Anything-You-Have Curry Soup

This versatile recipe is from Pinch of Yum. The recipe below is as it is written on the site, but you can change it up based on what you have on hand. Use another root vegetable or even eggplant instead of potatoes, for example. Suggestions for topping include green onions, cilantro, basil, red or green cabbage, asparagus, baby kale, carrots, zucchini shreds, bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, snap peas, and bean sprouts. I added some quick-pickled red onions and avocado. Honestly, it’s like halfway between a soup and a salad, and it’s great!

1 Tbsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 knob of ginger, peeled and grated
1–2 Tbsp. red curry paste
1–2 Tbsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
12 baby yukon potatoes
2 14-oz cans coconut milk (light is fine)
3 cups vegetable broth
24 oz extra-firm tofu
anything you have for fresh veggie toppings! (see above)

Press the tofu to get a maximum of moisture out of it.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and stir fry for a few minutes until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic burn or brown. Add the curry paste, turmeric, salt, and sugar. Stir fry for another few minutes. Add the potatoes, coconut milk, and broth. Simmer until the potatoes are soft.

Allow to cool slightly (I can never wait very long…), then transfer to a blender and purée until smooth and silky. The soup should be rich and thick so that it coats the back of a spoon. Add in more water or broth to thin out the soup as needed.

Pat the tofu dry and cut it into cubes. In the same pot, heat a little more oil and add the tofu, stir frying until light golden brown. Pour in a small amount of the puréed soup – it will sizzle and pop, and it will also give the tofu the most wonderful color and caramelized exterior. Remove from heat with the tofu is deep golden brown and crispy.

To serve, top each serving of soup with fresh veggie toppings and crispy caramelized tofu and enjoy your luscious salad-meets-soup combo.