Hot and Spicy Food Recipes:
Chili and Soups

Nigerian Peanut Soup
Thai Style Chicken, Cellophane Noodle and Straw Mushroom Soup
Pungent Thai Sauce For Soups
Green Chili
Red Chili
Terry’s Chunky Garden Gazpacho
Thai Style Pumpkin Soup
Hot and Sour Soup

Nigerian Peanut Soup

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 packets instant chicken broth and seasoning mix
2 cups water
1 1/2 small dried green chili peppers, finely chopped
1/4 cup each green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
3 tablespoons chunky-style peanut butter

Preparation:

In a 1-quart saucepan dissolve broth mix in water; add chili peppers and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bell pepper and onion and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest possible temperature; add peanut butter and cook, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted and mixture is well blended.

Thai Style Chicken, Cellophane Noodle and Straw Mushroom Soup

This is a basic chicken noodle soup with a Thai twist. It is not too hot by itself, but it is served with a sauce on the side that you add yourself until you get it just right. Its heat comes from dried cayenne pepper, plenty of it! This wonderfully pungent soup can be made with almost any cooked bird meat. I have even made it with cured and smoked duck meat. I think it is one of my favorite variations.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken meat
1/2 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1/8 cup lime juice, fresh squeezed is best
1-tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 1/2 cups chicken stock, strained for clarity
1 14 ounce can straw mushrooms
1 1/2 ounces cellophane noodles
8 each baby carrots, sliced thinly
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on a bias
2 teaspoons red bell peppers, small dice
2 teaspoons red onions, diced
1 each scallions, thinly sliced
Pungent Thai Sauce for Soups (recipe follows)

Preparation:

If you have time, prepare the stock a day ahead, so that it can be chilled overnight. Remove any hardened fat that will have settled to the top of the stock. Reheat the stock and strain it for clarity. Or use canned broth.

Place the cooked chicken meat in a bowl. Combine the garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar and stir briskly to dissolve the sugar. Pour it over the cooked meat and stir to coat. Allow to marinate for an hour at least.

Open the can of mushrooms and add the broth to the stock, bring both to a boil. Once boiling, add the cellophane noodles and fresh vegetables and boil for about 8 minutes or until the noodles succumb to the tooth. Add the mushrooms. Lift the meat out of the bowl with a slotted spoon and add it to the stock. Bring the soup back to a boil and remove from the heat. Stir and taste. You can adjust the intensity of the soup by adding some or all of the marinade. Personally, I add it all!

Serve this soup in clear bowls if you have them with the Pungent Thai Sauce served on the side. Caution, add a little at a time until you have the right heat for you.

Pungent Thai Sauce For Soups

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup Rose's Lime Juice
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 teaspoons sugar

Preparation:

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to incorporate.

Green Chili

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds cubed pork
1-1/2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 ounces chopped canned jalapeño
8 ounces chopped canned green chiles
15 ounces canned chicken broth
15 ounces water
28 ounces canned tomatillos, drained and crushed
1 tablespoon oregano
1/4-teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons Ancho chile powder

Preparation:

Brown the pork and onion in the olive oil, add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 1-2 hours depending how thick you like it.

Serve with warm tortillas.

Red Chili

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped small
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, cracked
45 ounces chile beans, Kuner's Hot Spicy style, 3 cans
24 ounces V-8 Juice
24 ounces beef broth
2 tablespoons Ancho Chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preparation:

Cook the ground beef, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and pepper together in a heavy skillet until the meat is colored but not browned. Turn the heat to low and cover the meat with 1 1/2 cups of the beef broth and simmer for 25 minutes

Add the beans, V-8, remaining beef broth, chile powder and cumin to the meat and simmer for about 2 hours.

Terry’s Chunky Garden Gazpacho

Here is one from our friend "Up North" Chef Terry Henderson.

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce (1 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 medium tomato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 cucumber, seeded & chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine tomato sauce, olive oil, vinegar and honey. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Top each serving with one of the listed garnishes. Serve chilled.

Garnish: Herbed Garlic Croutons, dollop of plain yogurt topped with finely minced fresh chives, finely shredded lettuce, or minced parsley (optional).

Variations: Add 2 tbsp. chopped fresh mint leaves; omit hot pepper sauce Serve with a substantial salad, and/or a cheese platter.

Thai Style Pumpkin Soup

A recipe inspired by Chef Paul Silva.

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon peanut oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
4 shallots, minced
2 small fresh red chili peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped lemon grass
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups peeled and diced pumpkin
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, heat the peanut oil and butter over low heat. Cook garlic, shallots, chilies, and lemongrass in oil until aromatic but not browned. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Cook until the pumpkin is tender.

In a blender, blend the soup in batches to a smooth consistency. You could sprinkle fresh basil over this for a garnish.

Hot and Sour Soup

Cynthia Bowan contributed this recipe and says: "This is an authentic Taiwanese dish, from a Chef friend of mine."

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 pound finely shredded pork or chicken
vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons cooking sherry
2 cups chicken broth
1 can straw mushrooms, drained
1 small can bamboo shoots, drained
2 small blocks plain firm tofu
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
white pepper
dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
sesame oil

Preparation:

Heat a wok or skillet. When hot, add a small bit of oil. Cook meat in hot oil until done. Drain and set aside. Reheat wok, add 1 tablespoon oil. Season the oil with ginger and garlic, stirring well.

Add sherry and broth. Add bamboo and tofu, which should be cut in small pieces. Bring to a boil.

Flavor soup with vinegar (which gives you the sour) and white pepper (which gives you the hot). Add enough soy sauce to give a nice brown color. Flavor with salt.

Mix cornstarch and water. Bring soup to boil again, slowly pour in cornstarch.

Stir until soup becomes creamy, using a circular motion, slowly and evenly pour in beaten eggs. Do not stir again until the egg comes to the surface.

Add a small amount of sesame oil for extra flavor and added color. Add mushrooms and onion, heat and serve.