"I was just thinking, if it is really religion with these nudist colonies, they sure must turn atheists in the wintertime."
~Will Rogers
Another frigid but sunny day in the frozen north. Need to use up those mushrooms that were so good in my Rice Paper Wraps.
Not too keen on going out for my power walk (what a procrastinator I have become!) It all has its benefits though - creative healthy meals for me and some good ones to share with my warrior when he returns from his southern 'vacation'.
Tom Yum Soup is a favourite of ours so I searched and found this variation of Hot and Sour Soup. I added my own touches which I will note below. Enjoy!
Hot and Sour Mushroom, Cabbage, and Rice Soup
5 – 1 cup Servings
1 tablespoon canola oil (I used grapeseed oil)
4 ounces cremini or shiitake mushroom caps thinly sliced (quantity & type doesn't really matter. I used a variety)
1-2 jalapeno peppers finely diced (no fresh so I used 2 tbsp bottled sliced ones, chopped)
3 cloves garlic minced
One 2-inch lump ginger, grated (about 1 tbsp puree)
1 to 3 limes zested and juiced (no fresh limes so I swapped them for 6 tbsp of rice vinegar - a flavour I prefer for this type of soup. Plain white vinegar would probably be good too)
4 cups broth — turkey, chicken or vegetable
1/4 cup jasmine rice
1/2 cup julienne cut carrots (my addition to the original)
1 tablespoons soy sauce plus more to serve (I use Bragg Soy Seasoning - much lower in sodium - it's just soya & spring water fermented - all natural http://www.bragg.com/products/laFAQ.html)
1/2 small head green cabbage cut in half and shaved thin (didn't use cabbage and the flavours & textures were SO good, but I would add another time to compare)
Chili garlic sauce or *kimchi (sadly no *kimchi)
Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Toss the mushrooms after 5 minutes and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until well-browned. Add the diced peppers, garlic, and ginger and cook for about five minutes or until fragrant and slightly softened.
Add broth and bring to a simmer. Add the rice & carrots, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is just barely soft. Add the shaved cabbage, lime juice (rice vinegar), and soy sauce to taste and simmer for another few minutes or until cabbage is hot and softened.
Serve with extra soy sauce,and *kimchi or chili garlic sauce.
Results: It could have used a bit more 'hot' next time but the 'sour' was just perfect.
Results: It could have used a bit more 'hot' next time but the 'sour' was just perfect.
*Note about Kimchi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimchi ): this is a staple in South Korea served with all meals. You see earthen pots of all sizes filled with this fermenting mixture outside homes, temples and restaurants and after the 21 days spent there a few years ago, I developed a real taste for it that I now miss.
