Roasted cauliflower and chickpeas spiced with warm cumin and coriander powder. Add a handful of fresh pomegranate seeds to add a burst of tart and sweetness.
Category: easy
Thai inspirations
If you know me, you know I love Thai food. I used to love Red curry.. I mean totally LOVE!
That’s all I would order ALL the time when we went to a Thai restaurant. Then I started branching out to the Green and the yellow curries..
Then I think I joined the big leagues.. I am talking Massaman and Panang..Initially they all tasted so similar that I was confused till I started reading about them and the ingredients.
The subtle differences made sense and became apparent to me the more I tried them.
I hope you enjoy yet another “Thai inspired” tofu based creation of mine.
To serve 3-4;
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1 medium tomato chopped
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Cloves of garlic smashed
1/2″ root of ginger peeled and grated
1 tsp green chillies minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper
(Blend all the above into a puree)
1- 2 Tbsps Brown sugar/ Palm Sugar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
1-2 tsps sesame oil
1 tsp tamarind paste
1-2 tsp lemon grass paste
1 Tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
(Mix all the above)
1/2 -3/4 cup coconut cream
1-2 cups of water
1 cup of mixed veggies (I used Parboiled potatoes, sliced mushrooms, peas, corn, etc)
1 cup of pressed and fried tofu pieces
Garnish:
1/4 cup of basil leaves chopped roughly
2 Tbsp roasted and crushed peanuts
Saute’ the onion puree on medium heat in 2 Tbsp of Canola oil for 6-8 minutes till the rawness of the onions goes away. Add the brown sugar mixture and mix well.
Add the coconut cream and water (one cup at a time; depending on the thickness you like). Let simmer on low- medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Add the veggies and the tofu.
Bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the basil and mix well. Add the peanuts before serving. Enjoy with steamed basmati rice.
Also, I have a series of Thai inspired dishes that I have cooked before. (Recipe links below) Be sure to enjoy those as well if you love Thai food as much as I do.
http://freakycurry.blogspot.com/2011/08/freaky-thai-curry.html
http://freakycurry.blogspot.com/2013/08/thai-inspired-peanut-chicken.html
“Get me out of the bed” Soup!!
I rung in my New Years’ eve with a handful of tissues and a congested head! Not the best way to start off, let me say. After being sick for almost 10 days, I was sick of being sick!! After two rounds of antibiotics and numerous steam sessions, I had to take matters into my own hands. So, you know I had to make chicken soup!
I love a good soup! For a summer evening, On a winter night or on a crisp fall day.. I just love soups.. there is so much you can do with them. Add so many flavors.. They are stock full of goodies.. protein, veggies, herbs, spices.. all in one dish! I mean how easy and clever is that ? I am telling you, whosoever invented soups was thinking right!
Now traditional chicken soup can get boring.. a bit.. same old carrots, celery and noodles.. I amp-ed mine up with some South Asian flavors..Added some fresh basil, lemongrass, curry leaves and the flavor was magical..
I made a big batch and the boys in my house ate it with rice! LOL!! So it definitely turned out to be a family favorite.. Try it and let me know how you like it.
To serve 4-6
Broth:
2 Chicken breasts (skinless and boneless; If using bone in, remember to remove the bones after the broth is made)
2 Bayleaves
1/2″ Ginger root peeled and sliced thin
2 Cloves of garlic sliced thin
4-5 cups of water
Salt and pepper
Add the above to a stock pot and let cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes till the chicken pulls apart easily with a fork.
Flavor:
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1/2 cup of fresh Basil leaves roughly chopped
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
1/2 cup of carrots chopped
1/2 cup of baby bella mushrooms chopped
1 medium tomato de-seeded and chopped
1/2 Tbsp of lemongrass paste or 2″ of fresh lemongrass crushed
1/2 cup of coconut cream
Dash of Soy Sauce
Salt and pepper
Add the above (except the cilantro) to the chicken stock and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove stalks if using fresh lemongrass and the bay leaves.
Check for salt and pepper. Add the fresh cilantro and Serve hot with a big squeeze of lime! (with or without rice)
Savory potato and applesauce skillet cake with chives sour cream
A perfect balance of sweet and savory! Breakfast or Dinner !!
To serve 1 (generously)
1 potato peeled and grated
1/2 cup of applesauce
1 egg
1 clove of garlic minced
2 Tbsp onion chopped fine
1 Tbsp Basil leaves chopped
2 Tbsp of shredded cheddar
Dash of cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the above. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.
Serve with chopped chives mixed in sour cream.