5 Recipes for Rainy Days

Here are some easy and exciting recipes to try out in this abnormally ‘wet’ season.

With its refreshing taste, one is surely set to beat the bad weather blues.

1. Chinese-style rice soup with chicken and ginger

Ingredients:

• 1.5L water
• 1L chicken stock, low-sodium canned, or homemade
• 335g Arborio rice
• 2 tsps salt
• 30g unsalted butter
• About 400g shredded cooked chicken (from 1 roast chicken)
• 2 to 3 tbsps grated peeled fresh ginger
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 medium bunch fresh coriander, leaves torn or chopped
• Asian chilli paste, or sambal oelek, optional

Procedure:

1) Put the water and stock, salt, rice and butter in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until the rice is soft and soupy, about six hours.

2) When ready to serve, remove the lid and stir in the ginger and spring onions. Portion the soup into bowls and top with the shredded chicken and coriander. Serve with chilli paste on the side if desired.

Image Credit: www.foodnetwork.co.uk

2. Parmigiano Reggiano and Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 150g Parmigiano Reggiano, with rind
• 25g butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
• 900ml hot vegetable stock
• 150ml milk
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
• 4-6 slices French bread
• Fresh parsley or thyme, Chopped to garnish

Method:

Enhanced by adding the rind from the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese as it cooks, to extract every bit of flavor.

1. Reserve the rind from the Parmigiano Reggiano and cut it into chunks, then finely grate the cheese.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and gently fry the onion for about three minutes, until softened, but not browned. Add the butternut squash, vegetable stock and Parmigiano Reggiano rind. Heat until the mixture is just simmering, then turn the heat to low and cook gently for about 20 minutes, partially covered, until the vegetables are soft and tender.

3. Remove the rind from the saucepan, then transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and add most of the grated cheese, reserving about 25g for garnishing. Blend the soup for 15-20 seconds, until completely smooth. Return it to the saucepan and add the milk. Stir thoroughly and reheat until piping hot. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Meanwhile, toast the slices of French bread, sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano on top and grill until melted. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, then top each portion with one piece of French toast. Sprinkle with fresh parsley or thyme and a little extra ground black pepper, then serve.

Cook’s tips: You’ll need roughly 500g (1lb 2oz) of butternut squash when peeled and deseeded. If you have any left over, simply roast it until tender to serve as a vegetable with another meal. To store the soup, cool it quickly, then refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months.

Image Credit: www.foodnetwork.co.uk

3. Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups trimmed and halved green beans
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, garlic, onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, 5 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, grind the oats in a food processor until fine. Combine with the flour, baking powder, zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers until only very small pieces remain. Stir in 1/2 cup ice water, a bit at a time, until a soft dough is formed. Let rest 10 minutes.

3. Drop cherry-size bits of the dumpling dough into the soup. Add the green beans and stir gently. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the dumplings are floating and cooked through and the beans are bright green and crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to cook until it is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the dill and season with salt and pepper.

Image Credit: www.foodnetwork.co.uk

4. Chicken in a Cashew Nut Sauce

Ingredients:

• 250g cashew nuts
• 100ml vegetable oil
• 2 onions, chopped , plus 2 onions, finely sliced
• 12 garlic cloves
• 2.5cm piece of root ginger, chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 dried red chillies
• 6 cloves
• 8cm cinnamon stick
• 100g freshly grated coconut
• Salt
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1kg boneless chicken thighs and legs, cut into 5cm pieces
• 3 tbsp yogurt

Method:

1. Before you start, put 100g of the cashew nuts into a bowl and add just enough warm water to soak them. Leave for two hours. Drain and place them in a blender or food processor, adding a little warm water. Blitz to a thick, smooth paste. Set aside.

2. Place 25g more of the cashew nuts in a small frying pan and stir over a medium heat until toasted. Set aside.

3. Heat a small amount of the oil in the same pan and cook the sliced onion until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

4. In a large frying pan, dry-roast the garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, dried chillies, cloves and cinnamon over a low heat for five minutes, stirring. Add the coconut, 75g more of the cashew nuts and the chopped onions and roast for 10 minutes more, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Grind the mixture either in a blender or food processor, adding 150–250ml water, to a very smooth consistency.

5. Heat the remaining oil in a wide cooking pot, add the blended spice mixture and fry for 10 minutes over a low heat. Add the ground cashew paste with some salt and fry for two minutes, adding the green chillies.

6. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the chicken pieces. Fry for five minutes, then add the remaining un-toasted cashews. Stir-fry for a minute or so, then add 600ml of water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

7. Serve with a dollop of yogurt, the reserved toasted cashew nuts and the crispy fried onions.

Recipe courtesy of Reza’s Indian Spice by Reza Mahammad

Image Credit: www.foodnetwork.co.uk

5. Chicken and Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (1.6kg) free-range chicken, cut into 8 pieces and patted dry
• 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 30g unsalted butter
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed, diced
• 2 medium leeks, light green and white part only, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 10 sprigs flat-leaf parsley plus 3 tbsps finely chopped flat- leaf parsley leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1.5L chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 75g converted long grain rice, cooked according to package instructions

Procedure:

1) Season the chicken with the one teaspoon of salt and pepper. Heat a large casserole dish over medium heat and melt one tablespoon of the butter. Add the chicken, and saute until well browned, about six to eight minutes on each side. Remove meat from the pan and pour off any fat left in the pan.

2) Lower the heat to medium-low, add the remaining butter. Add the celery, leeks, and carrots, saute for ten minutes.

3) Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme and bay leaf with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot along with the chicken and broth. Bring the soup to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the chicken and herb bundle. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the soup with a spoon or a ladle.

4) When the chicken is cool enough to handle remove the meat from the bones and cut into 2.5-cm chunks; add the meat to the soup along with the rice. Cook until the meat and rice are heated through.

5) Season the soup with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. Divide the soup among warm bowls and serve.