Toi here, and welcome to another episode of Knauthentic.
Topic of the day: Healing Soups and Flavor Enhancers
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1. When I was a kid, I was sick a lot, but that’s a topic is for another day. Being sick lot in my youth, however, meant that I ate a lot of soup. Mostly canned chicken noodle soup because that’s what the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) tells people they should eat. As a kid, I didn’t mind it. I actually remember kind of linking it. It was probably the highlight of being sick, except for when I was too sick to go to school but not too sick to watch TV. It sounds strange to think back on it now, that sometimes being sick was a treat when I got to have chicken and stars. It was the exact same soup but with star-shaped noodles.
Fast forward to adulthood and canned soup makes me feel slightly depressed, but it’s not something I can’t easily overcome. Canned soup depressed me for three reasons. One, depending on how frequently I consumed it, it was a constant reminder of how I wasn’t really getting any healthier. I like soup now, but for a while eating soup was survival. Two, I don’t actually like the way canned soup tastes. After a while, all the different flavors and the different brands began to taste the same- salty and generic. Three, after a while it became clear that canned soup no longer had the same healing properties it once had for me as a kid. Sometimes, it seemed that the soup was actually making me worse.
2. Turns out, the canned soup was making me sick, but that’s not what I’m going to dive into today. Needless to say, it’s something I explore in the book I’m writing, I Wish I Could Eat That. Once I figured out what my issues with canned soups were, I was able to start the process of making healing soups and finding ways to enhance flavors without the use of staple ingredients. Canned soups were problematic for me for three reasons. One, the sodium levels were often too high for my body to handle, causing blood pressure spikes and intense headaches. Two, the base of canned soups, as with most soups, were broths containing onion and or garlic, which are problematic for me. Three, the preservatives. It’s a real challenge to avoid unnecessary preservatives on the S.A.D., so the best thing I could do was reduce them by starting to make and store my own food. Bulk making broth and freezing it has been extremely helpful and now I’m testing recipes for making my own bullion to stretch my dollars and ingredients even further.
3. Without the benefits of alliums, I’ve had to discover other ways to enhance flavors. I’ve previously mentioned the spice Hing. I refused to say the real name in a previous episode, but today I’ll give it a go. Asafetida. I also mentioned fennel, but there are more flavor enhancers out there. I now keep a well-stocked spice cabinet and purchase and or grow fresh herbs. I’ve explored different ways of preparing celery, radishes, turnips and more to astounding results. Breaking away from S.A.D. standards has been eye-opening. If I had known what I do now about food, my current health might be drastically different.
Now, it’s time to talk about how I make Turmeric Tea Soup.
Be sure to visit my Knauthentic YouTube channel if you want to see the short.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Start with a tea bag of activated turmeric tea, or make your own- combine turmeric, ginger, galangal, and black pepper to an unbleached tea bag. Steep in hot water for 3-5 minutes.
2. Since this is an individual serving, add 1 tsp of tamari (sub soy sauce or coconut aminos).
3. Add 1 tsp hoisin sauce. I used homemade balsamic fig glaze due to my restrictions.
4. Add in a preferred green, such as spinach or cabbage. I used leftover collard greens.
5. Add a preferred protein, such as chicken or tuna. I used thin cut smoked tofu.
6. Optionally, add rice paper strings to thicken the soup, plus any additional salt need. I did not add additional salt because of the tamari and precooked greens.
Question: What soup do you prefer when you’re sick? I’d love to know. I’m partial miso and will share a recipe for that next time.
If you, or someone you know, has a health or food journey story or recipe you think others might benefit from, please check my Be Featured links on social media, and share your story in the way that suits you best.
Until next time, stay safe, eat well, and be blessed.
Credits
Knauthentic Season 1, Episode 12.
Starring Toi Thomas.
Featuring no one else at this time.
Topics discussed: Healing Soups and Flavor Enhancers, Turmeric Tea Soup
Produced by Toi Thomas in association with The ToiBox of Words and Lit Carnivale.
Directed by Toinette “Toi” Thomas.
Thanks again to the Knauthentic community on Substack, YouTube, and wherever you can hear this podcast. This is all for you!
