Jan 9, 2017

curried chickpea soup

The final meal of Prep Ahead Week 3 menu plan is Curried Chickpea Soup with Seasoned Pita. This soup is packed with nutrition and flavor, but it doesn't require a ton of exotic ingredients. A curry powder (preferably homemade), a cinnamon stick, fresh ginger and garlic supply all the interesting flavors needed.



The heft of the soup is made up of brown rice, chickpeas, spinach and carrots. Because the rice is cooked in the soup, it takes a shorter time to cook than regular brown rice is typically cooked. (See my Fast and Easy Brown Rice for cooking brown rice as an accompaniment.)

The pita bread is simply brushed with vegetable broth, seasoned with salt and pepper and toasted or broiled until crisp. The soup is perfect for a cold night and is ready fast.








Curried Chickpea Soup
Serves 4 to 6 

2 celery ribs, cut thin
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch knob ginger, finely grated
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder, Zsu's Curry Powder or store-bought
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup brown rice
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (2 cups cooked), rinsed and drained
8 cups water

1 bunch spinach, chopped

4 pita breads
1 tablespoon vegetable broth

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add  the celery, onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook until golden. Stir often and add a splash of water, if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno, curry powder, cinnamon stick and the rice. Toast, stirring, until the rice is aromatic.
2. Add the chickpeas and water. Cover, bring to boil and reduce to a strong simmer. Cook uncovered until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add the spinach. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the cinnamon stick. Taste and add salt and pepper.
3. Brush the pita with vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper.  Toast until crisp. Serve the pita with the soup.


© 2017 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.


Pin it!




Jan 5, 2017

char siu pizza

Meal 4 of the Prep Ahead, Week 3 menu was a unique pizza: Char Siu Pizza.

The pizza dough is homemade, but can certainly be store-bought. My Fridge Dough is made using aquafaba and is wonderfully crisp and tender. I have a video on making the dough, which is incredibly versatile and is ready when needed: HERE.



The toppings are what make this pizza unique. Char Siu is Cantonese barbecue that is a little sweet and a little tangy. My Char Siu is made using hoisin sauce, tomato paste, ginger and Chinese 5-spice.

Cannellini beans, shiitake mushrooms and bell peppers are quick marinated and the pizza is topped with steamed chard and shredded vegan cheese.

We loved this pizza! It is just unique enough to put some pizzazz into pizza night.





Char Siu Pizza
Makes two (12-inch) pizzas 


Marinade:
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon sweetener
1 tablespoon tahini
2 garlic cloves, minced 
1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (2 cups cooked beans)

Sauce:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon tahini
1-inch knob ginger, grated

1 bunch chard
1 cup shredded vegan cheese

1. Remove the dough from the fridge to warm while the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 450-degrees F. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Place a piece on a parchment paper and push it out into a circle; the size depends on whether you like thin crust or thick crust. 
2. Marinade: Combine the hoisin, vinegar, sweetener, tahini, garlic and 5-spice in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the sliced mushrooms, bell pepper strips and beans. Mix gently and set aside.
3. Sauce: Combine the hoisin sauce, tomato paste, tahini and ginger in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.
4. Steam the chard until tender. Cool enough to handle and squeeze out the liquid. Chop the chard and set aside.
5. Spread 1/2 of the pizza sauce on one of the pizza doughs. Add 1/2 cup of cheese on the pizza and 1/2 of the vegetables and beans. Bake for 6 minutes. Remove the paper and continue to bake until crisp about 8 to 10 more minutes.  Add 1/2 the chard. Repeat with the other portion of dough and toppings. Serve.

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.