Tasty and Easy Recipes

Ingredients:
175g (6 oz., 1 cup) yellow split peas
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5ml (1 tsp.) oil
2 medium courgettes finely diced
900ml (1-1/2 pints, 3-3/4 cups) chicken stock
2-1/2ml (1/2 tsp.) ground turmeric
Salt and ground black pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

Method:
Place split peas in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for several hours or overnight. Drain, rinse in plenty of cold water and drain again.
Cook the onion in the oil in a covered pan, shaking occasionally, until soft. Reserve a handful of diced courgettes (zucchini) and add the rest to the pan. Cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the stock and turmeric to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the split peas are tender. Season well.
When the soup is almost ready, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the reserved diced courgettes and cook for 1 minutes, then drain and add them to the soup.
Serve hot, with warm crusty bread.

Tip:
For a quicker alternative, use split red lentils for this soup–they need no pre-soaking and cook very quickly. Adjust the amount of stock, if necessary.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound tomatoes
1/2 pound zucchini, sliced with their skins
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 cup hot water
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method:
Begin by pouring boiling water over the tomatoes. Then leave them for 5 minutes for the skins to loosen.
Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan, add the onion and soften it for about 5 minutes. Next add the garlic, coriander and the oregano and stir these around for a minute or two to allow the heat to draw out their flavour and aroma–the whole thing will soon to smell like a Greek kitchen!
Now skin and chop the tomatoes and add these to the pan along with the courgettes. Then, keeping the heat very low, put a lid on and let the vegetables sweat for about 10 minutes.
Next whisk the tomato puree into the hot water, pour this into the saucepan, stir and simmer gently (with the lid on) for a further 10 minutes.
Finally take the lid off and give the whole lot a further 5 minutes cooking uncovered. Then whiz the soup to a puree in a blender, taste to check the seasoning, then reheat and serve either with garlic croutons sprinkled over, or with some garlic bread.

Ingredients:
7 litre pot (I used a 12 litre pot)
2 potatoes, cubed
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large carrots, diced
1 large onion, cubed
2 medium zucchini, cubed
1 medium piece of pumpkin or big orange squash, peeled and cubed
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled (I used 6)
Fresh dill
1 teaspoon Yemenite hawayij (chuaij chawaj)
Dash soy sauce
Water
Fresh parsley, for garnish
2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper

Method:
Put all vegetables, herbs and spices in the pot. Fill to cover with water. Bring to a boil.
Turn to a low fire and simmer for about 1 hour or until veggies are soft. (I think longer.)
Serve with a parsley garnish.