A Couple of Curries to Spice up Spring

On arriving back from my second trip to Asia, I decided it was time to try experimenting with curry in the home kitchen. With a little more time to spend recipe hunting and cooking before the season kicks into gear, I came up with these two recipes for different kinds of curry. I like spicy food, and curries are generally hearty and healthy. They are perfect food for a dreary spring day and they refrigerate and freeze well. Perfect the recipe now, and freeze some for those chaotic summer nights when you need a good, home-cooked meal but don’t have the time!

Thai Pineapple Curry

This pineapple curry recipe has fabulous flavor, with the spiciness of the curry and garlic balancing the sweetness of the coconut milk and pineapple. I enjoy my food relatively spicy, so I added the Thai chili pepper to this recipe. Feel free to adjust to taste, as this can be a perfectly mild curry if you’re not a spicy eater. (Serves 4, adapted from Happy Vegan Yogini.)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 package extra firm tofu, well pressed and cubed

1 yellow onion, sliced in half moons

1 1/2 cups red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares

1/2 – 3/4 cup green peas

1 small fresh pineapple, cut into bite sized chunks

3 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste (adjust according to taste)

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced

1 Thai chili pepper (optional)

1 can coconut milk

1 cup vegetable stock or water

2 Tablespoon light brown sugar

2 Tablespoon soy sauce

Juice of one lime

1/4 cup cilantro leaves or basil leaves, chopped

Crushed red pepper flake to garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and place cubed tofu on top. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, turning once. While the tofu’s baking, prepare the garlic, ginger, chili pepper and onion, as they will go into the pan first.

In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add tofu, garlic, chili and ginger. Sauté the tofu for 2 to 3 min, or until brown on all sides. Add onion, green peas and bell peppers; continue to sauté 2 to 3 minutes. Add pineapple and sauté a few minutes more to release juices. Move contents of skillet to edges and add curry paste. Let curry paste warm for a minute or two, then slowly pour coconut milk into skillet, whisking in curry paste as you pour. Add vegetable stock/water, sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer covered 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cilantro. Serve over steamed brown basmati rice and sprinkle with red pepper flake.

Note: The veggies should not be fully cooked. They should still have a little crunch!

Curried Tomato Soup

The following recipe for curried tomato soup I found while surfing for a curry stew of sorts, and chose this one because it was compatible with some vegetables I had in the fridge. I got lucky, because it has fabulous flavor! I also adjusted the original recipe to include lentils, which boasts the nutrients with some protein and fiber, and makes the stew a little heartier. This recipe is relatively flexible – add any extra veggies you want into the curry and enjoy. (Serves 4, adapted from The Food Matters Cookbook and Eats Well With Others.)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoon minced ginger

2 Thai red chilies, minced (optional)

2 Tablespoon Thai curry paste

1 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of sugar

2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 carrot, chopped

Salt and black pepper

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup light coconut milk

1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes

1 small cauliflower, cored and roughly chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1 cup black lentils

Put the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chile. Cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, and sugar. Cook and stir until fragrant, about a minute.

Add the potatoes and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for a minute or two. Add the broth, coconut milk, lentils, and tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the mixture bubbles gently. Cook, stirring once in a while, until the potatoes and carrots are soft, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and adjust the heat so that the mixture bubbles gently. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes more. Serve garnished with cilantro.