Savoury This is an epitome of detox January recipes – warm, fulfilling, nourishing, bursting with flavour that warms the soul from inside. What I love about this ridiculously easy curry (or soup), is the burst of wholesome good flavours that you can tell with the first few sips, you know it’s doing good to you.This curry has a very different way of cooking – firstly, it’s started in coconut oil, with whole spices and a fresh simple paste. This curry is a balance between raw and cooked – you want a bite and the rawness, yet, you want heat and warmth. This is all there, right here! I use the stalks of the coriander leaves to add more flavour and the whole thing is sort of simmered for a deep delicious aroma-worthy curry. You can add any vegetables you like, just bear in mind not to over cook. Let each bite have a bite! I serve this with quinoa, but you can go for wild rice, plain rice, basmati, sticky rice, cooked millet or have as a soup for a carb-free version! The Recipe Serves Ingredients 200 ml coconut milk 200 ml water 1 tsp coconut oil ½ tsp whole cumin ½ tsp whole coriander seeds 1 tsp salt 7-8 stalks of coriander leaves few slices of fresh galangal or ginger 1 tsp lime zest 2-4 stalks of dried lemongrass (amazon link 4 dried kaffir lime leaves (amazon link 1 green chili, sliced lengthwise and deseeded broccoli florets eggplant slices carrots, sliced coriander leaves to garnish sliced spring onions, to granish toasted sesame oil Paste: 1 tsp ginger, grated 1 clove of garlic 3 bulbs of spring onion (only white part) Cooked quinoa, to serve Instructions First make the paste with ginger, garlic and white part of the spring onions In a large pot, on low heat, add the coconut oil and the cumin and coriander seeds After they start to become fragrant and cumin sizzles, add the paste and vegetables and cook lightly, stirring regularly for a minute or so Then add the coconut milk, water, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, coriander stalks ginger slices, and green chili Let the curry simmer, cooking gently and stirring occasionally for 10 more minutes Remove from heat and serve with garnish of spring onions, coriander leaves and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil

Savoury Going to the markets is one of my most favourite past-times in the world and I can do it at anytime of the day, no matter what the weather. This time I went into my favourite vegetable vendor’s store and chanced upon juicy bits of fresh galangal stacked on a basket – a rare sighting in my city. The beauty of this gorgeous root is the delightful flavor it imparts with just a little pinch. Of course, it’s a base for Thai curries, but I was looking for something less laborious and less heavy. I do love coconut milk, but for quick lunch, the Thai curry tends to slow me down back at work – and as most of you know, I simply cannot afford that! In this Thai version, I allow the galangal to shine with a simple sauce of soya and chili flakes – I don’t even add garlic! I toss a lot of vegetables and tofu in this light marinade and stuff into these tortillas to make an easy wrap. You can wrap up the rest of the galangal with cling film and store in the fridge for upto 3-4 days.     The Recipe Serves 2 Ingredients 2 Tortillas 4 Slices Galangal 1/2 cup Spinach 100g Sliced Mushrooms 7-8 Sliced Red Pepper 6-7 Tofu Slices 2 Chopped Spring Onions 1 tbsp Soya Sauce 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1 tsp Vegetable Oil 1/2 tsp Salt Instructions Place a non-stick pan on low heat and add the oil and galangal and start to cook. Then add the white parts of the spring onion and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes on high heat. Then add the salt, chili flakes, followed by the spinach and red peppers. Sauté for a few minutes. Then add the tofu and soya sauce and cook until all is cooked through. Warm the tortilla on a hot pan and place the filling in the centre. Fasten the wrap on all sides and grill again on hot pan for a few minutes on each side. Slice into two and serve immediately.