Another one from the interesting VegCooking blog - you can sure tell where I've been roaming! I love wasabi peas, with their sudden heat - and savory after taste. Just imagining their crunchy spike against the creamy blandness of tofu - sounds good to me! We'll try it baked.
Wasabi Pea-Encrusted Tofu
1 16-oz. pkg. extra firm tofu, drained
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup wasabi peas
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
•Press the block of tofu with paper towels to remove excess water, then cut it into four equal pieces, each about the size of a deck of cards.
•In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, then stir. Add the tofu, being sure to cover it completely, and let marinate for 15 minutes. If the liquid is too shallow to cover the tofu, turn it often.
•In a blender or food processor, blend the wasabi peas until they reach the consistency of coarse salt, then pour onto a plate.
•Dip each piece of tofu into the wasabi peas, coating each side.
•Pour the oil into a skillet and bring the temperature to medium-high heat. Add the coated tofu and flip after the wasabi peas turn into a crunchy golden crust, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Makes 2 to 4 servings
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Thai tofu wraps
Courtesy of the Veg Cooking Blog, this is an extremely tasty and satisfying meal
Thai Tofu Lettuce Wraps
1 small Thai pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lime (plus more for garnish)
1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
8 iceberg lettuce leaves
•Sauté the minced pepper and garlic in the olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, water, and lime juice, stirring until well combined. Stir in the cornstarch and simmer over low heat until the tofu is ready.
•Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick 12-inch skillet.
•Add the tofu and cook, stirring frequently (stir-frying), until heated through and browned on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the sauce and chopped basil, then stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
•Scoop a spoonful of tofu onto each lettuce leaf, top with basil, garnish with lime juice, if desired, and serve.
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings
Thai Tofu Lettuce Wraps
1 small Thai pepper, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Juice of 1 lime (plus more for garnish)
1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 Tbsp. basil, finely chopped (plus more for garnish)
8 iceberg lettuce leaves
•Sauté the minced pepper and garlic in the olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, water, and lime juice, stirring until well combined. Stir in the cornstarch and simmer over low heat until the tofu is ready.
•Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick 12-inch skillet.
•Add the tofu and cook, stirring frequently (stir-frying), until heated through and browned on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the sauce and chopped basil, then stir-fry for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl.
•Scoop a spoonful of tofu onto each lettuce leaf, top with basil, garnish with lime juice, if desired, and serve.
Makes 2 large or 4 small servings
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Sunday dinner
Yay! My good friend Susan's coming over! She'll be staying over so we get a chance to visit, and we plan to feed her well. I sorely miss our lunches together since I moved 20 miles away & ended my coursework (I am perpetually mid-lit review at this point). You might think I was becoming totally unsocialized (and you'd be right, not uncommon from what I hear about doc students!) Err, anyway. We decided to keep it simple and yummy (and I will add that she's not vegan, but has loved the curries and samosas and calzones we've served her.
- Vegan Dad's awesome burgers, on jugalbandi's sundried tomato sourdough buns (haven't tried these yet), with fixins
- roasted potato wedges, with olive oil, garlic, and smoked paprika
- Kittee's fresh strawberry pie
- maybe a small salad, or some sauteed collards. I'd prefer asparagus but they are SO expensive this year - I never even got any. I can't bring myself to pay almost $4 per pound.
I don't think anyone will leave hungry. And I might remember how to socialize - here's to staying in touch with good friends!
- Vegan Dad's awesome burgers, on jugalbandi's sundried tomato sourdough buns (haven't tried these yet), with fixins
- roasted potato wedges, with olive oil, garlic, and smoked paprika
- Kittee's fresh strawberry pie
- maybe a small salad, or some sauteed collards. I'd prefer asparagus but they are SO expensive this year - I never even got any. I can't bring myself to pay almost $4 per pound.
I don't think anyone will leave hungry. And I might remember how to socialize - here's to staying in touch with good friends!
Lunch!
Checking out 2 new recipes at once for lunch, reports to follow!
1. Smoky Miso Tofu
Notes:
- Coating the thin slices of tufu worked best for me by dipping them in the marinade and turning to coat - use your fingers!
- I ended up having to turn the heat up to 450F, turning the tofu pieces over gently. I also had to cook these for about 3 times as long. I wonder if the oven rack was too high? It's possible that having my baking stone and my cast iron skillet beneath the cookie sheet these were baking on may have necessitated the change in cooking time.
- This is really good, room temp or cold, with vegan mayo and lettuce and mustard on a bun.
2. Pinto Bean & Brown Rice Cakelets
Notes:
- I discovered at the last minute (Mike had gone to the store without his phone) that I had no canned pinto beans, so subbed a can of cannelini beans. Otherwise, this came together very easily even though I did have to make some brown rice (I used basmati).
- I wonder if these will need a dipping sauce, and I'm wondering if baking would work as opposed to frying.
- The recipe makes a LOT so I'm wondering if I can make the patties and freeze them (or cook them partway and then cool & freeze). I will be trying to do this as there is no way two of us will eat all this for lunch!
- I didn't add salt and they do need it (though there is plenty in the soy).
followup note: these cakelets were good, but not good enough to warrant the fat content.
why do I get the feeling we will be too stuffed for dinner?
1. Smoky Miso Tofu
Notes:
- Coating the thin slices of tufu worked best for me by dipping them in the marinade and turning to coat - use your fingers!
- I ended up having to turn the heat up to 450F, turning the tofu pieces over gently. I also had to cook these for about 3 times as long. I wonder if the oven rack was too high? It's possible that having my baking stone and my cast iron skillet beneath the cookie sheet these were baking on may have necessitated the change in cooking time.
- This is really good, room temp or cold, with vegan mayo and lettuce and mustard on a bun.
2. Pinto Bean & Brown Rice Cakelets
Notes:
- I discovered at the last minute (Mike had gone to the store without his phone) that I had no canned pinto beans, so subbed a can of cannelini beans. Otherwise, this came together very easily even though I did have to make some brown rice (I used basmati).
- I wonder if these will need a dipping sauce, and I'm wondering if baking would work as opposed to frying.
- The recipe makes a LOT so I'm wondering if I can make the patties and freeze them (or cook them partway and then cool & freeze). I will be trying to do this as there is no way two of us will eat all this for lunch!
- I didn't add salt and they do need it (though there is plenty in the soy).
followup note: these cakelets were good, but not good enough to warrant the fat content.
why do I get the feeling we will be too stuffed for dinner?
The best vegan burger? - oh yeah
Now, this is sort of a holy grail deal. Do you know how many different versions of veggie burgers are out there? Some have oats, rice, beans, peanut butter, vital wheat gluten, or a plethora of other ingredients to create that elusive juicy, tender inside and firmer outside, flavorful enough to stand on their own yet not be subsumed by lots of toppings. Men have died in pursuit of this, and fingers, burned (ok, slight hyperbole).
The grail has been found, and Vegan Dad has done it. I'm quoting his posting here, but you will benefit by checking out the rest of his blog - I have it as a feed to my Google Reader. He's inventive and yet gives attention to the need for simple, inexpensive food that appeals to a broad audience (such as kids - thus, the implications of the blog title).
INGREDIENTS
- 1 8.5 oz pkg tempeh, coarsely grated
(If you find tempeh has a "taste," simmer it in boiling water with 2 tsp soy sauce for 10 mins to cut down on the bitterness. Cool before grating. This will increase the water content of the tempeh, so you might want to increase the wheat gluten to 1/2 cup, or not add any extra water.)
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
- 2 tsp ground fennel seed
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp HP sauce note: I don't have HP so used catsup instead, with a touch of vegan worcestershire sauce.
- 1/4 tsp browning sauce (optional)
- 2-4 tbsp water
- oil for frying
METHOD
1. Mix grated tempeh, bread crumbs, flour, and spices in a bowl. Add in soy sauce, HP sauce, and enough water to make a firm yet pliable dough. Knead for a few mins to mix everything well.
2. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape into patties by pressing into a metal ring.
3. Cook in a thin layer of oil on med-lo heat for about 5 mins per side. The trick is to make thin patties and to fry them low enough to cook them through before burning the outside.
The grail has been found, and Vegan Dad has done it. I'm quoting his posting here, but you will benefit by checking out the rest of his blog - I have it as a feed to my Google Reader. He's inventive and yet gives attention to the need for simple, inexpensive food that appeals to a broad audience (such as kids - thus, the implications of the blog title).
INGREDIENTS
- 1 8.5 oz pkg tempeh, coarsely grated
(If you find tempeh has a "taste," simmer it in boiling water with 2 tsp soy sauce for 10 mins to cut down on the bitterness. Cool before grating. This will increase the water content of the tempeh, so you might want to increase the wheat gluten to 1/2 cup, or not add any extra water.)
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
- 2 tsp ground fennel seed
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp HP sauce note: I don't have HP so used catsup instead, with a touch of vegan worcestershire sauce.
- 1/4 tsp browning sauce (optional)
- 2-4 tbsp water
- oil for frying
METHOD
1. Mix grated tempeh, bread crumbs, flour, and spices in a bowl. Add in soy sauce, HP sauce, and enough water to make a firm yet pliable dough. Knead for a few mins to mix everything well.
2. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape into patties by pressing into a metal ring.
3. Cook in a thin layer of oil on med-lo heat for about 5 mins per side. The trick is to make thin patties and to fry them low enough to cook them through before burning the outside.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
vegan tamales
for some weird reason I've been wanting to experiment with making tamales - but I'd like to make them less fatty. after a lot of looking around at different recipes, I found the following - this is copied direct from isa's post on the ppk forum:
Everyday Chipotle Vegetable Tamales
Makes 24-30 tamales (or 18 largish ones!)
This tamale recipe is as flexible as you want it to be; add roasted corn kernels, finely chopped chilies or scallions to the dough if you feel like it. I’ve kept the filling a basic bean, peppers and corn with essential addition of smoky chipotle chilies in spicy adobo sauce. Seasonal vegetables like zucchini, finely chopped steamed pumpkin, poblano chilies and even small bits of sautéed seitan would make perfect additions too.
Tamale Tips:
Canned chipotles in adobo sauce, corn husks and masa harina can be found in most large groceries with an “ethnic” section nowadays. Larger Latin American stores may have everything in stock too, as well as gourmet stores. Be sure to get masa harina mix (ground corn flour specially treated with lime water); don’t substitute with corn meal, it simply is not the same and will not work!
While preparing the dough and filling is simple enough I will not lie to you; tamale assembly can be tedious work. Don’t do it on 2 hours of sleep after pulling an all nighter, or an hour before that big date or before surgery. Enlist the help of a dear friend and promise them the warm, soul-embracing experience of eating adorably wrapped handmade tamales bursting with vegan love. Which means you’ll have to give them a few you greedy mustard.
Tamales freeze well after steaming, just wrap tightly in paper and pack in freezer bags.
If you can’t find dried corn husks for wrapping the tamales is, less attractive substitutes might be tinfoil or wax paper.
Dough:
4 Cups Masa Harina tamale flour
1/4 Cup olive or good quality corn oil
2 tsp. Baking powder
4 Cups vegetable broth, water or a combination of the two, warmed my note: I used our veg broth - note that this may change the color of the masa!
Salt to taste (needed less if using all broth) my note: for me this was about 1/2 tsp. but I tend not to cook with salt, and add it later, and there is no salt in our home made broth. this amount was fine.
Chipotle bean filling:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
1 small carrot, peeled and diced small
1 Cup frozen corn kernels
1 15oz. Can pinto or black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 C veggie broth or water
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1-2 T of adobo sauce (from a 7oz can of chipotles in sauce)
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Dried corn husks for wrapping tamales
First, place corn husks (you don’t need to separate them just now) in a pot large enough to cover completely with water. Cover with warm water and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes till husks are soft and pliable. Keep covered in water entire time as you use them. my note: I used the sink, and put a dinner plate on top of the husks to keep them immersed. Another recipe I looked at called for a 2-hour soak. The briefer soaking time works well, mostly - but not for all the husks. Make sure to gently separate these after they've been soaking for a while.
In a large bowl combine masa harina, broth or water, salt, baking powder and oil. Stir to mix with a large spatula. If you have an electric mixer (hand or otherwise) now is the time to use it. Beat the mixture till it forms a dense, moist, fluffy dough and the side of the bowls are clean. If you don’t have a mixer beat it like hell with that spatula. Tamale dough steams up extra light and puffy when beat with an electric mixer but still tastes great when beat by hand. Cover bowl containing dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside.
my note: I did not use this filling recipe, but used another one.
In a large heavy bottom skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add pepper and carrot and sauté for 3 minutes, then add beans, corn, broth, chipotles (the more chipotles and sauce the hotter) and adobo sauce, tomato paste and cumin. Sautee and simmer till most of liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Salt to taste and allow to cool before assembling tamales.
Depending the size of the corn husks you will need to use 1-2 husks per tamale. There are a billion ways to wrap a tamale: I like this way since it’s simple and makes super-cute traditional tamale shapes. Take corn husk and lay flat; spread about 2 T of dough about off-center, leaving about an inch and a half of space on the top and bottom. Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling on top, and on top of that dab about 1 T more of dough. Carefully roll up tamale, making sure to completely encase filling in corn husk. Tie both ends securely with either heavy duty kitchen string (maybe try different colors for different flavors), or simply tear a corn husk lenghth-wise into thin strips.
Prepare a large steamer basket and loosely pack tamales into it. Steam for 35-40 minutes. Tamales will expand and feel firm to the touch when done. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving (they will be really hot when unwrapped!). Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole or make a whole affair out of it and serve with sides of rice and beans.
Sauce for tamales
I found a terrific recipe that I will use for other things. It would be fantastic over rice or roasted vegetables, I know it would be, or as a taco or hamburger topping. I'm thinking about using it to fill some calzones today.
Sweet and Smokey Chipotle Sauce
from Vegetarian Journal 2006, Issue 4 my note: this recipe includes the very simple recipe for the sweet potato filling I used, but I added adobo and sauteed onion.
(Makes filling for 36 tamales)
Though this tomato-based sauce is quite spicy, there is sweet relief in the sweet potatoes and molasses.
Sauce
* One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (available in the international foods aisle of many supermarkets), minced my note: use all 3!
* 2 teaspoons leftover adobo sauce
* 2 Tablespoons molasses
* 1/4 cup orange juice my note: I skipped this as I didn't want that sweetish note (figuring the molasses would suffice), and I'm glad I did. I added an extra splash of broth, instead.
* Olive oil to cover bottom of medium-sized skillet
* 1 medium-sized onion, preferably a sweet variety
* 4 garlic cloves, crushed
* Salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
In a large saucepan, combine crushed tomatoes, peppers, adobo sauce, molasses, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer.
While the tomato sauce is simmering, pour oil into a medium-sized pan and sauté onions, garlic, and salt. When onions are slightly brown, add the pan’s contents to the tomato sauce. Add cumin and cilantro and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
Pour sauce into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
Afternotes
Because I've been having problems with the soy and beans I've been eating (hello again, colitis), I decided to fill the tamales with a sweet potato recipe I'd found elsewhere - turns out you can vary tamale recipes infinitely. That was just 2 sweet potatoes, baked til well done, then mashed with just a little salt. I added about a tablespoon of adobo sauce, and maybe 3/4 of a large onion, sauteed til soft.
I used Isa's recipe for the masa, and varied the sauce recipe by adding another 3/4 of a large onion, sauteed - this sauce truly rocks! Use the full complement of 3 chipotles - you won't be sorry! We ate this with a side of steamed quinoa, with half a bag of frozen spinach thrown in at the last - that was super, with the great sauce on it especially!
However, the filling was not such a success. The mashed sweet potatoes just don't have enough substance for me - too mushy, and I don't really like that sweetish taste in there. I do have some thoughts about what to do next time (and there will be one - this may seem time consuming, but it's well worth it). I'd like to try using something that gets firmer, but not as firm as the masa when it's cooked. I am considering crumbled tempeh, mixed with onion, garlic, and chipotle, so it's a good thickish paste (you want something that's roughly the consistency of mashed potatoes. in fact, I think if you took some leftover spicy chilli and added some kind of thickener (nooch, rice, masa) or even just mashed the beans up a bit, you'd have something really delicious. Other ideas: greens! quinoa with greens and sauce! oh yeah.
Even better might be to use a variation of Julie Hassan's sausage mix as I did for the tortellini filling (scroll down to see the variation I used for tortellini, with added spinach and nutritional yeast), spicing it with cumin and chili powder and garlic, maybe mixing in minced onion and pickled jalapeno bits. Imagine that against the creamy, firm cornmeal coating, covered by the sauce - I think this might be a winner.
Everyday Chipotle Vegetable Tamales
Makes 24-30 tamales (or 18 largish ones!)
This tamale recipe is as flexible as you want it to be; add roasted corn kernels, finely chopped chilies or scallions to the dough if you feel like it. I’ve kept the filling a basic bean, peppers and corn with essential addition of smoky chipotle chilies in spicy adobo sauce. Seasonal vegetables like zucchini, finely chopped steamed pumpkin, poblano chilies and even small bits of sautéed seitan would make perfect additions too.
Tamale Tips:
Canned chipotles in adobo sauce, corn husks and masa harina can be found in most large groceries with an “ethnic” section nowadays. Larger Latin American stores may have everything in stock too, as well as gourmet stores. Be sure to get masa harina mix (ground corn flour specially treated with lime water); don’t substitute with corn meal, it simply is not the same and will not work!
While preparing the dough and filling is simple enough I will not lie to you; tamale assembly can be tedious work. Don’t do it on 2 hours of sleep after pulling an all nighter, or an hour before that big date or before surgery. Enlist the help of a dear friend and promise them the warm, soul-embracing experience of eating adorably wrapped handmade tamales bursting with vegan love. Which means you’ll have to give them a few you greedy mustard.
Tamales freeze well after steaming, just wrap tightly in paper and pack in freezer bags.
If you can’t find dried corn husks for wrapping the tamales is, less attractive substitutes might be tinfoil or wax paper.
Dough:
4 Cups Masa Harina tamale flour
1/4 Cup olive or good quality corn oil
2 tsp. Baking powder
4 Cups vegetable broth, water or a combination of the two, warmed my note: I used our veg broth - note that this may change the color of the masa!
Salt to taste (needed less if using all broth) my note: for me this was about 1/2 tsp. but I tend not to cook with salt, and add it later, and there is no salt in our home made broth. this amount was fine.
Chipotle bean filling:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
1 small carrot, peeled and diced small
1 Cup frozen corn kernels
1 15oz. Can pinto or black beans, drained & rinsed
1/4 C veggie broth or water
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1-2 T of adobo sauce (from a 7oz can of chipotles in sauce)
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Dried corn husks for wrapping tamales
First, place corn husks (you don’t need to separate them just now) in a pot large enough to cover completely with water. Cover with warm water and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes till husks are soft and pliable. Keep covered in water entire time as you use them. my note: I used the sink, and put a dinner plate on top of the husks to keep them immersed. Another recipe I looked at called for a 2-hour soak. The briefer soaking time works well, mostly - but not for all the husks. Make sure to gently separate these after they've been soaking for a while.
In a large bowl combine masa harina, broth or water, salt, baking powder and oil. Stir to mix with a large spatula. If you have an electric mixer (hand or otherwise) now is the time to use it. Beat the mixture till it forms a dense, moist, fluffy dough and the side of the bowls are clean. If you don’t have a mixer beat it like hell with that spatula. Tamale dough steams up extra light and puffy when beat with an electric mixer but still tastes great when beat by hand. Cover bowl containing dough with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside.
my note: I did not use this filling recipe, but used another one.
In a large heavy bottom skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add pepper and carrot and sauté for 3 minutes, then add beans, corn, broth, chipotles (the more chipotles and sauce the hotter) and adobo sauce, tomato paste and cumin. Sautee and simmer till most of liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Salt to taste and allow to cool before assembling tamales.
Depending the size of the corn husks you will need to use 1-2 husks per tamale. There are a billion ways to wrap a tamale: I like this way since it’s simple and makes super-cute traditional tamale shapes. Take corn husk and lay flat; spread about 2 T of dough about off-center, leaving about an inch and a half of space on the top and bottom. Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling on top, and on top of that dab about 1 T more of dough. Carefully roll up tamale, making sure to completely encase filling in corn husk. Tie both ends securely with either heavy duty kitchen string (maybe try different colors for different flavors), or simply tear a corn husk lenghth-wise into thin strips.
Prepare a large steamer basket and loosely pack tamales into it. Steam for 35-40 minutes. Tamales will expand and feel firm to the touch when done. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before serving (they will be really hot when unwrapped!). Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole or make a whole affair out of it and serve with sides of rice and beans.
Sauce for tamales
I found a terrific recipe that I will use for other things. It would be fantastic over rice or roasted vegetables, I know it would be, or as a taco or hamburger topping. I'm thinking about using it to fill some calzones today.
Sweet and Smokey Chipotle Sauce
from Vegetarian Journal 2006, Issue 4 my note: this recipe includes the very simple recipe for the sweet potato filling I used, but I added adobo and sauteed onion.
(Makes filling for 36 tamales)
Though this tomato-based sauce is quite spicy, there is sweet relief in the sweet potatoes and molasses.
Sauce
* One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (available in the international foods aisle of many supermarkets), minced my note: use all 3!
* 2 teaspoons leftover adobo sauce
* 2 Tablespoons molasses
* 1/4 cup orange juice my note: I skipped this as I didn't want that sweetish note (figuring the molasses would suffice), and I'm glad I did. I added an extra splash of broth, instead.
* Olive oil to cover bottom of medium-sized skillet
* 1 medium-sized onion, preferably a sweet variety
* 4 garlic cloves, crushed
* Salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
In a large saucepan, combine crushed tomatoes, peppers, adobo sauce, molasses, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer.
While the tomato sauce is simmering, pour oil into a medium-sized pan and sauté onions, garlic, and salt. When onions are slightly brown, add the pan’s contents to the tomato sauce. Add cumin and cilantro and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.
Pour sauce into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.
Afternotes
Because I've been having problems with the soy and beans I've been eating (hello again, colitis), I decided to fill the tamales with a sweet potato recipe I'd found elsewhere - turns out you can vary tamale recipes infinitely. That was just 2 sweet potatoes, baked til well done, then mashed with just a little salt. I added about a tablespoon of adobo sauce, and maybe 3/4 of a large onion, sauteed til soft.
I used Isa's recipe for the masa, and varied the sauce recipe by adding another 3/4 of a large onion, sauteed - this sauce truly rocks! Use the full complement of 3 chipotles - you won't be sorry! We ate this with a side of steamed quinoa, with half a bag of frozen spinach thrown in at the last - that was super, with the great sauce on it especially!
However, the filling was not such a success. The mashed sweet potatoes just don't have enough substance for me - too mushy, and I don't really like that sweetish taste in there. I do have some thoughts about what to do next time (and there will be one - this may seem time consuming, but it's well worth it). I'd like to try using something that gets firmer, but not as firm as the masa when it's cooked. I am considering crumbled tempeh, mixed with onion, garlic, and chipotle, so it's a good thickish paste (you want something that's roughly the consistency of mashed potatoes. in fact, I think if you took some leftover spicy chilli and added some kind of thickener (nooch, rice, masa) or even just mashed the beans up a bit, you'd have something really delicious. Other ideas: greens! quinoa with greens and sauce! oh yeah.
Even better might be to use a variation of Julie Hassan's sausage mix as I did for the tortellini filling (scroll down to see the variation I used for tortellini, with added spinach and nutritional yeast), spicing it with cumin and chili powder and garlic, maybe mixing in minced onion and pickled jalapeno bits. Imagine that against the creamy, firm cornmeal coating, covered by the sauce - I think this might be a winner.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Chili-Lime Dipping Sauce
1 to 2 cloves garlic
1 long fresh red chili (like Holland, Fresno or cayenne), or 1 tablespoon bottled chili paste (sambal oelek)
3 tablespoons lime juice (3 key limes)
Pound the garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a small food processor, until a coarse paste forms. Add lime juice and mix well.
http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/
1 long fresh red chili (like Holland, Fresno or cayenne), or 1 tablespoon bottled chili paste (sambal oelek)
3 tablespoons lime juice (3 key limes)
Pound the garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle, or pulse in a small food processor, until a coarse paste forms. Add lime juice and mix well.
http://theasiangrandmotherscookbook.wordpress.com/
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Ginger/Garlic Savoy Cabbage
* 1 head savoy cabbage or Chinese cabbage, cored, shredded across in approx 3/4-inch slices (about 1 1/2 lbs)
* 2 tablespoons lite olive oil or other oil
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* salt & pepper
* 1 1/4 tablespoons ginger, minced
* 1 lime, juice of (1 1/2 T)
Directions
1. Heat wok or large skillet medium high heat, wait until oil is hot.
2. Add cabbage and stir fry until cabbage just starts to wilt (do nor overcook).
3. Add garlic, salt and pepper cook 1 minute.
4. Add ginger cook 1 minute.
5. Drizzle with lime juice and serve.
from http://www.recipezaar.com/15832
* 2 tablespoons lite olive oil or other oil
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* salt & pepper
* 1 1/4 tablespoons ginger, minced
* 1 lime, juice of (1 1/2 T)
Directions
1. Heat wok or large skillet medium high heat, wait until oil is hot.
2. Add cabbage and stir fry until cabbage just starts to wilt (do nor overcook).
3. Add garlic, salt and pepper cook 1 minute.
4. Add ginger cook 1 minute.
5. Drizzle with lime juice and serve.
from http://www.recipezaar.com/15832
Veganomicon ricotta
I finally got it right. The baking stone I ordered from Cooking.com arrived, and I was anxious to christen it with a pizza, so I used the V'con recipe for 'Isa Pizza'. This is wonderous, yeast-risen stuff, to which I added a handful of fresh herbs: sage, basil, chives), topping it with scads of slow-carmelized onions (nearly an hour!), lots of garlic, my chipotle-mayo base, heirloom tomatoes, and for the first time, the ricotta recipe from the same cookbook.
Starting from a base of pressed, mushed-up tofu, lots of good things are added, including more garlic (never enough!), fresh basil, and lemon juice - the result is a light, bland mixture that still misses by just a hair what it might be, if eaten alone. However, when added in small lumps to a pizza with lots of other stuff going on, the blandness works very well, adding a sort of unctuous savory (hey, I don't know how else to describe it!)
Having some leftover (about a cup), last night I used it up and was pretty pleased with the results. I blended it with leftover cooked collards (which had a bit of quinoa, so this is a very healthy mix!), then rolled the mixture up in filo. Baked (at 350F for about 20 minutes) and topped with a light and spicy tomato sauce, these were really wonderful! The sauce:
1 large onion, cut in chunks and chopped very fine
1 T olive oil
3 or 4 l. garlic cloves, chopped very fine
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
10 large basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp or more oregano
1 tsp (or to taste) hot pepper flakes
2 tsp lemon juice
Heat onion in olive oil, stirring whenever you think of it, for longer than you think it should take to get it sweet and lightly browned, cooking off nearly all the liquid.
Add garlic, sautee for longer (lower heat and pay attention here - garlic turns bitter, fast.
Add all other ingredients except lemon juice; simmer on low heat for at least 1/2 hour.
Before serving, stir in lemon juice.
Starting from a base of pressed, mushed-up tofu, lots of good things are added, including more garlic (never enough!), fresh basil, and lemon juice - the result is a light, bland mixture that still misses by just a hair what it might be, if eaten alone. However, when added in small lumps to a pizza with lots of other stuff going on, the blandness works very well, adding a sort of unctuous savory (hey, I don't know how else to describe it!)
Having some leftover (about a cup), last night I used it up and was pretty pleased with the results. I blended it with leftover cooked collards (which had a bit of quinoa, so this is a very healthy mix!), then rolled the mixture up in filo. Baked (at 350F for about 20 minutes) and topped with a light and spicy tomato sauce, these were really wonderful! The sauce:
1 large onion, cut in chunks and chopped very fine
1 T olive oil
3 or 4 l. garlic cloves, chopped very fine
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
10 large basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp or more oregano
1 tsp (or to taste) hot pepper flakes
2 tsp lemon juice
Heat onion in olive oil, stirring whenever you think of it, for longer than you think it should take to get it sweet and lightly browned, cooking off nearly all the liquid.
Add garlic, sautee for longer (lower heat and pay attention here - garlic turns bitter, fast.
Add all other ingredients except lemon juice; simmer on low heat for at least 1/2 hour.
Before serving, stir in lemon juice.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Thai Peanut Sauce
Generously shared by Hedge at the PPK Forum and altered to US measures, plus my notes.
3 1/2 T crunchy peanut butter (if all you have is creamy, this is fine too)
2 L cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 can (8 oz) of light coconut milk
half L onion, chopped roughly
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, in slivers
1 carrot, sliced into thinnish 'coins' or ovals
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c green bell pepper, chopped medium-small
1 teaspoon of chili powder*, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons of peanut oil
*note that this is not the same chili powder we use in the US to make the soup, chili, but rather a ground hot pepper flake. I suspect you can also substitute cayenne here.
Finely chop the onion and fry it in the peanut oil until soft then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in the peanut butter and chili powder. Then add the coconut milk and continue to stir for about five minutes.
Finally, stir in the soy sauce and take off the heat. You will want to taste it at this point and maybe add more soy sauce.
For seitan satay, the original author's notes: I always make satay with this by slicing baked seitan into long strips about half an inch wide and placing in a lightly greased oven proof dish. Pour over the peanut sauce and heat through in the oven for 5-10 mins.
My note: I will be using soy curls, marinated first in vegetable broth with a touch of soy sauce, then sauteed in olive oil, until it starts to get a bit crusty. From there I will add in carrots, bell pepper, and (lastly, just to heat through) frozen peas and the slivered basil - and serving over basmati rice, garnished with a few more basil slivers and (if you have it) a sprinkle of chopped, roasted peanuts. Serve with a size of steamed broccoli or sauteed bok choi.
3 1/2 T crunchy peanut butter (if all you have is creamy, this is fine too)
2 L cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 can (8 oz) of light coconut milk
half L onion, chopped roughly
5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, in slivers
1 carrot, sliced into thinnish 'coins' or ovals
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c green bell pepper, chopped medium-small
1 teaspoon of chili powder*, or to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons of peanut oil
*note that this is not the same chili powder we use in the US to make the soup, chili, but rather a ground hot pepper flake. I suspect you can also substitute cayenne here.
Finely chop the onion and fry it in the peanut oil until soft then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Stir in the peanut butter and chili powder. Then add the coconut milk and continue to stir for about five minutes.
Finally, stir in the soy sauce and take off the heat. You will want to taste it at this point and maybe add more soy sauce.
For seitan satay, the original author's notes: I always make satay with this by slicing baked seitan into long strips about half an inch wide and placing in a lightly greased oven proof dish. Pour over the peanut sauce and heat through in the oven for 5-10 mins.
My note: I will be using soy curls, marinated first in vegetable broth with a touch of soy sauce, then sauteed in olive oil, until it starts to get a bit crusty. From there I will add in carrots, bell pepper, and (lastly, just to heat through) frozen peas and the slivered basil - and serving over basmati rice, garnished with a few more basil slivers and (if you have it) a sprinkle of chopped, roasted peanuts. Serve with a size of steamed broccoli or sauteed bok choi.
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