Friday, June 6, 2025

Spicing up

Along with my most excellent fried rice, I can also make a very mature and delicious pea and ham soup. Hungarian paprika could be sprinkled atop, but I would like some advice at how to make the soup more tasty and spicy. While I think my soup is perfect, it won't be to the taste of Phyllis and Kosov without some fiery spice. What should I use?

17 comments:

  1. Best way to develop the flavor of spice is to cook it in the starter oil before adding in the onions and other vegetables. I'd do that with the paprika. And maybe add a touch of berbere spice mix.

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  2. Andrew the Chef - a new venture?

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  3. Mostly I use whatever's in the cupboard, which is of no use at all. But it must be somewhere around because the boys use spices!

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  4. Chilli flakes and garlic are quick and easy pepper-uppers, but really need to be added at the beginning, as Boud says. Or you can stir in a spoonful of hot harissa paste?

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  5. Well pea and ham soup is kind of the liquid version of samosa filling (give me some lee way here!)
    So, whatever they put in samosas :)

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  6. Explore the spice cabinet, or grate cheese on top. Cheese makes everything better.

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  7. I always add some chilli flakes to any kind of soup, but dhal is made from split peas/ lentils isn't it - I'm thinking that The earthiness in pea and ham soup is improved by almost any kind of spice.
    Alison in Wales x

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  8. A tip I received from a co-worker: add deveined whole smoked peppers to the soup while it simmers (I'm in the southwest, so these are usually Ancho Chiles or whatever is available in the local Latino market). When the soup has finished cooking, turn off the heat, remove the peppers and a small amount of soup and whiz them in the blender before adding them back into the soup.

    Will Jay

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  9. Perhaps the boys would have an interesting suggestion about that? As to the picture on my blog of the children demonstrating. Hawai'i Island. The so-called big island in our chain is an excellent place for astronomy. Atop Mauna kea. There are several telescopes up there now making discoveries. The demonstration is in opposition to a new big telescope that would have changed the character of the mountain in The view of the Hawaiians who consider the mountain sacred. Interestingly, all of the nonsense in Washington seems to have scuttled the project and the Hawaiians win by default. I hasten to say not all Hawaiians or Hawai'i residents are against the telescope and many work in science on the big island and are very in favor of it. The Hawaiians of old were amazing navigators who crossed the world's largest ocean reliably navigating with the wind, the Stars the waves. So some feel that seeking knowledge like this is right in their wheelhouse. Thank you for asking. An interesting controversy and an interesting result. Have a wonderful weekend Andrew what's up? I'd love to try your fried rice, one of my favorites! Particularly for breakfast as we do here. Aloha

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    1. Please excuse the "what's up?"

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    2. Ah Cloudia, local stuff for local people, but still interesting.

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  10. I like Cloudia's suggestion about asking the boys. Chili and garlic would be my starting point. And I do love cummin too.

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  11. Surely Pea and Ham is what the soup is all about, doesn’t need ‘tarting up’…..I (personally) feel they must enlarge their culinary experience to accepting other cultures tastes.

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    1. Oh look at that - my comment went through. I’ve been trying for days on other posts and never been accepted!

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  12. I agree with Cloudia and Elephant's Child: ask the boys what they would add to spice it up. Maybe buy some Cajun Spice mix and add it to the supplies cupboard.

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  13. A dry seasoning from one of my recipe books:
    1 teaspoon ground allspice
    1 teaspoon chilli powder
    1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    pinch garlic powder
    1 tablespoon salt
    1 tablespoon onion powder
    1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
    Mix all ingredients, place in a screw top jar and shake well. Close tightly and store.

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  14. Thank you everyone for your great suggestions, which I considered and then wondered how much to use, and you don't know how big my boiler is. I saw shopping for ingredients I don't have, and its bad enough to find a meaty ham hocks. But one, a late comment, struck a chord with me. Thank you Cathy, and it is my pea and ham soup. They like or lump my own pea and ham soup, just as I have always made. It has onions and bay leaves, with a glob of garlic.

    They probably won't ask for it again, and of course I will enjoy it with some freshly baked bread and hopefully they don't eat it all.

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Marysville 2

The night before Phyllis cobbled together a nice meal with what he found at the local supermarket.  For them, Phyllis and Kosov arose the ne...