Winter Soups Course at Library

Laotian soups were on the menu when Penn Hongthong taught a Winter Soups course at  recently. Hongthong, originally from Laos, is the author of two cookbooks: Simple Laotian Cooking and Healthy Lao Cuisine.

For her library course, Hongthong demonstrated four soups, including rice soup, lemongrass with seafood, watercress soup and chicken ginger. She also created a fifth soup by adding scallions, cilantro, soy sauce, black pepper and fried garlic to the rice soup.

To provide the soups with optimum flavor, Hongthong began the course by boiling the herbs for half an hour before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Audience members listened intently as Hongthong explained the benefits of ingredients and the techniques she uses.  She told participants to cut ginger into small edible pieces if they like ginger; if they do not like ginger, cut larger pieces that can be taken out.

Afterward, Hongthong served all five soups in sample cups.

Audience member Ronnie Mondello said her favorite was the chicken ginger soup. Mondello took the course because she often makes soup in cold weather. "It warms you," she said.  At home, Mondello enjoys making her grandmother's chicken matzo ball soup because "it's a meal."

Similar to Mondello and her matzo ball soup, Hongthong learned how to make her soups by watching her mother and grandmothers.  Then, Hongthong began to simplify and update her family recipes. For a cure to the common cold, Hongthong added lemon and lots more ginger to traditional Laotian chicken soup.  Now, she shares the benefits of ginger with people who follow her cooking.

"I want to teach everyone how to cook my food," Hongthong said of food from Laos, which is not yet popular in the United States.

Hongthong began her cooking career in 2000.  Before becoming a chef, Hongthong worked in an office.  She always enjoyed cooking and then one day decided to take the plunge.  To follow Hongthong, visit her website at www.laochef.com.  You can also order her book on Amazon.com.
Bayport-Blue Point Public Library offers cooking courses each month to residents and non-residents for $5.  Call 363-6133 for information on December's courses.

All recipes are courtesy of Penn Hongthong and have been copied as per her permission.

Rice Soup
4 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of water
½ pound of boneless chicken breast
1 cup of rice, rinsed well and drained
1 teaspoon of salt
2 tablespoons of finely minced fresh ginger
2 lemons, juiced

In a large pot add the chicken broth and water; bring to a boil.  Add the boiled or raw chicken, rice, and salt.  Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Take the chicken out and let it cool. Turn the heat to low and simmer the rice for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Shred the chicken with your hand or cut it into ¼ inch pieces; add the rice. Return to a boil and ladle into soup bowls.  Add lemon juice and serve hot.

Lemongrass Soup with Seafood
2 cups seafood or chicken broth
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, cut in 4 pieces or 2 tablespoons dried
1 stalk of fresh or dried kalanga
2 kaffir lime leaves
¼ pound of shittake mushrooms, finely sliced
½ pound of frozen seafood mix, thawed and drained
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
½ teaspoon of chili and garlic paste or hot sauce
2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped scallions
2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice

In a medium pot, add 1 cup of water and broth.  Also add the lemongrass, kalanga and kaffir lime leaves.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the soup is reduced to 2 cups.  Discard the lemongrass, kalanga and kaffir lime leaves.  Bring back to a a boil and add the mushrooms, seafood, salt, fish sauce, and chili paste. Return to a boil and cook for 1 minute.  Add the scallions.  Stir well and turn off the heat.  Add the cilantro and lime juice; serve hot.

Watercress Soup
2 cups of low fat, low sodium chicken broth
½ pound of chicken breast, cut into ½ inch cubes
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ pound of firm tofu cut into ½ inch cubes
1 bunch of watercress, coarsely chopped
2 stalks of scallions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons of coarsely chopped cilantro

In a medium pot, add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil on high heat. Add the chicken and salt.  Return to a boil and cook for three minutes. Add the tofu and watercress; return to a boil.  Add the scallion and cilantro. Serve hot.

Chicken Ginger Soup
2 cups of chicken broth
1 boneless chicken breast
1 tablespoon of finely minced ginger
½ teaspoon of salt
1 lemon, juiced

In a medium pot, bring broth to a boil.  Add the chicken, salt and ginger, bring to a boil again and simmer for ten minutes.  Take the chicken out and let it cool; shred it.  Add shredded chicken back to the broth and return to a boil.  Serve hot with lemon juice.