This recipe for Curried Butternut Squash Soup is a great way to get your yellow veggies and a little spice, too. When it comes to winter squash soup, I prefer the savory types over the ones that are sweetened with apple or pear. And, since I like curry, I knew I’d probably like this Indian-inspired soup.

Instead of peeling and cutting the squash into cubes, I used about 3 cups of roasted squash that I had made the day before (I cut the squash in half, roasted it in the oven until tender, scooped out the flesh, discarded the peel, proceeded with recipe). I added the roasted squash to the stockpot with the broth, curry and other ingredients, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Then I used an immersion blender to puree the soup. Next time, I’d let the soup cool then use my blender because the curry stained my white immersion blender yellow. Oh well!

I omitted the honey since I didn’t think the soup needed it, and seasoned it with salt and pepper. Drizzling a little yogurt or sour cream on top of each serving adds pizazz. If you want to keep the soup meatless but add a little protein, garbanzo beans are a nice addition.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
-recipe from foodnetwork.com

Serves: 4 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
2 tablespoons honey
4 teaspoons plain low-fat yogurt, for garnish

Heat oil over medium heat in a 6-quart stockpot. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft but not brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the butternut squash, broth, curry powder and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat stir in honey and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

Ladle into serving bowls and add a dollop of yogurt.

Tags: butternut squash, curried, curry, Indian, soup

I love deviled eggs and I love curry, so it pretty much was a given that I would love the two combined. This recipe is a fun twist on a classic!

Major Grey’s chutney is a type of chutney, not a brand. If you don’t have it (or can’t find it), the eggs will still be good. The chutney just provides another layer of flavor to the egg filling.

A decorating bag makes the stuffed eggs look fancy and labor-intensive when it’s actually super quick and easy to do.  Just spoon the filling into a decorating bag with a tip (I used tip #21), squeeze filling into each egg white in a swirly pattern, and Bob’s your uncle…pretty, swirly-filled eggs. If you don’t have a decorating bag then just spoon the filling into each egg white.

Curried Stuffed Eggs
-recipe from Gourmet Magazine 

Yield: Makes 12 stuffed eggs

6 hard-cooked large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon bottled Major Grey’s chutney, large pieces minced
1 scallion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Tabasco to taste

Garnish: thinly sliced scallion green

Cut a paper-thin slice off both ends of eggs and halve eggs crosswise. Force yolks through a sieve into a bowl (or mash with a fork) and stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer filling to a pastry bag fitted with a large ribbon or other decorative tip and pipe into whites, mounding it. The stuffed eggs may be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

Just before serving, garnish eggs.

Tags: chutney, cumin, curry, deviled eggs, Easter, green onions, hard-boiled eggs, mayonnaise, picnic, scallions, stuffed eggs, Summer, yogurt

If you’re looking for a flavorful, exotically-spiced soup then you’ve got to try this recipe! I love the rich combination of curry, coconut milk, peanut butter and sweet potatoes! I made it for the first time a few years ago for Husband and some of his work buddies. The soup received raves from Husband and his pals.

I followed the recipe but simplified a few of the steps. I microwaved the sweet potatoes instead of roasting them, (which saved a ton of time) and used a 14.5-oz can of diced tomatoes instead of buying and roasting Romas. After pureeing the soup, added chopped carrots for extra veggie content (spinach is also a good addition, adding it right before serving). I also added the raw chicken pieces to the soup without searing it first. The soup is so flavorful with all the other ingredients that you’ll never miss the extra step. Plus, you’ll save yourself a few extra minutes and have one less pan to wash. You can use chicken breasts or thighs for this soup—both are great so go with what’s on sale.

Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, foodnetwork.com 

Serves: 2 qts, 4 to 6 servings.

3/4 pound sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons peanut oil
8 each Roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup onions, julienned
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped, roasted peanuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and place in an oven-proof pie tin. Place the pie tin in the oven and roast the sweet potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the potatoes and discard them. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.

Place the tomatoes in a small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until the skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, discard the skins, and set the tomatoes aside until ready to use.

Set a 1 gallon stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to the soup. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk to the pot and stir to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes, and blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a bar blender until smooth. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and, if necessary, more pepper.

Season the chicken pieces with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the white pepper, and sear in a hot saute pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil for 5 minutes. Add the seared chicken to the pot. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro and the chopped peanuts.

Tags: African, Chicken, cilantro, coconut milk, curry, peanut butter, peanut soup, Senegalese, sweet potatoes

Here’s a quick curry-flavored soup that is delicious and easy to make. You can even change up the flavors each time you make it by using different curries. I used curry powder this time (doubling the amount called for); next time I’ll try red, green or yellow Thai curry paste.

Although the soup would be great as is, I decided to add some stir-fry veggies (Napa cabbage, broccoli, snow peas, bok choy, celery and carrots) to the simmering soup for extra flavor and some crunch. I served the soup over fragrant steamed jasmine rice. Yumm…a tasty dinner in no time!

Chicken Curry Soup with Coconut and Lime
-recipe from epicurious.com

Here, lime juice replaces the traditional lemongrass, which can be hard to find. The result is a quick, authentic-tasting Thai-style soup. If coconut milk is unavailable, substitute 1 3/4 cups half and half mixed with 3/4 teaspoon imitation coconut extract. Serves 4.

1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 13 1/2- to 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 jalapeño chili, seeded, minced
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup freshly cooked white rice
Lime wedges

Bring chicken broth, coconut milk, curry powder and chili to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Mix in lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer soup to bowl. Sprinkle green onion and cilantro over. Spoon rice into each bowl. Ladle soup over. Serve, passing lime wedges separately.

Tags: Asian, Chicken, cilantro, coconut, curry, lime, soup

This is a delicious salad: tender chunks of chicken, crisp apple and fresh spinach tossed with a tangy-sweet curry and mango chutney dressing . Yumm!

I didn’t bother stemming the spinach or tearing it into pieces because I thought it was fine as is. I omitted the golden raisins and substituted chopped celery for added crunch (1 large stalk chopped), and substituted cashew pieces for the slivered almonds. I didn’t have green onions so I used chopped red onion instead (green onion would add more color to the dish so I will use it next time). For the dressing, I used olive oil instead of the canola oil. The changes I made were minor and didn’t dramatically alter the salad…they just saved me from having to make a last minute trip to the store.

Spinach Almond Salad with Chicken
-from Albertina’s Exceptional Recipes Cookbook

Serves 6.

2 lbs. spinach leaves, washed and stemmed
3 cups diced cooked chicken breast
2 cups diced red apples, unpeeled
2/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, divided

Dressing:
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup canola oil

Prepare dressing. Place all dressing ingredients, except oil, in a food processor or blender. Mix well. Slowly pour oil through the feed tube while machine is running. This will emulsify the dressing. Refrigerate until used.

Cut or tear the spinach leaves into large bite-sized pieces. Refrigerate.

Combine diced chicken, apple, raisins and green onions with 2/3 cup of the dressing. Mix well and chill.

At serving time, add remaining dressing to spinach. Toss lightly and place on individual serving plates. Sprinkle sesame seeds over greens.

Add 1/2 cup almonds to chicken mixture. Spoon chicken mixture on top of greens and sprinkle remaining almonds on top.

Tags: almond, chicken salad, curry, mango chutney, spinach

Curried chicken salad is simple to make and packs a ton of flavor in every bite. This recipe calls for “commercial chutney” which is pretty vague. I always use a Major Grey’s chutney, a  type of mango chutney (not a brand) that is slightly sweet and spicy. You should be able to find it at most major grocery stores.  Trader Joe’s  has a Mango Ginger Chutney that works great, too.

For the chicken mixture, I always add a few tablespoons of finely chopped red onion (or scallions) and substitute roasted cashews for the walnuts. If the chutney already has raisens in it then I usually don’t add any more because I don’t want it to be too sweet. Serving the curried chicken salad on halved croissants makes the sandwich a bit fancier, but your favorite bread or pita bread works great, too. If using pita bread, soften it in the microwave for about 15 seconds to lessen the chance of it breaking apart when you fill it with the salad. Or, skip the bread all together and serve it with mixed greens.

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich
- Recipe from  foodnetwork.com

Makes 4 servings 

Dressing:
2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup commercial chutney
3 tablespoons mild curry powder

Sandwich:
6 bone-in chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dark raisins
3/4 cups finely chopped celery
4 croissants

To make the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise with the chutney and the curry powder in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

To prepare the sandwiches: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper then put them in a large skillet. Add water to cover. Put a lid on the skillet and simmer the chicken until it is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the poaching liquid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When the chicken is chilled remove the skin and cut the meat from the bones. Dice the meat and place it in a large bowl. Add the walnuts, raisins, and celery and mix well. Moisten the salad with the curry dressing. Cut the croissants in half. Fill each with chicken salad and serve.

Tags: Chicken, chicken salad, curry, sandwich

I seriously could eat Thai food everyday and be completely happy, and that’s saying a lot because I love variety. Thai soup is actually comfort food for me. When I’m getting a scratchy throat, I send Husband to the local Thai restaurant for some take-out soup. There’s something about the spicy broth that does wonders for me. This soup is a little different than the one I order at a Thai restaurant but just as delicious.

I pretty much followed the recipe with the exception of a few additions. I substituted a teaspoon of ground coriander for the coriander seeds (didn’t have them and didn’t want to buy them). Because I wanted the soup to be spicy, I added more green curry paste (at least twice as much…taste as you go if you add more). I also added carrots, thinly sliced onions and sliced mushrooms to the simmering soup; a few minutes before serving, I added a few handfuls of fresh spinach. Once the spinach wilted, I served the soup. Also, taste for seasoning before adding salt to the finished soup…I didn’t think it needed it. The curry, coconut milk and ginger blended together to make an exotic, fragrant and very flavorful soup, while the snow peas and other vegetables added crunch and color.  

Thai-Style Chicken and Rice Soup
- recipe from Gourmet Magazine – www.epicurious.com

Using shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe makes for an equally delicious soup.

Yield: Makes 8 main-course servings

8 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth (64 fl oz)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste*
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
2 cups loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves plus 1/2 cup chopped (from 2 large bunches)
1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise, then slices cut lengthwise into thin strips, or 3/4 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined
1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well
1/4 lb snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Accompaniment: lime wedges 

Combine stock, water, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, and whole cilantro leaves in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot and discard solids. Stir rice into soup and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
 
Add chicken or shrimp and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, snow peas, and fish sauce and simmer, uncovered, until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro.

*Available at Asian markets, some specialty foods shops, and some supermarkets.

Tags: Asian, Chicken, coconut milk, curry, Soup/Stew

One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes is the one with the Soup Nazi. In the show, everyone is making a huge deal about how good the Soup Nazi’s soups are. In fact, Elaine’s knees actually buckle after she tastes his mulligatawny, a curry-flavored soup. Even though it had been years since seeing this famous Seinfeld episode, I was still intrigued with wanting to try my hand at making mulligatawny soup. I decided it was time to make it myself.

I sauteed cut up chicken breast and thighs (skinless, boneless) instead of the turkey, used basmati rice in place of regular long-grain white rice, and replaced some of the yogurt with coconut milk (about a half cup of each). I also added about a half cup or so of chopped canned tomatoes and a heaping handful of fresh baby spinach leaves for added flavor, texture and color. I don’t know how close this is to the real thing but it sure tasted good! I served the soup with crusty bread. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Turkey Mulligatawny Soup
-recipe from williams-sonoma.com

In place of the fresh turkey breast, you can use leftover cooked turkey or a purchased rotisserie chicken. Remove and discard the skin and bones, and cut the meat into bite-size pieces. Add the cooked turkey or chicken to the soup along with the yogurt.

Ingredients:
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 boneless, skinless turkey breast half, about 1 1/2 lb., cut into bite-size cubes
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs. curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup plain yogurt
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the turkey and sauté until lightly browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 7 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes more to blend the flavors.

Add the broth and browned turkey to the pot, increase the heat to high and bring just to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium, add the rice and cook, uncovered, until the rice is tender and the turkey is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the yogurt and simmer for 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Tags: curry, leftover turkey, rice, Soup/Stew, turkey