By Emily Weinstein, The New York Times
We’re in the quiet lull between Thanksgiving and Holiday Party Season, that lone week in early December when you can have a bowl of soup for dinner, affix yourself to the couch and then get a good night’s sleep.
Because of this, I’m giving you one of the best soups I’ve come across in some time, a plush red lentil soup made with coconut milk and curry powder. It’s light enough to let you feel as if you’re taking a break from the giant meals, but substantial enough to be a real dinner. That recipe, plus four other options that called out to me this week, are below.
1. Curried Coconut and Red Lentil Soup
In this quick-cooking and restorative soup, the key to building flavor fast is curry powder. While the spice blends vary from brand to brand, most include at least coriander, cumin, turmeric, fenugreek and black pepper. Madras curry powder, used here, is a spicier variant featuring chile powder. In the time it takes for the vegetables and aromatics to soften, the red lentils cook through, creating a creamy, velvety texture when the soup is blended. The optional addition of coconut water reinforces the flavor of the coconut milk and balances the aromatic savoriness with a hint of sweetness. The extra hydration this soup provides is especially welcome during Ramadan.
By Zaynab Issa
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled or rinsed, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon curry powder, such as Madras
- 4 cups vegetable broth (see Tips)
- 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed well (see Tips)
- 1 cup coconut water (optional)
- Chile crisp, for serving
- Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Preparation
1. Heat a large pot over high heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, garlic and ginger. Season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are charred in spots and onion begins to soften, about 6 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste and curry powder and stir quickly to coat the vegetables and toast the spices, about 30 seconds. Add broth, coconut milk and lentils and stir to combine. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-high to maintain a gentle boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer to a blender. Remove the plastic center piece of the lid and cover the lid with a kitchen towel before blending (to help prevent steam build-up in the blender). Return blended soup to pot.
4. Add 1 cup coconut water or plain water and stir to combine. Adjust to your desired consistency with up to 1 cup of additional water, stirring it in 1/4 cup at a time.
5. Serve with a drizzle of chile crisp and a squeeze of lime. Soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove until warmed through. Adjust consistency with water as needed.
Tips
Chicken or beef broth can be substituted for vegetable broth.
If using split red lentils, begin checking for doneness after 15 minutes of simmering and start with 1/2 cup coconut water or plain water to thin.
2. Laab Noodle Salad
This lively salad is inspired by laab, a Thai minced meat salad seasoned with fish sauce and served with fresh lettuce leaves and rice. Here, a caramelized ground-beef topping is layered over crisp veggies and cool rice noodles, all drizzled with a tart and spicy vinaigrette. Green beans are nicely charred first in a hot skillet, adding lovely smoky notes to the garlicky beef mixture. Fresh cilantro (or basil) ties the salad together with bright citrusy bites. Leftovers make a terrific filling for fresh summer rolls the next day.
By Kay Chun
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 bird’s-eye chile, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 7 tablespoons safflower or sunflower oil, divided
- Salt and pepper
- 6 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 12 ounces romaine lettuce, chopped (8 cups)
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved (1 cup)
- 1 small yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
Preparation
1. In a medium bowl, combine noodles with enough boiling water to cover by 1 inch. Let stand until softened, about 3 minutes. Rinse under cold water until cool, then drain. Snip with scissors a few times so the long noodles are more manageable.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, chile, 1/4 teaspoon of the garlic, 5 tablespoons of the oil and 1 tablespoon of water. Season with salt and pepper and whisk well.
3. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high. Add green beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just a few times to allow the beans to char, until crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and beef to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, until beef is caramelized in spots, 5 minutes. Add the remaining garlic and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the charred green beans, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
5. Spread rice noodles on a large serving platter and drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the dressing. Arrange lettuce, tomatoes and bell pepper in an even layer over the noodles and drizzle over 3 tablespoons of the dressing.
6. Top with the beef mixture in an even layer and sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side for drizzling.
3. Garlicky Chicken With Lemon-Anchovy Sauce
There’s nothing wrong with a dinner of pan-seared chicken seasoned with salt and pepper. But there’s everything right about the same chicken when you add anchovies, capers, garlic and plenty of lemon to the pan. What was once timid and a little dull turns vibrant, tangy and impossible to stop eating. And the only real extra work is chopping the garlic and a little parsley for garnish. In this dish, the cut of chicken is less important than the pungent pan sauce. Most people will probably want to use the workhorse of all poultry dinners, the boneless, skinless breasts. But the thighs cook nearly as quickly, and have a greater margin of error in terms of doneness. Overcook your breasts by even a minute, and you’ll get dry, tough meat. Thighs are more forgiving. However, if your family insists on white meat, you can substitute breasts and subtract about 3 minutes from the cooking time. There is no need to mention the anchovies until after people have complimented you on the meal.
By Melissa Clark
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes:
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 to 5 thighs)
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 anchovy fillets
- 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry
- 1 large pinch chile flakes
- 1 lemon, halved
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving
Preparation
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and let rest while you prepare the anchovy-garlic oil. Mince one of the garlic cloves and set it aside for later. In a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the 5 smashed whole garlic cloves, the anchovies, capers and chile. Let cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies, until the garlic browns around the edges and the anchovies dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken thighs and cook until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the thighs, place the pan in the oven and cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
3. When chicken is done, transfer thighs to a plate (be careful, as the pan handle will be hot). Place skillet back on the heat and add minced garlic and the juice of one lemon half. Cook for about 30 seconds, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Return chicken to the pan and cook it in the sauce for another 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Transfer everything to a serving platter. Squeeze the remaining lemon half over the chicken and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve.
4. Crispy Tofu With Cashews and Blistered Snap Peas
A ginger and coconut milk reduction can coat pretty much anything that browns nicely on its own. Here, it’s pieces of pan-seared tofu, but small morsels of chicken and pork will work just as well. The soy and the teaspoons of molasses give the sauce a little caramelization, and a little shine and gloss. For a fresh side, add some blistered snap peas, tossed with sliced scallions, a little mint and a splash of rice vinegar. Snow peas, green beans, broccoli or asparagus? If it’s fresh and green, it’ll work just fine.
By Yewande Komolafe
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed, vegetable or canola, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 3/4 pound snap peas, trimmed
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated (about 2 tablespoons)
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 (13-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (light or full-fat)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons molasses, dark brown sugar or honey
- 1/2 cup toasted cashews
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, torn if large
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes (optional)
- Rice or any steamed grain, for serving
Preparation
1. Slice the tofu in half horizontally, and leave on paper towels to dry any excess liquid.
2. In a medium skillet or cast-iron pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high until it shimmers. Season both sides of the tofu with salt and black pepper, place in the pan and sear without moving until tofu is browned and golden on both sides, turning once halfway through, about 8 minutes total. Move the tofu to a plate.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, and add the snap peas. Cook, stirring occasionally, until blistered and just tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and move to a bowl.
4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, add the ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the coconut milk, soy sauce and molasses. Simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce reduces and its color deepens to a dark brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should coat a spoon without running right off. Stir in the cashews, break the tofu into 1-inch pieces and toss in the pan to coat with sauce. Remove from heat, and taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
5. Toss the snap peas with the rice vinegar, scallions, mint and red-pepper flakes, if using. Divide among plates, along with the tofu and cashews. Serve with rice or any steamed grain.
5. Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil
Here is a simple recipe for salmon prepared en papillote (a fancy name for “in paper,” though like most everyone else these days, you will use aluminum foil). Layer salmon, tomato and basil on lightly oiled foil and wrap it all up — you can even do it a night before cooking. When the time for dinner comes, you can steam, grill, roast or pan-grill the packages — though our testing shows roasting is easiest. You can substitute almost anything comparable for each of the ingredients: salmon can be replaced by any fish steak or fillet, or by boneless, skinless chicken breast. The herb and vegetable can also be varied at will, as long as the vegetable will finish cooking at the same time as the protein: if you were cooking broccoli, for example, you would have to cut it into small pieces; if carrots, you’d have to parboil them.
By Mark Bittman
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds salmon fillet, cut crosswise (4 pieces)
- 12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- Salt and pepper
- 16 basil leaves
Preparation
1. For each of 4 packages, place one 12-inch-long sheet of aluminum foil on top of another. Smear top sheet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, and layer a fillet of salmon, 6 tomato halves, salt and pepper, 4 basil leaves and another half tablespoon oil. Seal package by folding foil onto itself and crimping edges tightly. Repeat to make other packages, and refrigerate until ready to cook, no more than 24 hours later.
2. When you are ready to cook, heat oven to 500 degrees. Place packages in a roasting pan. (Or they can be cooked on top of the stove in 2 skillets over medium-high heat.) Cook 5 minutes (for medium-rare) to 8 minutes from the time the mixture starts to sizzle, or roughly 10 to 12 minutes total.
3. Let packages rest a minute, and cut a slit along the top with a knife. Use a knife and fork to open the package. Spoon the salmon, garnish and juices onto a plate, and serve.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.