Buffalo Tofu Bites

I do not care much for tofu. Well read on, there's more to it. Of course I did not grow up eating tofu. Not so very long ago, it all started as a misunderstanding between mister tofu and I. I had heard a lot of good things about it. I even found out that it was made from bean curd which put me right at home with it. To top it all it looked like paneer, my favorite ingredient of all. That was the mistake. I tried it with the expectation for it to taste like paneer. Not tofu's fault. It is a great and very versatile ingredient but one of a kind. I have since tried it many different ways and this recipe is the best way I like it. Done appetizer style, breaded, baked and with the spicy kick of a homemade buffalo style sauce. Tofu is back again. 

Read more »

Thai Massaman Curry (Vegetarian)

his one time, soon after we got married and I came to the US, hubby and I went to a wedding ceremony of one of his colleagues. Strangely enough they did not have much food. Only some light snacks and drinks. So after the ceremony on our way back we decided to get lunch. He said he knew a Thai-Japanese place that was pretty good. At the restaurant we saw they had vegetarian sushi on the menu. I got all excited about it and we ordered it. When it arrived, it looked really pretty, got me even more excited to try it out. Hated it. I almost spit it out in my napkin. I kid you not. To my surprise though, hubby seemed to like it. Well anyway that was end of Sushi for me for a very long time. Well that was until we went to another Thai restaurant and this time hubby knew better than to order Sushi. So he ordered, you guessed it, Massaman curry. That was the day I was completely hooked to Thai cuisine. Thai is now definitely my favorite after Italian (and of course Indian) cuisine. I like everything about Thai cuisine; the ingredients used, its flavor, the way it’s cooked, the fresh herbs and aromatic spices and above all the way it tastes. And another reason for my love affair with Thai food is the familiar spices flavors with my very own Indian cuisine. Among the different Thai dishes, the varieties of curries definitely top the charts. The unique burst of flavors and the gorgeous color is so appealing that I order it over and over again whenever I am at any Thai restaurant. Not quite so popular as its more popular cousins Red curry, Green n Yellow Thai Curry, but heartier and a lot more aromatic is the unique Massaman Curry. It’s a sort of fusion between Thai and Indian food :)The tamarind, coconut and spices give it a distinct Indian flavor.

Read more »

Pad Thai

ad Thai is Thailand's ubiquitous street food that needs little introduction. I believe if you really want to get a real taste of the food and culture of a place you should try its street food. The street food of a place defines the food and culture of a place and is usually the best the culture has to offer. Thai cuisine is definitely my favorite after Italian (and of course Indian). Pad Thai has all the qualities I like and more. It contains noodles, lots of veggies, crunchy roasted peanuts and is simmered in a tangy, sweet and spicy tamarind-soy based sauce. It is my second favorite Thai entrée after red thai curry which I order every time I visit any Thai restaurant. It is one of the national dishes of Thailand and is perhaps the most beloved of all Thai dishes and also the favorite of vegetarians like me. One put off for me being a veggie is the fish sauce/shrimp paste used in the preparation so lately I have making the dish at home without the fish/shrimp and you get the clean tasty dish custom made per your liking not to mention it is a breeze to make.

The term 'Pad Thai' literally translates to 'fried thai', but it really refers to (usually) flat rice noodles fried with thai spices and seasonings.

Read more »

Thai Red Curry

To quote: Chat Mingkwan, in Buddha’s Table: Thai Feasting Vegetarian Style-

“This dish is the most often cooked curry in the Thai household. If a home chef can’t decide which curry to prepare that would please all family members, he or she will end up making red curry. Its paste can be easily made with staple ingredients in the Thai pantry, such as dried chilies, garlic, shallots, and dried herbs and spices. The paste also pairs well with nearly all ingredients, especially any vegetables that grow near the house or those that have been left in the refrigerator.”

Thai is definitely my favorite after Italian (and of course Indian) cuisine. I still remember the first time I gave Thai cuisine a thought was when I was watching Priyanka Chopra's interview after she was was crowned Miss World and the whole Indian media went crazy after her... all TV channels were filled with her biography, interviews, childhood pictures, repeat telecasts of her crowning moment (which was actually 10,000 times lol) and then during one such interview someone asked her about her favorite food and she answered "Thai". I only tasted it after coming to the US and I am totally with Priyanka, at least on her  choice of food... love it! Among the different Thai dishes, the vegetable red curry definitely tops the charts. The unique burst of flavors and the gorgeous color is so appealing that I order it over and over again whenever I am at any thai restaurant.

There was this Thai restaurant about a couple of miles from my place. They were famous for this curry. You would pick your own veggies from a buffet line and the chefs would make it right in front of you in large woks over ceiling high flames. As my luck would have it, they went out of business :( We were craving this curry for sometime now... my hubby challenged me if I could make my own version... I of course accepted it. With a little assistance from my friend and guide *google* and my own memory of the taste of that curry, I tried making it with whatever ingredients I had that time and made it the same night for dinner. Hubby dear was bowled over. We enjoyed it with some Thai sticky rice and had Thai sticky rice with mango for dessert!!  Now, I can  proudly add the world famous Thai red curry to my resume :) Thai cooking is fast, super easy and absolutely heavenly... if you have the paste ready. As I said before, in this version, I used the ingredients that were handy so I have substituted some of the classic thai ingredients (see notes for details).

So, here it is, my version of the classic-

Read more »

Tofu methi thepla

 

packet of silken tofu was sitting in my refrigerator for longer than I would've liked it to... everytime I opened my fridge, I would think what to make out of them but I just couldn't come up with anything. Last sunday for dinner I was not in the mood to cook something elaborate and thought of making some methi thepla. Which we all know is a well known gujarati bread which is thankfully a full meal in itself :) So I went in the kitchen and started preparing everything, opened my fridge and again the same tofu was there staring back at me and bingo came the bright idea :D why not make tofu methi thepla, went ahead, made it and served to hubby with some yogurt and pickle.. he loved it, I loved it and so this recipe was born. The result was a soft and flavorful tofu methi theplas. Also a very good way to add some extra protein to your diet, so both healthy and yummy. If you are not a big tofu fan, this dish might just make you a convert.. Can be served as breakfast or snack, lunch or even dinner.

Read more »