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.
Five Dal Masala
YIELD 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
Lentils
1 cup Five Dal Mix or Panchratna Dal Mix (available in local Indian markets or online here)
½ small white or yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Tempering
2 tablespoons neutral oil (or a mix of pure Ghee and oil)
½ teaspoon whole black mustard seed
½ teaspoon whole cumin seed
1 dried red chili
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 teaspoon or more Sonoko Curry Powder (see notes)
2 small fresh tomatoes, cut into 1 inch dice
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro, roughly chopped
PREPARATION
Lentils:
Place 4 cups of water in a large saucepan. Rinse the dal in a bowl or strainer until the water is clear and add it to the pot with the water. Add the chopped onions and ginger and bring to a boil.
Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the dal is a soft mushy consistency, about 30-45 minutes. If you have a pressure cooker, cook for 6 minutes or in an Instant Pot according to directions.
Tempering:
Heat the oil and/or ghee in a large wok or dutch oven on medium high heat. Be sure your cooking vessel is large enough to hold the dal.
When the oil is hot, add the black mustard seeds, the whole cumin seed, and the dried red chili. Wait for the Mustard Seed to swell and begin to pop. Note: The Red Chili is there to add a mild smoky flavor and is not for eating)
Add the sliced garlic and stir until it just begins to brown, but don’t let it get too brown or it will become bitter.
Add Sonoko Curry Powder and stir for about 1 minute, until the raw smell is gone.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir quickly. You want to coat the tomatoes, but you do not want the pieces to break down into a paste.
Now add all the cooked Dal to the wok and add salt to taste.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve.
Notes/Substitutions
For a spicier curry, use an additional teaspoon of Sonoko Curry Powder
Tempering: In Indian cooking “tempering” is sometimes called for. It is this step that defines and differentiates the final dish. Tempering adjusts the harmony of the spices based on the ingredients in the recipe
Recipe developed by Meena Pennington.