Mushroom Pulao
INGREDIENTS
2 cups good quality Basmati rice , rinsed until the water runs clear and then soak in water for 30 minutes, drain and set aside
2 tspn oil (your choice)
1 tspn whole cumin
1 small onion, diced
1/2 serrano chili, deseeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tspn Sonoko’s curry powder
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, diced
2 2/3 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
salt to taste
You may cook this dish on a stove top or in a rice cooker.
PREPARATION
Heat oil in a medium size shallow saucepan over medium-hight heat. When hot, add the cumin seed, followed by the diced onion, and then the chopped green chili.
When the onion begins to color, add the drained rice and the minced garlic. Toss to ensure that all the rice grains have a coating of oil on them, about 3 minutes.
Add the chopped mushrooms and Sonoko’s curry powder, continue to stir to ensure that it is well mixed, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 2/3 cups of stock or water and salt to taste.
If you are using a rice cooker, add all ingredients, select “quick cook” and follow your cooker’s instructions. If you are cooking on the stove top, bring the rice to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid and simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until you see steam holes in the top of the rice. Lower the heat to very low and leave fro 10 minutes. To check that the rice is cooked, insert a dry chopstick or small knife until it reached the bottom of the pan. The rice is cooked when you see the rice that clings to the chopstick is dry and cooked. Turn off the heat and serve.
Recipe developed by Meena Pennington.
Chicken Korma
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 serrano chili, sliced lengthwise and deseeded (use gloves)
2 lbs chopped chicken thighs or breasts
3 TBSP oil or ghee
1/2 tspn fresh ginger, grated
1 tspn garlic, minced
2 tspn Sonoko’s curry powder
1 cup plain yogurt, beaten well
1 cup light coconut milk
1 TBSP tomato paste
generous pinch of saffron
1/2 tspn salt or to taste
1/2 lemon
1 TBSP cilantro, chopped
PREPARATION
Put the chicken in a bowl and ginger, garlic and Sonoko’s curry powder. Mix to coat the chicken evenly and set aside.
Place a medium saucepan over medium high heat and add the oil or ghee. When the pan is hot, add the sliced onions and chili. Sauté until the onion begins to brown around the edges.
Add the chicken and chili. Lightly sauté until you see no more pink on the chicken.
Keeping the heat on medium high, add the yogurt, one TBSP at a time, until the yogurt is incorporated into the sauce.
Add the coconut milk, tomato paste, salt and saffron.
Once everything has come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Turn off heat and squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the top.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Meena Pennington.
Tomato Pickle
INGREDIENTS
1 34 oz can diced tomatoes
4 TBSP oil
4 whole cloves garlic
1 tspn garlic, minced
1 tspn ginger, minced
1/2 tspn whole brown mustard seeds
1 tspn whole cumin seeds
1 whole dried red chili, broken in half and seeds removed
1 tspn Sonoko’s curry powder
1/2 tspn salt or to taste
PREPARATION
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add the whole garlic cloves and sauté until just brown.
Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and chili halves.
Once the mustard seeds have popped, add Sonoko’s curry powder and continue to cook and stir for 30 seconds.
Add the canned tomatoes, minced ginger and garlic and reduce heat to low.
Cover and continue to cook on low heat for about 20 minutes. Once the oil has separated from the tomatoes, turn off the heat.
Once cooled, store in glass jar. It will last a month in the refrigerator.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Meena Pennington.
Curried Cauliflower with Peas
INGREDIENTS
1 small cauliflower, broken into florets, washed and drained
1 small onion, diced
1 serrano chili , deseeded and diced
1/2 tspn whole brown mustard seeds
1 tspn whole cumin seeds
1 tspn Sonoko’s curry powder
2 TBSP oil (your choice)
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted and drained
1/2 tspn garam masala
2 TBSP cilantro, chopped
salt to taste
PREPARATION
Heat a large sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the oil and when it’s hot, add the mustard seed and the whole cumin seed.
Once the seeds begin to pop, add the diced onion and chili and fry until the onion starts to color.
Add Sonoko’s curry powder and sauté for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, making sure not to burn the curry.
Add the cauliflower and stir. Add 2 TBSP of water and cover with a lid so that the cauliflower will steam for 6-8 minutes.
Add the peas and salt and stir well. Continue cooking on low heat for another 6-8 minutes.
Once the cauliflower has a light crunch or is cooked to your liking, add the garam masala, stir once and turn off the heat.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Meena Pennington.
Curry Pumpkin Crumble Muffins (V)
Freshly baked muffins basking in the sunshine.
I’ve always loved to experiment with vegan baking. My favorite challenge is creating a vegan baked good that does not taste “vegan” at all and in fact just tastes delicious and leaves you feeling light and nourished.
As pumpkin season rolled around the idea of incorporating the wonderfully fragrant Sonoko Curry Powder into this vegan pumpkin muffin recipe came to me one day when I was exercising my creative juices in the kitchen with no set plan and nothing to lose.
The risk was well worth it as these turned out amazing! A little spicy and moderately sweet with a crunchy delicious topping these muffins are super addictive and make a wonderful breakfast or treat to have alongside a warm cup of tea. Enjoy!
YIELD 6 Muffins
INGREDIENTS
For the Muffin Batter:
1 Bag “Batter Dry Mix” OR
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
⅛ cup brown sugar
⅛ tsp salt
½ tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 ¼ teaspoons Sonoko Curry Powder
½ cup pureed pumpkin, canned or *homemade
¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup coconut oil, liquid form
1 tablespoons molasses
½ cup walnut pieces (optional)
For the crumble topping:
1 Bag “Crumble Dry Mix” OR
⅛ cup all purpose flour
⅛ cup brown sugar
⅛ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
½ teaspoon Sonoko Curry Powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
Zest of half an orange
1 ½ tablespoons coconut oil, liquid form
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 400℉ and lightly grease a 6-cavity muffin tin.
Make the muffin batter: Place the “Batter Dry Mix” contents in a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, coconut milk, coconut oil, and molasses.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. Add the walnut pieces if using.
Fill each of the 6 muffin tins two-thirds full.
Make the crumble topping: Place the “Crumble Dry Mix” contents in a bowl, add the orange zest and 1 ½ tablespoons of coconut oil. Mix together with your hands and sprinkle evenly among all 6 muffins.
Bake for 30 minutes, rotating once at the 15 minute mark, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Daniela Swamp.
Spiced Molasses Cookies
These cookies are crispy, chewy, subtly spicy, and addictive. My take on an old time Holiday favorite, and a spin on the traditional ginger molasses cookie. Sonoko Curry Powder works its magic in these, adding depth of flavor and warmth.
Freshly baked curry molasses cookies.
These cookies are crispy, chewy, subtly spicy, and addictive. My take on an old time Holiday favorite, and a spin on the traditional ginger molasses cookie. Sonoko Curry Powder works its magic in these, adding depth of flavor and warmth.
They can be made from scratch or with the help of our pre-measured cookie mix. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
YIELD 36 Cookies
INGREDIENTS
For the cookie dough:
¾ cup butter, melted
¼ cup Molasses
1 whole egg
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ teaspoons Sonoko Curry Powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground clove
To roll the cookies in:
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon Sonoko Curry Powder
PREPARATION
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine “Cane Sugar” pouch contents, melted butter, molasses, and egg. Place the “dry ingredients” pouch contents in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.
Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator until it hardens, about 1 hour.*
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Scoop out dough with a tablespoon measuring spoon and roll into 1 inch balls.
Place the “cookie topping” pouch contents in a small bowl and combine with a fork. Roll each ball of dough in the mixture until lightly coated. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2” apart and gently flatten each into a disc using the bottom of a glass or jar.
Bake for 9-13 minutes, rotating the tray half-way through. If you would like a chewier cookie, bake cookie closer to 8-9 minutes. For a crispier cookie, bake for 12-13 minutes. Cookies should still be slightly soft in the center and puffy. They will firm-up and deflate as they cool. Cool for about five minutes and then remove from the cookie sheet and continue cooling on a rack.
Bake for 8-9 minutes, rotating the tray half-way through. Cookies should still be slightly soft in the center and puffy. They will firm-up and deflate as they cool. Cool for about five minutes and then remove from the cookie sheet and continue cooling on a rack.
*At this point, your unbaked cookie dough can be formed into logs, wrapped tightly in plastic or foil, and refrigerated or frozen for later use. If baking dough from frozen add an extra minute to the total oven time.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Daniela Swamp.
Sonoko Chicken Curry
YIELD 4-6 servings
TOTAL ACTIVE TIME 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Curry Brick
1 Tablespoon (7 g) Sonoko Curry Powder
3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons (27 g) all purpose flour
Curry
1 pound (454 g) chicken thigh with skin, cut into 3⁄4” or bite size
2 Tablespoons neutral oil, more if needed
1 (150 g) medium yellow or white onion, sliced thinly
1 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger, grated or microplaned
2 cloves garlic, grated or microplaned
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into 1⁄2 inch thick pieces
1 rib of celery, sliced into 1⁄2 inch thick pieces
1⁄2 medium red bell pepper, diced into 1⁄2 inch thick pieces
1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled or unpeeled, and diced into 1/2” (1 1⁄4 cm) pieces
4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt
3⁄4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake or white wine
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
PREPARATION
Curry Brick (prepare in advance; active time 10 min)
Melt butter over low heat in a small pan.
Add the flour, stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly golden in color.
Combine the curry powder and mix well.
Pour into a mold, (silicone mold or a heat resistant container) let it cool, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freezer for up to 4 months.
Curry (Active time 30 min)
Season the chicken pieces with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place a 6 qt (6 L) dutch oven over medium high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, add onion and saute until golden brown and wilted ( If you would like to deepen the flavor, you could take the onions to a caramelized state which takes about 20 min. You can also double the amount of onion.)
Push the onion to the edges of the pan, add 1 tbsp of oil and chicken, saute until opaque but still pink inside, about a minute or two.
Push the onion and chicken to the edges of the pan, then add 1 tablespoon of oil, grated ginger, and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add all the vegetables except potatoes, saute for another minute.
Add ¼ cup of the stock and scrape off any brown bits that may be stuck at the bottom of the pan then add the remainder of the stock and bring to boil over high heat.
Add the potatoes, then simmer for 5 minutes over low-medium heat.
Add the curry brick, stir to dissolve completely and add rest of the seasoning.
Simmer for another 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce is reduced to your desired thickness.
Serve with rice, garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes/Substitutions
If you like a robust curry flavor, you can double the amount of curry powder in your curry brick.
For the gluten-free flour option, I like to use Mochiko by Koda Farms. If you cannot find it at your local shop, you can substitute another sweet rice flour of the same amount. Using Mochiko will produce a thicker curry, while maintaining a light texture.
You can substitute butter with another fat like coconut oil or olive oil.
You can substitute chicken with other proteins like beef, pork, or seafood. If using thin sliced or ground meat, brown it first and take it out of the pot, then add them after the curry brick is melted so that the texture of the meat is more succulent.
For stock, you can use water but stock/broth is always more flavorful. If you use other proteins, you may want to match the stock with your choice of protein.
If you prefer a thicker curry, start with 3 cups of stock, if you like a thin, soup-like consistency, add up to 5 cups of stock. Keep in mind that changing the liquid amount will result in less or more servings and seasonings may need to be adjusted.
You can substitute or add more vegetables of your choice. Depending on the vegetables used, you may end up with more curry due to water content. I also suggest grilling, roasting, or frying some vegetables separately and adding them to your curry.
Vegetable suggestion: asparagus, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplants, jackfruit, kale/chard, lotus root, burdock, mushroom, okra, peas/edamame, pumpkin, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini, etc.
For the wine, you can substitute another liquor of your choice, like sake or vodka.
For the sweetener, you can substitute another sweetener such as brown sugar, agave, date paste/powder.
For rice vinegar, you can substitute with another vinegar of your choice, like apple cider vinegar.
For garnish, you can also use cilantro, chives, or other greens to brighten the dish.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Shiho Yoshikawa. Photographs © 2019 by Rick Poon.
Sonoko Tofu Curry (V, GF)
Vegan curry, with special veggie additions of eggplant, okra, and lotus root.
YIELD 4-6 servings
TOTAL ACTIVE TIME 42 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Curry Brick
1 Tablespoon (7 g) Sonoko Curry Powder
3 Tablespoons (42 g) coconut oil
3 Tablespoons (30 g) Mochiko (Sweet rice flour)
Curry
14 ounces (396 g) firm tofu, drained and cut into 3⁄4” or bite size
2 Tablespoons neutral oil, more if needed
1 (150 g) medium yellow or white onion, sliced thinly
1 1⁄2 teaspoon (10 g) ginger, grated or microplaned
2 cloves garlic, grated or microplaned
1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced into 1⁄2 inch thick pieces
1 rib of celery, sliced into 1⁄2” thick pieces
1⁄2 medium red bell pepper, diced into
1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled or unpeeled, and diced into 1/2” (1 1⁄4 cm) pieces
4 cups (1 liter) vegetable stock
2 teaspoons salt
3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon sake or white wine
2 teaspoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
PREPARATION
Curry Brick (prepare in advance; active time 12 min)
Melt oil over low heat in a small pan.
Add Mochiko flour, stir constantly and cook for 7 min until beginning to light brown color with a slightly toasty aroma.
Remove from heat, let it cook continuously stirring for 2 minutes. It will cool down a bit and the color will deepen slightly.
Stir in curry powder and mix well.
Pour into a mold (silicon ice mold or any heat resistant container) let it cool, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freezer for up to 4 months.
Curry (Active time 30 min)
Optional, Press tofu: wrap paper towel around the tofu, place on a flat surface, cover with another flat surface such a small cutting board, then add about 2 lbs (1 kg) of weight on top. Allow to press and drain for 20-30 minutes.
Place a 6 qt (6 L) dutch oven over medium high heat. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil, add onion and saute until golden brown and wilted (If you prefer to deepen the flavor, you could take the onions to a caramelized state which takes about 20 minutes. You can also double the amount of onion.)
Push the onion to the edges of the pan, then in the open area of the pan, add 1 tablespoon of oil, grated ginger, and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add all the vegetables except potatoes and saute for another minute.
Add ¼ cup stock and scrape off any brown bits that may be stuck at the bottom of the pan, then add the rest of the stock and bring to boil over high heat.
Add the potatoes and simmer for 5 minutes over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, cut pressed tofu into ¾” cubes, wipe off any excess moisture. If you prefer crispy tofu, do the following: Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry all sides (or at least top and bottom) until golden brown.
Add the curry brick, and stir to dissolve completely. Then, add the remaining seasoning and the diced tofu to the pot.
Simmer for another 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked.
Serve with rice, garnish with parsley.
Notes/Substitutions
For a stronger curry, double the amount of curry powder in your curry brick.
For the gluten free option, I like to use Mochiko by Koda Farms. If you cannot find it at your local shop, you can substitute finely ground sweet rice flour. You can also substitute the same amount with your gluten free flour mix.
You can substitute coconut oil with another fat like vegan butter, vegan ghee, or olive oil.
For the stock, you can use water but stock/broth is always more flavorful. Kombu and mushroom dashi is an excellent option.
If you prefer a thicker curry, start with 3 cups of stock, if you like a thin, soupy consistency, add up to 6 cups of stock. Keep in mind that changing the liquid amount will result in less or more servings and flavor may need to be adjusted.
You can substitute or add more vegetables of your choice. Depending on the vegetables, you may end up with more curry due to water content. I also suggest grilling, roasting, or frying some vegetables separately and adding them to your curry.
Vegetable suggestions: asparagus, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, eggplants, jackfruit, kale/chard, lotus roots, mushroom, okra, peas/edamame, pumpkin, sweet potato, tomato, zucchini, etc.
For wine, you can substitute with other liquor of your choice, like sake or vodka
For sweetener, you can substitute with other sweeteners such as brown sugar, agave, or date paste/powder.
For rice vinegar, you can substitute with another vinegar of your choice, like apple cider vinegar.
For garnish, you can also use cilantro, chives, or other greens to brighten your dish.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Shiho Yoshikawa.
Sonoko Original Curry Brick
Three stages of curry brick: whole spices, curry powder, and the final brick
Most Japanese cooks rely on prepared curry bricks to make curry. These are basically blocks of seasoned roux—the shape of a chocolate bar—made of spices (including turmeric, coriander, cumin, and fennel), flour, and butter that can be dissolved in water to make an instant curry sauce. To make a Sonoko Curry Brick, you can purchase Sonoko Curry Powder for pre-toasted and pre-ground spices, or purchase the Quick Curry Brick Kit for a bigger batch that you can toast and grind in your own kitchen! My brick is on the mild side, so if you like it spicier, add a pinch of extra cayenne pepper.
YIELD 4 servings of Sonoko Curry
ACTIVE TIME 12 minutes
EQUIPMENT
Small pan
Silicone ice tray or other small heat resistant container
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon (7 g) Sonoko Curry Powder
3 Tablespoons (42 g) unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons (27 g) all purpose flour
PREPARATION
Melt butter over low heat in a small pan.
Add the flour, stir occasionally and cook for 7 minutes until lightly golden in color.
Combine the curry powder and mix well.
Pour into a mold, (silicone ice tray or a heat resistant container) let it cool, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freezer for up to 4 months.
To use, pop the brick out of the mold and use it to make curry dishes such as Sonoko Chicken Curry and Sonoko Tofu Curry.
For a Vegan, Gluten-Free Curry Brick, click here!
Recipe developed in collaboration with Shiho Yoshikawa. Photographs © 2019 by Rick Poon.
Sonoko Vegan and Gluten-Free Curry Brick
Three stages of curry brick: whole spices, curry powder, and the final brick
After developing my recipe for the Classic Curry Brick, I had many students asking for a way to satisfy their curry craving while adhering to a Vegan or Gluten-Free diet. The coconut oil and Mochiko rice flour work excellently to replace the butter and all-purpose flour in my Original Curry Brick recipe both in flavor as well as texture. To make a Sonoko Curry Brick, you can purchase Sonoko Curry Powder for pre-toasted and pre-ground spices, or purchase the Quick Curry Brick Kit for a bigger batch that you can toast and grind in your own kitchen!
YIELD 4 servings of Sonoko Curry
ACTIVE TIME 12 minutes
EQUIPMENT
Small pan
Silicone ice tray or other small heat resistant container
INGREDIENTS
1 Tablespoon (7 g) Sonoko Curry Powder
3 Tablespoons (42 g) coconut oil
3 Tablespoons (30 g) Mochiko (sweet rice flour)
PREPARATION
Melt coconut oil over low heat in a small pan.
Add the rice flour, stir occasionally, and cook for 7 minutes until lightly golden in color.
Combine with the curry powder and mix well.
Pour into a mold, (silicone ice tray or a heat resistant container) let it cool, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month or freezer for up to 4 months.
To use, pop the brick out of the mold and use it to make curry dishes such as Sonoko Chicken Curry and Sonoko Tofu Curry.
Recipe developed in collaboration with Shiho Yoshikawa. Photographs © 2019 by Rick Poon.