Hello Everyone
Hope you are all well, warm and safe.
Yoh! This past weekend’s icy weather had me layering up, dit was darem yskoud!
When it comes to the colder weather, we crave the extra warmth and sometimes just holding a warm cup of something lekker makes everything better.
The minute I see the skies are grey or feel the slightest drizzle of rain, my split peas and soup mix is being soaked!
The charm of putting on a pot of soup that slowly cooks all day, while it’s storming outside is just something else.
The smell warms up the entire house and the minute it’s done you have to fill a cup “to taste” mos.
I love how you can make different variations and play around with your beentjies, boontjies, veg and protein.
There is no hard and fast rules; you can simply grab whatever veg you have, season with salt and pepper, top up with water, add in your favourite pulses and let it bubble away, and viola! A meal in no time at all.
This week I am sharing some lekker light and easy soup recipes to warm you up.
We also feature local foodie, Capsicum Culinary Chef in training and the winner of Capsicum Culinary Studio's Chef Talent Scout 2021 competition, Imtiyaaz Hart.
His food journey is inspired by beautiful memories of cooking with his grandmother, and he finds himself “being the happiest when he is in the kitchen”.
Follow Imtiyaaz’s food journey on Instagram @imtiyaazhart.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Happy Baking
Love, Your Cooksister
Recipes
Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
1 cup split pea soup mix, soaked overnight
½ cup Barley, soaked overnight
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Oil for frying
500g meaty beef bones
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
500ml beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Feta for garnish (optional)
Method
Cook the soup mix in 4 cups of water for 40 minutes, drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy based pot and add the onion. Fry until tender.
Add the garlic, carrots, turnip, bones/meat, and stock to the pot and cook on medium for 1 hour.
Add the soup mix and add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 2 hours on low.
You are looking for the barley to be extremely tender and for the bones to have released all their marrow into the soup.
Serve with crusty, cheesy bread and crumbled feta.
Butternut & Soup with a twist
Ingredients
1kg butternut, peeled and cubed
1 potato, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 onion – finely chopped
1 tbsp Fresh ginger – grated
5 cups vegetable stock or water
Zest and juice of 1 naartjie
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot over a medium heat.
Add the onion and ginger.
Cook for 5 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the butternut, potato, stock and naartjie zest and juice.
Season generously with salt.
Bring to a simmer, then adjust heat to medium-low.
Cover the pot and cook until the butternut is soft when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes.
Puree the soup in batches in a blender or with a hand blender until smooth.
Garnish as desired.
Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
1 cup Imbo red lentils
1 red onion – chopped
3 garlic cloves – crushed
5cm fresh ginger grated
2 tsp Thai seven spice
2 tsp turmeric
5 cups water
1 can coconut cream
Handful fresh coriander – chopped
Oil
Salt & Pepper
Method
Sauté the chopped onion, ginger and garlic in a pot with the oil.
Add the dry spices and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes before adding the red lentils and 5 cups of water.
Cook on high heat & bring to a boil before reducing to low heat.
Allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Add the coconut cream and chopped coriander.
Stir it in and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve with fresh coriander.
Red onion soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
3 large red onions, sliced into thin half-moons
3 large fresh thyme sprigs (about 1 Tbsp), leaves stripped.
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups of water
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tsp salt, divided (plus more to taste if needed)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onions, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and drizzle 1 tablespoon oil over the onions; lower the heat to medium-low.
The onions may be filling the pot completely but will cook down to about 1/3 of their mass.
Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the onions caramelise, about 50-60 minutes.
Add the balsamic and cook until it is absorbed, about 15 more minutes.
Add the stock, water, bay leaf, remaining salt, and pepper, then bring to a boil.
Turn the heat to low and simmer at least 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Curried Seafood Mix Soup
Ingredients
700 g Seafood Mix
2 large potatoes, cubed
1 red pepper, cubed
400ml coconut cream
1l seafood stock
4 tbsp flour
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp minced ginger
4 cloves garlic - minced
6 pcs curry leaves
1 stalk leeks, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
In a pot, add the butter and melt it on low heat.
Then add the leeks, celery, garlic, ginger, and curry powder & cook on low heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook while mixing until it forms a sauce.
Slowly add the seafood stock whilst continuously stirring until smooth.
Add the potatoes and pepper and bring it to a gentle boil then simmer for 5-7 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add the seafood mix then simmer for 3 more minutes.
Add the coconut cream and simmer for 2 more minutes.
Finish with the lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper then serve in bowls.