Curry Ginger Freekeh Soup

She's super freekeh!

Ready for a shocking, never-before-revealed, uhhhh…revelation? I love my neighborhood. I’ve been in Cincinnati’s Over-The-Rhine neighborhood for seven years now, and in that time it’s gone from something of a food desert to a veritable smorgasbord, to quote Templeton the Rat. Within a few blocks I can get basically any food I want; and if I can’t, I can get it delivered. As the food part of life (which, let’s face it, is most of the important stuff) has become easier and easier, I’ve become busier and busier, leading me to rely on these delicious and convenient options more often than I’d care to admit. I love cooking, I love trying new things, and I’ve let other priorities take up the time required to cook.

Enter the recent trend of shipped-to-your-door ready-to-cook ingredients. I don’t like to admit it, but I’ve tried several of these meal-in-a-box services here and there over the past year, with varying results. It’s not the cheapest, and it’s not the most eco-friendly (recycling instructions aside), but at least it forces me to cook more often? I’m sure the me of a few years ago would be pretty disgusted with this confession, but I’m trying really hard to be nice to myself about it.

All this to say that this is how much I was not planning on doing Soupruary this year: I didn’t cancel my Blue Apron box for last week. But when I was looking at the recipe form Meyer lemon glazed catfish with collard greens and cracked freekeh salad, I decided I may as well color outside the lines. All I needed for this alchemy was a bit of broth, shallots and curry powder, and voila! Bippity-boppity-SOUP.

The catfish turned out alright-ish, although a bit too aggressively lemoned. The soup, on the other hand, if I had these ingredients on hand I'd make again in a heartbeat. (Well, if hearts took about 25 minutes to beat.) Even better, if the coffee shop in my building would put this in their soup rotation, I'd wait in that stupidly long line at least fortnightly.

Curry powder is a bit of a slippery slope ingredient for me. Once I put it in something I want to keep putting it in everything. Everything?, you ask, Like, pffft, what about ice cream? First of all: watch your tone; second of all: been there/done that/got the cellulite. But really, with the ginger that was included in what I was basically treating as a Chopped mystery basket, the curry powder was a natural choice here. Maybe it’s a bit of a cheat, but who couldn’t use one of those on a busy weeknight. There’s something about the aroma of curry that is instantly warming – just thinking about it I’m getting those lovely little tingles through my veins.

But the real soul of this soup wasn’t the curry powder. This soup is freekeh to the core. Freekeh is like a sweet find at an antique mall; it may be ancient but it’s new to me! (I’m fired.) This was only the second time that I’ve cooked it, and it’s really shocking how much flavor the grain itself has in it. If you haven’t had it: it’s wheat, so expect a texture somewhere between bulgur and wheatberry (kinda chewy), and it’s roasted to impart a flavor that’s a little smoky and nutty. Other bonuses: it’s impressive in both the fiber and protein departments, and it has a name that’s next to impossible not to pronounce in a goofy voice.

The moral of the story is as simple as that classic saying: When life gives you cracked freekeh salad, make cracked freekeh soup.

Pro tip: If you cut your greens into nice long ribbons, you can pretend they're noodles. 

Curry Ginger Freekeh Soup

Serves 4 (and the leftovers were delicious)

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1-2 shallots, diced (about 1/2 cup)

1" piece of fresh ginger, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 cup cracked freekeh

4 cups vegetable broth

5 collard leaves, ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1/4" to 3/8" wide ribbons

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots and ginger and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. 

Add red pepper flakes and curry powder and stir for about one minute, then add in freekeh and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 20 minutes or until freekeh is tender. Add collard greens and let them wilt - should just take a minute or two - then add salt and pepper to taste and eat it on your couch while watching last night's episode of The X-Files (optional but encouraged).