Friday 8 February 2013

Chinese, soup and compost

Welcome to my new follower Ikling, glad to have you on board the Norfolk Express!


Last night was our half term Chinese takeaway with our chums from school. A good and jolly time was had by those who came. We walked home along frosty pavements, getting into a barely warm house at 10.45pm. Although the wood burner had gone out, we had laid our jim jams out to capture its final warmth and it was a pleasure to sit in them whilst we watched the end of the Folk Awards.


This time of year, we nearly always have soup for lunch so yesterday, I set to and made a large pan of lentil, tomato and vegetable. 

This is it before it has been whizzed up. 


DB had the remains of a polish smoked sausage in the fridge so he had some of that chopped up and later dried fried. 
The paprika oil was added to the soup. I'm not too keen so had the addition of grated cheese on mine. For Christmas, he had receive 5 mini bottle of varying degrees of hotness chilli sauce. Each time we have a bowl of soup, some of it gets added into the bottom of our bowls.




This was the leftover peelings from preparing the soup and was added to our mini indoor compost bin. 
This is how full it gets, 2 or 3 times a week. 


It is then put into one of the large outdoor compost bins to work its magic. You will note also, the full tin of tea leaves, ready to go around my acid loving plants. I'm hoping it will help raise my alkaline soil ever so slightly so that they don't suffer too much. Time will tell.

15 comments:

  1. Ooooh Chinese takeaway, haven't had one of those for a while, we are having a bagged curry meal tonight from the reduced fridge in Morrisons so have that to look forward to. We are
    eating lots of soups at the moment we find them cheap tasty and warming at this time of year and seem to have a surplus in the freezer. Like you I make a huge pan full at a time. We compost peelings egg shells and tea bags but it all just goes into one big mish mash along with everything else compostable.

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    1. We no longer compost egg shells as they never seem to disappear. During the year, Spring, Summer and Autumn, all soft rubbish from the garden also goes in the big bin but the hard stuff goes in the council compost bin.

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    2. If you bash them up into small bits they compost faster. or bake them and crush them and sprinkle around tender plants to keep off the slugs etc. They don't like sharp stuff under foot :-)

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  2. Haven't had a Chinese for ages and my mouth is watering. I often make curry dishes but never made a Chinese as I don't think they're as easy to make. Your soup looks good.
    Patricia x

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    1. Yep, we have also tried home made Chinese with the same result. Mind you, nowadays they have cut down on mono-sodium glutamate so nothing tastes quite the same anyway. These get together's are the only time we have a take away.

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  3. I love soup, just about any kind except mushroom, strange because I love mushrooms any other way. I used to have a Chinese takeaway once in a blue moon, then I was given the Gok Cooks Chinese book and now we have Chinese weekly.

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    1. Yes, I did like the look of the food in his series but haven't yet tried any of the recipes.

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  4. I've never eaten Chinese food - although it smells nice to me, I've just never liked the look of it. I made a huge pan of tomato and lentil on Monday, so we had it for lunch 3 days in a row. We don't mind eating the same thing a few days running. This weekend's adventure in the kitchen is aduki bean kievs with a mango chutney filling. If they're any good I'll put them on the plant-based recipe page.

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    1. They are okay but the problems with a set meal menu is you don't always like what is chosen! Mind you, we buy a portion less than the amounts of people and still there is some left over, shame really. Hope your experiment goes okay.

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  5. The soup looks delicious!

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    1. Thank you and it was. Last portion being used up today.

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  6. Loving the lentil soup, one of my favourites to make. Tomorrow I am standing over my son while he makes slow braised lamb shanks in onion gravy with peas and mash. Then we are taking the children canoeing! Yes, it may sound a daft meal to have with the temp here at around 27 degrees, but it will be enjoyed nevertheless. Home to snow and low, low temperatures on Tuesday, Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

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    1. Yes, you have been a little spoilt over there in their lovely weather. Hope your sons enjoys his cooking with you.

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  7. Lentil soup has to be my favourite and yours looks lovely. I too love Chinese food and a takeaway is a real treat every so often. Have a good weekend

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    1. This is about the only time we have one, a shared meal with ex-school chums. Have a good weekend yourself.

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