Arroz curry con verduras

As the holidays creep every closer (and more importantly, the new Star Wars) it’s tempting to create a massive feast that uses every pot, pan, and kitchen gadget we have to blog, but I think what could be potentially more useful is a simple but delicious and filling dish that can be made anywhere which requires just one pot, a few condiments, and is finished in under thirty minutes.

M and I first made this dish at a hotel while we were in Southern Argentina, and enjoyed it with another couple from the hotel, whom quickly became good friends. M and I will definitely be enjoying this dish again during our upcoming trip to New York.

The dish can be made with almost any vegetables you have on hand but this particular rendition is really nice particularly for chilly or colder nights as the blend of flavors gives a warming sensation.

We bought a premixed curry at a small dietetica (basically a “health” food store that has spices and herbs). Most currys are a combination of different south Asian spices often containing coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek and chili or pepper. If you don’t have a curry, the two main spices are turmeric and cumin and can easily replace the pre-bought mix.

Azzor with vegetables

2 cups brown rice

1 onion – well chopped

2 carrots – well chopped

1 small bunch of broccoli – well chopped

1 can of corn

1 handful of raisins

1 small bunch arugula, kale, or spinach – well chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon curry powder (or spice combination)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

salt and black pepper to taste

4½  cups of water or broth

In a large pot start by sautéing the chopped onion for a few moments. Once the onion starts to turn translucent, add the rice, the water and the spices.

Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Once simmering, add the broccoli, carrots, and can of corn. Mix well, cover and then let the dish cook for another 15 minutes.

When most of the water is absorbed, add the handful of raisins to the dish. This will give the entire dish a nice but subtle sweetness which really adds to the dish and helps cut any bitterness of the curry powder.

Once all the water is absorbed, serve the dish hot on top of your favorite greens. Feel free to garnish with a few chopped cashews or avocado.

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.

Curried Miso Butternut Squash Soup

It has been a beautiful fall and as such I’ve been inspired to cook with tons of root and other traditional fall veggies. From cranberries to cabbage, I’ve been enjoying them all, and over the weekend I made a soup that knocked my socks off! Literally! 

There are few things that say autumn better than butternut squash soup. While traditionally these soups are completely pureed, I’m not a big fan of fully pureed soups - if I want a smoothie, I’ll make one. This soup however starts out as a traditional butternut squash soup but then gets transformed into something completely new and unique and the taste is out of this word! I look forward to sharing this great recipe with my family this holiday season!

Curried Miso Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 2-4

2-3lbs peeled and cubed Butternut squash – separate into two equal sized piles

3 potatoes – cubed (I prebaked these for 15 minutes on 350 while preparing the other ingredients)

1 cup red lentils – washed

½ cup brown or wild rice

1 red onion – chopped

3 carrots – cut into large cubed pieces

3 stalks celery – chopped

1/3 cup purple cabbaged – chopped

2 cups kale – chopped

1 tbsp sweet miso paste

1 tbsp curry powder

2 cloves garlic

1 small chunk ginger

8 cups veggie broth

In a blender or food processor, add 5 cups of the veggie broth, half of the butternut squash, the miso, curry, garlic, and ginger. Blend until smooth.

Now pour the butternut squash-broth into a large soup pan. Add the red lentils, potato, the remaining cubed squash, and rice and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil lower heat to a medium flame and stir frequently. As the soup cooks, it will begin thicken. Slowly add the remaining broth and stir it into the soup to keep it from becoming too thick. After 15 minutes or so, the harder root vegetables will start to soften and the lentils will plump up. As this happens add the chopped onion and carrots to the mix and continue cooking. At this point you can lower the heat even more to a low simmer and cover, but still stirring every few minutes. After another 10 minutes or so, the root vegetables should be soft but not over cooked. Add the celery and the purple cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes or until the celery becomes translucent.

Serve your soup hot on top of your favorite greens. I used kale.    

As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.