Chilies, devilishly sharp
Who is wearing a red coat and scares away the guests, when they get close in contact with the surface of the coat? Right, chilies can be meanies! Only a smooth touch with fingers on the cut face and a cozy afternoon turns into a nightmare. The juice on the surface goes into the skin. When touching eyes or mouth than you will fall from heaven on earth into hell on earth. It goes so fast! Equipped like a surgeon with rubber gloves and a surgeon’s mask will be the best advice avoiding tears and a washed-up makeup! Please do not prepare the dishes in front of guests otherwise they might be confused about the chef’s outfit.
This year’s chili harvest was extraordinary. All plants were full of fruits. The Habanero is one of the hottest chili I ever tried. Our Habanero plant did not reach our expectations. They were sweet, lovely with a spicy touch. Nevertheless guests loved the tasty bites.
I love all kind of soups. Especially Asian noodle soups are my favorites. What about an Eastern spiced sweet potato soup with quinces? Not bad, as well!
Asia noodle soup with a hot sip
For the soup, pour 2 cups of vegetable stock and 2 cups of water in a large pan. Bring the stock to the boil. Then reduce to medium heat. Cut pak choi and spring onions into pieces. Add the vegetables, shitake mushrooms, 2 lemon grass sticks, star anise, salt, black pepper, 1 chopped chili, some lemon rind, 1 garlic glove and grated ginger. Cook for 15 minutes. Add Asia noodles. Simmer on low heat until the noodles are cooked through.
Serve the soup in bowls. Garnish with cilantro.
Chef’s Handyman, Asia Noodle Soup
Shopping list for the Asia noodle soup for 4 serves: 2 cups vegetable stock,4 pak choi, 3 spring onions, 250 g or 8 oz. shitake mushrooms, 2 lemon grass, 1-2 star anise, salt, black pepper, 1 chili, 1 lemon, 1 garlic glove 1 piece fresh ginger, 200 g or 6.5 oz. Asia noodles, 1 bunch cilantro.
Eastern infused sweet potato soup with quinces, hot
To make the soup, cut sweet potatoes in cubes, peel 2 quinces cut them in pieces and take the core out. Add 2 cups of water and 2 cups of vegetable stock. Simmer on medium heat until the pieces are tender. Blend them with a hand blender. Add 1 cup of coconut milk. If the soup is still too thick add more water. To get a smooth texture sieve the soup through a strainer. Add 2 tbsp. of yellow curry paste and 1 chopped chili. Simmer on low heat. Season the soup to taste with salt and black pepper.
Serve the soup in bowls. Garnish with chopped spicy nuts and cilantro.
Chef’s Handyman, Sweet Potato Soup with Quinces
Shopping list for the sweet potato quince soup for 4 serves: 4 sweet potatoes, 2 quinces, 2 cups vegetable stock, 1-1.5 cups coconut milk, 2 tbsp. yellow curry paste, 1 chili, salt, black pepper, 1 bunch cilantro, 4 tbsp. chopped spicy nuts.
Have a great start into the new week, yours Chef’s Handyman team.
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