This Mexican fava Bean soup or Sopa de Habas is another classic Lenten dish. The fava beans are cooked until tender then simmered with onion, jalapeño, tomato and cilantro. It is a comforting soup for a cold day or a perfect start to a Lenten meal.
Mexican Lent food is some of my favorite, because it’s when there are more vegetable dishes available like nopales, chicales, and lentejas. My family owns a restaurant in Mexico, which ironically is a steak house type of restaurant. There’s also a lunch buffet, and during Lent the buffet includes all sorts of veggie dishes.
The following day, place fava beans in a large pot and cover with water. Add cilantro sprigs and half onion. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 50 min. to an hour or until fava beans are soft and falling apart. (Or cook in instant pot set to manual, high pressure for 20 min.)
While the fava beans are cooking, set a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add ¼ cup of water and add diced onions. Let onion cook for 3-4 minutes until tender and translucent.
Add minced garlic and jalapeño and let cook for 2 more minutes. If onion begins to stick add a little more water or veg stock to the pan.
Add diced tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down.
Once the fava beans are cooked, add the tomato mixture to the pot and simmer for 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with diced tomatoes and toasted chile pasilla
Chef's Notes
You can puree the soup for a smoother texture or leave it chunky. Cooked nopales are a great addition to this soup.
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 236Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Sodium 17mg1%
Potassium 886mg25%
Total Carbohydrates 42g14%
Dietary Fiber 16g64%
Sugars 7g
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A22.9%
Vitamin C17.8%
Calcium8.7%
Iron24.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Fava Bean Soup (Sopa de Habas)
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 236Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Sodium 17mg1%
Potassium 886mg25%
Total Carbohydrates 42g14%
Dietary Fiber 16g64%
Sugars 7g
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A22.9%
Vitamin C17.8%
Calcium8.7%
Iron24.8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
I didn’t think it was possible, but it is!! You CAN make a vegan caldo de res. Caldo de res or vegan Mexican beef soup is a warm comforting soup of stewed beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.
This vegan version is pretty close to the original, but instead of using beef we are using the Gardein beefless tips (this is not a sponsored post). The beefless tips infuse the vegetable broth with a meaty flavor. I’m usually not a fan of using imitation meat products, because I try to stick to whole foods, but I think the gardein beefless tips work really well with this soup.
Caldo de res is also known as puchero, or cocido de res. The ingredients vary by region, depending on what state of Mexico you are in you can find caldo de res with garbanzo beans, green beans, and plantain. Some regions of Mexico use a tomato based broth. The soup itself is not spicy, but when I eat it I like to add a tbsp. of salsa roja to spice it up a bit. Serve it with Mexican rice, warm tortillas, and be sure to add a splash of lime juice to the soup before eating.
The Recipe: Vegan Caldo de Res
Sauté the beefless tips while they are still frozen.
Instead of veg stock you can use Better Than Bouillon No Beef Base
Instead of beefless tips use shitake mushrooms instead.
Don’t simmer the beefless tips in the soup, because it changes the texture. Add them in before serving,
Vegan caldo de res (vegan Mexican beef soup) is a warm comforting soup of no-beef, carrots, potatoes, corn, chayote, potatoes, mint, and cilantro. It is served all year, but is especially good in the winter months.
Set a large pot to medium-high heat (if necessary add a little bit of oil). Sear the beefless tips for 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pot and set aside.
Add onion and ¼ cup of vegetable stock to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Cook onion for 4-5 minutes or until tender and translucent.
Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Pour in vegetable stock and add the mint and cilantro.
Bring to slow simmer and add the corn, carrots, and potatoes.
Simmer for 6 minutes and then add the chayote, zucchini, and cabbage.
Simmer for 8- 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut the beefless tips in half, and add about 1/3 cup to each bowl. Pour soup on top and serve.
Serve with lime wedges and warm tortillas.
Chef's Notes
Sauté the beefless tips while they are still frozen. Instead of veg stock you can use no beef better than bouillon. I add the “beef” at the end, because if you simmer it in the soup it changes the texture. If you don’t have access to beefless tips use shiitake mushrooms instead.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Caldo de Res
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 221Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g2%
Sodium 2678mg112%
Potassium 758mg22%
Total Carbohydrates 37g12%
Dietary Fiber 6g24%
Sugars 12g
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A138.2%
Vitamin C48%
Calcium7.6%
Iron23%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
https://dorastable.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/caldo-de-res-004.jpg576870Dora S.https://dorastable.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/logo-dorastable.jpgDora S.2018-02-07 10:11:532018-05-04 08:55:36Vegan Caldo de Res
It’s a cold rainy day outside today, and I’m totally craving this spicy vegan tortilla soup. This is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle. It is then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile pasilla, and avocado.
Tortilla soup is also known as sopa azteca, the soup is representative of central Mexico but can be found all over the country. It varies from state to state and household to household. Usually it consists of a tomato based broth, a dried chile, and epazote. Fried tortillas are added to the broth then you pile the toppings on. Some other less traditional toppings are roasted poblano pepper, onion, and cilantro.
This is my Tia Laura’s recipe, and even though it is not necessarily the traditional one, it’s really good. I kept the recipe just as she showed me how to prepare it. She has a wonderful ease around the stove, and her callused hands show that she knows how to hold a knife, and does so often. She’s just one of those people with the “gift”. You know what I’m talking about right? She puts on that apron and forgets about the world, cutting, chopping, stirring, and tasting; she doesn’t even have to look at a recipe or resort to google. She makes it seem so effortless and fun. Which is the way home cooking should be.
Her love of food and cooking started in her mother’s kitchen, at the age of 5, while watching her bake polvorones (Mexican wedding cookies). It made her so sad that she couldn’t keep all the cookies to herself, that she asked her Mamá if she would show her how to make them, and she did. Now that my grandma no longer with us, my Tia has taken the unofficial title of family cook. I hope she doesn’t get mad at me for veganizing it!
The Recipe: Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup
If you can’t find fresh epazote use dried, or you can also use cilantro.
If you would like your soup to be spicy, add 2 chipotle chiles instead of one.
The tortillas and the chile pasilla are traditionally fried.
You want to add the tortillas to the soup right before eating.
You can substitute maggi seasoning sauce with soy sauce.
This spicy vegan tortilla soup, is not your typical tex-mex, cumin and chili powder seasoned soup. The broth for this soup is simmered with epazote, chile morita, tomato, onion, garlic, and chipotle, then garnished with fried or baked tortilla strips, baked tofu, crispy chile ancho, and avocado.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword tofu, tortilla soup, vegan
Total Time40minutes
Servings4Servings
300kcal
AuthorDora S.
Ingredients
8Corn tortillascut into ½ in. strips
(12 oz.) or 1blockExtra firm tofu, pressed, cut into ½ inch cubes
Place the tofu and tortilla strips on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for approximately 20 min. or until the tortillas are crispy and the tofu is slightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.
In the meantime, bring water to a boil in a small pot and add whole tomatoes. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 3-4 min., or until tomatoes are soft and the skin begin to fall off them. Set tomatoes aside.
In a blender, puree cooked tomatoes, onion, chile morita, chipotle chiles, 2 ½ cups of HOT vegetable stock, tomato puree, garlic, and soy sauce until smooth.
Heat a large pot to medium heat and add the tomato-chile puree to it. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, until it slightly thickens and changes color. Add the rest of the vegetable stock, epazote spring, and baked tofu to the pot and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 min. and season to taste.
Garnishes:
Toast the pasilla chile on a comal or saute pan set to medium heat, until crispy but not burnt. Cut into strips
Remove epazote sprig from pot, and serve soup in bowls.
Serve soup with assorted garnishes (baked tortilla strips, avocado, almond crema, toasted chile pasilla, and limes).
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes
You can fry the tortilla strips for a crispier outcome, and traditionally the chile pasilla for the garnish is also fried in oil. I prefer my tortilla soup without the crema, but that’s up to you. If you can't find fresh epazote use dried, or you can also use cilantro. If you would like your soup to be spicy, add 2 chipotle chiles instead of one.
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 300Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 2149mg90%
Potassium 893mg26%
Total Carbohydrates 46g15%
Dietary Fiber 9g36%
Sugars 10g
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A37.2%
Vitamin C26.7%
Calcium9.9%
Iron17.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
Spicy Vegan Tortilla Soup
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 300Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 2149mg90%
Potassium 893mg26%
Total Carbohydrates 46g15%
Dietary Fiber 9g36%
Sugars 10g
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A37.2%
Vitamin C26.7%
Calcium9.9%
Iron17.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Pozole is a hearty, spicy, satisfying Mexican soup. It is said to be a hangover cure, which I cannot confirm, but it is certainly a special occasion dish and is often served on Christmas and New Year’s. There are three varieties most commonly served: rojo, verde y blanco. Traditionally pozole is made with pork shank, trotters and shoulder, but of course, this will no longer work for us, so I have created this jackfruit vegan pozole rojo recipe just for you.
This is an adaptation of my grandmother’s famous recipe. Every Christmas for as long as I can remember my grandmother would make two of the biggest pots of pozole and menudo I have ever seen. The adults would salivate over it, talk about how good it was going to be, and would go over to the kitchen and stir the pots to see how much longer it would be until they finally had their pozole. One year I decided I was going to see what the big deal was, and I waited until the kitchen was empty. Then I went over to the pot and grabbed the ginormous ladle. I gave the whole thing a stir and almost fainted and threw up all over myself at the same time! (I must have been about 8 yrs. old.) When I stirred the pot a couple of pork trotters rose up to surface and I swear I saw a pig snout, but I might of imagined that. After that, it took me years to give pozole a try, but I eventually became one of those salivating adults waiting for the pozole to be done each Christmas.
Now that I no longer eat meat it was only natural that I made a vegan version of this dish. Originally, I was going to make this with mushrooms instead of jackfruit, since I know jackfruit is not easily accesible to many. However, when I went to the grocery store I discovered that here in Hawaii button mushrooms are $8.00 a pound! I quickly decided instead to pay about $5 for two cans of green jackfruit. I am so happy with the result and I know you will be too. It is just as I remember it, so deeply satisfying.
The Recipe: Jackfruit Vegan Pozole Rojo
I have used canned hominy to speed things up, but if you have access to dried hominy you can use that instead. (Dried hominy takes about 2 hours to cook.) Pozole is all about the toppings. Serve with dried oregano, diced white onion, lime wedges, sliced radishes, and shredded cabbage. My grandma used to serve a salsa macha on the side as well for the ones who wanted more heat. Here is a recipe from Mexico in my Kitchen that is very similar to my grandma’s, only she used chile piquín instead of árbol. Enjoy!
Vegan Jackfruit Pozole Rojo, a spicy soup made with dried chiles, hominy, jackfruit, and veggies.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword jackfruit, vegan pozole
Total Time40minutes
Servings6servings
AuthorDora Stone
Ingredients
1 can(29 oz.)White hominy,drained, rinsed
3quartsVegetable Stock
5Chile guajillo, dried,stemmed and seeded
2Chile ancho, dried,stemmed and seeded
5Chile de árbol, dried,stemmed and seeded
6clovesGarlic
½Onion,white
1tbsp.Vegetable oil(optional)
2 cans(20oz./ea)Young green jackfruit brine,drained
1Zucchini,medium, cut into dice
Toppings
1White onion,small, minced
6Red radishes,sliced into batons
2tbsp.Oregano,dried
½Green cabbage,cored, thinly sliced
4Limescut into quarters
1bagCorn chips or tostadas
Preparation
In a large pot, combine the vegetable stock and hominy and bring to a LOW simmer.
While the hominy is simmering, remove stems and seeds from the chile ancho, arbol, and guajillo. Rinse and place in a medium pot with water.
Bring pot to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 min.
Drain chiles, but reserve 1 ½ cups of the chile water. Place chiles, garlic and onion in the blender, add the chile water and blend until smooth. Strain.
To prepare the jackfruit, drain the jackfruit, rinse, and pat with paper towels. Cut out the core of the jackfruit (tip of the triangle pieces), and cut pieces in half. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a large sauté pan set to medium heat. Add the jackfruit and cook for 3 -4 minutes on each side or until it begins to brown. Pour the chile sauce over the jackfruit and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 10 minutes or until jackfruit begins to break down and the sauce has thickened slightly. Use a fork to shred the jackfruit as it cooks down. Season with salt and pepper.
Your hominy should still be simmering very slowly. Scoop out one cup of the hominy-vegetable stock mixture and blend until smooth. Pour this back into the pot with the hominy
Raise heat to medium-low, and add the zucchini and shredded jackfruit with sauce. Let simmer for 8- 10 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve your pozole with all of the toppings on the side.
Recipe Video
Chef's Notes
If you don’t have access to jackfruit you can use 2lbs. of mixed mushrooms or soy curls instead. You can substitute the zucchini with chayote with excellent results. If you like your pozole really spicy serve it with this salsa macha from Mexico in my Kitchen
I didn’t think it was possible, but it is. You can make vegan Mexican meatball soup! I happened upon an instagram account @vegan_mexican and they kept posting pictures of vegan Mexican meatball soup. I almost lost it right there and then. My grandma used to make this soup for me growing up and I have very fond memories of this. So naturally I contacted the account to see if they wanted to share the recipe with you and they said yes! Here is a small interview with the author of the recipe and instagram account, Brianna García.
1. Tell us more about yourself where you are from, and how you became vegan.
My name is Brianna García and I’m from California. I reside in the Los Angeles/ Anaheim area. I became vegan after becoming interested in organic/natural living and knew that veganism was for me. I had previously gone vegetarian in my teens and had always wished I was vegetarian again didn’t think it was possible to go vegan until I made the plunge and I’ll never look back! I also love the animal and environmental friendly impact veganism has.
2. What do you think is your biggest challenge as a vegan?
The biggest challenge I would say is convenience. It’s not difficult being vegan. There’s so many vegan options. I just wish there was vegan restaurants and vegan grocery stores on every corner like there is with a McDonalds.
3. The recipe is your moms. Is your mom vegan? How about the rest of your family?
The non vegan recipe is my mothers. I asked her to show me how she made albondigas so that I could do my vegan take on it. I wanted it to be authentic as possible, but vegan. She isn’t vegan. However, I have helped her implement a lot more vegan/organic things into her diet. Nobody but my partner is vegan.
4. What are some of your favorite go to vegan recipes?
My favorite go to vegan recipes are the ones that are quick to make when I’m lazy and hungry. I seriously love vegan potato tacos, and they’re so easy to make. All I had to substitute was the cheese for a vegan one. I usually make Gardein dinners quite often too. I also used to make organic vegan fruit smoothies a lot for breakfast. It’s amazing how delicious fruit tastes with no added terrible ingredients.
Thank you Brianna for sharing your amazing recipe with us. My family really enjoyed it and it brought back sooo many memories.
The Recipe: Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup
Brianna did an excellent job at making this recipe very detailed, so you shouldn’t have a problem at all following along. The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg. (This is not an ad. No monetary compensation is being provided by gardein or follow your heart.) If you don’t use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking, like mine did the first time I made this soup. This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs. Enjoy!
1packageGardein ground beef crumbles,defrosted (see note)
1packageFollow Your Heart vegan egg package(You need about "2 eggs")
1/3cupWhite rice,long grain, raw
1tsp.Black pepper
1tsp.Garlic salt (garlic powder & salt worksjust 1/2 tsp of each)
Vegan flavorings(I use 2 vegan not chicken and vegetable bouillon)
Preparation
First you will need to dice the tomato and onion. Make sure they are not large pieces. You're going to sauté that with the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large cooking pot that you will also be cooking the albondigas in.
After you're done sautéing the tomato and onion, you will add water. Depending on how large the pot you're using, add water to about 1/2 or 3/4 of the pot will work. Use your best judgement. (Remember you will be adding vegetables later so make sure there is enough water for the soup.) Bring to a boil.
Once it's boiling, add salt, and vegan flavorings. Two of the not chicken and two of the vegetable bouillon cubes. (Depending on if you get the low sodium, you will need to add a lot more salt for flavor and taste until it's to your liking). Pepper is optional to add for flavor.
Next comes the making of the albóndiga. I recommend only Gardein ground beef. As it doesn't crumble as easily. Make sure you defrost it beforehand so it is not frozen.
Grab a bowl, and add the package of Gardein beef. Then add 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, and 1/3 of the white rice. Mix all together and add about 5-6 finely cut mint leaves into the mix. Adding the vegan egg last is easier as it can become messy.
You will need to make about 2 vegan eggs, and when mixed properly add it to the ground beef mixture. Make sure it's eggy enough to form an albóndiga that stays in shape. Mix all together and form the albóndigas (Meatballs).
One bag of the gardein beef will make about 6 very large albondigas, or even 10 small albondigas. However small or large you shape them, that number can drastically change.
As soon as the vegan flavorings, salt, and or pepper have been added and mixed in well and it's been boiling, add the albondigas.
It's crucial that once you've added in the albondigas to make sure that when you stir it around you're not making very much contact with the albondigas as you don't want them to fall apart but to keep their shape. Cook for 15 minutes or so.
Meanwhile chop up carrots, celery, and the calabaza. Do quarter cuts for the potato.
Add the cut up carrots, celery, calabaza, potato and yellow peppers (do not cut). You can lower this from boiling to medium low until vegetables are cooked. Cover pot and let it thoroughly cook together for about 15 minutes then add cilantro for finishing touch and let cook for a few minutes and you should have vegan albondigas! Don't forget the warm tortillas! Or even avocado slices!
Chef's Notes
The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg.If you don't use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking
It is the first week of homeschooling, I am coming down with a cold, and all I want is a caldo tlalpeño. Caldo tlalpeño is traditionally a chipotle chicken soup, with chickpeas, carrots, rice, cilantro, avocado, and cheese. For this caldo tlalpeño recipe I have created a vegan version that will keep you coming back for more.
Caldo tlalpeño is one of my favorite comfort dishes. My mom, to this day, still makes a version of it whenever anyone one of us is sick. After moving to the U.S. I searched high and low for a restaurant that would serve a good caldo tlalpeño, but none of them measured up. Until finally, duh, I realized that I should just make it at home. It is super easy to make and it’s another one of those dishes that kids love.
There’s a legend behind this special dish. It is said that Mexican president Santa Ana (you know, the one that signed away 1/4 of Mexico to the U.S.,) was very hung over after 3 nights of partying and was looking for a quick remedy. He happened to be in Tlalpan, the largest borough of Mexico City. The cook gave him a chicken soup and when the president asked what the name of the soup was, she said caldo tlalpeño.
Homeschooling is going well so far. There has been a bit of whining and tears, but I already expected that. It’s actually kind of nice to not have to wake up at 6am and rush out the door to drop kids off at school. On the other hand, by 3 pm mommy is desperate for some alone time. Thank goodness for naps and TV!
I want to say a special thank you to all of you that took the time to respond to my email about the recipes you would like to see on the site. Apparently all of you really like chile rellenos and miss them terribly, so I will be working on that. If there’s any other dish you guys would like to see send me an email or respond to this post. I read every single one!
Caldo Tlalpeño Recipe
Instead of chicken I have used vegetable stock, and added potatoes and zucchini. To serve, garnish with avocado slices and a splash of lime juice. You can add baked tofu cubes to it for a more protein packed meal.
Pour vegetable stock, crushed garlic, and cilantro sprigs in a large pot and bring to a simmer.
Add rice and simmer for 4 minutes.
Add potatoes and simmer for 4 minutes.
Add carrots and simmer for 4 minutes.
Add chipotle in adobo and zucchini and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add chickpeas and simmer for 6-7 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with avocado cubes and lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
Instead of chicken I have used vegetable stock, and added potatoes and zucchini. To serve, garnish with avocado slices and a splash of lime juice. You can add baked tofu cubes to it for a more protein packed meal.
Today I want to introduce you to a very talented cook, blogger and restauranteur, Douglas Cullen from the blog Mexican Food Journal. Douglas and I met through Food Blogger Pro community and when the opportunity came up for a collaboration I was more than thrilled. Anything to support and promote Mexican food. Douglas has lived in Mexico for over 20 years, and he is the former owner of a restaurant in San Miguel de Allende. His blog Mexican Food Journal aims to teach you and inspire you to cook Mexican food. He is sharing with us a vegan recipe for roasted chile poblano soup or crema de chile poblano.
Here is a vegan variation on crema de poblano, roasted chile poblano soup served throughout Mexico. Poblano chiles are the large fresh chiles that are deep green in color which are available in almost every supermarket. If you have ever eaten chiles rellenos then you have tried poblano chile and if you have never cooked with poblano chiles give this recipe a try. You will love it. Poblanos have a deep flavor but don’t overpower you with chile heat. In Mexico, they are considered a very mild chile but I consider them moderately hot. Typically, roasted chile poblano soup is prepared with heavy cream to give it body and richness but in the recipe it’s the potato that gives it body and richness.
The Recipe: Roasted Chile Poblano Soup
The roasting of the poblano pepper can be done over an open flame or under your oven broiler. The secret is after they are roasted place them in a plastic bag or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap for a couple of minutes to let the steam loosen the skin. Garnish the soup with fried tortillas strips and a couple spoonfuls of corn. Provecho!
To the pot add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion starts to turn translucent (about 5 minutes). Stir frequently
Add the potato and continue cooking for another 5 minutes
Add the chiles and ½ of the white corn
Add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes
In 2 batches, blend the soup until very smooth (about 2 minutes per batch)
Return the soup to the pot and simmer for 20 more minutes
If the soup is too thick, add the remaining cup of water a little bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Preparation - Tortilla Strips
Cut the corn tortillas in half and then slice into ¼ inch wide strips
Preheat ¼ inch of cooking oil in a frying pan to medium hot
Tip: To check to see if the oil is ready, drop 1 tortilla strip into the oil. If the oil starts to bubble the oil is ready
Place the tortilla strips into the hot oil
Every 30 seconds stir the tortilla strips so that they cook evenly
When the tortilla strips have turned Golden Brown they are done
Drain the tortilla strips on paper towels
Serving
Divide the soup into 4 -6 bowls
Heat the reserved corn in the microwave for 45 seconds
Garnish the soup with tortilla strips and 2 spoonfuls of corn
Chef's Notes
It is important to use white corn for this recipe. Yellow sweet corn changes the taste. This version packs a little heat but the recipe is very flexible. If you prefer a milder soup substitute 1 white potato for 2 poblano chiles.
I know a lot of you are getting hit by colder weather, so I wanted to share this recipe for sopa de fideo (Mexican noodle soup). This is a true classic of Mexican home cooking, and a favorite with the kiddos. It brings back so many memories and just the smell is comforting to me. I know anyone who was raised by a Mexican mamá can agree to this.
My body is screaming for more than two hours of sleep in a row. Baby girl has been sick and especially needy these past few weeks and I’m quickly losing my sanity. I really need to sleep. I take comfort in knowing that she will eventually go back to sleeping on a schedule soon. Hang in there first time moms!
This recipe for vegan red lentil dahl has been adapted from an amazing book by Rebecca Katz called The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen. It is the perfect combination of sour, sweet, and salty. It is one of those dishes that bring true comfort.
We are already half way through lent and I haven’t told you guys that the hubby and I decided to do the plant-based diet thing again. Just to recap, we’ve given up all animal products for 40 days. Not having cheese in my life has been hard, but manageable. Seriously though, this time around it has been much easier. The challenge, however, remains the same. Coming up with a variety of dished has been difficult, especially when you don’t have items like bacon, cheese, or eggs in your fridge.
There are some great blogs and books out there with many, many recipes. I don’t know if it’s just me, but they all seem to be very similar. How many versions of veggie burgers can you make? They all seem to revolve around the same recipes, lentil loaf, quinoa (lots of quinoa), chili, marinated tofu, and of course some dish involving chickpeas. If you have any vegan or plant-based blogs to suggest I’m all ears. Instead we’ve been eating a lot of Korean, Indian, Thai or Chinese food.
I’m planning on doing some research on cuisines around the world that were once plant heavy or remain so. Hopefully then I’ll be able to come up with recipes that are not poor versions of meat dishes, and let the vegetables and grains be the centerpiece. We’ll see how it goes.
The Recipe: Vegan Red Lentil Dahl
This recipe for lentil dahl is one of my favorites. You can serve it with basmati rice, a salad, and some kind of flatbread.
Set a large pot to medium heat and add oil. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and saute until they begin to pop, then quickly add onion, ginger, turmeric, ground cumin, and a pinch of salt. Saute until onion begins to soften, about 3 min.
Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 more minutes. Pour in ½ cup of broth and reduce by half.
Add the red lentils and stir, then add remaining broth, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boíl, then turn heat down to a simmer, cover and let cook for 30 min. or until tender.
Add salt and let simmer for another 5 min. Remove the cinnamon stick and pour in lime juice.
In a blender, puree the soup until very smooth. Adjust consistency according to preference with more broth.
Return soup to pot and reheat. Serve with chopped cilantro.
Chef's Notes
To leave this soup a bit chunky, using a hand held blender, pulse several times to puree the soup slightly.
Recipe adapted from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz
