My Ultimate Soy Curry

Like everybody else, I have my set of comfort foods as well - that help in serotonin boosts to ride through rough workdays, dreary weather or after a long holiday! For me the top spot is invariably a good crispy bottom dumpling bowl with fixings such as sautéed greens, fried shallots, some sauce or lots of chili oil. Then comes the trio of Rasam-Rice, Khichdi (aka Kedgeree) and this Soy Puff Curry. The soy puffs are a great source of protein and absolutely incredible at soaking up all the curry goodness and transforming into these magical flavor bombs. However if you can’t find them then highly recommend looking for Soft or Firm Silken Tofu instead of regular Firm Tofu.

With an overriding flavor of Black Cardamom (found in Indian Grocery stores) and the cooling creaminess from lentils-coconut combo, this one can be a curry canvas for various toppings such as - grilled halloumi or any meat, pasta, meatballs, koftas, fried eggplant, silken tofu… the list is endless truly. I urge you all to make an effort to seek out this specialty cardamom variety that’s native to South Asia and a critical ingredient for Biryanis, it’s very unique - is more floral than green one and when toasted renders a slight camphor like tingly sensation on your palate. If you can’t find them then regular green one will be fine too but not the same. I hope just like in our house, this one will become a staple in your house too!

*Note: it tastes better the next day!

Ingredients (serves 4)
2 Bay Leaves
2 Whole Cloves, Crushed
4 Whole Black Cardamom pods, Crushed
2 Tbsp Sunflower Oil (substitute with any Neutral Oil)
2” Knob of Fresh Ginger, grated
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
1 tsp Ground Turmeric
1.5 Tbsp Sambal Oelek (Indonesian Chile Paste) - substitute with Sriracha or any Hot Sauce. Red Curry Paste works in a pinch too!
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tbsp Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar

65g Red Lentils, properly rinsed
400g Vegetable Stock or Water
315g Coconut Milk (I prefer full-fat but reduced fat works just fine)
1.5 tsp Fine Sea Salt
90g Soy Puffs (each cube halved) or 100g Soft Tofu
210g Frozen Chopped Spinach, unthawed
1/2 Tbsp lime juice
Generous drizzle of favorite Chili Oil for each serving

Directions
💥 Heat up a deep bottomed pan; on medium-high flame dry roast first 3 ingredients for 3 mins or until very fragrant. Then add oil into the pan, sauté the spices for a minute and immediately add ginger, garlic, shallot. Continue sautéing for 5-6 mins on medium flame

💥 Now add sambal paste, turmeric, tomato paste and sugar - sauté everything for 2 more mins. Then add lentils, vegetable stock/water, coconut milk and salt. Bring it to boil, reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 mins

💥 Fish out the bay leaves; Add soy puffs and spinach (straight from the freezer). Give it a good stir, let it cook for 3 mins. Turn off the heat and add lime juice

💥 Divide into serving bowls, drizzle generously your favorite chili oil on top and serve with your favorite flatbread (mine are Chinese Scallion Pancakes or the Trader Joe’s Malabar Parathas) or some jasmine rice. Enjoy!

Not So Humble Lentil Soup

In the Umami basics repertoire, here I’m adding a humble looking soup yet exploding with bold flavors. Lentil soups are quite hearty and versatile to whip up in no time. You can make a big batch for weeks and switch up different toppings to make it special every time. I love the yoghurt sauce in this as it not only adds a subtle creaminess but a pleasant tang that balances the overall dish. I use the magic formula of 1:3 (+1/2) solid to liquid ratio to get the right results, so feel free to use this ratio for other lentils to make this delectable heartwarming dish this winter!

Ingredients (serves 6)
200g Green or Brown Lentils, rinsed under cold water
100g Carrot, after peeled and cut into 2” pieces
900ml Water + 100ml extra
2.5 tbsp Ghee (substitute with oil of your choice to keep it vegan)
1 large Red Onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1.5 tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 tsp Ground Cumin Seeds
2 tsp Ground Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Ground Cardamom
2 tsp Ground Chile Pepper of your choice
2 tsp Ras-el-Hanout or Baharat spice blend (optional)
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp Fine Sea Salt (adjust to your taste)
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
15-20g finely chopped fresh Dill

Yoghurt Sauce
70g Greek Yoghurt (substitute with vegan yoghurt)
1 small garlic, grated
1 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped Dill leaves
Pinch of Fine Sea Salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Finishing touches
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds or Nuts of your choice
Chili Oil or Chile Pepper Flakes
Sumac
Crackers, lightly crushed
Fried Onions

Directions
💥 Combine and whisk all yoghurt sauce ingredients. Keep it aside for serving

💥 In a large saucepan, combine water, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp turmeric & lentil. Turn on heat and cook on medium heat until it starts simmering vigorously. Now put on the lid and cook for 12 mins. Then add carrots, cover and cook on medium-high heat for 12 more mins. Turn off the heat and keep it aside

💥 In a large deep bottomed pan (think Dutch oven or wok), add ghee and onions. Turn on heat and on low flame, cook onions for 8-10 mins then add garlic with all dry spices, 1 tsp salt and sugar. Cook everything on low flame for 5 mins (keep an eye so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom much). Now add tomato paste, cook for a minute then add cooked lentils-carrots-water (everything from previous step). Mix well and continue cooking for 10 mins

💥 Turn off heat and using an immersion blender, blitz everything to your preferred texture. Add 100ml extra water, mix well and turn on heat - bring it to simmer while stirring. Adjust seasoning at this stage. Now ladle hot soup into serving bowls, drizzle yoghurt sauce, sprinkle fresh dill and any or all of the finishing touches. Enjoy!