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In a large pot, bring 6 cups water to a slow boil over medium heat. Add the miso and gently stir until dissolved. Keep warm over low heat.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat until it is hot enough to sizzle and evaporate a drop of water. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until it is hot enough to sizzle a slice of mushroom. Add the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon of the curry powder and cook, stirring, ad justing the heat to maintain a steady sizzle, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the mush rooms to the soup.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of tofu. Add the tofu to the hot oil. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon curry powder and cook, turning with a spatula, until browned on at least two sides, about 2 minutes per side. As the tofu browns, add it to the soup.

Add the spinach, rice and tamari to the soup and heat through. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with the scallions.

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Make a Meal

Serve with Crisp-Cooked Savoy Cabbage with Asian Flavors ([>]) and Broccoli and Red Onion Stir-Fry with Tamari Walnuts ([>]).

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CURRIED COCONUT-SQUASH SOUP WITH PEANUTS Vegan

Rich and creamy canned coconut milk and convenient blocks of frozen pureed winter squash make a luscious soup spiked with curry powder, fresh ginger and cayenne. Chopped peanuts add a welcome crunch to every steaming spoonful.

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon Madras curry powder

2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen pureed winter squash, thawed

2 cans (13.5 ounces each) regular or light coconut milk

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

Coarse salt

⅛ teaspoon cayenne

¼ cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons thin-sliced scallions (white and green parts)

1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper

½ cup dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Sprinkle the curry powder in a soup pot and heat, stirring, over low heat for 1 minute. Add the squash, coconut milk, ginger, tamari, ½ teaspoon salt and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, stirring, over medium heat. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the lime juice, scallions and jalapeño. Taste and correct the seasonings with more lime juice and salt, if needed.

Crush the peanuts with a mortar and pestle or finely chop. Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkling of peanuts and cilantro.

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Make a Meal

Serve with crostini with Beet and Tahini Puree ([>]) and a side dish of Green and Yellow Wax Beans with Almond Pesto ([>]) and Toasted Flatbread (Naan) with Goat Cheese, Sautéed Greens and Crispy Shallots ([>]; omit the fried shallots, if you like).

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VEGETABLE, BLACK-EYED PEA AND ORZO SOUP Vegan (omit the cheese topping)

Think of this as a version of minestrone, with frozen black-eyed peas, orzo, Kalamata olives, dried oregano and lemon zest giving it a Greek twist. To extend the theme, top each steaming bowl of soup with crumbled feta. If you don't have the precooked vegetables from the broth on hand, follow the "from scratch" recipe.

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 to 6

6 cups Easy Basic Vegetable Broth ([>])

2 cups frozen black-eyed peas

¼ cup orzo

2 cups cooked vegetables from Easy Basic Vegetable Broth

¼ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

½–¾ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Bring the broth to a boil in a soup pot. Add the black-eyed peas and the orzo and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the orzo and peas are both soft to the bite, about 20 minutes.

Add the cooked vegetables, olives, oregano and lemon zest and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle the warm soup into bowls and sprinkle each with about 2 tablespoons crumbled feta, if using.

Variation

"From-Scratch" Vegetable,