Frugal Foodie Friday - Curried Tomato and Peanut Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Summer refuses to let go. The Silver Fox and I are in a 10,000 step program and we were out the door shortly after first light this morning. The thermometer outside the door read 47 degrees F, and I mean to tell you it was chilly. The Fox is not a morning talker, so as we walk I usually ward off boredom with thoughts of meal planning or the mental creation of recipes that I hope will wow my immediate world. Under the circumstances, soup seemed like a pretty good bet for lunch or dinner today. I'm still no where near ready for the heavy soups and stews of winter, but I am entertaining thoughts about their lighter cousins and decided to make a pantry soup for our lunch. The original version of this soup comes from Epicurious.com, and while I've made changes to it over the years, it still remains their soup and it's one worth sharing. While it is inexpensive to make and easy to prepare, the best thing about the recipe is that it makes a delicious soup in a quantity that's perfect for a small family. One spoonful of this lovely curried soup will forever spoil you and you'll never look at canned soup in the same way again. I've cut back on the amount of liquid used in its preparation, so it is thicker than the original version. If you prefer a thinner broth use more chicken or vegetable stock to get the consistency you want. The recipe calls for Madras curry powder which usually is quite hot and spicy. If the curry powder you use is a milder variety, you might want to add a pinch of cayenne pepper or some pepper flakes to pep up the flavor of your soup. If you want to use the soup as a main course, add a can of rinsed and drained chickpeas to the pot and just heat them through. I do hope you'll give this Frugal Friday feature a try. It takes 15 minutes to prepare and costs less than $5 to make. Chances are you have all the ingredients you need to make the soup in your pantry and that saves you a trip to the store. It is perfect for these cusp days of early fall. By the time we were ready for lunch, the thermostat had climbed to 88 degrees and I was really grateful for the satisfying lightness of this very special tomato soup. Here is how it is made.

Curried Chicken with Cashews

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you like a little heat with your meat, this dish will please on many levels. It is inexpensive and easy to make, but more to the point, it is absolutely delicious. While this Thai-style curry is best made with the hot and flavorful Madras curry powder, don't let the lack of it keep you from trying the dish with a less potent variety. As is the case with most rice and stir-fry combos, make sure your rice is ready to serve before you start to assemble the curry. It is way too easy to over cook the chicken in this dish, so get it from the wok to the table as soon as it is done. The sauce for this curry is rather thin, so if you'd like it to have more substance, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a teaspoon or two of water and add it to the wok at the very end of cooking. While it lacks eye appeal, this is a terrific dish for an adult week night meal. Unfortunately, most children won't go near it, so I can't recommend it for a family dinner if your children are under the age of twelve. I do hope the rest of you will try this curry. You will not be disappointed. Here is how it is made.

Curried Apple and Parsnip Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple soup makes a fabulous lunch or first course for a special dinner. I make it several times during the course of the winter because my family enjoys soups that are fortified with curry powder and I find they help ward off the damp chill that is so pervasive at this time of year. It is quick and nearly effortless to make, especially if you have a food processor and immersion blender. Don't be put off by the parsnips in the soup. They are a mildly flavored root vegetable and they blend beautifully with the companion apples and curry powder. So, the next time those North winds start to blow I hope you'll remember this lovely soup. Here is how it's made.

Curried Coconut and Avocado Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I received a package via FedEx toward the end of last week. It contained avocados, lots and lots of them, and as a result I've been on a tear, testing and creating recipes that put my bounty to good use. The rules of the blogging game kinda force me to say that the posts you'll see over the next few days are sponsored by the folks at SoCal Avocados, a family-owned company in California. They have a fantastic website, found here, where you can order a variety of heart-healthy, hand-picked avocados that will be delivered to your home with no associated shipping costs. There is even an Avocado of the Month Club that allows members to sample the various types of avocados they sell. The avocado is an unusual fruit because it contains monounsaturated, or good, fat that is easily digested by the body. It is considered to be a Super Food because it is high in antioxidants and has high concentrations of crucial nutrients that some believe help prevent the effects of aging. I'm all for that! Health benefits aside, these are nice folks to do business with and their boxed avocados would make wonderful gifts for customers who have received one fruit basket too many. I hope you'll pay them a visit.

Today's recipe is the first of three that will take advantage of my avocado windfall. This simple starter is based on a soup that first appeared in the cookbook, Sunday's at Moosewood Restaurant. The soup, which is served chilled or at room temperature, contains just 4 ingredients and can be table ready in less than 30 minutes. It is a great way to start a meal when you are looking for something that is a bit out of the ordinary. The soup has wonderful color and I like to heighten the effect with a garnish of celery or lime wedges. I hope you'll try the recipe. It is really pleasant and good enough to serve even fussy guests. I know those of you who enjoy mild curry dishes will like it. Here's the recipe.

Curried Coconut and Avocado Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Sunday's At Moosewood Restaurant

Ingredients:
2 (medium-ripe) avocados
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth + broth to thin as necessary
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Scoop flesh from avocados and place in a blender. Add vegetable broth and blend until well incorporated. Add coconut milk, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend again until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Chill. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Fast and Easy Filipino-Style Chicken Adobo


















Two Years Ago Today: Morning Glory Muffins

The World's Most Delicious Dish - Two Recipes for Massaman Curry

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Truth really is stranger than fiction and I, never in a millon years, could have predicted this. Massaman curry was voted the most delicious dish in the world in a survey conducted by CNN International. The results of the poll can be found at CNN GO. While many might question its ranking in the list, few would dispute that this is a delicious dish. Bob and I happen to love it. We had lunch at a Thai restaurant on Saturday and Massaman curry was one of the dishes we ordered for our meal. This is a classic Thai entrée that's served on special occasions. It comes from southern Thailand, where many follow the teachings of Islam. Massaman is thought to be a variant pronunciation of the word Muslim and the spices used to make this stew reflect Indian assimilation, as well as Thai influences. Bob was curious as to why I hadn't featured recipes for this curry with you. The answer was simple. I thought most people, browsing through the recipe, would tire before they reached the end of the ingredient list. Better than 60% of those ingredients are spices, but if you are racing against the clock, any recipe that long is going to end up in the circular file. I've been there, done that and understand. Bob, however, remembered the curry I made when I was still working. It was fast, easy and Massaman-like. Better still, it could be on the table within an hour. It's a lovely recipe and I know that those of you who like curry will enjoy this dish. I did, however, want to share a recipe for the "real" thing this evening. So, tonight's post is going to be a twofer, with a recipe for curry paste thrown in as well. Both of my versions for Massaman curry are made with chicken, potatoes and peanuts. Beef could also be used, but I prefer to use chicken when I make this curry. One of these recipes has a sauce the consistency of a stew, the other is more soupy. Both are delicious served over rice. These days, it is possible to buy Massaman curry paste in large food chains that stock Asian foods. The commercial paste is perfectly adequate to use in the second recipe. It will lack the brightness of the homemade version and the heat will be more intense but it is usable and a real time saver. I enjoy both these recipes and I think those of you who try either one of them will be really pleased. Here are the recipes.

Quick Massaman Curry...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream
1/2 pound boiling potatoes (about 2), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4), cut into 12-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 pound plum tomatoes (about 4), cut into wedges
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, cumin, cayenne, turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Whisk in broth and then coconut milk; bring to a simmer.
2) Stir in potatoes, cover, and cook over low heat until they are almost tender, about 12 minutes.
3) Add chicken to sauce, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in peanuts, tomatoes, cilantro, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Turn heat off, cover, and let steam until the chicken is just done, about 2 minutes longer. Serve with white rice. Yield: 4 servings.


Thai Massaman Curry with Chicken, Potatoes and Peanuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
2 cans (each 14-ounce) unsweetened coconut milk (about 3 -1/2 cups), divided
3 tablespoons massaman curry paste, store-bought or homemade (see below)
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-size chunks, skin left on
1 large potato, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and sliced lengthwise into thick wedges
1/2 cup dry-roasted salted peanuts
6 cinnamon sticks, each about 3 inches long
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons palm sugar or light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons tamarind liquid
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more if needed

Directions:
1) Open 1 can of coconut milk and use a fork to stir contents until smooth and well combined. In a 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 1/2 cup of stirred coconut milk to a boil over medium-high heat. Add curry paste and cook 1 minute, stirring and mashing paste into the coconut milk. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes, stirring often, until chicken begins to change color. Add all of remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, tamarind liquid and salt and bring to a boil.
2) Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until potato is tender and chicken is cooked through. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and stir well. Taste and add more, if desired. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl, removing and discarding the cinnamon sticks, or leaving them in as a traditional garnish not to be eaten. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 8 servings.

Massaman Curry Paste...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
15 small dried red chili peppers
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped garlic
3 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass (about 3 stalks)
1 tablespoon minced fresh galangal or fresh ginger
Few tablespoons water

Directions:
1) Stem chilies and cut them into small pieces, using kitchen scissors or a knife. There should be about 1/4 cup. Place in a small bowl and add warm water to cover. Let them soak for about 15 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
2) Meanwhile, place a small plate by the stove to hold the spices. Combine cumin and coriander in a small, dry frying pan. Place over medium heat and toast spices 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from heat and tip out onto plate. Add pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, and salt, and set aside.
3) In a blender or mini food processor, combine onion, garlic, lemongrass, galanga or ginger, 2 tablespoons water, drained chilies, and spices. Process to a fairly smooth, evenly colored paste, stopping often to scrape down sides and grind everything well. Add a little more water as needed to keep the blades moving.
4) Transfer the curry paste to a jar and seal airtight. Refrigerate until needed for up to 1 month. Yield: 1 cup.

Note: This paste can be frozen for up to 6 months. Consider freezing in tablespoon-size portion if you plan to defrost just enough for one curry at a time.









One Year Ago Today: Socca (Farinata)















Two Years Ago Today: Vegan Red Lentil Soup

Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Asian Spices

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had a substantial quantity of carrots that had to be used, and a recipe that uses lots of them that I had long wanted to try. Guess what I did today? The recipe comes from the old Union Square Cafe Cookbook and it's for a silken carrot soup that has Indian overtones. It has a mild curry flavor and a pleasant warmth that comes from the addition of a small amount of cayenne pepper. The soup may be too spicy for children, but adults will love it. Its real glory, however, is a molten and riveting color that will brighten the gloomiest of days. While there is some chopping involved, this soup is easy to make and table ready in about an hour. I think you will like it, especially if your palate is seeking new flavors. Even the Silver Fox, who looks askance at any preparation that involves copious amounts of vegetables, enjoyed it. I hope you will give this a try. Here's the recipe.

Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Asian Spices...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 cup sliced onions
3/4 cup peeled and sliced parsnips
4 cups peeled and sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 cup basmati rice
7 cups vegetable stock or water
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil in a 3-quart pot or Dutch oven over low heat. Stir in ginger and spices and cook for 1 minute. Add onions, parsnips, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened, but not browned.
2) Stir in lentils and basmati rice, mixing until well combined with vegetables. Add stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables and rice are tender. In batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth.
3) Return soup to saucepan, bring back to a boil, and stir in coconut milk and lime juice. Cook for 1 more minute and serve. Yield: 6 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Parmesan Tortilla Crisps
















Two Years Ago Today: Sweetheart Shortbread

Of Cabbages and Kings - Turkey, Leftovers and Julia Child's Senegalaise Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."The time has come," the Walrus said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbage and kings....." Even the Jabberwocky would be impressed by the amount of ground we are about to cover. So, relax, grab your favorite beverage and once you're comfortable, we'll start talking turkey, or lack thereof.

Many of you were surprised to learn that my holiday dinner plans did not include a turkey. Rest assured, there is nothing subversive or elitist in that decision. As it happens, there will be no children at the table this year, so I felt no compunction to prepare a ritual meal. I've made a lot of turkeys in my day. When my children were small, we had turkey at least once a month. Back then, turkeys weren't brined or salted, so roasting a bird was a simple undertaking. It was also a marvelously inexpensive way to feed a family. Some of you may be old enough to remember when supermarkets actually gave turkeys away during the holiday. Even in off-season, it was not unusual to find birds that cost 19 to 29 cents a pound. A lot of us ate a lot of turkey back in the day, and I suspect it lost its "special" status because of that. Those of you who worry about such things will be happy to know we had turkey for our dinner last night. While a just roasted bird may not be our favorite meal, the dishes made from its leavings number among those at the top of the list. This soup is one of them.

The soup, called Veloute De Volaille a La Senegalaise, is Julia Child's version of curried turkey soup. It is made from carcass stock, good curry powder and leftover vegetables. The finished soup is worthy of company and I guarantee it will impress your guests. As a matter of fact, I'll be serving it as a first course on Saturday night as a prelude to the star of the evening, a gorgeous beef filet . The soup is a two step process that I hope you'll try. I use a mild curry powder to make this. If you prefer to use one with more heat, proceed with caution. The soup can be made well ahead of time, though you'll want to film it with a light coat of cream to prevent a skin from forming. You can also freeze it.



Before moving onto the recipe, I wanted to let you know about a cookbook that has been written by a fellow blogger, Stephen Crout. Stephen's blog is called The Obsessive Chef and his new book, A Cook's Book for Cooks, can be purchased here. Stephen is a talented writer and while his book is more a dialogue on food than a standard recipe book, I think you'll find it both interesting and provocative.






Julia Child's Curried Turkey Soup - Veloute De Volaille a la Senegalaise...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Julia Child

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely minced onions
1-3 tablespoons curry powder
4-8 tablespoons flour (dependent on amount of mashed potatoes, if used)
5-6 cups poultry stock (see below)
Optional: leftover vegetables
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 cup diced cooked turkey meat
4 tablespoons minced parsley or chives

Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in curry powder and cook slowly for 1 minute. Add onions and cook for about 10 minutes without browning. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Vigorously beat in poultry stock with a wire whisk. If you are using leftover mashed potatoes, they should be added at this time. Return soup to heat and whisk in cream, one tablespoon at a time, until soup is of desired thickness. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in turkey, herbs and up to 1 cup diced leftover vegetables, if using. Bring to a simmer just before serving. If soup is not to be served immediately or will be served cold, film surface with stock or cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill if to be served cold. Yield: 6 servings.


Julia Child's Poultry Stock

Ingredients:
1 turkey carcass
2 to 3 pounds turkey necks, hearts and gizzards
2 tablespoons salt
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalk, roughly chopped
2 leeks, roughly chopped
2 peeled onions stuck with 2 cloves
1 large herb bouquet: 8 parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon thyme or sage

Directions:
Chop up carcass and place in a large kettle with necks and other poultry parts. Cover by 2 inches of water. Add salt and bring to a simmer. Skim surface to remove scum for about 5 minutes, or until it almost ceases to rise. Add vegetables and herb bouquet and simmer, uncovered, for about 4 hours, skimming fat and scum as required. Add water if required to keep ingredients covered. Strain liquid into a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool uncovered, then chill. When chilled, scrape off surface fat. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Stock can be frozen.

50 Women Game Changers in Food - #22 Amanda Hesser - Butternut Squash Curry

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Those of us who honed our cooking skills during the reign of Craig Claiborne at the New York Times often shared thoughts of what we'd serve were he to come to dinner. The position he held at the paper was prestigious and more than one of the women on the Gourmet list of Women Game-Changers in food owed their success to him and the coverage they received in the paper. Years later, Amanda Hesser would step into that same position. I suspect that during her tenure as food editor, the menu game was revived and meals were planned with her taking Claiborne's seat at the table. She has strong cooking chops. Although she has a degree in economics and finance, she was almost destined to become a food writer. She was raised in a family where everyone cooked, and while in college she worked in a bakery, delivering bread throughout the city of Boston. She went to Europe to study classic cooking techniques and worked in restaurants and bakeries in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France. While in France she worked for Anne Willan, founder of the cooking school Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne, and began to write food related articles for newspapers and magazines. She was hired by the Times following the publication of her first book, The Cook and the Gardener. Other books to her credit include Cooking for Mr. Latte, The Essential New York Times Cookbook and a collection of essays called Eat, Memory. The jewel in her crown, however, is the website Food52. Here, among other things, recipes submitted by readers are screened, tested and then posted to the site for voting by the membership at large. Each week one winner is selected to go into an annual cookbook. It is a great place to visit. The site is a treat to the eyes, often good fun and a must read for anyone who loves food and cooking. Amanda Hesser holds position 22 on the Gourmet Live List of Women Game Changers in Food. She's earned it.

I've decided to feature her recipe for Butternut Squash Curry for two reasons. It is, of course, seasonal, but, even more important, it is interesting. This curry is very easy to do and it is a wonderful accompaniment to plain grilled meat or poultry. If you are unable to find curry leaves, simply proceed without them. There is no adequate substitute. Here's the recipe.

Butternut Squash Curry...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Amanda Hesser

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon lightly crushed cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 cups baked, braised or mashed butternut squash
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 red chili
10 curry leaves
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
Salt

Directions:
1) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan. Add onion and cook over medium-low heat until softened. Stir in turmeric, cumin and cayenne and cook for 1 minute. Fold in squash and warm gently.
2) Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saute pan. Add mustard seeds, chili and curry leaves. When seeds begin to pop, stir in coconut and remove pan from heat. Fold into squash, and season with salt. Yield: 4 servings.


The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Amanda Hesser today. I hope you'll visit all of them. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.


Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey, Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets, Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen - Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen, Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts, Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green,Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda, Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen

Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Nancy Silverton. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, November 7th.

Curried Corn and Chicken Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This soup is substantial without being heavy and if you enjoy a mild curry flavor, it's the perfect choice for a quick weeknight meal. This is basically a pantry soup made from ingredients that can be found in any well-stocked kitchen. It is lighter than a chowder but it can be made more substantial with the addition of cooked rice or diced potatoes. I use frozen corn to make this. I've found that frozen shoepeg corn is perfect for soups and most casserole dishes that use corn as an ingredient. You can find it in the frozen food aisle of any large grocery store. Shoepeg is a variety of white sweetcorn that is grown for its sweet mild flavor. It has small, narrow kernels that are tightly and unevenly packed on the cob. The corn got its name because the individual kernels look like the wooden shoepegs that were once used to attach soles to the bottom of a shoe. It really is tender and quite tasty. This is a very straightforward recipe and the soup is easy to make. I think those of you who try it will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.


Curried Corn and Chicken Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Healthy Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
5 cups frozen corn
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 2% milk
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Using a Dutch oven or large saucepan, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Add curry powder and cook until fragrant. Stir in broth, corn, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
2) Whisk flour and milk together in a small bowl until smooth. Whisk into soup. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and cilantro and cook to heat through. Yield: 9 servings (2-1/4 quarts).






One Year Ago Today: Glazed Cream Cake
















Two Years Ago Today: Zucchini Cornbread









You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Corn Soup with Roasted Corn Guacamole - Cafe Linnylu
Sweet Corn Soup with Hatch Chilies Cream - My Man's Belly
Corn Soup with Caramelized Onions and White Cheddar - Clare Cooks
Creamy Corn and Fennel Soup - The Average Foodie
Sweet Corn Soup - Zesty Palette

50 Women Game-Changers in Food - #7 Madhur Jaffrey - Prawn Curry

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The weeks are rolling by, and the group of bloggers who are working their way through the Gourmet Live list of 50 Women Game-Changers in food, are focusing on the recipes of Madhur Jaffrey for the week. If Julia Child and Marcella Hazan are credited with bringing French and Italian food to the American table, Madhur Jaffrey must also be recognized for introducing the American and British public to the best of the food from her beloved India. She is a noted chef and expert in Indian cuisine, but, interestingly, she had not planned on a career as a food writer or teacher. When she was 19 years old, she left her home in India to study at England's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. She didn't like the food the college provided for its students and there were few Indian restaurants in London where she could satisfy her craving for good Indian food. She began to cook because she wanted to recreate the food of her childhood. With the help of her mother, who sent letters containing advice and recipes, she began to cook the simpler of the dishes she remembered. She became an actress of note, but when Craig Claiborne ran a story about her in the New York Times, she also became known for her cooking and writing skills. She considered her cooking career to be accidental, but she took it as seriously as she did her work in the theater. She has, to date, written 15 cookbooks and one memoir. That's mighty serious.

I've chosen a light but spicy shrimp dish to represent her cooking. The preparation comes from Southern India, and, while it's delicious, it is spiced with a quantity of cayenne pepper that may be too much for some palates. While purists will be unhappy, I suggest that those of you who have a low heat tolerance cut way back on the amount of cayenne used to make this dish. I've found that 1/4 teaspoon is perfect for those not familiar with the fire of some Indian dishes. I also recommend that you toast the coriander and cumin seeds that are used in the recipe. While it certainly is not necessary, straining the sauce before adding the shrimp makes for a more attractive presentation. This is a lovely curry. I hope that you will give it a try. Here's the recipe as it was written by Madhur Jaffrey.

Prawn Curry...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon red paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
4 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 (14-1/2 ounces) can coconut milk, well stirred
3/4 teaspoon salt or salt to taste
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
1 pound peeled and deveined medium-sized uncooked prawns (shrimp)

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan, combine 1-1/4 cups water with the cayenne pepper, paprika, turmeric, garlic and ginger. Mix well. Grind the coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a clean coffee grinder and add to mixture.
2) Bring the spice mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and is reduced somewhat.
3) Add the coconut milk, salt, and tamarind paste, and bring to a simmer.
4) Add the prawns (shrimp) and simmer, stirring occasionally, until they turn opaque and are just cooked through. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as required to taste. Serve while hot. Yield: 4 servings.

The following bloggers are also paying tribute to Madhur Jaffrey this week. I hope you'll visit all of them.

Val - More Than Burnt Toast
Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney
Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets
Katie - Making Michael Poland Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite
Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen
Sue - The View from Great Island

Next week we will highlight the food and recipes of Judith Jones. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information. Everyone is welcome.

Aloo Matar Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes and Elephant Safari

Aloo Mater Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes.




They don't get much cuter, but she was a surprise. Her Daddy was a rogue.



This is her teen-age mother.



At home in the jungle.



Conference room.



Kitchen.





Termite Colony.



Tiger



Rhino.


Crocodile.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves nature. I love the Silver Fox. The bit about jungles and safari was buried in the fine print of our marriage contract. I missed it. He didn't. That's how I ended up in the middle of a jungle on the back of an elephant who cared a good deal more about her offspring than me or my welfare. We had signed on for a four day stay at a Nepali eco-lodge, hoping that would be enough time to see at least some on the wildlife the camp was famous for. As luck would have it, we got to see everything our first morning on safari. That was wonderful. Folks can spend years trying to catch glimpses of the tigers or white rhinos in the reserve. We hit a homer our first time at bat. Our good luck, however, meant we had to come up with other plans to fill the time we had left in camp. Four days can be an eternity in a place that has only intermittent electricity and hot water. It does not encourage the reading or writing of the great American novel and bubble baths are not de rigueur. I spent my time in the primitive kitchen and at the elephant camp watching the antics of a two year old who was such a minx you couldn't help but love her. She's now old enough to walk behind her mother on expedition. If she's hungry she nurses and everyone waits till she's had her fill. If she finds a pile of dirt or an especially lush leaf, she'll stop and play. Everybody waits. If they're lucky they'll escape the dirt she blows their way as an invitation to play. It's also interesting to watch the behavior of the other elephants when she is around. If they scent boar or other animals that might be dangerous, they close ranks and form a protective circle around her. When I tire of the elephants, I wander down to the primitive kitchen and watch them prepare meals for 40 or so guests. There are no appliances to speak of. There are 5 cooks who report to head chef who barks orders but also cooks. The six of then produce breakfast and two large buffets every day. The food they cook must be walked uphill to the dining room. When the meals are over, dishes are walked to another facility to be washed and stored away. The arrangement is uniquely inefficient but the job gets done, even in rainy season. Eco-tours are not for everyone, but if you love nature and being outdoors you'd love to spend some time on jungle safari. I glad I did it. Once!

The food prepared in the kitchen at Temple Tiger was, of necessity, easy to make. It lacked refinement, but it was delicious and there was always plenty of it. I especially like their recipe for curried potatoes and peas. It can be served with any meal, but it is a wonderful addition to the Nepali set I've been talking about building. It perfectly fits the curry component of the dish. Here is the recipe.

Aloo Matar Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes and Peas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
2 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 can (15-oz.) chopped tomatoes, undrained
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Directions:
1) Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and ginger and cook until softened. Stir in turmeric, cayenne, cumin powder, coriander and cumin seed and cook until fragrant.
3) Add potatoes to skillet and stir to coat with spices. Add tomatoes and sugar and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in peas and garam masala. Cook 5 minutes longer. Add additional water if sauce becomes too thick. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Curried Vegetables With Whole Wheat and Couscous - Simply Recipes
Indian Style Curried Vegetables - What's Cookin, Chicago?
Curried Potato and Vegetable Soup - Simply Recipes
Aloo Gobi - No Recipes
Fresh Vegetable Curry - The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Mixed Vegetable Curry - What's Cooking Today

The Most Memorable Meal in India - Chole at the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage in Agra

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tucked behind a gate on Anjmar Road in Agra, is a Missionaries of Charity home. The facility, operated by the order of nuns that Mother Teresa founded, functions as an orphanage and a care facility for the chronic and terminally ill. As I passed through the gate and entered the grounds, I was followed by a young woman who was just completing the first of the ten years required to become a professed member of the community. She was lithe and fair, and her clipped accent indicated she was well-educated and came from a comfortable background. I suspect her task was to see that none of us one wandered into areas where our presence would be intrusive. She, instead, directed us to the right side of the compound and into a room of tiny miracles. Here, in cribs packed back to back, were twenty perfectly formed infants, abandoned, but found before starvation or exposure took their toll. Most of them were sleeping, but here and there you'd find a tiny flirt who'd shyly smile and reach for you. The babies in this room were adoptable and the vagaries of fate would soon take them to homes far from the streets on which they had been found. We passed through a connecting door into another room which told a different tale. Here, the infants and toddlers were dealing with physical or mental limitations that would keep them here until better facilities for their care could be found. Just outside, playing in a courtyard, were healthy children who were too old for adoption. The sisters had assumed responsibility for their education, job training, and, in the case of the girls, the arrangement of suitable marriages when they came of age.

Intent on showing us the others in their care, the young aspirant led us into a shaded courtyard where adult men were having a lunch of Chole and Naan. They were suffering from various mental or physical problems and many were horribly crippled. Off the courtyard was another room for those who were stricken with tuberculosis and AIDS. They were bedridden and obviously very ill. The young woman explained there was no money for the medicine that could effectively treat these men. They were languishing, waiting for a death that would not come quickly. Until it did, the sisters and their volunteers provided as much care and love as they possibly could to ease the final days of these men's existence.

Across the courtyard was a compound for the women that included a small cell-like structure that held some of them under lock and key. They had severe mental problems and the newer arrivals looked malnourished and had open wounds from scratching lice from their scalps and skin. The, soon to be, novice was now walking by my side and I asked how she was able to do this day after day. She smiled, took both my hands in hers and led me back to the children's quarters. There was a quotation hanging on the wall she wanted me to read. I'll share the last few lines of it with you. "I asked Jesus how much He loved me. He answered 'this much.' Then He stretched out His arms and died for me." She asked if I understood. I nodded yes and hugged her.

Today's Recipe

Chole is a North Indian chick pea dish. The base is a tomato gravy to which chick peas are added. Canned chick peas are used in this recipe. Like most Indian curries, spices can be adjusted so the dish is spicy or mild depending on your taste. This recipe will makes a Chole that's on the milder side.

Chole...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
1 pinch asafetida powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 medium sized onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 (15-oz.) cans chick peas, drained
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, depending on taste
1/4 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon teaspoon garam masala
1 cup water

Directions:
1) Heat oil or ghee in a large saucepan. Add cumin seeds and cook until sizzling and seeds begin to turn brown. Add asafetida powder, if using. Asafetida is a gum resin that has a strong onion flavor. Stir in turmeric.
2) Add onions and sauté until golden brown. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
3) Stir in tomatoes and simmer on medium heat until tomatoes have melted and mixture is fairly uniform. Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste and mix.
4) Stir in chick peas. Add salt, ginger. chili powder, coriander, cumin powder, garam masala and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
5) Add 1 cup of water. Simmer for 20 minutes with pot partially covered. Serve hot with rice,naan or roti. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Channa (Chole) Masala - Kitchen Gypsies
YRTML: Punjabi Chole - Siri's Corner
Spicy Chole - Niya's World
Chole/Chana Masala - Enriching Your Kid
Chole Masala - Weird Combinations
Teri Wale Chole(Curried Chickpeas) - Annarasa - Essence of Flavor

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Peanut and Pumpkin Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the easier of the two recipes I have for peanut and pumpkin soup. I love to serve this as a starter for meals that are simple and need a bit of a jolt. Most peanut soups are associated with West Africa, but French settlers in Louisiana and Southeast Asia also made peanut soups that can be memorable. The trick, of course, is to temper the peanut taste so it does not overpower other ingredients in the soup. Many folks use peanut butter to achieve this unique taste, but I prefer to use a peanut milk and curry powder to get the flavor I'm looking for. A peanut milk can be made by combing 2 parts of chicken broth with 1 part roasted peanuts and blending them until the mixture is perfectly smooth. You'll need six cups of peanut milk for this recipe. It is very easy to make and adds a perfect nutty taste to this very simple soup. I also cheat a bit with the pumpkin puree. Mine comes from a can and it works perfectly well in this recipe. The soup keeps well, but it will thicken as it stands, so you will probably have to thin it if you do not serve it immediately. Here's the recipe I use for this fairly uncommon soup.

Peanut and Pumpkin Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups pumpkin puree
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped red onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
6 cups peanut milk
2/3 cup fruit chutney
3 cups chicken broth

Directions:
1) Combine oil and butter in a frying pan set over medium heat. When the mixture shimmers, add red onion and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and toss with onions until well mixed and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2) To make peanut milk: Combine 3 cups of peanuts with 6 cups of water or broth in jar of a blender. Process until perfectly smooth. Set aside.
3) In jar of an electric blender, combine pumpkin, chutney and onion mixture. Pulse until smooth, adding peanut milk as needed to process.
4) Combine pumpkin mixture with remaining peanut milk and chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk - Le Delicieux
Moroccan Chicken and Pumpkin Soup - Kitchen Wench
Coconut Curry and Pumpkin Soup - Flavor Diva
Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Soup - Chef In You
Gingered Squash Soup - eCurry
Pumpkin-Sage Soup - Streaming Gourmet

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken

Featured on Amuse Bouche the blog for Where Women Cook.





Our three year old sous-chef.



...and the kitchen apprentice who was born with a wooden spoon in his mouth.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tonight was an unplanned noodle night. That's not an unusual occurrence when my family gathers, but having to alter at least one of the recipes to please the tastes of a three year old is something I haven't done in a very long time. I was given very specific instructions. He wanted fat noodles with chicken and yellow gravy and he agreed to be my official taster. We added and subtracted things from a Thai recipe called kao soi and came up with a curry noodle dish that he actually enjoyed. Half the fun, of course, was slurping slippery noodles, but he ate some chicken and had a few vegetables and shared his dish with others at the table. What I hadn't counted on was that those who are no longer three would also enjoy it. Who knew? While the noodles only resemble a dish in the Thai or Asian cooking repertoire they are a wonderful introduction to the food of the region. The rice noodles and vegetables I added to the recipe are atypical, but crispy noodle nests always top the dish when it is served in Thailand. I make my mine by reserving a small portion of cooked egg noodles and deep frying them. This is extremely easy to make and all the ingredients can be found in a good sized supermarket. I've cut way back on the curry paste and powder that give this recipe its heat. I'm including the authentic amounts in parenthesis for those of you who want to sample the real deal. This is a great family recipe and I hope that those of you with adventurous souls will give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles with Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons red curry paste (2 tablespoons)
1-1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into chunks
1 large carrot, cut into fine julienne strips
1 small red pepper, cut into fine julienne strips
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 (14-oz.) can coconut milk
1-3/4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (2teaspoons turmeric or curry Powder)
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
.
1/2 pound dried Chinese-style egg noodles or wide rice noodles
1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion

Directions:
1) In a medium sauce pan set over medium heat, warm the oil until it begins to ripple, and then add garlic. Cook for about a minute and add red curry paste, stirring it to soften it, about a minute. Add chicken and cook for about a minute, tossing to combine it with the curry paste. Remove chicken from pan and add carrot, red pepper and onions. Stir over medium-high heat until softened. Return chicken to pan. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, turmeric, soy sauce, and sugar, and stir well. Bring to a slow boil, and lower heat to bring it down to a simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, until flavors have begun to meld. Stir in the lime juice, remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.
2) Cook the noodles per package instructions. Drain, rinse in a colander under cold water, drain again, and divide noodles among serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro, and green onions. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Rebecca's Asian Noodles - Chow and Chatter
15 Minute Asian Noodles - Steamy Kitchen
Mie Goreng - RasaMalaysia
Pad Thai - Joy's Thai Food
Garlic Butter Noodles - White on Rice Couple
Mee Goreng - The Perfect Pantry

Curried Egg Salad

Today's featured recipe....




and the day's distraction.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...How many people are needed to take a good photograph of curried egg salad? Obviously, more than are in our home. We really did try, but this was the best of the worst photos. I just couldn't overcome the muddy cast the curry shed on the egg salad. The photo of our youngest grandsons, who will be visiting in August, is a ruse designed to draw your eye away from the delicious, but unphotogenic, sandwich filling. I've been experimenting with making my own curry powder since I learned we'd be traveling to India this fall. Once I had a powder Bob and I both liked, I needed to test it in recipes where it could be used. Egg salad was the simplest and most logical place to start. This salad is mildly spiced and has a really smooth and creamy texture that is pleasing to the tongue. That last is food gibberish that means it is pleasant and tastes good. It receives additional flavor from the juice and pulp of a small shredded onion, and it is delicious spread on a grainy bread. More finely chopped, it would also be perfect for crustless tea sandwiches. I like to make and refrigerate the salad about an hour before I plan to serve it. That gives the flavors an opportunity to blend while the salad chills. This is a very simple recipe that is dependent on the quality of the ingredients used to assemble it. I recommend the use of a mild curry powder and a good mayonnaise. When I don't make my own mayonnaise, I use the reduced fat brand that is sold at Trader Joe's. If you love egg salad as much as I do, I know you'll love this one. Here's the recipe.

Curried Egg Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
8 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated suga
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3 drops hot pepper sauce (i.e. Tabasco)Tabasco sauce
1 small onion, grated to yield 2 tablespoons puree
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:
Combine chopped eggs, mayonnaise, lemon juice, curry powder, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper. hot pepper sauce, onion puree and parsley in a large bowl. Mix well. Cover and chill until shortly before serving time. Yield: 8 sandwich size servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Piperada Bocadillo - One Perfect Bite
Tuna Salad Sandwiches - Sea Salt with Food
Cherry Walnut Chicken Salad - Amy's Diner
Ribbon Sandwiches - My Delicious Blog
Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich - Life's Ambrosia
Apricot and Lavender Chicken Salad - Karista's Kitchen
Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwich - Tasty Easy Healthy Green

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had guests for dinner last evening and I wanted to share the lovely soup we had to start the meal with you. It is French in origin, and has a highfalutin name that makes it sound more formal and pretentious than it actually is. I do, however, work on the theory, that those who know a language are entitled to use the name with which they are most familiar. Lovers of France and the French language call this potage, Soupe Crème de Choux-Fleurs et Pomme au Curry. Those of us who lack the requisite language skills will call it Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup. Julia Child would have loved this recipe. It's based on one developed by Daniel Boulud and I think you'll love it too. It's actually easier to make than any of Julia's recipes and were you to eliminate the garnish, the soup is no harder to make than good old tomato soup. Really. Our local farmer's markets have shelves bending under the weight of cauliflower and it's also being tucked into CSA boxes. This is a wonderful way to use it up. The recipe has been developed to provide six servings and uses a cup of heavy cream. None of you need my permission to swap light for heavy cream. It changes the texture of the soup but it is still lovely. The recipe can also be doubled if you have a gang to feed. When I make the soup for family I omit the garnish, but I do use it when we have guests around the table. I use saffron when we have the queen to dinner. Those of you who try this are in for a sweet and spicy treat. It's smooth and creamy, and, like most cream soups, can be made well in advance of serving. Here's the recipe.

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Daniel Boulud

Ingredients:
Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 2 pinches saffron powder
1 cup tart apples, such as Granny Smiths or Golden Delicious, peeled, split, cored and sliced
4 cups cauliflower (about 1 medium head), greens and stem discarded, head broken up
into small florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Curried Apple Garnish
1 cup Golden Delicious apple, peeled, split, cored, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 pinch saffron powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1) For soup: Warm chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, curry powder, and saffron and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add sliced apple and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add cauliflower and warm chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate when cool and reheat just before serving.
2) For garnish: Place diced apples with 1 tablespoon of water in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Strain and keep warm.
3) To serve: Ladle soup into warm soup bowls or cups. Sprinkle garnish over top. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Yellow Cauliflower - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Spicy Cauliflower - Kalyn's Kitchen
A Tale of Two Cauliflower Soups - Becks and Posh
Cauliflower Soup - Annie Blogs
Simple Cauliflower Soup - Simply Recipes

Apple Raisin Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm all set for a canning and freezing marathon, but our local strawberries are still a few days short of prime. To keep myself focused, I decided to put by a few jars of apple chutney that I anticipate will be lovely for glazing meats, and spreading on the Indian breads I experimented with this morning. If you like chutney, you'll love this recipe. It produces a dark, glossy spread with a curry flavor and a jam-like texture. The choice of curry, hot or not, is up to you. I make this in small quantities because the ingredients need to make it are always available, and that makes bulk storage and a canning orgy unnecessary. While this is really easy to prepare, there is some chopping involved and you'll have to carefully watch the chutney as it cooks to avoid it burning. If it catches on you'll have to pitch the entire batch. This chutney is less viscous than the mango chutneys that are commercially available, so don't panic when you see how thick this is. That's as it should be. I refrigerate or freeze the jars I make, but if you wish, they can be processed in a boiling water bath for long term shelf storage. The chutney will keep for three weeks in the refrigerator and for up to six months in the freezer. Here's the recipe.

Apple Raisin Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancie McDermott
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped cooking apples (i.e. Golden Delicious or Granny Smiths)
1/2 cup water
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (14.5-oz.) peeled, chopped tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place apples in a 3-quart pan with water. Cover pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft.
2) Meanwhile, combine onions, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, sugar, curry powder, mustard seeds and salt in another heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir to mix well.
3) Mash apples and add to mixture in saucepan. Mix well. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir pot often, being sure scrape bottom of pan to discourage sticking. Chutney is done when it is a th. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to lidded jars or freezer containers. Chutney will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It will keep in freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 1/2 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Mango Chutney - One Perfect Bite
Balsamic Onion Marmalade - One Perfect Bite
Tomato Jam - One Perfect Bite
Crock-Pot Dried Apricot Jam - One Perfect Bite
Spicy Tomato Chutney - Beck and Posh
Homemade Mango Chutney - Simply Recipes
Apricot Jalapeno Chutney - eCurry

Deviled Eggs with Curry and Cilantro

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was an adult before I had a deviled egg. For whatever reasons, they were never prepared in the kitchens of my childhood. I suspect these may be one of those dishes that has regional, rather than national appeal and I was raised in an area where they were not widely popular. While I enjoyed my first deviled egg, I was never moved to reproduce them in my own kitchen. I sat in on a planning meeting for a picnic this week, and deviled eggs were mentioned as a possible menu item. I feel badly now, because I was the one who squashed the idea of serving them. I have a "thing" about dishes made with mayonnaise being served on occasions where there is no refrigeration, and, in arguing my point of view I was way more vociferous than was necessary. These eggs were my way of apologizing to the woman whose toes I stepped on. She liked them, so I thought those of you who enjoy deviled eggs might want to give them a try. The eggs have a hint of curry and are wonderfully fragrant. I found the recipe in Nancie McDermott's The Curry Book and I can recommend the eggs and the book to you. These eggs will never win a beauty contest, but if you are looking for a new twist on an old favorite, I think you'll like them. It is probably best to use a mild curry powder to prepare them. Here's the recipe.

Deviled Eggs with Curry and Cilantro...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
8 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large scallion, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Directions:
1) Place eggs in a medium-sized saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a full boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for eight minutes longer. Remove from heat. Drain and rinse in two changes of cold water. Leave eggs in water until cool.
2) While eggs cook, combine mayonnaise, curry powder, mustard, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Set aside.
3) Peel eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out yolks and force through a sieve. Add to mayonnaise mixture and mix well. Fold in scallions and cilantro. Stuff each egg with one tablespoon filling. Serve at once, or cover and chill until ready to serve. Yield: 16 deviled eggs.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Tarragon Mustard Deviled Eggs - Kalyn's Kitchen
Wasabi Deviled Eggs - Cooking with Amy
Deviled Eggs Deluxe - The Recipe Girl
Lemon Dill Deviled Eggs - Eat Real
Incredible Deviled Eggs - Christine Cooks

Curried Turkey Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I took advantage of a sale on bone-in turkey breasts at one of our local supermarkets today. I bought several to feed the freezer and another to make this lovely turkey salad. The recipe won an honorable mention in a recipe contest several years ago. While I poached the turkey for tonight's salad, it can be made with freshly roasted poultry or even leftovers, if they are not too dry. Chicken also works well. With warm weather rapidly approaching, I thought some of you might like to have the recipe for this easy main course salad. It works well for luncheons and it is perfect for a light summer meal. I think those of you who try this will really enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Curried Turkey Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups cooked turkey, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1-1/2 cups seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 cup chutney
1 to 2 tablespoons mild curry powder or curry powder to taste
1 teaspoon kosher salt or salt to taste
1/2 cup salted roasted peanuts

Directions:
1) Combine turkey, celery and grapes in a large bowl. Set aside.
2) Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice and chutney in a small bowl. Add curry powder and salt to taste.
3) Pour dressing over turkey mixture and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Just before serving fold peanuts into salad. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Thai Tuna Salad - One Perfect Bite
Pistachio Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese Medallions - One Perfect Bite
Asian Chicken or Shrimp Salad - One Perfect Bite