Indian Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup

Everyone says not to try new recipes on dinner guests but I often do and generally I’m happy with the results. That was definitely the case with this recipe that appeared in the Salina Journal (10/21/15) for Indian Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup.

I was a little worried about the spice level so I adjusted a few of them (coriander, cinnamon, cayenne—I’ve underlined the amounts I used below but have also included the original amounts for those who might want the full effect). I also added garnishes that, in my opinion, added the finishing touches to the soup.

Rather than serve this at the table, I ladled the soup into glass cups and set them out for guests to pick up. They drank their soup course as they mingled.

Indian Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil (original recipe called for butter)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into round chunks

1 large butternut squash (about 2 ½ lbs.), peeled, seeded & cubed

6 cups chicken broth

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ to 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch to ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch turmeric

Pinch ground cloves

½ cup heavy cream

Garnishes: crushed croutons & sour cream

1. Add olive oil to a large stockpot set on medium heat. Add onion, carrots and squash; sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions starts to soften.
   
2. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
   
3. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, and cloves; simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
4. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, food processor or use an immersion blender. (At this point the soup still was not quite as smooth as I wanted since we were drinking it out of cups, so I poured, and pushed, it through a fine mesh colander.)
   
5. Return pureed soup to pot. (I actually made the soup a day ahead of time and refrigerated it and then returned it to the pot to heat on the evening of the dinner party; this also helped to meld the flavors.)
6. Add cream and heat just until warmed through.  
7. To serve: Ladle soup into a cup or bowl; garnish with crushed croutons and a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe without photos . . .

Indian Butternut Squash-Carrot Soup 

2 tablespoons olive oil (original recipe called for butter)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and sliced into round chunks

1 large butternut squash (about 2 ½ lbs.), peeled, seeded & cubed

6 cups chicken broth 

1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

½ to 1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch to ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pinch turmeric

Pinch ground cloves

½ cup heavy cream

Garnishes: crushed croutons & sour cream

1. Add olive oil to a large stockpot set on medium heat. Add onion, carrots and squash; sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions starts to soften.
2. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
3. Add garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, and cloves; simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
4. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, food processor or use an immersion blender. (At this point the soup still was not quite as smooth as I wanted since we were drinking it out of cups, so I poured, and pushed, it through a fine mesh colander.)
5. Return pureed soup to pot. (I actually made the soup a day ahead of time and refrigerated it and then returned it to the pot to heat on the evening of the dinner party; this also helped to meld the flavors.)
6. Add cream and heat just until warmed through.  
7. To serve: Ladle soup into a cup or bowl; garnish with crushed croutons and a dollop of sour cream.

Chickpea Stew

After tasting the Indian Chickpea Stew (Chana Masala) on Monsoon Grill’s Sunday buffet, I was inspired to create a similar dish. Based on several online recipes, this is what I came up with 

Chickpea Stew      2 to 3 sevings

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

½ yellow or white onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

1 (14.5 to 15 oz.) can (14.5 to 15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), undrained (if they are very firm, simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour on top of the stove or they can also be put into a slow cooker on low for a couple of hours; this will also deepen their flavor)

1 ½ taspoons garam masala

1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

About ¼  cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

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Optional: Heavy cream for a creamy version

1. Heat olive oil to medium high. When oil is hot, add onions and cook until onions are slightly caramelized. Near end of process, add garlic.
   
2. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander; stir. Add in tomato and bring to boil.
3. Add in chickpeas, stir and bring to boil. Then reduce to a medium low and simmer to slightly thicken stew.
   
4. Add garam masala and ginger near end (both tend to create a bitter flavor if cooked too long. For a creamy version – add about ½ cup of heavy cream at this stage.
5. Serve with hot, steamed rice (basmati or any long grain rice) and Naan or pita bread.

Recipe without photos . . .

Chickpea Stew      2 to 3 sevings

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

½ yellow or white onion, chopped 

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

1 (14.5 to 15 oz.) can (14.5 to 15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), undrained (if they are very firm, simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour on top of the stove or they can also be put into a slow cooker on low for a couple of hours; this will also deepen their flavor)

1 ½ taspoons garam masala

1 to 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

About ¼  cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

---

Optional: Heavy cream for a creamy version

1. Heat olive oil to medium high. When oil is hot, add onions and cook until onions are slightly caramelized. Near end of process, add garlic.
2. Add turmeric, cumin and coriander; stir. Add in tomato and bring to boil.
3. Add in chickpeas, stir and bring to boil. Then reduce to a medium low and simmer to slightly thicken stew.
4. Add garam masala and ginger near end (both tend to create a bitter flavor if cooked too long. For a creamy version – add about ½ cup of heavy cream at this stage.
5. Serve with hot, steamed rice (basmati or any long grain rice) and Naan or pita bread.