One great thing about the Food Matters project is that it leads me on rocky culinary paths.

Take this week’s recipe, curried tomato soup with hard-boiled eggs. Curry + tomato + soup + eggs? Sounds good, inventive, dangerous.

I look down the list of ingredients.

Ginger? Yum! Cumin? Yum! Cilantro? Yum!

Carrots? Yawn! Potatoes? Yawn! Cauliflower? Yawn!

So I’m half turned on, half turned off. Where do I go from here?

Bittman says his recipe is inspired by makhani, an Indian sauce or something. Never heard of it.

I start researching makhani on google. According to wikipedia, makhani actually means “with butter”. Crap! I don’t do butter.

I keep on reading : chicken markhani, paneer makhani, dal makhani… lentils? Yum! Lots of recipes also include almonds or cashews. Nuts? Yum! That makhani thing is turning me on, let’s keep going.

What do I like the best about indian food? Pakoras, samosas, biryanis, chana masala, raita, mango chutney, mango lassi and … Aarti Sequeira. That gal is inspired and inspiring. And she made me discover amchur, a dehydrated green mango powder that is both fruity and sour. Yum!

Down the rocky road I go, like Dorothy on her way to meet the wizard.

I got my list of ingredients carefully written down in that brain of mine. Let’s get cooking and see how it turns out.

Don’t let this dreadful picture scare you off : the soup turns out smooth and silky and filling with just the right tang. Yum!

I guess it’s obvious by now that the rockiest part of the road, for me, is food styling. Lord knows why I take out my family’s old kitchenware and placemats for this photoshoot…

For the original recipe, read Joanne’s post, from Eats well with others. For better looking pix, check out everybody’s take on the recipe.

makhani inspired soup (print)

recipe inspired by the food matters cookbook

(6 servings)

1 box (900 ml) vegetable broth

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 big ginger piece, finely sliced

2 tablespoons oil

1 onion, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon amchur

1/2 teaspoon paprika

salt

pepper

red peppers flakes, to taste

1 796 ml (28 oz) can italian tomatoes

1/8 cup lentils

1/8 cup basmati rice

1 tablespoon cashew butter

1 teaspoon honey

6 eggs

cilantro and lime slices, for garnish

In a pot, bring the broth, coconut milk and sliced ginger to a simmer. Infuse the milky broth with ginger for about 30 minutes.

In another pot, sauté the onion in the oil over medium-low heat until it becomes translucid. Add the spices and let them cook for 30 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes.

Remove the ginger from the broth and add the broth to the second pot. Add the lentils, basmati rice, cashew butter and honey. Let it simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the rice and lentils are cooked. Puree the soup with a hand blender. Serve with chopped half-boiled eggs, cilantro and a slice of lime.

nutrition facts : 259 calories; 16,8 g fat; 3.8 g dietary fibers; 7 g sugars; 12.5 g protein

soupe à la makhani (imprimer)

recette inspirée par mark bittman

1 boîte (900 ml) de bouillon de légumes

1/2 tasse de lait de coco

1 gros morceau de gingembre, tranché finement

2 c. à soupe d’huile

1 oignon, haché

1 c. à thé de cumin

1 c. à thé de poudre d’amchur

1/2 c. à thé de paprika

flocons de piments broyés, au goût

1 boîte de 796 ml (28 oz) de tomates italiennes

1/8 tasse de lentilles

1/8 tasse de riz basmati

1 c. à soupe de beurre de noix de cajou

1 c. à thé de miel

6 oeufs

coriandre fraîche et quartiers de lime pour servir

Dans une casserole, laisser mijoter le bouillon, le lait de coco et le gingembre pendant environ 30 minutes.

Dans une autre casserole, faire revenir les oignons dans l’huile à feu moyen-doux jusqu’à ce qu’ils deviennent translucides. Ajouter les épices et laisser cuire de 30 à 60 secondes. Ajouter les tomates.

Retirer le gingembre du mélange de bouillon et de lait de coco et ajouter le liquide à la deuxième casserole. Ajouter les lentilles, le riz basmati, le beurre de noix de cajou et le miel. Laisser mijoter de 30 à 45 minutes, jusqu’à ce que le riz et les lentilles soient cuits. Réduire la soupe en purée avec un mélangeur à main. Servir avec des œufs semi-cuits hachés, de la coriandre fraîche et des quartiers de lime.

valeur nutritive : 259 calories; 16,8 g de lipides; 3,8 g de fibres; 7 g de sucres; 12,5 g de protéines