We are now Baruch
Hashem in the rainy season, with cold nights. When suppertime comes around,
there isn't anything my husband and I like better than to start our meal with a
hot, thick bowl of soup.
Hot soup warms
the body and soul, takes away any chills and sets the stage for the rest of the
meal. No food comforts like homemade soup.
According to
food historians, soup is considered one of the first fast foods. The history of
soup is as old as the history of cooking. The act of combining various
ingredients in a large pot to create a nutritious, filling, easily digested
food was seen as something that both the rich and poor homemaker could prepare
to nurture their families.
Among the
earliest soups recorded was a recipe that combined peas, lentils and beans.
Soups are
traditionally classified as either clear soups or thick soups.
Whichever type
of soup you are eating, savor the flavor and enjoy its taste.
My husband and
I have our favorite soups, and I would like to share the recipes with you.
Note: Vegetables and
legumes should be checked for insect infestation and washed before using. All
soup recipes given here are pareve (neither meat nor dairy). The vegetable soup
and the spicy red lentil soup can be made into a meat soup by browning either turkey
or chicken pieces, and then adding the vegetables and following the rest of the
recipe.
If you prefer a dairy soup, you can add grated cheese before
serving to the vegetable soup, spicy red lentil soup and the mushroom and
barley soup.
Hardy Thick Vegetable Soup.
A complete meal
in a bowl.
- 2 or 3 large carrots
- 2 onions
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 medium size kohlrabi
- 2 white potatoes
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 large zucchini
- ¼ cup green pea
- ¼ cup yellow pea
- ¼ cup red lentils
- ¼ cup kasha
- 1 package baking powder [about 1 tablespoon] optional
- salt and pepper
Dice all the
vegetable and combine with legumes in a large pot filled with cold water and
bring to a boil. Skim off foam and add baking powder. Season with salt and
pepper to taste. Cook on a low flame until veggies are soft and legumes are
melted, approximately 1 ½ - 2 hours. Stir well.
If you would
like to make this soup a complete meal, serve with dumplings.
Dumplings
Make just
before serving
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 package baking powder [about 1 tablespoon]
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup of soup liquid
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon hot paprika [optional]
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Combine flour,
baking powder, oil, and mix well. Add seasonings.
Take two spoons
and dip into soup pot. Then use one spoon to scoop up the dumpling mixture and
use the other spoon to scrape it off into the pot. Repeat the procedure making
sure to dip both spoons into the soup each time before scooping the mixture to
make sure it doesn't stick to the spoons. Cover and cook for about 12 minutes or
until dumplings are soft through the middle.
Green Lentil
Soup.
So easy to
prepare!
- 2/3 cup green lentils [that were pre-soaked for 1 hour]
- 2 large onions cut in rings
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce [optional]
Bring lentils
to a boil and simmer until cooked, approximately ½ - ¾ hour.
While the lentils are cooking fry onion until slightly
brown. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Add turmeric and soy sauce.
Stir well. When lentils are soft, add seasoned fried onions and cover with
boiling water.
For best taste, make soup
a couple of hours early and reboil before serving.
Spicy Red
Lentil Soup.
Simple to make
- 1 medium onion
- 3 carrots
- 2-3 white potatoes
- 1 cup red lentils [soaked for 1 hour]
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon hot paprika [if you like it really hot add 1 teaspoon]
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- salt and pepper
Combine all the
ingredients and seasonings in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and then
simmer for 45 minutes or until all the vegetables and lentils are soft.
Mushroom and
Barley Soup..
The favorite in
my family.
- ¾ cup barley
- 1 can mushrooms
- 2 or 3 onions diced
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Add barley to a
pot filled with boiling water. Continue boiling for 3 minutes and simmer until
soft.
Fry mushrooms
and onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
When barley is
soft, add fried onions and mix well. Pour in soy sauce, bring to a boil and
simmer for another 15 minutes.
This soup is better when
it is allowed to ‘sit’ for a couple of hours. Goes well with garlic bread or
pita and humus.
Enjoy! Please feel free to comment and share recipes..
