Instant pot Spicy Black Bean Soup

Black beans are rich in fiber and good for you. I am sure you know all the good stuff about including beans regularly in your diet. This black bean soup is filling and keeps you satisfied.

We had this for dinner with some corn bread, sliced avocado.

Can also be paired with a salad and sour cream on the soup.

Let us get to the recipe.

1 medium onion sliced

3 cloves of garlic crushed

1 cup celery diced

1 cup bell pepper diced

1/2 cup carrots diced

1 roma tomato diced

2 cans of black beans ( without salt)

2 tbsp cumin powder

2 tsp red chili powder or to taste

2 tsp salt or to taste

water 1 cup

lots of cilantro

Juice from 1 small lime

2 tbsp oil

Method

turn the instant pot to sauté mode. Add the oil and once it’s hot sauté the onions garlic and tomatoes till the onion is soft and translucent.

add the celery carrots diced bell peppers and give them a toss.

add the cumin powder red chili powder salt and give them a toss.

add the two cans of washed and drained black beans to the instant pot and give them a toss with the veggies and onion mixture.

cancel sauté. Cover the instant pot. Sealing, with pressure cook for 3 minutes

wait for natural pressure release.

immerse your stick / immersion blender into the instant pot and give it a couple of pulses to get the soup into a creamy consistency with the black beans.

alternatively you can take a couple of ladles of the soup and use the immersion blender separately and then pour that mixture into the instant pot

check for salt and other spices and adjust as per your taste.

add lots of cilantro and squeeze the lime juice.

Enjoy your soup warm.

This soup freezes well and would be a great option to take for lunch if there are any leftovers. This recipe was adopted from cookie and Kate. The blending of the black beans gives a very creamy consistency to the soup Black beans are rich in fiber and good for you. I am sure you know all the good stuff about including beans regularly in your diet. This black bean soup is filling and keeps you satisfied.

We had this for dinner with some corn bread, sliced avocado.

Can also be paired with a salad and sour cream on the soup.

Thai Buttenut Squash Soup

 
Home made soup is the way to go if you are looking for a pure vegetarian version. Most of the canned variety has chicken stock and is a no no for me. The beauty of homemade soups are they freeze beautifully and can be enjoyed any time even if you make a big batch.

I was flipping through a magazine while eating lunch and this simple soup caught my attention. The name sounded fancy as Thai butter nut squash soup. I don't know if butter nut squash is frequently used in Thai cooking or not. Tried this one recently and wanted to share this wonderful recipe with all my friends.
If you like the taste of  coconut milk, you will love this.

One can cook this in a pan or even use pressure cooker. if using pressure cooker cook everything for 1 whistle.

Get Ready

• 2 & 1/2 cups butter nut squash peeled, seeded
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 inch ginger peeled and chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 cup vegetable stock ( can be replaced with water)
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup Maggi coconut milk powder
• 2-3 tbsp Thai red curry paste ( store bought)
• 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts coarsely crushed
• Lots of cilantro to garnish
• 2-3 tsp lime juice or juice of 1/2 lime

Go:

• Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
• Add the onions and saute till softened. Add ginger, garlic and cook for a minute.
• Stir in the red curry paste and cook for another minute.
• Microwave 2 cups of water for 30 -40 secs. Add the coconut milk powder and whisk till frothy and lump free. if you are using canned coconut milk, use may be half a can.
• Add water or vegetable stock, cubed butter nut squash.
• Adjust salt to taste, let it come to a boil and lower to a simmer.
• Cover the pot partially and cook till the squash is soft and tender.
• Puree soup in the pan if you have an immersion blender. If not, let it cool and puree in a blender/ mixie.
• Add lime juice.
• Garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro.

This soup was medium spicy, if you want it more kick add one green chilli while sauteing onions. Add more or less coconut milk according to your taste.  After blending the soup if you feel it's too thick, dilute with water to you desired consistency and bring to a boil in a pan. Just remember to add the lime juice at the end as you don't want to boil the soup after adding lime juice as it may be bitter.

Wishing You all a wonderful holidays!

Thai Coconut Soup/ Tom ka Ghai

Tom ka ghai is asimple thai soup made with coconut milk and authentic thai spices. It usually has chicken, pork or seafood. Here is my creation of this as a vegetarian one. The kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass and galangal gives such an amazing flavor for this wonderful soup.

 Get Ready

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup chopped carrots, mushroom, corn, beans
• 1 stalk of lemon grass, thin stem, crushed and cut into 2"
• 1 " galangal sliced
• 3-4 Kaffir lime leaves/ aka narthanaga ilai
• 1/3 cup chopped spring onions ( green part)
• 1/3 cup cubed Tofu
• 3-4 green chilli slit
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• cilantro 1 tbsp

 Go

• In a pan add the water,coconut milk, lemon grass, galangal, green chillies, kaffir leaves and let it come to a boil.
• let it cook for 2-3 mins.
• Add all the vegetables,tofu, salt to taste and cook till the vegetables are soft ,but crunchy.
• Add the spring onions, soy sauce.
• let it cook for 1 minute.
• garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot and it's one of the most addictive soups you've ever had.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Fall is the right time to enjoy hearty soups! let us welcome 2011 fall/ winter with some comforting soups. Let us begin with our humble tomato soup! The most comforting soup ever discovered on planet earth would be with tomato.

I said creamy, right? But this soup has no cream or  corn starch to make it all silky. Yes, I am adding some sweet potatoes to get the velvety texture. Of course you can also replace it with cream or even potato.
Throw in some boiled pasta alphabets and your munchkins would guzzle them up!
 My wonderful baby sitter brought some home grown red bell peppers which added more color to my soup.

I used my handy dandy pressure cooker, but this can be made in any pan/ dutch oven.

Get Ready:

• 3 large tomatoes cut into big chunks
• 1 medium white onion chopped
• 1/3 cup cubed sweet potato
• 1/3 cup  chopped red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves smashed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 4-6 black pepper corns
• 1 cup water
• salt to taste
• black pepper powder to taste
• 1/2 tsp butter
• 1/2 tsp olive oil

Go:

• In a pan, add the oil/ butter.
• once hot add the bay leaf, onion and garlic. cook till the onions are translucent and garlic is aromatic.
• add the bell peppers, tomato,sweet potato, pepper corns, oregano, salt to taste and saute for 2-3 mins.
• Add 1 cup of water and pressure cook every thing for 2 whistles.
• Let he cooker cool and open the lid.
• Strain the water and keep it. do not discard the water.
• Puree the tomato, sweet potato onion  that is strained out.
• take the puree back to pan on a medium heat. adjust spices, add black pepper powder if needed.
• if the soup is too thick add the strained water to desired consistency.
• let the soup come to a boil.
• turn heat off and enjoy!
  

Creamy Corn and Vegetable Soup

Now is the best time to enjoy soup when the days are dull, cold and gloomy. Having said that we had spring like temperatures today. I am not complaining, but you can still enjoy this creamy soup anytime. I was inspired by Ellie krieger to  make this creamy soup. It's very low in calories and very hearty too. I gave it a twist by adding some coconut milk. The fresh basil at the end boosts the flavor a ton. I am a big fan of cilantro, but basil gives it a unique flavor. I made this  soup 2 weeks ago but did'nt have time to blog it. I made mine a little runny, but you can make it very creamy if you decrease the water. the ground corn gives the creaminess for this soup.

If you want a chinese twist, add some soy sauce, chilli sauce, but remember to cut down the salt :))

So, get your soup pots and get going!

Get Ready:

• 1 cup frozen corn ( thawed)
• 1/4 cup warm milk (1%)
• 1 & 1/2 cup diced veggies ( potato, carrot, red and orange  bell pepper)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 green chillies
• 1 rsp chopped ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt as needed
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/3 cup water  to used used in small increments ( can be replaced with vegetable broth)
• 3 tbsp coconut milk powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Go:

• Add the coconut milk powder to the warm milk and whisk till well blended.
• In a blender puree the corn with the milk, coconut milk combo till creamy and set aside.
• In a pan heat oil, add the onion, garlic and saute till the onions are translucent.
• Add the chilli, ginger and fry for few seconds.
• Add the diced vegetables saute for few mins, add little salt and very little water just enough to cook the vegetables.
• Add the creamy corn puree.
• If the soup is too thick add a little water to to your desired consistency
• season with salt and black pepper as needed.
• Let it come just to boil and turn the heat off.
• Add roughly chopped basil leaves and serve hot with soft roll or a salad.

Vegetable Barley Soup

Last week was busy and stressful. My parents went back to India and my little one started daycare. She has been so clingy to me that i barely have any time when I'm home. So whatever I cook has to be with least effort and time spent in the kitchen. I'm hoping that she will  settle down soon and get over separation anxiety.
I am down with cold, runny nose and feeling blah....
A hot bowl of soup will definitely kick start my system as i had a full schedule of patients and was on call for the night.  My pager started going off and I knew I had a long night ahead. I made this soup after coming home from the clinic, as i didn't want to eat anything.
Anyways, here is a quick and easy vegetable soup. I also added some pearl barley and firm tofu as I had them in hand. i used whatever veggies i had left in my fridge.

I did not actually measure anything except for the barley. Cooking with barley was introduced to me by friend  Priya M, who has an excellent blog Now Serving.

Get ready: ( serves 1)

• 2 tbsp pearl barley
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 1 garlic
• 1 medium tomato
• 1/4 zucchini diced
• 1 hand full of chopped carrots
• 1 tbsp tofu cubes ( used them as they were having too much fun time in the house)
• a dash of dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• few sprigs of cilantro
• 2 tsp olive oil
• juice of a 1/4 lime
• salt to taste
• 2 cups water/ vegetable broth  ( i used water)

Go:

• Soak the barley for 20 mins and pressure cook with enough  water to cover it for 6-7 whistles.
• In a pan, add olive oil, saute the onion and garlic.
• Add the tomatoes and saute for few mins. Add all the vegetables and give a quick stir for few mins.
• Add the salt,seasonings, water, barley ,tofu and let it come to a boil.
• Adjust spices as per taste.
• Let it simmer till all the vegetables are done. if you think the soup is too thick add some more water to the desired consistency.
• Turn the leat off, add cilantro and lime juice.

Enjoy this steaming soup with a roll / garlic bread.

Chilled Spicy Avocado Soup

 

 

Avocado is a fruit packed with nutrition, which is also very tasty! I did not grow up eating avocado. But once I tasted it, just fell in low with the versatility pf this fruit/ vegetable. I could be used in guacamole, which every one knows. But did you knw it can be used in smoothies, cakes and desserts too!

Here is a spicy chilled soup for the hot summer.
It is pretty hot and humid in Virginia right now and this cool soup will be refreshing!
It's very easy to make and tastes delicious.

 

Get Ready

 

• 1 small avocado
• 1/2 small cucumber
• 1 green chilli
• 1 in. ginger peeled
• 1/2 cup Plain yogurt
• 2 tsp. of lemon juice
• A handful of cilantro
• Salt to taste
• Paprika to garnish (optional)

 

 

Go

 

 

• Peel and pit the avocado.
• Chop the cucumber and take out the seeds.
• In a blender, add the flesh of the avocado, cucumber, green chilli, ginger, cilantro, salt, 2 tsp. of lemon juice, and blend till creamy.
• If the soup is too thick, add water or plain yogurt according to the consistency you want.
• Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika and serve!

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                      Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I am sending this recipe to Veggie/Fruit of the Month.

 

Carrot and Cilantro Soup

This is a nutritious soup which can be enjoyed all round the year. I was inspired by This to make my version of this delish!

You don't even have to think to make this. ( serves 2-3)

All you need is

1/2 red onion chopped

2-3 carrots, washed, peeled and cut into big chunks

1 small potao

lots of cilantro

water/ vegetable broth

 salt and pepper.

In a pan, add oil saute Onions till golden.add the carrot and potato and saute for 2- 3 mins. Add the cilantro, water, salt and pepper and pressure cook for 2- 3 whistles.

When cool, puree them either smooth or a bit chunkier .

Serve hot!

I cooked some baby star pasta and added the  soup and gave my 18 month old daughter who loved it too.

Thank You mriganayani!

Curried Butternut Squash soup

Try this creamy, yummy soup and you won' regret one bit.

Tis so easy to put together.

Here isall what you need.

Ingredients:

Butter nut squah small 1

2 carrots diced

2 ribs of celery diced

1 onion thiny sliced

2 garlic cloves crushed

multipurpose curry powder 1 tsp

salt to taste.

Method:<

/strong>

Pre heat oven to 400f. Cut the BNS in half. Scoop out the seeds. drizzle a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast the BNS for 45 mts. Let it cool.

Heat oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry till soft. add th rgarlic and saute till a nice aroma comes.Add the celery and carrots and saute for a few minutes. Add the curry powder, salt according to taste. Add 2 cups of water. Remove the flesh of the BNS and add it to the vegetable mix. Let it come to a boil and allow it to simmer for 20 -25 mts till the vegetables are cooked and soft.

Let it cool and blend it a puree of your liking. If it is too thick, add some water or half and half.

Serve with garlic bread or roll.

Spicy Cauliflower soup.. oh la la....

I love soups on any day, hot or cold. I tried this spicy cauliflower soup from Nupur and it is spicy...

I added a few more spices than mentioned in the original recipie.

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets 1 cup

Onion small chopped

carrot 1 chopped

tomato 1 chopped

cilantro

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp saunf

red chilly 1/2

Dry roast the cumin, coriander, saunf and redchilly till it cracks. Add alittle oil and fry the onions till translucent. Add tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower and saute for a few seconds. Add water and cook till the veggies are soft. turn off the heat, let it cool . Add the dry spices, cilantro, vegetables and put in a blender . I ground it a bit coarse so I can bite the chunky cauliflower. Ad salt according to taste. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Enjoy your soup with your favorite bread or roll.