No Oil Tofu Veggie Stir-fry

This recipe varies for me based on what is currently in the refrigerator and freezer.  Anytime I have more vegetables than I can use in other meals, I chop them up and freeze them to use in this stir fry.  All of the ingredients in this stir fry freeze and reheat well, and you can swap out any vegetables you want.  Here is my favorite version of this recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup extra firm tofu, cubed (this recipe also works well with sliced seitan or a combination of the two)
1/2 onion, sliced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced (or ginger paste, if you're lazy like me)
1 clove garlic, minced (or about 1 tsp garlic paste, if you're lazy like me)
2 carrots, chopped
1-2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup baby corn (or however much is in half a can)
1/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced (or however much is in half a small can)
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, sliced 
2-5 tbs Braggs' Liquid Aminos (Adjust to taste.  Low sodium tamari also works, but I find full-sodium soy sauce makes the dish too salty.)
1/2 cup water
1 tbs corn starch


Directions

1. First drain the tofu.  If it is already cubed, just drain as much liquid as possible.  If it's still in one big block, wrap it in a couple of paper towels, place it between two dinner plates, and put a few cans on top to weight it down.  After a couple of minutes, most of the water should be drained from the tofu block. Cut into cubes. Add two tablespoons of water to a nonstick skillet, heat over medium, and cook the tofu cubes for 5 minutes, adding more water if it starts to stick.

2. Add the sliced onions to the skillet.  Cook onions until slightly translucent, then add garlic and ginger. Continue to add water a tablespoon at a time as needed to prevent sticking.

3. Whisk together Bragg Liquid Aminos, corn starch, and water or vegetable broth, and add this sauce to the skillet. 

4. Add remaining vegetables.  Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  I usually cover the skillet and let it cook on low for up to 30 minutes while the rice finishes cooking.  If the vegetables cook to the point of getting mushy, it just makes them taste more like take-out to me, so I've never seen this overcook.

5. Serve over your choice of brown rice, brown rice noodles, or soba noodles.

Korean Tahini BBQ Sauce

This recipe comes from The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, pg. 230.  I use it in Buddha bowls (recipe from the same cookbook).  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup red miso

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced

2 tbs chili paste or chili sauce (I use 1 tbs samal oelek and 1 tbs gochujang)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbs rice vinegar

2 tbs tahini

1 tbs dark brown sugar

 

Directions:

1) Puree all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator. 

 

Vegetable Manchow Soup

I just made vegetable manchow soup for the first time, and I really wish I'd had the energy to do this last week when I had the flu.  It is one of my favorite foods for when I'm under the weather.  I'm mostly well now, but I'm also finishing off my second bowl.  I want to save this recipe (original from Veg Recipes of India) and the minor changes I made for next time.

Ingredients
1/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
however many shiitake mushrooms come in a carton (8 oz?), chopped (I don't care how big the carton is -- this is how I cook with mushrooms -- use them all)
1/4 cup green beans, finely chopped (I bought French style green beans from the freezer section and roughly chopped those because it's easy)
1/4 cup (or more) spring onion whites, chopped
half a green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp finely chopped ginger (or ginger paste)
1 tsp finely chopped garlic (or garlic paste)
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped (add another for more heat -- 1 yielded a sort of "mild to medium" heat, but one was all I had)
1 tsp rice vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
1/4 tsp black or white pepper powder (I used white pepper and ground a little fresh black pepper over the vegetables while they were sauteeing because that's what I had)
3 cups vegetable stock (I bought no-salt high-end stuff)
2 tbs corn starch dissolved in 2 tbs water
cilantro leaves, roughly chopped (optional -- the cilantro at the store was sparse and wilted, so alas, I have none, but I would use a fistful of it per bowl next time)
1 tbs oil
salt to taste


Directions
1.  Chop all veggies and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a soup pot and add chopped chiles, ginger, garlic, and onion.
3. Saute for a minute and then add green beans and mushrooms.
4. Stir fry on medium until mushrooms start to brown around the edges.  I also add a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper here to season the vegetables while they're cooking and help the mushrooms cook out any water they are holding.
5. Add shredded carrots, cabbage, and green bell pepper.
6. Stir fry on medium to high flame for 3 to 4 minutes.
7.  Add soy sauce and black/white pepper.
8. Add vegetable stock.
9. Allow soup to come to a simmer on medium flame.
10.  While soup is heating up, dissolve the corn starch in water.
11. Add corn starch mixture to the soup and stir to thicken.  Add vinegar and turn off heat.  Season to taste.  Serve hot.

[Edited 8/14/2017: To make this soup oil free, heat up a couple spoonfuls of water first and saute the mushrooms in that.  When they've cooked down a little, add the chiles, ginger, garlic, and onion.  Add more water as necessary to prevent sticking, bearing mind that the vegetables will release water as they cook too.  Saute the remaining vegetables, season, then add the vegetable stock and complete the recipe as described above.]

Vegetable Biryani

I made this dish for the first time last week, and it's really good.  I would make a couple changes from the original recipe, so I incorporated them below.  Fresh or frozen vegetables work equally well.  Go for ease of preparation.  I want to figure out precisely how much liquid is necessary to make this with brown basmati rice too.  Most basmati rice recipes that don't involve adding raisins and other stuff call for 1.5x as much water as rice.  Most brown basmati rice recipes call for 2x as much water as rice.  I think I would try initially using the same water to rice ratio as this recipe calls for, with the understanding that I might have to add a quarter cup of water and steam longer if the rice turns out crunchy the first time around.  Brown rice also takes about 50 minutes to cook, in comparison to 20 minutes for white rice.  I'll amend the amounts and directions when I've had a chance to try it with brown.  I also think the ghee could be reduced by at least a tablespoon without adversely affecting flavor.

Ingredients

For the rice:
3/4 cups basmati rice
1 tablespoon ghee
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
3 whole cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the vegetables: 2 tablespoons ghee
1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon peeled, minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
3 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/4 cup peas

1/4 cup sweet corn
3 small new potatoes (about 6 ounces), peeled and quartered
1 medium carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons blanched, sliced almonds

Directions:

1.  Make the rice: Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.

2.  Toast the sliced almonds and shredded coconut in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Move them to a plate and set aside. 

 

3.  In a medium-sized pot with tight-fitting lid, melt ghee over medium heat. Add the golden raisins, turmeric, cumin seed, coriander seed, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute more. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, and steam until the rice is tender, 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

4.  While the rice is cooking, make the vegetables. Melt the butter in the skillet used before with a tight-fitting lid, over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the golden raisins, coriander seed, cumin seed, and cardamom and cook, stirring, until toasted and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Raise the heat to high, pour in the water, and cook, covered, for 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender and most of the water has evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes more.

5.  Add the rice to the vegetable mixture and, using a rubber spatula, stir to combine. Season with salt to taste. Divide the vegetable-rice mixture among plates and top with some of the toasted coconut and almonds. Serve immediately.

Dal Makhani

I found this recipe for slow cooker dal makhani on novicehousewife.com.  I just made it for the first time today and wanted to jot down the changes I made (some by accident, some because I didn't have the called for ingredient) because I want to be able to recreate it again.  It is fantastic.  It takes hours and hours in the slow cooker, but it takes very little active work.  The original recipe is at the link.  The version below is what I did today.  The Indian groceries near our house aren't that well stocked or particularly cheap, so I got my dals from Amazon.  My comments are in italics.

I'm not sure how much it would affect the flavor, but if you skipped the ghee (and the milk, or substituted coconut milk), it would be both oil free and vegan.  I'm going to try it at some point since I forgot to include half the ghee in the original recipe the first time I made this and it tasted as good as any dal makhani I've ever had from a restaurant. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup urad saboot (whole unskinned black lentils, also called black matpe beans)
• ½ cup dry red kidney beans
• 2 tbsp channa dal
• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter -- optional, and I no longer include it)
• 1½ tsp salt, or to taste (I use closer to 1/2 tsp)
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup ready made tomato puree (I used my grocery store's canned organic tomato sauce)
• ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 2 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves -- I only noticed as I started cooking that it calls for leaves and I only have dried methi seeds.  I substituted 1/2 tbs methi seeds and the finished product was great.)
• pinch garam masala
• ½ tsp amchur powder (raw mango powder -- can be found in Indian grocery stores)
• ½ tsp black salt (can be found in Indian grocery stores -- I ordered Hawaiian black lava salt from Amazon as that was all I could find.  If it's not the same thing, it doesn't seem to make a difference.)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp onion powder

Grind to paste (I just ran them through a food processor because I am lazy.)

• 2 dry, whole red chillies, preferably Kashmiri red chillies- deseeded and soaked for 10 minutes and then drained (I used dry "japones" from India that I found at my regular grocery store.  I also think it would be reasonable to use chili-ginger-garlic paste as a shortcut for all three ingredients)
• 1 inch piece ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

To Add later

• ½ cup milk mixed with ½ cup cream (I would consider this optional.  I ate an entire bowl of the dal makhani before I got to this step and it was fantastic.  You could also substitute lite coconut milk for a tasty vegan option.)
• 2-3 tbs fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1. Boil the red kidney beans for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.  
2. While the red kidney beans are boiling, rinse the channa dal and urad saboot.  Add them to the slow cooker.  When the red kidney beans have been boiled and rinsed, add them to the slow cooker too.  Add the ghee, salt, water, and chilli-ginger-garlic paste.  Give a stir, set slow cooker to "low," and cook overnight. 
3. The next morning, mash the lentils a bit and add the tomato puree, kasoori methi, cayenne pepper, roasted cumin powder, nutmeg powder, amchur powder, coriander powder, black salt, and onion powder and let cook on low for another 4-6 hours.  If it starts to dry out or overcook, change slow cooker to "warm" setting until you're ready to eat.
4. Just before serving, add the garam masala powder and if you like the cream and milk, or just milk.
5. Add the chopped cilantro and serve with rice, naan or roti.

 

Lazy Coconut Chutney

This could also be called "I'm not going to the Indian grocery store for this" Coconut Chutney.  I make it with stuff I can easily have on hand whenever I want to make it.  I can't tell the difference between this recipe and the better quality versions I've had, but that's just me.  Don't tell me it's not authentic for whatever reason -- there are tons of authentic recipes on the internet if you feel like going out to buy fresh curry leaves and a coconut right now.

Ingredients
1 cup dried shredded coconut (I keep finely shredded dried coconut on hand in my pantry.  I've also used grated dried coconut from the Indian store, but the finer grating allows the coconut to rehydrate faster and makes for a better texture.)
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp grated fresh ginger (no substitutions)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp vegetable oil
salt to taste (I use about 1/4 tsp)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I use non-fat Greek yogurt because it resembles fresh homemade dahi, which I rarely make.)
1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Stir up ginger, jalapeno, and dried coconut in a small bowl.

2. Stir in yogurt and add water until it's a nice thick-but-pourable sort of consistency.  Add salt to taste.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.  Cover and cook until their popping sounds have slowed down. 

4. Stir oil and mustard seeds into the coconut mixture.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.  Longer is better -- the coconut needs time to soak up the water.  If it seems too dry when you're ready to serve it, just add more water to adjust consistency. 

Aloo Masala (Curried Stir-Fried Potatoes, or "that spicy potato stuff that's always in dosa")

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, in which he claims the potatoes remain slightly crunchy, which indicates it isn't exactly the stuff I'm used to having in dosa.  I plan to cook mine all the way through and try to make it less spicy than the stuff served in dosa shops, for Simran's sake.

Ingredients
3 tbs neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 tbs cumin seeds (optional)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lbs all-purpose potatoes, like Yukon Gold, peeled and shredded or minced
1 tbs garam masala or curry powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne (nope, I'm leaving this out)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

1. Put the oil in a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cumin seeds if you're using them, fry for 30 seconds, then add half the onion and the potatoes. Add the spice blend along with the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook, stirring or tossing ,until the onion has caramelized and the potatoes are lightly browned, about 10 minutes; the potatoes need not be fully tender.

2. Add the cilantro to the pan, toss one, an transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with the raw onion and serve immediately.

Dosa (From Scratch!)

This recipe comes from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  He does not call it "dosa from scratch," but since everyone I know makes dosa from a box mix, I think this name sums it up better.  Now that I'm less incompetent at making pancakes, I'm hoping I can handle this.  If I can, we'll finally be able to have the long sought-after cheddar cheese and onion dosa that no respectable dosa shop will ever make on request.

Ingredients
1/2 cup white urad dal (dhuli urad)
2 cups basmati rice (you can also substitute brown basmati rice to make it whole grain and an earthier flavor and somewhat chewier texture)
2 to 3 tbs vegetable oil, as needed
Salt

Directions

1. Soak the dal and rice in separate bowls in water to cover for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if you prefer.

2. Turn your oven to its lowest temperature.  Drain the dal and put it in a blender with a tbs or two of water.  Purée it to a smooth consistency, adding as little additional water as necessary, but enough to allow the machine to do its work. Transfer the purée to a large mixing bowl.

3. Drain the rice and add half of it to the blender (there's no need to clean between batches) with about 1/4 cup water. Again, purée (it won't become as smooth as the dal), adding as little additional water as possible. Repeat with the remaining rice. Add the puréed rice to the dal and stir the two together; the resulting mixture should have the texture of a thick pancake batter. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, turn the oven off, and let the batter ferment overnight in the warmed oven.

4. Heat a large rectangular nonstick or cast-iron griddle over medium heat for a full minute before greasing it with a film of oil. Season the dosa batter with a large pinch of salt and stir to incorporate. Use a measuring cup or a ladle to pour 1/4 cup of batter into the center of the pan, then use the bottom of the measuring cup to spread the dough across the pan into a large oval shape not much more than 1/8 inch tick; don't worry if the thickness is inconsistent. (It's the same motion a pizza maker would make -- concentric circles with the bottom of the ladle -- to spread tomato sauce thinly and evenly across pizza dough.)

5. Tiny bubbles will form across the surface of the dough, and the bottom will crisp and turn a deep golden brown in 3 to 5 minute. Use a spatula to loosen the edges of the dosa, then roll it onto itself to make a cylinder and remove it from the griddle. Repeat with the remaining batter, greasing the griddle as necessary. Serve hot.

Milder Chile-Garlic Paste

I found this recipe for chile-garlic paste in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.  I love chilli-garlic noodles, but the only chilli-garlic sauce I've seen in stores is insanely spicy.  Even the smell of it literally takes my breath away.  And no matter how little I use, Simran can't eat the finished product.  So I'm making a milder version of chile-garlic paste using a milder chile so that it's heavier on the garlic and not so spicy.  (If this turns out too spicy, I'll cut the amount of chile in half.)

Ingredients
1 cup hot dried red chiles, like red Thai, chile de arbol, pequin, or red New Mexico (I will be using ancho, also known as poblano, because it's one of the mildest chiles and I already have dried ones in the pantry.)
1/4 cup chopped garlic
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor with 1/4 cup hot water and purée to a smooth paste. Add additional hot water by the tablespoon if the paste is too thick. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 months.

Veggie Summer Rolls with Spicy Peanut Lime Sauce

I found this recipe on OhSheGlows.com, and it is fantastic.  It doesn't sound like it should be as filling as it is, but the combination of fatty tofu and salty delicious sauce makes it an appetizer you can eat as a meal.  Make sure to make lots though.  Sameer and I still wanted more after we ran out.  It's also a great dish to make in advance and stash in the fridge until dinnertime.

Ingredients

• Spring Roll Wrappers (at least 8-10)
• 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
• 1/2 English cucumber, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 2 medium carrots, peeled & julienned
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3-4 lettuce leaves, julienned
• 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, thick stems removed and minced
• 1/3 cup roasted & salted peanuts
• Herbamare or sea salt, to season

For the peanut lime sauce:

• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup natural roasted peanut butter
• 1/2-1 tbsp peeled & roughly chopped fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp low sodium tamari (or Bragg Liquid Aminos)
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1-3 tsp water, to thin out as needed

Directions

1. Press the tofu while you prepare the filling and sauce.
2. For the filling: Julienne the vegetables. Set aside, along with peanuts.

3. For the sauce: In a mini processor, process the sauce ingredients until smooth. Adjust to taste. You may prefer more sweetener, tamari, oil, or lime juice. Or mince everything by hand and whisk.

4. Slice pressed tofu into long thin strips. You likely won’t need the entire block.

5. Set up a roll making station and gather all of your ingredients in one area. Place a tea towel on the counter and fill a very large bowl with hot tap water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water and carefully submerge it once it gets soft. Hold it under water for about 10 seconds, or until soft, and remove from water carefully. Place it onto the tea towel and unfold any corners that may have rolled up.

6. Add the filling ingredients in the center of the wrapper. Be careful not to overfill or the wrappers will tear. Sprinkle with peanuts and a sprinkle of salt.

7. Roll the two sides of the rice wrapper inward and then flip the bottom over top the filling and roll forward. Place roll on a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat for the rest.

8. Serve the rolls immediately with the peanut dipping sauce. If you have any leftover vegetables enjoy them dipped in the sauce on the side. Sauce should keep for at least a week in a sealed container in the fridge. Rolls will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge.

Broccoli Stir-fried with Orange and Toasted Garlic

This is another recipe from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Ingredients
1 head broccoli
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbs thinly sliced garlic cloves
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
zest of 1 orange

Directions

1. Peel tough skin from stems and cut off florets. Cut stems into one-fourth-inch-thick medallions. There should be about 7 cups of florets.

2. Put 2-4 tbs orange juice or water in a wok over medium-low heat. Stir-fry garlic about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown.  Add pepper flakes and stir. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

3. Put 1/4 cup orange juice and broccoli in the same wok over high-heat, cover and cook, stirring every few minutes until broccoli is tender and orange juice is gone.

4. Stir in garlic mixture and orange zest and eat.

Hot-and-Sour Cabbage Salad

This recipe comes from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. 

Ingredients
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup seasoned or plain rice vinegar
1 tbs peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/2 - 3/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Place cabbage and green onion in a large bowl.

2. In a small saucepan, over medium head, bring vinegar, ginger, sugar (optional), and hot pepper flakes to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Pour hot dressing over cabbage and toss.

Miso Soup

I bought miso paste on a whim awhile back, thinking I could make miso soup with tofu, scallions, and little else.  When I got home and looked up a recipe, I realized most miso soup includes dashi granules, which have fish in them, so I had to find a basic vegetarian recipe.  I'll be using this one from About.com.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup miso
• 3 green onions (scallions), chopped
• 1 tbsp shredded nori or wakame seaweed
• 1/2 block firm silken tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
• dash soy sauce (optional)
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)

Directions

1. Bring water to a slow simmer and add seaweed. Allow to simmer at least 5-6 minutes. The longer you simmer the seaweed, the less of a salty fishy flavor it will have.

2. Reduce heat to very low and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir until miso is well dissolved. Its best not to boil the miso, as this will ruin some of it's healthy properties as well as change the flavor of the soup. Makes 4 servings.

Veggie Sushi

Since I've never made really good veggie sushi before, I figured I should try following a recipe with actual positive reviews.  I found this recipe by Masaharu Morimoto on the FoodNetwork website.

Ingredients

For the rice:
3 cups short-grain Japanese rice, rinsed
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt
For the rolls:
10 nori sheets (dried seaweed), halved
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 plum tomato, seeded
1 small red onion
20 asparagus spears, trimmed and blanched
Wasabi paste, for spreading and serving
1 romaine lettuce heart
Pickled ginger, for serving

Directions

 

1. Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan.

2. Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes.

3. Spread the rice. Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

4. Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus.

5. Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori.

6. Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you.

7. Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi.

Vegetable Manchurian (Dry or with Gravy)

I found this recipe for Vegetable Manchurian on Sailu's Kitchen.  There are some very useful photos of the different steps on that site too.

Vegetable Manchurian is a favorite dish of both Sameer's and mine.  They're like spicy meatball appetizers, except instead of meat they're made up of vegetables and fried.  They're delicious, and you can serve them dry on a platter with little toothpicks in them if you're having a get-together, or you can make the accompanying gravy and serve them over a bed of rice, as I plan to do.  They tend to be spicy, but you can adjust the heat to your own liking by adjusting the amount of chiles and things containing chiles.

Ingredients
2 cups finely chopped capsicum, cabbage, carrot, beans and spring onion whites (packed cups)
2 tbs all-purpose flour
2 tbs corn starch
1/2 tbs rice flour
1 tbs ginger-garlic-green chilli paste
1/4 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
warm water as required (less than 1/2 cup is needed)
salt to taste
oil for deep frying
For sauce:
1/4 cup spring onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 tbs finely minced garlic
1/2 tbs finely minced ginger
2 finely chopped green chillis
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (preferably Kashmiri)
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tbs chilli sauce
2 tsp vinegar
2 tbs tomato sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
salt as required
1 tbs sesame oil
1 1/2 – 2 tbsps finely chopped coriander leaves OR spring onion greens

Directions

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel.

2. In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornflour, rice flour, salt, ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, pepper powder, soy sauce, salt and all the finely chopped vegetables. Sprinkle little water to make a thick mixture. Add water little by little and use only as much water as required to form small balls.

3. Carefully place each ball into the hot oil. Do not crowd the vessel. Reduce flame and deep fry the vegetable balls till cooked. Increase the flame towards the end of the cooking process and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a large wok and once the oil is piping hot, add the chopped garlic and stir fry for a few seconds. Add the green chillis and ginger and stir fry on high for a few seconds.

5. Add the whites of spring onions and stir fry on high for 2 minutes, constantly tossing them.

6. Add the vegetable balls and stir fry for another 3 minutes. They should retain their crunch. Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes. Add 3-4 tbsps of water and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Toss on high flame for 1-2 mts. Turn off heat. Garnish with the chopped spring onion greens and/or coriander leaves. 

For the Gravy:

1. Mix a tbs of corn starch in a little water. Keep aside.

2. After following step 5 above, add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and add the brown sugar, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar.

3. Add the corn starch water slowly and keep stirring till it takes a thick gravy like consistency. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.

4. Add the balls to the gravy at the time of serving. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens and/or coriander leaves. 

Asian Chik'n Salad

This recipe is based on an Asian Chicken Salad recipe I found on AllRecipes.com. 

Ingredients
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tbs rice vinegar
1 (8 oz) pkg dried rice noodles
1 head iceberg lettuce, rinsed/dried/chopped (I plan to use whatever leftover lettuce I have on hand -- probably romaine or green leaf)
1 pkg Morningstar Meal Starters Chik'n Strips
3 green onions, chopped
1 tbs sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. Prepare the dressing 30 minutes ahead of time by combining the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, salad oil, and rice vinegar in a salad dressing carafe.
2. To prepare the Chinese rice noodles, heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and break off a little bit of the noodles and add them to the skillet and fry them. They will puff up in the skillet, so only add a few at a time. As they begin to puff up, remove and drain them on paper towels. Be sure to cook long enough as the under cooked noodles will be like eating needles. Once cooked, add them to the salad mixture.
3. In a large bowl combine the iceberg lettuce, cooked chik'n strips (I stir-fry them in a little vegetable oil), green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Let chill about 10 minutes, and just before serving add the cooked rice noodles. Serve in salad bowls and offer the dressing in a pourable container so your family can add as much dressing as they want. You can also pour the dressing over the top of the salad, toss, and serve immediately.

Chilli Garlic Noodles

After two weeks in a row of trying to get Indo-Chinese takeout and having our plans foiled, I've found a recipe for my favorite dish there.  This recipe comes from Shweta in the Kitchen and looked the tastiest of the ones I saw while browsing the internets.

Ingredients
1 packet of Noodles (I use a 16 oz. box of 100% whole wheat spaghetti noodles)
5-6 small sized spring onion bulbs cut in julienne
Few spring Onions green cut in julienne
1/8 cabbage cut in julienne (I use half a green cabbage.  I shred the whole thing my salad shooter, put half in a sealed container in the fridge for the following week, and rinse the other half in a colander for same day use.  Do NOT rinse the half you plan to store.  Washed cabbage begins to reek almost immediately.  Ask me how I know.)
1 carrot cut in julienne (I use more like 3 carrots, shredded in my salad shooter.)
1/2 green capsicum cut in julienne (I just chop an entire green bell pepper for this.)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 1/2 tbsp chilli garlic sauce (I make Milder Chile-Garlic paste and use half of it each time I make this dish.  It has almost no heat, so I then add spicy chilli garlic sauce to taste -- about 2 tsp would do for the whole skillet.)
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce (I use at least double this amount and often add more to my plate.)
1-2 tbsp oil for cooking
salt & pepper to taste  

Directions

1. Boil noodles as per package instructions. Drain & soak in cold water for about 5 mins to prevent them from cooking further. Drain & mix with 1 tbsp of oil to prevent them from sticking. Keep aside.  (I am too lazy for this.  I cook the noodles while I cook the veggies, then just toss them into the skillet with the finished veggies.)

2. In a wok, heat some oil & once hot add ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute & add the spring onions. Saute for a min  again.

3. Now add the green capsicum, carrots & cabbage. Saute till these veggies a partially cooked. Try to retain the crunchiness of these veggies. 

4. Add  chilli garlic sauce, soya sauce, vinegar & salt pepper. Mix well.

5. Add the drained & cooked noodles & mix well till all is well combined.

6. Top it with some spring onions green (reserve half for garnishing) & mix well. Cook for about 1-2 mins. 

[Edited 7/3/13:  It's delicious, but OMG it tastes like burning!  I used about 16 oz of whole wheat spaghetti and reduced the chilli-garlic sauce to 2 tbs, and the level of spice was on par with the spiciest thing I ever ate in India.  I ate everything on the plate and plan to eat the leftovers for lunch, but I had to get up twice to get more water and tissues.  Next time I will reduce the chilli-garlic sauce to 1 tbs and increase garlic paste to 2 tsp.  More veggies wouldn't be bad either, though this amount was comparable to how they do it in restaurants.]

Sweet-and-Sour Seitan with Vegetables

This recipe comes from Caldwell Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Ingredients
2 tsp plus 2 tbs low-sodium tamari or Bragg liquid aminos
8 oz seitan, cut into cubes
2 cups broccoli florets, lightly steamed
1 large sweet onion, sliced and halved
1 cup grated carrots
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
16 oz. canned crushed pineapple packed in juice
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbs sweetener of your choice (optional)
1 tbs cornstarch
2 green onions, thinly sliced
cooked brown rice

Directions

1. Heat 2 tsp tamari or liquid aminos in a large non-stick pan. When hot, add seitan and cook until browned all over, stirring constantly. Add more tamari or water if necessary. Remove to a separate bowl.

2. Stir-fry broccoli florets in same pan, until just tender, adding water as necessary.  Remove to a separate bowl.

3. Stir-fry onions until browned, adding broth or water, if necessary.

4. Add carrots, peppers, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry until peppers are tender. Add more water if necessary.

5. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Combine juice, vinegar, sweetener (optional), cornstarch, and 2 tbs tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos in a small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk until well combined.

6. Add seitan and broccoli to other vegetables. Pour whisked ingredients over seitan and vegetables, then add pineapple chunks. Heat, stirring constantly, until sauce is just thickened, about 2 minutes.

7. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve over brown rice.

Note from the original recipe: This is a little fussy, but worth the effort. Do not overcook. It is possible to assemble all the ingredients ahead through step 5, then combine everything else just before serving. Possible additions or substitutes: mushrooms, sliced zucchini, spinach.

Thai Green Curry

Over Christmas I was introduced to Thai green curry from a local Thai restaurant.  I decided to take a stab at making my own at home.  I found the recipe I plan to use (sort of) tonight on about.com courtesy of a Google search.  My local supermarket predictably didn't have essentials like kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass, but they did sell a jar of Thai green curry paste that had all the exact same ingredients listed in the recipe, so I just bought that instead.  Whatever.  I wasn't looking forward to sauce-making anyway.  I'm not going for "authentic" today so much as "using up things I already had," so you'll see lots of substitutions on the ingredients list.  If they don't work out, I'll try to stick to the recipe better next time.  My notes are in italics.  I'll have to come back to this and make adjustments based on how everything turns out.

Ingredients

• GREEN CURRY PASTE:  (Nope.  I'm just using a jar of ready-made Thai Kitchen brand green curry paste.  Had no desire to take Simran hunting for an Asian grocery store to get half this stuff.)
• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, sliced finely and minced OR 3 Tbsp. frozen or bottled lemongrass
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2+1/2 Tbsp. [wheat-free] soy sauce, OR see 'Other Sauces' below recipe*
• 1-2 tsp. brown sugar (to taste)
• 1-3 green chilies, minced (to taste)
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, sliced
• 2 kaffir lime leaves (fresh or frozen), snipped into thin strips with scissors, OR substitute 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 loose cup chopped fresh coriander leaves and stems
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 1 tsp. dark soy sauce, OR substitute 1 more Tbsp. regular [wheat-free] soy sauce
• OTHER:
• 2 kaffir lime leaves, OR substitute 1 bay leaf (Going with the bay leaf because I have some already. I plan to grate some lime zest into the mix too since a different recipe suggested that.)
• 1 can good-quality coconut milk (Nope. I'm using the can of lite coconut milk that has been in my pantry for several months now.)
• 1.5 to 2 cups firm tofu sliced into cubes, OR equivalent of wheat gluten 'chicken', OR canned chickpeas, drained (I'm going with firm tofu here.)
• 1 small yam or sweet potato, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into chunky pieces (I'm doing thin slices of green and yellow bell pepper instead.  I remember no red bell pepper in the restaurant version, and green and yellow just seem like they'd taste good here and look prettier.)
• 1 cup snow peas (I have none.  I'll be adding finely cut broccoli florets, zucchini, and a handful of frozen chopped spinach instead.)
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. oil for frying (I will probably reduce this amount by at least 1 tbs.)

Directions

1. To make the green curry paste, place all paste ingredients in a food processor or blender. Add a few Tbsp. of the coconut milk, enough to blend ingredients. Process well.
2. Place oil in wok or deep frying pan. Turn heat on medium-high and add paste. Stir-fry until fragrant (about 1 minute), then add the coconut milk. Add wheat gluten or tofu and stir to combine.
3. Add lime leaves and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
4. Add yam/sweet potato. (Note: if more sauce is desired, add up to 1 cup good-tasting vegetable stock.) Cover and simmer another 7-10 min, or until yam is soft enough to pierce with a fork.
5. Finally, add bell pepper and snow peas. Stir and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, or until snow peas are cooked but still retain some of their crispness.
6. Do a taste test for salt and spice. If not salty enough, add up to 2 Tbsp. more vegetarian fish sauce, soy sauce, or sea salt. If too salty, add a little fresh lime or lemon juice. If too spicy, add more coconut milk until desired taste is reached.
7. To serve, transfer to a large serving bowl or plate up individual portions. Sprinkle generously with fresh basil. Accompany your curry with Thai jasmine-scented rice, Thai brown rice or your choice of noodles. (I'll be making some brown rice at Sameer's request.) For an extra special treat, serve this dish with my Easy Thai Coconut Rice. ENJOY!

*Other Sauces Used in Green Curry: Normally fish sauce is used to flavor green curry. If you're a vegetarian who eats fish (a 'pescatarian'), using fish sauce instead of soy sauce will give you a 'greener'-looking curry paste. If not, another excellent vegan substitution for fish sauce is Thai Golden Mountain Sauce. (I could not find this. If I have to add anything, I'll just add Bragg's Liquid Aminos.) Use equal parts soy sauce and Golden Mountain sauce to equal a total of 3 to 3.5 Tbsp.(the flavor will be rich enough that you can then leave out the dark soy sauce).

Other Vegetables: Other vegetables that work with this recipe include: broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, chopped spinach, green beans, eggplant, squash, and zucchini.

[Edited 1/19/13:  I made this curry this week and it was really good.  Surprisingly good since it is so healthy.  Sameer liked it better than the restaurant's version, though I think the restaurant's version was too spicy for him.  I ended up making the sauce from one can of lite coconut milk (I'll try full fat in the future, but the lite turned out fine), about a cup of vegetable broth (additional liquid made it easier to cook the vegetables, plus added a little salt), a couple tablespoons each of green curry paste and Bragg's Liquid Aminos, and the zest of two limes and the juice of one.  The fresh basil is essential, as in most Thai recipes.  Dried will NOT do.]

Coconut Curry Tofu

Tonight we're having coconut curry tofu for dinner.  I found the original recipe on AllRecipes.com, but I've made a few changes.  The original recipe is, I think, meant to be a Thai dish, but mine turned out sort of Indian, probably because I replaced the curry powder and chile paste in the original recipe with a mild Indian curry paste.  I found the curry paste on accident when I meant to buy chile paste, but I like how it tastes, so I've never bothered correcting how I make this dish.  One bonus of this dish is that it's vegan without really trying to be, and Sameer and I try to incorporate one vegan dinner into our meal planning each week.

Ingredients
2 bunches green onions
1 (14 oz.) can lite coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce (or Bragg's liquid aminos, as I prefer), divided
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tbs curry paste
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
16 oz. firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped (I've started omitting the mushrooms since Sameer hates them and insists they taste like fish.)
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (This is not an instance where you can use dried instead.)
4 cups bok choy, chopped (If you can't find good bok choy, it can be omitted, though I think it adds a lot to the dish.)
salt to taste

Directions
1. Remove white parts of green onions, and finely chop. Chop greens into 2 inch pieces.
2. In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, mix coconut milk, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, curry paste, and ginger. Bring to a boil. 
3. Stir tofu, tomatoes, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and finely chopped green onions into the skillet. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in basil and bok choy. Season with salt (as needed -- don't overdo it; if you're using soy sauce at its full sodium level, you might not even need salt) and remaining soy sauce. Continue cooking 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Garnish with remaining green onion.  Serve over steamed white rice (I like basmati).