Corn chowder

Ingredients

Tofu — 14 to 16 ounces, cut into small cubes

Onion — 1 medium, chopped

Vegetable oil — 3 splashes (1/4 cup if you want more exactness)

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Curry powder — 1 teaspoon

Italian seasoning — 2 teaspoons (or if you prefer the individual spices, use 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon rosemary)

Red pepper flakes — 1/2 teaspoon (less or none if you don’t like spicy stuff)

Nutmeg — 1/2 teaspoon

Cinnamon — 1/2 teaspoon

Sage — 1 loose tablespoon

Salt — a pinch or two

Fresh grated ginger — a piece as big as your thumb (or 1 teaspoon powdered, if you must)

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Water — 3 cups

Carrot — 1 medium, cut into coins

Zucchini — 1 medium, chopped

Corn — 16 ounces (2 cups) of fresh or frozen

Coconut milk — 1 can, unsweetened

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Cilantro — one small bunch, rinsed and chopped with most of stems discarded


Instructions

1. Cut up the tofu and onion. Heat the oil in a large stew pot. Fry the onion and tofu over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. While that’s cooking, gather the spices in the middle section of ingredients and toss them in as you measure them.


2. Add the water to the pot. Cut up the carrot and zucchini. Add them plus the corn and coconut milk to the pot and bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, however long you can wait. When there’s about 5 minutes left, toss in the cilantro. Serves four to six. Serve with a small salad and good bread.


Option
When cooking the tofu and onion, you can use just a little oil and then add 1/4 cup to a 1/2 cup of water instead, if you want to decrease the fat content.)