salad.

Happy cooking!

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To Keto or Not

Welcome me back ! I took some time off from talking/writing to change my relationship with food. I am probably not there all the way but its been a learning experience for sure. A process where I actually took the time to learn about my body and my mind because what you eat, your level of activity and the amount of exercise, all contribute to the mind-body sync. Cliched, but easier said than done but like they say, wisdom comes to the old. Oh well better late than never.

One part of my journey towards good health involved talking to friends and reading up on the subject. Very often we equate losing weight with a healthy lifestyle, and end up looking for quick fixes. We listen to the weighing machine more than our body. The mantra has always been been the two P’s ; Persistence and Patience. It’s a work in progress for me…. 3 months and counting – almost like an AA program but with food and exercise. Everyday is a new challenge that you have to overcome ,but play it like a game of Snakes and Ladders (remember those!) and its fun. Up a ladder one day and slither down a snake another.

The Keto diet has been trending for a while now and people have successfully lost weight but I personally, my body does not react well on a meat and high fat diet. I decided to go the low carb route so I took the Keto guidelines for carbs and incorporated it into my version . To lower my carb intake I use almond and coconut flours instead of wheat or all purpose, Xanthan gum and eggs for binding and flax seeds and psyllium husk for fiber. As for fruits and vegetables, I pretty much eat everything other than potatoes and bananas, more berries though. My biggest challenge was eating out but to my pleasant surprise most restaurants have low/no carbs alternatives on their menu. It’s difficult, an uphill climb both ways, but well worth it. My food has to be delicious and interesting, so its been fun trying to cook with all these new ingredients. Its almost been like out with the old and in with the new in my kitchen adventures. Its not all roses, what I miss most is bread and wine but I am learning to restrict myself to a couple cheat days a month and that too within limits.

And yes, I will be posting non- Keto recipes too! Wish me luck!

Here is one recipe for a soup I cooked up.

Keto Kadhi. (Indian Buttermilk soup)

450 ml Buttermilk

2 1/2 tbsp Almond flour

A few sprigs of cilantro

1 jalapeño

1/2 pc ginger

2 pods garlic

Salt as needed

Blend all the ingredients together well till fully smooth and pour into a heavy bottomed pan. Bring to a boil on a low flame, stirring all the time so the buttermilk does not split. Take out in a soup bowl.

Tempering

2 tbsp avocado oil

1/2 tsp mustard and cumin seeds each

2 dry red chilies

In a small saucepan, heat oil, add the seeds and when they sputter add the chilies. Pour over the soup .

Serving Suggestion:

Hot with riced cauliflower

As a cold consommé .

Side Bar :

Add zucchini roundels to the soup as it boils and cook till al dente .

Happy Cooking!