Curried red lentil soup

Trying to increase my legume intake and I am finding that you can eat a smaller amount of calories yet be so full. 

I have not been able to eat much of it because it's so filling, so good for managing your appetite:)
I think lentils are quite underutilised which is a shame as lentils are high fibre, packed with nutrients and dirt cheap and that's why I am loving them! Anyone else??

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup of dried red lentils

1 brown onion, finely chopped

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 carrots, small dice

3 stalk celery, diced

3 bay leaves

1 x 400g can tomatoes

Enough chicken of vegetable stock to add to the tomatoes to make 1200ml liquid altogether. You can also use come coconut milk as some of the liquid.

This amount of liquid will yield a very thick casserole style soup, you can adjust the consistency when it’s cooked. I added about 200 ml of extra liquid at the end.

For the curry bit this is pretty flexible you can use any Thai or Indian style paste or I used a mild curry powder. Use as much or as little as you like anywhere from 1-2 tbsp, up to you! Just add a little, taste and add more as needed.

Method

In a large pot heat some olive oil and fry off your onion, garlic, celery, and carrot for 1-2 minutes until softened. Then add your curry powder/paste and fry a further few seconds until it smells good! Then add stock, tomatoes, bay leaves and lentils. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes covered. Check soup and make sure everything is tender. Season with salt and pepper. If you like you can blend this soup.

For the bread, using small wholemeal pita breads, brush over some garlic butter/olive oil and sprinkle with either pizza cheese or grated parmesan cheese and bake in a hot oven for 4-5 minutes.

Tandoori fish curry

Ingredients

4 fillets of fish

2 tsp each of finely chopped fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric (optional chilli)

1 x 270ml of coconut milk

1 tbsp of tandoori spice mix

Method

In a large pan or wok, heat a little oil on a medium heat and fry off your garlic, ginger and turmeric (optional chilli) Cook for 30 seconds and then add your spice mix and cook for a few seconds more until fragrant. Should smell pretty good right now!

Then add you fish and push down, add a little water if it is too thick. Simmer for 5-8 minutes, this will depend on the thickness of your fish. It should flake easily when done.

Serve with brown rice or basmati rice. I also had with steamed cauliflower, broccoli and green beans.

Tandoori spice rub

Makes 1/3 cup

Use this for beef, lamb or prawns

Ingredients

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons white pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne or chilli powder

Method

Mix together and store in an airtight container.

Thai red fish curry

Ingredients

1.5 tsp coriander seeds/ 1 tsp cumin seeds, dry fry in a pan to toast

1.5 tbsp ginger or galangal

1 tbsp fresh turmeric

4-5 cloves of garlic

¼ tsp white pepper

5 lime leaves or the zest of one lime, you can get lime leaves in the herb section at the supermarket

1 stem lemongrass, white part only, you can get this in the herb section at the supermarket

1-2 tsp shrimp paste, dry toasted a little in a pan until fragrant

1 red capsicum, if you do chilli you can use some red chilli in there too. You can also use green or yellow capsicum.

Method

Blend up everything to make a smooth paste. Add a little oil if you need to.

On a low heat, large pan fry off your paste until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

Add 1x 270ml can coconut cream. Add ¾ pack of Thai basil leaves (you can get these at the supermarket)

Reduce for a few minutes until nice and thick. Place 500-700g white fish. Simmer until the fish flakes easily- this is about 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. You can also use salmon or prawns. Now to balance the flavours by adding some fish sauce, some palm or coconut sugar and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice.

If you want to use chicken thighs or beef you can do that too, you will need to adjust the time as chicken will take longer, add more water or coconut cream if you need it beef strips would be quick though. This would make a great slow cooker dish, just cook off the paste, add the coconut cream and water and put the meat and curry in the slow cooker for the day.

I have served with a turmeric and lemon rice plus stirfry veg of carrot, capsicum, green beans and asian veg. For the garnish in a small pot put some oil in the bottom, when hot throw in the rest of your thai basil leaves and some sliced chilli. They will sizzle. After 1 minute take out and set aside, your basil will be crispy.

Thai style red curry with salmon and vegetables

Serves 4

It is great making your own curry paste as you control the heat. You can use your favorite vegetable for this. You can use beef, chicken prawns in place of the salmon.

Ingredients

Curry Paste

1 tbsp ginger, peeled

5 garlic cloves, peeled

¾ tbsp shrimp paste

5 coriander roots. When I buy a bunch of coriander I cut off the roots and leave about 4cm then keep them in the freezer for your curries

½ brown onion

½ red capsicum, you could use any color, if will just affect the color of your curry.

1 tbsp fish sauce

1tsp palm sugar

½-1 red chilli (optional)

1 tbsp coconut oil

Method for paste

Blend in food processor until very smooth. Add a little more oil if you need to.

Ingredients for curry

6-7 lime leaves or 1 tbsp lime juice

270ml can of ayam coconut milk

300 g salmon, take the skin off to make crispy salmon skin. 2 cm dice

2 carrots, peeled, sliced thinly

1 zucchini, sliced thinly

1 finger eggplant, sliced thinly

2 small heads of broccoli, separated into small florets

2 small bunches of bok choy, washed and end root sliced off

Method

In a wok heat 1 tbsp coconut oil and cook the paste on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the carrot and stir fry in the paste for 1 minute then add the zucchini, eggplant and broccoli.  Add the coconut milk and lime leave/lime juice and simmer the veg in the sauce for 5 minutes until the veg is cooked to your liking. Add some water if it is looking too thick. Then add you salmon and cook for 1 minute, then add you bok choy and cook another 1 minute. You don’t want the salmon cooked all the way through as it will finish cooking on your plate. If you want crispy salmon skin sprinkle some salt on the skin and cook in a pan in the little oil for 3-4 minutes. You can serve with rice, chilli, lime wedge and coriander.