Spicy Thai Soup {Sweet Heat #2}

This months Sweet Heat Challenge is to make a spicy Soup of your choice....Perfect at this time of year as despite it being an exceptionally mild British October, I am now back in Canada where things are a little cooler (to say the least!).

That being said, for this particular challenge I couldn't resist turning to warmer climates for inspiration and instead of a thick, hearty soup (which is generally my first choice for this time of year) I opted for a lighter, fragrant Thai soup with a good dose of spiky chilli heat – perfect for warming me up as well as attempting to banish any nasty germs that I inevitably always pick up after flying!

Serves 4

1.5 litres water

1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled & roughly sliced

4 cloves of garlic, peeled & sliced

a small bunch of coriander stalks, chopped

3 tbsp tom yum paste

200ml coconut milk

3 lime leaves, torn in half

1 red chilli, finely sliced

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 limes (keep 1 for garnish)

125g mushrooms, thinly sliced

Small tin of bamboo shoots or 100g baby corn on the cob (optional)

200g cooked, shelled & de-veined prawns*

Coriander leaves & extra sliced chillies to garnish

Start by making the stock. Put the water, ginger, garlic and coriander stalks in a large pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Sieve the stock into a bowl and discard the ginger, garlic and coriander.

Return the stock to the pan then add the tom yum paste, coconut milk, lime leaves, chilli, fish sauce and the juice of 1 lime. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Taste to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary (adding more fish sauce if it needs a little extra salty flavour).

Add the sliced mushrooms and bamboo shoots and cook for a further 5 minutes. Right as you are ready to serve add the prawns as they just need to be heated through and not overcooked. Ladle into bowls then finish with a sprinkling of fresh coriander, some extra chilli and a lime wedge on the side.

*If you get prawns that still have their shells on then add the shells to the stock at the beginning for an even more delicious broth!

{For a more substantial meal you could cook some noodles and add those to the soup.}

*If you would like to participate in this months Sweet Heat Challenge, you have until November 25th to submit your Spicy Soup entry!

Chilli Spiced Black Pepper

This can barely count as a recipe but I am now addicted to this so I had to include it! That plus after just returning back to Canada after a month away I had no other posts lined up so you have to excuse me for this quick and easy one. That being said, it may be quick and easy but if you are a chilli lover like I am, then this will transform your dishes!

As with my last post (Slow-Roasted Moroccan Style Lamb) I have to credit this recipe to my lovely sister-in-law, Susan. Sus and I both love cooking and have similar tastes when it comes to food so when she gave me this to add to my soup last week I was absolutely delighted. She had used it to cover a roast chicken with which was then served with lemon but you can literally use this anywhere you would add black pepper – after all it is just ground black pepper kicked up a few notches!

I make enough to fill a small container but you can make as much or as little as you like and depending on your heat tolerance adjust the amount of chillies used. You could also try using a mix of different peppercorns for a little extra variety and of course could vary the type of dried chillies used for a different taste. Quick and easy but the simplest and most amazing idea ever – I love it!!

3 tbsp whole black peppercorns

2-3 dried red chillies, stalks removed

Simply put the peppercorns into either a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind to the coarseness of freshly ground pepper. Finely chop up the chillies (or you could even snip them with some kitchen scissors) or grind them as well in pulses so they still contain some texture and the seeds then mix with the black pepper. That easy!

{If you are short of time but want to try this use chilli flakes instead and just add them to the ground black pepper.}

Slow-roasted Moroccan Style Lamb

This is the perfect meal to have when Autumn is in full swing and the days are shorter and the weather blustery and cool. A shoulder of lamb slowly cooked in a cool oven until it falls apart, flavoured with vibrant Moroccan flavours guaranteed to warm you up. This meal is ideal for a slow, lazy Sunday spent indoors and especially for a family get together or if you have friends over. I have to thank my sister-in-law Susan for this wonderful recipe as the first time I had it was when she cooked it for me a couple of years ago when I was staying with them. I honestly must have eaten two or three times as much as I should have as it was so good, especially with all the wonderful accompaniments that she served. If you like lamb and you like Moroccan flavours you will absolutely love this meal. It is also incredibly easy to make so perfect for a Sunday dinner.

This is home cooking at its best.....relaxed, casual food with so many wonderful flavours and taste sensations.

3 tbsp olive oil

Shoulder of lamb, boneless (or if you prefer you could use a leg of lamb)

2 onions, peeled & halved

2 cloves of garlic, peeled & 1 whole bulb

4 tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp cumin

Salt & Freshly ground black pepper

Water

Coriander, roughly chopped

To serve:

Zaalouk (Roasted Aubergine & Tomatoes)

Lemon & Pine nut Couscous

Hummus

Harissa & Yogurt Dip

Flat breads

Rocket (arugula) spritzed with a little lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 150C/ 300F.

Heat the oil in a large oven-proof casserole dish then quickly sear the lamb on all sides – just so it gets golden. Remove the lamb and set aside on a plate.

Put the onions and 2 cloves of garlic in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped (or you could grate the onions if you don't have a food processor). Saute the onions and garlic in the hot casserole dish for roughly 10 minutes until softened and just starting to turn brown. Add the paprika, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for a minute before returning the lamb to the pan. Cover the whole thing with water so that the lamb is just covered. Separate the garlic cloves from the bulb but don't peel them. Drop in the whole cloves of garlic then cover with a lid and cook for roughly 3 hours, stirring and checking a couple of times during that time.

Zaalouk {Roasted Aubergines & Tomatoes}

 

This recipe was adapted from Claudia Roden's book Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey & Lebanon. It is fantastic with so many things but goes especially well with this meal. I like it served warm or at room temperature but you could easily serve it cold as a Middle Eastern salad as was suggested in the initial recipe in Arabesque. One thing to note though with this recipe - don't forget to prick the aubergine (eggplant) which happened to someone I know (who shall remain nameless!), otherwise you might find yourself with exploding aubergines!

500g aubergine/eggplant (roughly 1 large aubergine)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4-5 cloves of garlic

400g tin of chopped or whole tomatoes

salt

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Squeeze of lemon juice

Pre-heat the oven to 240C/ 475F. Prick the aubergine (eggplant) all over with a sharp knife then put on a baking tray lined with foil and roast for roughly 50 minutes until they feel soft when squeezed gently. Once they are cool enough to handle peel the aubergines then pop the flesh into a colander or strainer with small holes. Press out as much juice as possible then while still in the colander roughly chop the flesh with a knife.

In a medium sized pan heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil then add the garlic. Gently saute for a few minutes being careful not to brown it (otherwise it will taste bitter) then add the tomatoes, salt, chilli powder and cumin. Cook gently for roughly 20 minutes until it has started to reduce and thicken then add the chopped up aubergine. Cook for a further 5 minutes then taste to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Just before serving add the fresh coriander, lemon juice and the remaining olive oil and stir well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Lemon & Pine Nut Couscous

 Another deliciously simple side dish that I love and that works so well with this meal. Make it at the end and serve as soon as it is ready.

4 tbsp pine nuts

200g couscous

250ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

Zest & juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp fresh mint

1 red chilli, finely chopped

Salt & pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan until golden brown, then set aside. Put the couscous in a medium sized bowl then top with the hot stock. Give a quick stir with a fork then cover tightly with some cling film (saran wrap) and leave for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes the couscous should have absorbed all of the stock and be perfectly cooked. Fluff up with a fork then add the lemon zest and juice, mint, chilli, seasoning and a good drizzle of olive oil. Mix it all together – still using a fork – then scatter over the pine nuts. Serve at once.

Hummus

1 tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Juice of ½ - 1 lemon (depending on how juicy it is)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

2 tbsp tahini paste (or more if you prefer)

Salt and Pepper

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus a little extra for drizzling

1 ice cube

Blend all the ingredients apart from the ice cube, in a processor until you have a smooth consistency. Check for seasoning and whether you need any more lemon juice to taste. Add the ice cube and blend until it is mixed in. Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

Yogurt & Harissa Dip

Natural Yogurt

Harissa Paste

Few mint leaves, finely chopped

Simply put enough yogurt in a serving bowl then add a heaped spoonful of harissa paste. Lightly swirl the harissa through the yogurt to create a ripple effect then finish with a scattering of the mint leaves.

Bonfire Night

When I moved from Scotland to Canada six years ago I started to miss a lot of things. Of course I missed family, friends and British culture and architecture from the beginning, but then there were the other things....things you take for granted (and to those of you living in the UK probably laughable things). Cheese is a top one – not that there isn't cheese in Canada, cause there is and it is great, but there are certain types of cheese that I can't get and really miss, and I miss going to wonderful cheese mongers where I literally want to buy everything and have to limit myself to a few! Plus cheese in Canada (where I live) is insanely expensive – something I will never get used to!

Then there are the funny things....Marks & Spencers, Tesco and generally most UK supermarkets are definitely up there on my miss list!! I don't know what it is – maybe its the familiarity of brands I grew up with and love or perhaps I find the variety better - who knows but within a few days of arrival I am always off to the local supermarket! Marks & Spencers (M&S) is a whole other thing and I find it funny how many people I have met over the last 6 years who have moved from the UK say how much they miss M&S! Unsurprisingly I mostly miss the food and of course trying to explain to people who have never tried something from M&S the idea of “ready made meals” sounds appauling, but this is something you have to trust me on!

Spectific items like Branston Pickle are no longer missed as my local supermarket in Canada has a “British Sale” every 6 months or so so of course I am always first there with my trolley loaded up with Robinson's diluting juice, Coleman's English mustard, Heinz Baked Beans (yes again you can buy these in Canada but they just aren't the same!!!) and good old Branston Pickle (to name a few)!

And then as well as missing certain foods and shops there are events and specific occasions. Admittedly there aren't many but one that I really miss is Guy Fawkes Night or more commonly now known as Bonfire Night. To the majority of people living outside of the UK this is an unheard of celebration but to us Brits its a great excuse to wrap up on a cold night and watch fireworks and of course the biggest bonfire you have seen complete with 'guy' on top, made by some locals who are happy to stuff and burn some old clothes! I still have really happy memories as a little girl piling on the layers of clothes, hat, scarves and gloves and having tantrums about having to wear Wellies, even though everyone was wearing them! We would then all walk down to the field where the Bonfire was assembled, sparklers in hand ready to be lit and find our friends to watch the ceremonial lighting of the bonfire which would turn into an inferno in no time, then of course the fireworks lighting up the sky with beautiful displays of vibrant green, red, silver and blue, banging and popping as they went.

And then of course there was the food as no event is complete without food!! Hot Dogs or at least sausages in rolls was always the choice and I have to say I still can't resist making and eating sausage rolls on November 5th. For a special version, for me the ideal way to enjoy these delicious delights is topped not with ketchup or mustard (although both of which I love), but with my red onion marmalade or with some warmed roasted peppers and chillies. As well as the sausage rolls you always need something hot to warm you up so a piping hot mug of fresh homemade soup is always very welcome, and my Thai Pumpkin Soup is absolutely perfect for that. And for something sweet you can't beat some Chocolate and Caramel Popcorn to munch on while gazing at the fireworks. So there you have it - delicious warming food ideal for enjoying with friends outside on a starry November night with the heat of a bonfire and awe of some beautiful fireworks! I can't wait!

(Photo courtesy of City of Manchester)

If you like this check out my new updated Bonfire Night Menu Ideas.

Sweet Heat # 2

It's the 1st of the month so that can only mean one thing.....it's time to announce this month's Sweet Heat Challenge! I was so delighted with the inaugural Sweet Heat Challenge and all of the fantastic entries so I'm hoping we can continue with the same standards this month!

So what is this month's challenge?....Well I just couldn't resist with the change in seasons and drop in temperature to choose a …... (drum roll).....Spicy Soup! For this months challenge you can make any soup you want, (inspired by any country in the world, recipe or just whatever you happen to have in your fridge) so for those of you that want to take part and are lucky enough to be living in lovely sunny and warm climates, you don't need to feel excluded! It can be a hot or cold soup, just as long as it contains chillies. And if you manage to include a spicy little garnish or side to accompany your soup then you get extra points!

As usual there are some rules to abide by...nothing scary, just a few things to note!

The Rules:

• You must mention Sweet Heat in your post with a link back to this site (and when applicable the host site).
• Send your post url, your name and a photo (if possible no bigger than 500 pixels please) of your creation to vanillacloudsandlemondrops@hotmail.co.uk by the 25^th of November.
• You can create your own recipe or make your favourite recipe but please credit the original source if using someone else's.
• You can enter as many times as you like.*

And that's that! The round up will be done at the end of every month. So get your pots and pans out, a big bowl and of course a chilli or two!

*The challenge is open to everyone so even if you don't have your own blog please feel free to participate! Just send me a photo of your creation along with what it is and your own name!

{If you are interested in hosting future months please email me at vanillacloudsandlemondrops@hotmail.co.uk}