Curried Coconut Borscht

Yesterday, I had a large amount of beets and cabbage in my fridge that needed to be eaten, and was in the mood for some soup!  So of course the first thing that came to mind was borscht, but I was not in the mood for the typical flavors of borscht.  Something more exotic however sounded good!  What I really wanted was some really good Indian curry with tofu.  So I decided to make a hybrid of the curried tofu I normally make with borscht!  Of course all of the usual borscht suspects were involved...beets, cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. 

But instead of the usual red onions I would normally use, I used shallots and scallions.  I also added some jalapeno and ginger for a kick, some mild curry, tumeric, and a good amount of garlic!  I made the soup silky with coconut milk, and added lime and cilantro to finish it off.  But not to forget the tofu, which I crisped up in the oven before adding it to the soup!  It was delicious!  Very warming, and all of the good qualities of both dishes!  It was as well beautiful due to the beets, and their ability to dye anything deep magenta!  For some reason spring makes me think of borscht, and this was the perfect warming dish for a cool spring day!  Here is the recipe if you would like to try some!

Curried Coconut Borscht with Tofu 

Serves 3

1 10 oz block firm tofu, diced

coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 large shallot, sliced

1 bunch scallions, sliced
2 cups red beets, cut into large dice

2 cups carrots, sliced on the diagonal

4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 1/2 Tbsp mild curry powder
1 tsp tumeric
2 cups potatoes, diced, or sliced if very small
2 cups red cabbage, chopped
1 15 oz can lite coconut milk
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
1 Tbsp agave nectar
juice of one large lime
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp arrowroot, dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil, and toss tofu with just enough coconut oil to coat.  Place on baking sheet, and bake until starting to brown at edges.  Remove from oven.  Meanwhile, Add coconut oil to a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add scallions, shallot, beets, carrots, and saute until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, jalapeno, ginger, curry powder, tumeric, and saute until spices are fragrant, about 2 minute.  Add potatoes, cabbage, coconut milk, stock, sea salt, and agave nectar, and bring to a boil.  Lower to a simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add tofu, lime juice, cilantro, and arrowroot, and cook until soup thickens slightly.  Taste and add more salt if necessary.  Serve hot!