Preston Gannaway for The New York Times
To celebrate Nik Sharma’s new cookbook, Veg-table, we are bringing you an exclusive Carrot, Apple + Harissa Soup recipe from the book and a fun Q&A.
Nik Sharma, an acclaimed food writer, recipe developer, and photographer hailing from Mumbai, India, and now resides in Los Angeles, California has carved an inspiring culinary path. Originally a molecular biologist, Nik transitioned to pursue his love for flavor and cooking, creating the renowned blog "A Brown Table" in 2011. His journey led him to work as a pastry chef, food stylist, and eventually become a food columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and other highly acclaimed media outlets. Nik is the accomplished author of three award-winning cookbooks, including Season, The Flavor Equation, and his latest release, Veg-table.
Nik’s approach to food is one that we can highly relate to; the melding of flavors and cultures is something we often do with our recipes, and we have always loved seeing Nik bring his Indian heritage in beautiful, unexpected, and delicious ways.
Join Nik’s Substack “The Flavor Files” for recipes delivered straight to your inbox here.
Name: Nik Sharma
Occupation: Chef, Author, Photographer, Molecular Biologist
Residency: Los Angeles, CA
What is your favorite smell?
I lean towards floral and fruity aromas, coconut and rose water are two of my favorites
What is your favorite childhood food memory?
Learning how to fry an egg.
It was one of my earliest memories of cooking at home and even though I burned the egg it taught me so much.
If you were an animal- which one would you be?
A cat, I admire their stealth and playfulness.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don’t have one yet.
I feel picking one now would only prevent me from trying to climb up the ladder and achieve my dreams.
What's your favorite restaurant/ cafe/ bakery?
Currently, my favorite bakery is Roller’s Bakehouse in Sydney.
They have the most phenomenal combination of flavors and remarkable laminated pastry.
What is your motto?
Keep knocking until the door opens.
What's your go-to comfort food?
Anything yogurt. I grew up eating yogurt daily and still hold on to that practice. I love eating yogurt with most meals, and if that isn’t possible, I’ll eat it after dinner. The creamy and luscious texture of yogurt is a soothing comfort to my soul.
Here is Nik’s recipe for homemade yogurt.
Top pantry essentials in your kitchen?
Everyone should keep a tub of miso; it’s a great way to add saltiness and umami to any dish. I often use it to build the flavor of all my pasta dishes.
Where do you shop for specialty food items?
I love Cookbook Market
What's your favorite hiding place?
My office because it is also my cookbook library, my personal “conservatory”, and I can spend a lot of time there relaxing and reading.
What did you eat for breakfast?
I ate two pieces of toast, and a hard-boiled egg with labneh.
Where in the world would you most like to live?
Sydney, Australia.
What is your favorite cookbook?
Diana Henry’s Salt, Sugar, Smoke.
It’s a fantastic book for anyone who wants to learn how to use and appreciate flavors in home cooking.
What is your theme song?
Anything by Megan, Thee Stallion
What is your favorite New York Shuk product? And what do you like to make with it?
It’s a tie between your harissa and your preserved lemon paste. They’re both so versatile, and I find so many uses. One of my favorite ways to use both is with roasted fish and veggies on the side.
Nik Sharma’s Carrot, Apple + Harissa Soup
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1.Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C].
2.In a large bowl, combine 11⁄2 lb [680 g] carrots, trimmed and peeled, sliced diagonally into 1⁄2 in [13 mm] thick slices (about 4 cups); 1 large (73/4 oz [220 g]) Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1 in [2.5 cm] wedges; 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt; and 1⁄4 tsp baking soda. Spread on a baking sheet and roast until golden brown and tender (a knife should be able to pierce through the carrots and apples with minimal resistance), about 25 minutes.
3.While the carrots and apples are roasting, prepare the topping for the soup. In a small saucepan or skillet, warm 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds or pine nuts, 1⁄2 tsp celery seeds or caraway seeds, and flaky salt and fry until the sunflower seeds turn golden brown, 11⁄2 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a heatproof bowl. Add 1⁄2 tsp smoked sweet paprika and stir to coat.
4.Transfer the roasted carrots and apples to a blender or food processor. Add 31⁄2 cups [830 ml] water, 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp peeled minced fresh ginger, and 1 tsp harissa paste.
Blend until smooth and velvety. Taste and season with fine sea salt. The final volume should be about 6 cups [1.4 L]; if needed, add more water.
5.Pour the blended soup into a medium saucepan and warm over medium heat. When ready to serve, top each bowl with a sprinkle of the sunflower seed mixture and serve hot or warm. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
THE COOK’S NOTES
• If you like the fragrance of roses, try rose harissa here. It gives a wonderful mild aroma
of roses to this soup. New York Shuk makes an excellent rose harissa seasoning.
• Roasting the apples and carrots with baking soda helps soften them and bring out their
bittersweet flavors by accelerating caramelization and the Maillard reaction.
Veg-Table: Recipes, Techniques + Plant Science for Big Flavored, Vegetable-Focused Meals by Nik Sharma.
© 2023. Published by Chronicle Books
More recipes from Nik using our favorite ingredients… Harissa, Za’atar and Preserved Lemon.
Photo & recipe by Nik Sharma
Photo & recipe by Nik Sharma
Photo & recipe by Nik Sharma