Corn Curry!

This came together haphazardly but ended up being really delicious! The base is sautéed garlic, onion and tomato with cumin seeds, ginger, garam masala, coriander, turmeric and chili powder.
To that I added sweet and white potatoes and tofu, followed later by some corn and lentils and finished off closer to the end with brussels sprouts and broccoli. The sweetness of he corn really worked with the spiciness of the curry.

Almond Cream Pasta with Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Vegan)

Why do I feel like I posted this already? Because I ate it over a month ago. Sorry!

Sometimes I get a craving for something super creamy. 
Being lactose intolerant and sharing the occasional leftover with vegan friends means I have to look to uncommon places for that satisfying sauciness.  Frankly, I was surprised to learn that this is an actual pasta sauce (I thought it was just something I dreamed up out of low pantry supplies and lack of motivation to go outside).
It ends up tasting somewhere between an alfredo and a white cheese sauce, and this depends on how much nutritional yeast (if any) you use.
The sauce is pretty easy: 
Take a cup of toasted almonds (skin on or off) and grind them in a blender until they're a fine crumb. Add one or two cloves of chopped garlic and pulse together.  
To this add 1-2 cups of water and continue to blend until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a pan and simmer. At this point you can add lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, or up to 1/4 c. nutritional yeast to taste, as well as salt, pepper or nutmeg.
Simmer the sauce until it's the desired thickness and serve over pasta.
On the side, I served roasted brussels sprouts. They were halved and tossed with curry paste, vinegar or citrus juice, some sugar or maple syrup optional garlic and a little olive oil and roasted at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  They're a dream of crispy chippy leaves and soft insides.
Yum!

Amazebowls (Vegan Rainbow Lunch Bowl)

I took way too long to take the above picture, but I finally gave this purple Kale the glamour shot treatment.
I made this bowl to deal with double-shift lunches.  I cooked up enough yums for three days, including tofu, broccoli, spiced onion and kale, chickpeas, black rice and fresh corn.  I made a 'fresh' type saucy gravy of Korean miso or Denjoeng, tahini, apple juice, vinegar, coconut milk and strawberry puree. Kiss my ass hotdog truck!

Panzanella!

I love Panzanella in the summer.  I'm not certain, but I think that the name either comes from the Italian word pane (bread) or panzo (belly/stomach). This simple bread salad is very refreshing during hot days, and is one of those dishes that gets even better if you make it in advance.
This dish uses up stale bread nicely as well. 
For two servings: 
1/2 loaf of stale crusty bread (no wonderbread, yo.)
1/2 a cucumber, chopped
1-2 med. tomatoes, chopped, with juices (or 1/2 pint of cherry or grape tomatoes halved).
A thin slice of onion, chopped finely
One clove of garlic chopped finely
1/4 block of tofu, cubed (optional)
a few torn leaves of basil
1/4 to 1/2 cup of olive oil/wine vinegar total (in whatever proportion you like)
s & p to taste.
Roughly tear the bread into chunks.  If it's very very stale, soak it in water for a minute, then squeeze most of the water out gently and put it into a med. bowl
add vegetables and tofu and basil to the bowl
pour dressing over, tossing well (pressing down if necessary to get the bread to absorb all the juices)
add salt and pepper to taste
allow the salad to sit, refrigerated, for at least 30 min before serving.  This is great after it has chilled overnight as well.
Enjoy the shit out of this mofo.
 

Quickles! Quick Daikon Pickles

I love Guu Izakaya, a Japanese Izakaya-style restaurant in Toronto.  Last time I went, I had a mixed pickle appetizer that reminded me how much I love pickled Daikon.  (In Banh Mi, especially).  These pickles are dead easy to make.  All it took was:
1 med Daikon, cut into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices.
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup of vinegar (rice vinegar is preferable, but white vinegar is what I used this time)
1/4 tsp salt

Toss the sliced Daikon with the salt in a bowl, and allow it to  sit for 20 minutes or so.  This pulls a lot of the water out of the daikon.
Rinse the daikon and squeeze the excess water out of it, then place it in a jar with a lid.
Add the vinegar and sugar to the jar, and adjust either to taste.
At this point, I added several drops of food colouring to the vinegar solution, because the pickles I have in Japanese restaurants often have a vibrant pink colour.  If I had had a beet, I would have added a slice of it to the jar and it would probably have achieved a nicer, more natural result.
The shape of the cells in the Daikon really stand out when you add something coloured to the liquid.
Enjoy!

Japanese Cold Noodles - Hiyashi Chuuka

These noodles are awesome. They travel well, (I took them on a picnic to the island) are a filling and healthy meal, and they're dead simple.

Cook one serving of chinese-style noodles (the kind that come on in 4 or 6 pack bricks) al dente, then rinse thoroughly and drain.

Chop any combination of vegetables, tofu, fake meat, or real meat and place on top. Essentials are thinly shaved cucumber (done with a peeler) and tomato.

Add a squirt of mustard to the side of the dish.

Assemble a sauce of 1-2 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp stock or water, 1-2 tsp sesame oil, 1tbsp tahini or ground sesame seeds, and 1 tbsp vinegar (all ingredients can be adjusted to taste). Add some pickled or thinly shredded ginger, and assemble right before eating. Nom!!

Mushroom Risotto

I finally made risotto! You'd think that since my parents are both Italian, I would have made this before, but I've never eaten it with my family. It was delicious, and very easy to make.
I soaked dried shitake in boiling water for a few minutes, then sauteed onion in olive oil. I added the rice and sauteed it until the oil was mostly absorbed and the rice translucent, then I added the mushrooms and their liquid. After that, I added vegetable stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. Once the stock was absorbed, I added another ladleful and stirred it in. I repeated this for about 20 minutes, until I had used up all of the stock. Amazingly creamy, and delicious!

Painfully Messy Indonesian Turnip Cake

A.k.a baby throwup, A.k.a. 'the sludge'.

This is what it ended up looking like (partially finished)

It was a delicious dish we ordered on a whim at King's noodle house. It was deep fried, covered in Hoisin sauce, terrifyingly hot and incredibly tasty.

So, I decided to try to make it. I didn't realize that it would take several hours.

It started with some onions, some veggie sausage, and some hot chili flakes, sauteed with some shredded daikon radish. In case you're wondering, there's no turnip anywhere in the cake. I was a little disappointed, having had limited experience with Turnip, and wishing to expand my horizons.

Something for next time, I guess.
So, the process was to create a thick sludge (which you can see in the bowl) made up of water and rice flour, and to introduce it into the hot pan and allow it to thicken with the onions and 'sausage'.

After that, the mixture was poured into a pot and steamed for an hour. To be truthful, it fell into the pot and splattered all over the kitchen--then I salvaged what was left and steamed it for an hour.
After that, it had to set in the fridge for another hour, and after that, it was fried until crisp and coated with hoisin sauce, soy and sugar.

Verdict: the hungry boys and I ate the sludge. It was passably good, but no contest to the dish in the restaurant. For five bucks, I'll just buy it next time. And maybe a bag of turnips for later.

Dumplings!

Ah, dumplings. I wonder why I waited so long to make you again.
Did dumplings two ways this week. Asian style dumplings yesterday and Italian 'Ravioli' style dumplings today.
I'm still using the pre-made dumpling wrappers because I don't have the time or patience right now to try making them on my own. Also, I'm moving soon (yaay!) and I'm trying to eat up everything I can to make things easier for everyone.

I filled yesterday's dumplings with minced tofu, onion, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, cayenne pepper, cumin, and garam masala. Super delicious.
I sauteed all of the above in olive oil until the onions were translucent, then let it cool and spooned a teaspoon into each dumpling wrapper. I think I finally got down the folding technique for the edges, which is like a pleating. I folded the wrapper over and pinched the centre, and then started from one of the edges, pleating towards the middle and gently pressing out air bubbles. None exploded during steaming, and only two let water in when I boiled the next batch.
For the Italian dumplings, I used a similar base but added broccoli, oregano, fresh basil, pesto and tomato paste, along with some hot chili powder. I have it for my lunch, with spicy olive tomato sauce. Happy Day!

Fiddlehead Pasta!

I'm not much of a pasta-eater for someone of Italian descent, but I couldn't think of a more delicious way to try my first fiddleheads than with butterfly pasta. My friend K.K suggested that I cook them with lemon butter, and the notion of eating these in a light, clear sauce stuck with me. I adapted this recipe from one I found online, adding a couple of things I enjoy.

The first step was to blanch the rinsed fiddleheads in boiling salted water for 2 or 3 minutes. Then I rinsed them in cold water and added my butterfly pasta to the already boiling pot.
When the pasta is 2 or 3 minutes away from being al dente, saute 3 or 4 cloves of garlic, sliced, in 3 tbsp butter or margerine, until just brown.
At this point, I added some dry chilis because I love a little kick to my pasta, especially if it's a light dish.
Drain the pasta and rinse in cold water. Then add the juice of 1/2 a juicy lemon to the margerine and garlic and allow to thicken (it will likely take only a few seconds)
Add the fiddleheads and toss, then add the pasta and toss. Keep on the heat, tossing, until the pasta is coated and most of the liquid is absorbed.
At this point you can season with salt, pepper, or cheese if you like.
Deeeelish.

Mutter Paneer

This dish feels like it takes forever to make. It's somewhat complicated, but if you have some free time, or are super organized in the kitchen, you might enjoy spending an afternoon with Mutter Paneer.
First, I would recommend doing a kitchen inventory, as this requires quite a few spices and ingredients.


You'll need 1/2-1 tsp each of garam masala, black pepper, cumin, mustard seeds, cayenne pepper, ground fresh ginger and garlic. Also, two bay leaves, a pinch of cardamom, 3 or 4 cloves and an inch or so of cinnamon stick.
You'll also need 1C cubed paneer, 1 minced onion, and 3-4 tomatoes, pureed.
First, you fry the cubed paneer until it's golden on all sides, then set it aside to drain on paper towel.
Meanwhile, saute the dry spices in the remaining oil for about 30 s. Then add the mixture of ground ginger, garlic, and minced onion and saute until golden and combined.
Add the tomatoes and about a cup of water, and prepare to simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes ( you might need to keep adding water-you want the sauce to come together and change to a darker red/brown colour, and the oil to float to the top).
After it's reached a good gravylike consistency, add the peas. 2-3 minutes later add the cheese.
Simmer another 2-3 minutes, then serve over rice (or rice and quinoa mixed)

NOM!

Cauliflower, Kale and Potato Gratin

Okay, it's not the nicest food porn pic I've ever taken. I was experimenting with a Canon 5D this weekend, and haven't quite mastered the settings. I was driven to make a gratin (my first) after reading chocolate and zucchini last week. I used her bechamel sauce (a flour/oil roux simmered with soy milk and seasoning) and tossed it with Kale, Potato and Cauliflower that I had steam-sauteed for about10-15 minutes (sauteed in order of hardness, with the Kale only going in for 2-3 minutes)
I topped it with nutritional yeast and panko, and baked it at 400 for 10 minutes, then broiled for another five. What a treat!
Next: Vegan Baked Eggplant. Dang, yo.

Hibiscus bowl & Vegan Soon Dubu Jiggae

Man. Things sure have been busy. I wanted to take a minute to share a couple of dishes that I've been making lately that I really enjoy.
The First one is a mixture of vegetable salads on quinoa, inspired by a delicious, kick-your-ass bowl I had at hibiscus in Kensington Market.
Some wonderful things about this dish: you can recreate it with all of the little bits of ingredients and dishes you end up with in the fridge. It tastes a bit different every time. And it makes you feel really really good (and full!)
In my bowl, the base is quinoa (cook the quinoa as you would rice, then dress it with orange juice and balsamic vinegar and maybe some mustard. Add in a handful of raisins and a tiny bit of chopped onion or garlic if you like)
At 12:20 is roasted cubed squash (roasted with garlic, olive oil and sea salt)
below that are roasted beets (roasted at the same time as the squash, but for a fair bit longer) dressed in tahini, red wine vinegar and salt.
At 6:00 is the lovely broccoli, steamed and tossed with a smidge of garlic and some balsamic.
At 9:00 is a piece of tofu, previously frozen, baked with soy sauce and cumin.
And rounding the corner at 11 is the lovely cold salad of chick peas, avocado and tomato with a little diced onion, olive oil and vinegar.
All of the dressings/ingredients can be subbed for others. Last week I made a version of this with Kale sauteed with onions and soy...it almost made me cry.The next dish...I'm going to wear out reallly fast. It's called soon dubu chigae, and it's a Korean spicy tofu stew that I first had in Koreatown. I was pretty sure that in the restaurant it was made with meat stock, but I found it delicious anyway and tried to replicate it at home.
First I had to figure out what it was called and then I had to figure out what was in it and how I could vegetarianize it.
Most recipes call for fish, fish stock, beef, and egg, but I find this stew doesn't miss it. It's hearty and super easy/cheap to make.

I adapted the recipe from this one. I think it's pretty solid, with the exception of the spice level and the add-ins.

I like to throw in some kale or broccoli, some tvp crumbles, some firm tofu...everything but the kitchen sink basically. Serve over hot rice.
One problem with this dish. The main ingredient, gochujang, a Korean red pepper paste, has msg in it. I don't know about you, but for me this means possible headaches/muscle aches.
I aim to make my own after I finish the container (which, at this rate shouldn't be long!) otherwise try to find a brand that is msg free.
xoxo

Caponata

I didn't even know what this was until a couple of days ago. I found myself with a large Ontario eggplant, and thought I might make some ratatouille.
I browsed a few recipes online and kept finding recipes for this dish. It's Italian, but it's not from my grandparent's region, so I've never tried it before. I decided to go for it.
One of the main reasons I picked this recipe instead of ratatouille was that I had a picnic today, and wanted to have something that could be snacked on, didn't require heating or cooling, could be easily carried and was vegan. This recipe was a hit. I got quite a few compliments on it.
There were so many conflicting recipes with different ingredients online that I ended up settling with the recipe in the hardcover copy of the Joy of Cooking on our bookshelf. It had the fewest ingredients and seemed the easiest for me.

Other than the small pain of sweating the eggplant, this recipe is a piece of cake. I served it with Melba toasts and some bread and hummous.

Chap Chae - Korean-style clear noodles with vegetables

I'd had Chap chae many times at Korean and Japanese restaurants before I tried to make it myself, and I was delighted to discover how easy it is.

The most difficult part (which is barely difficult) is finding the right noodles. This recipe calls for bean thread noodles, also known as cellophane noodles, glass noodles or mung bean noodles. These can be a bit tricky to find, but I've substituted rice vermicelli and it's still very delicious.
Mung bean and sweet potato starch noodles look a little scary in the package. They're stiff and greyish purple, but trust me, they're delicious (and see-through!)

For the Sauce:
1/4 cup low salt soy sauce (or regular soy mixed with a little water)
1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 cloves chopped garlic
For the rest:
1/2 package bean thread noodles
1/2 tbsp sesame or vegetable oil for the pan
1/2 an onion, sliced
1/4 block of medium firm or firm tofu, sliced into strips
And a handful each of thinly sliced zucchini, carrots, pepper, snap peas, mushrooms, or any other vegetable you feel would be delicious in this mix.

Chop the garlic and combine all ingredients in a food processor. Process until blended.
Meanwhile, prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Mine had to sit in boiled water for 10 minutes.

Next, sautee the harder chopped vegetables (onion and carrot) and the tofu in oil until tender. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for another couple of minutes.










After all of the vegetables are done and the noodles are cooked, drain the noodles and add the noodles and sauce to the pan, stirring.






Stir everything together and continue cooking until it has combined and most of the sauce has been absorbed. I like to eat a bit when it's hot and a little later when it is room temperature. I've usually had it served cool, and the flavours are stronger when it's had a chance to settle.