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Homemade Vegetable Minestrone Soup

One evening, I was really wanting a nice hearty soup in a flash, so I made Vegetable Minestrone Soup which really doesn’t take long to make – and chances are, you got most of the ingredients in your fridge/pantry!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
2 sticks of carrots
1/2 large onion
2 roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 baby zucchini
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup instant polenta (fine)
2 tbsp warm temperature butter
handful cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

First, start with chopping up all your vegetables. Saute the onions and carrots first, and season with some salt and pepper.

Then, add in the tomatoes and zucchini, and garlic and let it come together for a few minutes. I like to add a small handful of cilantro at this stage too. You can use any fresh herbs you want, such as thyme, oregano, etc.

Add the chicken broth and let it boil and slowly add the polenta until the soup thickens. Then, just let it simmer until all the vegetables are softened, and finish off by stirring in the butter, and season again to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into a bowl and enjoy!

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Homemade Japanese Miso Soup

I love Japanese food, and I’ve always wanted to make my own Miso Soup, so I finally got a package of White Miso Paste from my market, and found some bonito flakes and wakame from the Asian grocery store. They are tricky to find (well, for me at least!) but, I think it’s necessary for a miso soup. This simple homemade soup smells and tastes like miso soup when you go out to have a bowl!

Ingredients (makes 2 big bowls or 4 little bowls):
3 cup of water
3 tbsp bonito flakes
1 heaping tbsp white miso paste
1 tbps wakame
tofu cubes

To begin any soup – start with boiling some water.

When the water has come to a boil, put some bonito flakes into the water and reduce the heat, and let it steep for about 5 minutes.

Once that has steeped, you’re ready to put in the miso paste. Take a heaping tablespoon (or just 2 tablespoons) and put it into a bowl. Take some of the “soup in progress” into the bowl and mix to dissolve the miso paste so you get a dissolved and thinner consistency. Once you’ve achieved this, you’re ready to pour the miso solution into the soup. Bring the soup back up to a boil at this time, and let it boil for another 3 to 5 minutes.

By now, taste your soup to see if it needs additional salt. Add some if it needs more. To finish the soup, add the wakame flakes, and they will rehydrate and add lots of flavour into the miso soup. Once the wakame has rehydrate, you’re ready to serve and enjoy!

I also like to add some udon noodles to my miso soup, and it becomes and excellent and healthy lunch! Just boil some instant udon in the miso soup. Once the udon noodles are ready, you’re ready to eat too! If you want, you can top it off with sesame seeds, scallions or anything you like – really!

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Homemade Vietnamese Coffee

I love eating Vietnamese cuisine, and one of my favourite drinks that is special and unique would be Vietnamese Coffee, which I found out it wasn’t hard to make at all!

Ingredients
1 to 2 tbsp condensed milk
1 or 1.5 tsp ground coffee (courser grind works best)
boiling water

First, I put the condensed milk in the bottom of my cup. I love my coffee’s sweet when I drink coffee.

Then, I place the coffee grinds into the little contraction which is the French Filter (cà phê phin) – which is the coffee filter. It’s nice to use dark roast to get the strong flavour and the course so it doesn’t fall through the filter. Put the top on the filter and screw it tight. The tighter you screw the top on, the darker and stronger the coffee will be. This will take a longer time for your coffee to brew. Alternatively, you don’t have to tighten it to the max where the coffee won’t be as dark, and you’ll get your drink faster too! It’s up to you! The coffee they typically use is the brand Trung Nguyen

When the coffee has finished dripping through the filter, you’re ready to stir it up to dissolve the condensed milk and enjoy. If you like an iced version (ca phe da), fill a glass full of ice and enjoy!

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Homemade Vietnamese Pickled Carrots

Home Made Pickled Carrots

Okay, I know a lot of Vietnamese recipes calls for picked carrots and daikon, but I opted for just carrots as that’s what I like on my Vietnamese submarines (Vietnamese Sandwich with Chicken). I pickled my carrots to make these sandwiches, and I’m glad I did!

Ingredients:
Carrots (julienne)
distilled vinegar or rice wine vinegar
sugar
salt

First thing, you clean and peel the carrots, and the cut it into matchbox sticks. If you’re lucky, and you have a food processor or mandoline with a julienne attachment. Place the small pieces into a container with a lid, and I like to use a glass container.

Then, fill the container about 1/2 way full of vinegar, and top off the other half (not to the rim or it will spill) with warm water to help dilute the vinegar taste. Then, add salt and sugar to your tasting. If you like it spicier, add some cayenne pepper or even chili flakes. Let the carrots sit for at least an hour before using – and this will last in the fridge for a week.

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Homemade Vietnamese Sandwich with Grilled Chicken

I really love Vietnamese Submarines, and these days, it seems to be hard to find some in the city – for a reasonable price. I had to make a few modifications as I didn’t have all the ingredients, but the sandwich sure tasted great!

Ingredients:
1 French Roll or similar bun (crusty outside, soft inside)
1 chicken breast or 2 chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 or 2 slices of cucumbers
cilantro
pickled carrots
chili pepper (optional)
onions
soy sauce
fish sauce
white soft cheese (I use mozzarella cheese)

To make this, I actually made my own pickled carrots, which is really simple to do. Some people have a mixture of pickled daikon and carrots, but I opted for just carrots as that’s the way I’m use to! If you’re making it, make this step at least an hour ahead of time.

Pan sear the chicken thigh or breast with some oil, salt and pepper. Once it’s cooked, take off the stove and let it rest.

In the mean time, cut your bun, spread one side with mayonnaise and the other side with a few shakes of soy sauce and fish sauce, and salt and pepper.

Place the meat on the bun, and top it with some cheese and bake until the cheese melts in a 350F oven, which takes a few minutes. Then, take the submarine out of the oven, and top it off with the pickled carrots, cilantro and other fresh vegetables. (I usually don’t put the raw onions on as I’m worried about onion breath at work – if I’m having this for lunch) Put the top of the sandwich on and you’re ready to enjoy!