Thai Green Curry Tofu with Jasmine Rice

I haven't had green curry since we were in Japan, which was...good grief, it's been more than 11 months since we left Japan!! Thai Erawan, just off Blue Street in Yokosuka, had the best green curry that I absolutely adored. I bought a tub of green curry paste at Whole Foods earlier this year, as well as a tub of red. I was less than pleased with the red curry paste, so I haven't been really motivated to try the green yet. I found a little packet of green curry paste at World Market last week, and tried it tonight.

It was good! Spicy as hell, but delicious! And look how pretty!



Thai Green Curry Tofu

1 oz green curry paste
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable stock
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1-inch chunks
1 small summer squash, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 medium eggplant, cut in 1-inch chunks
1/2 block tofu, drained and pressed, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 large yellow onion, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut in 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
Hot, cooked jasmine rice

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add curry paste and saute for 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and vegetable stock, whisking to combine thoroughly. Add sweet potato, summer squash, eggplant, tofu and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until sweet potato is just tender. Add bell pepper and broccoli. Cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes longer, until broccoli is crisp-tender but not soft.

Serve over hot jasmine rice.

Thai Tofu & Veggie Pizza with Peanut Sauce

Spicy Thai pizza with peanut sauce was one of my favorite pizzas back in college. Zeek's Pizza in Seattle makes a fantastic one, though it was difficult to find enough people interested in splitting one to make it worthwhile to order, so I didn't get to indulge very often. Zeek's also makes an awesome BBQ chicken pizza, so I was happy to settle for that instead.

A friend online mentioned last week that she was going to make a Thai pizza like this, and I immediately added it to this week's menu. I made my very simple pizza dough, patted it out on my pizza stone, and glazed it with a little olive oil. I loaded it up with bean sprouts, shredded carrot, coarsely chopped red onion, soy sauce basted grilled tofu cut into chunks, little broccoli florets, and loads of fresh cilantro. I put mozzarella cheese on Brad's half, but left it off mine. Pizza is something I'm usually willing to splurge on, and veer out of my mostly vegan diet for, but I really don't need it for this pizza. I also whipped up a quick batch of peanut sauce, which we drizzled over the pizza after it came out of the oven, as well as a dish of it on the side for dipping. I also garnished the pizza with chopped peanuts and crushed red pepper.



The verdict? Delicious! I love homemade pizza, and I love unusual pizza, so this satisfies both. I honestly didn't even miss the cheese.



I'd also like to give a shout out to my sweet husband Brad, who decided while he was in Japan that he wanted to become a vegetarian, too! Hooray for Brad! He's not at all interested in going vegan, which I can understand, but I'm proud of him, and excited for both of us, that he's an "all the way" vegetarian now! He's been completely meat-free for a week and a half now, and said that he feels better than he has in ages. Way to go, Brad!

At last!

Finally! A real blog post! With pictures AND a recipe! Hooray!



Tonight we had super yummy, crunchy, crispy, fresh, spicy, zest wraps stuffed with fresh veggies, grilled tofu, and a drizzle of peanut sauce. Oh, baby! I can't even begin to tell you how much these hit the spot. They were exactly what I've been craving! They're also fairly quick to throw together, which is a nice because Brad is taking off in a few minutes to go do his monthly Navy Reserve drill period in New Orleans, so we were able to maximize our time together before he goes.

These are great for a light meal, but if you're craving something heartier, you can also stuff the wraps with jasmine rice and chopped peanuts. Deeeelicious!



Thai Tofu Wraps with Peanut Sauce

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
4 leaves green cabbage
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Very hot water
Large flour tortillas

Cut the block of tofu in half horizontally, then slice into sticks, about 3/4" x 1/2" x 3". Set aside. Heat a grill pan or Foreman Grill. Brush lightly with vegetable oil, then place the tofu on the grill and drizzle with soy sauce. Grill 3 to 4 minutes per side (no need to flip if it's on the Foreman Grill), or until it firms up somewhat and has pretty grill marks. Set aside.

Toss together the cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber, vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, and salt. Set aside.

Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Gradually whisk in hot water until it reaches a good consistency for drizzling. Set aside.

Now it's time to assemble the wraps. Heat tortillas in the microwave until soft and pliable. Place a handful of vegetable mixture on the tortilla, top with 3 strips of tofu, and drizzle with peanut sauce. Carefully wrap up and place seam-side down on a plate until ready to serve.

These can be served warm, chilled, or room temperature.

Thai Red Curry Tofu

This is my second attempt to make a really good Thai red curry dish, but it's still not quite there. This time I used kaffir lime leaves, which made a huge difference, but there's still something missing, and I don't know what it is.

Still, though, it was yummy! Next time I wouldn't use all coconut milk, because this was way too oily, but I think if I mixed half vegetable stock and half coconut milk it would be better.



I'm on day 4 of eating vegan, and it's going well! I haven't been able to eat anything at work, so I've been packing my own lunch. Today they catered in creamy chicken pasta, garlic bread, salad already tossed with ranch dressing, and chocolate cake. It all looked fabulous, but I stuck to my guns and ate my fruit and granola bars instead. Hooray for me!

American Style Pad Thai

I made Pad Thai not too long ago, and I wasn't too thrilled with it. It was good, don't get me wrong, but it was (to my knowledge) a fairly authentic Thai recipe. And I'm an American, and I wanted totally inauthentic, American style Pad Thai. Pad American, if you will. ; ) So that's what I made tonight. Pad Thai with a bright pinkish reddish sauce that heavily features ketchup. That's right!

And it hit the spot. Total comfort food. Yummy!

Look at that pinkish reddish goodness!



American Style Pad Thai

1 lb Thai rice noodles
2 cups mung bean sprouts
6 Tbsp ketchup
6 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 block extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into small cubes
2 eggs
2 cups shredded carrot
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
chopped peanuts, crushed red pepper, sugar and vinegar, if desired

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add rice noodles, and soak 2 to 3 minutes, until softened. Meanwhile, place bean sprouts in a strainer in the sink. When noodles are softened, pour over the bean sprouts in the colander. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients: ketchup, lime juice, brown sugar and fish sauce. Set aside.

Wipe out the pot, return to heat, and add vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook for several minutes, until just beginning to brown. Drain tofu on paper towels, and discard all but a trace amount of oil. Return to heat. Whisk eggs lightly and add to pot, quickly scrambling. Add noodles, bean sprouts, carrots, green onions and sauce. Toss several minutes to distribute vegetables and sauce, until heated through.

Serve with chopped peanuts, crushed red pepper, sugar and vinegar for topping, if desired.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp red curry paste
3/4 lb chicken breast, cut in chunks
2 cups unsweetned coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp ground tumeric or curry powder
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup coarsley chopped shallots
1/3 cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 to 6 servings hot rice or noodles

Heat the oil in a medium sauceepan over medium heat, and then add garlic. Toss well and add the curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice and remove from heat.

Ladle curry over rice or noodles, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot.

Thai Red Curry

Alas, it appears that I'm continuing on with the trend of making things that are just....eh.  I was so excited to have Thai red curry tofu tonight!  I haven't had a Thai curry since we left Japan, and I've been missing it a lot.  There was the best Thai restaurant in Yokosuka, and they made absolutely amazing red curry, green curry, pad Thai, and spicy papaya salad.  I've been able to successfully recreate the spicy papaya salad at home, with great results, but I haven't found comparable red or green curry recipes yet.

The one I tried tonight was all right.  Brad liked it, but I didn't even finish my bowl.  I think it would have been OK if the bar hadn't been set so high by Thai Erawan, but that's what I had my mind set on, so this didn't even come close.  :sigh:    I really didn't like the last steps in this recipe, adding in the lemon juice, basil and corn starch.  I don't think the curry needed to be thickened up like that, and the lemon juice and basil just tasted all wrong.  Next time I made red curry, I'm going to look for a recipe that uses kaffir lime leaves and lemon grass, and I think it'll be more what I'm looking for.  

I bought and prepared Jasmine rice for the first time today, and OH MY GOSH, it was delicious!  I always thought that Thai Erawan added something to their rice to make it taste so good.  I didn't know it was Jasmine rice!  Yum!  I'm so excited to have it again. 

I'll go ahead and post the curry recipe just for kicks.  Try it at your own risk.

Thai Red Curry

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 onion—finely chopped
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste (or 3 teaspoons for a hotter curry)
2 cloves garlic—finely chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce (I used soy sauce, which I know isn't a real substitute, because I didn't have a vegetarian fish sauce on hand)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
1 red pepper, julienned
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed, cubed and lightly browned in oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large fresh basil leaves—finely sliced

Prepare Jasmine rice according to package directions.  While rice is cooking, prepare curry.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry paste and garlic and cook, stirring, for a minute. Add the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar and salt, then bring to the boil. Add the red pepper and zucchini, cover with a lid, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12 minutes.

Add the tofu to the curry and simmer, covered, for a further 8 minutes. Add the cornstarch paste and stir continuously until the curry thickens, then stir in the lemon juice and basil. Serve with Jasmine rice.

Pad Thai

¾ lb dried rice noodles (fettucine or linguine width)
¼ c lime juice
3 Tbsp Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce, or soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp red curry paste
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin julienne strips
8-10 scallions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths
1 c mung bean sprouts
¼ c chopped dry roasted peanuts
¼ c cilantro
1 lime, cut into 1/8-inch rounds

Soak noodles in 3 quarts hot water for 30 minutes; drain. In small bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, curry paste and 1 Tbsp water. Pour 1 Tbsp oil into non-stick skillet, and scramble eggs over low heat until barely cooked, then put aside.

In the same skillet (rinsed if necessary) add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil. Over medium heat, add the garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds, then add carrot and scallions. Saute for 1 minute more, stirring frequently. Add the lime juice mixture, then the drained noodles. Cook the noodles, stirring constantly, until they are tender but still chewy, about 1 minute. Add the sprouts and the scrambled eggs, stirring well.

Divide the mixture among plates, sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro, garnish with lime slices and serve.

Note: Serves 4 as a side dish, or 2 as a meal. You can make this a heartier dish by stirring in shrimp, seasoned strips of chicken or pork, or fried tofu.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

1 quart chicken stock
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, cracked open with the flat side of a knife
3 kaffir lime leaves, hand torn
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 8-ounce can straw mushrooms, rinsed
4 limes, juiced
1 ½ c shredded cooked chicken
Salt & pepper
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice and chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro. Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass, ginger or lime leaves.

Peanut Sauce

2 tsp vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 clove garlic, minced
½ c chunky peanut butter
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground red pepper
1 c unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp lime juice

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender.

Reduce heat to medium. Add peanut butter, brown sugar, fish sauce, paprika and red pepper; stir until smooth. Slowly stir in coconut
milk until well blended. (At this point, the sauce may be cooled, covered and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance.)
Stir sauce constantly over medium heat until bubbling gently. Stir in lime juice.

Spicy Papaya Salad

1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 to 2 tsp coarsley chopped fresh hot green chiles, such as Thai
chiles, serranos or jalapenos
1 1/2 cups shredded green papaya
2 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp coarsley chopped roasted, salted peanuts
6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
several fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths

To prepare using a mortar and pestle, combine the garlic and chiles in a large, heavy mortar and use the pestle to pound and grind them to a very coarse paste. Add the papaya, pounding, scraping and turning with a spoon every now and then, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the papaya shreds are wilting and seasoned.

If you do not have a mortar and pestle, use a rolling pin. Mince the garlic and chiles and place them in a medium bowl. Spread the papaya out on your cutting board, and light into it with the rolling pin for a minute or two, pressing down hard, and mowing back and forth. Stop to gather up the shreds, squeeze them, and spread them out again for another pass or two. When the shreds are wilted, transfer them to the bowl.

Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to the papaya and use the pestle to press and grind the mixture a little, and a spoon to turn and mix everything well. Or use your hands to squeeze the mixture a few times and work in the seasoning.

Add the cherry tomatoes, peanuts and green beans, toss well, then mound the salad on a small serving platter, juices and all.

Virginia's Chicken Ribbons Satay

½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
sliced green onion tops for garnish

Combine peanut butter, water, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes in small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until smooth; cool. Reserve half of the sauce for dipping. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1 inch wide strips. Thread onto 8 metal of bamboo skewers.

Oil hot grill to help prevent sticking. Grill chicken on covered grill until chicken is cooked through. Baste with sauce once or twice during cooking. Serve with reserved sauce, garnished with sliced green onion tops.

Fresh Rice Paper Rolls

Rice paper spring roll wrappers
1 pkg cellophane noodles
Bibb lettuce
Shredded carrots
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Fresh basil leaves
Cucumber matchsticks
Cooked, peeled shrimp (tails off), chilled

Bring a pot of water to a boil; remove from heat. Add cellophane noodles and let them set about 5 minutes to soften. Remove from water, drain on paper towels, and set aside.

Bring a kettle of water to a boil. I like to keep the water simmering and top it off each time I take from it, so I have more hot water whenever I need it.

Pour boiling water into a wide, shallow bowl. Soak the rice paper wraps into it. Give them about 10 seconds total, so they are soft but not falling apart. Remove from water and lay on the counter in front of you. Place a leaf of lettuce, some shredded carrots, a few sprigs of cilantro, some basil leaves, and cucumber matchsticks on the half of the wrap closest to you. Begin rolling, folding in the edges after the second turn. Before the last turn, place 2 shrimp side by side on the remaining wrap, and then continue rolling. This way you can see the shrimp through the wrap when you're done.

Continue rolling as above, using any or all ingredients you wish.

To serve, cut the rolls in half crosswise on an angle, and arrange on a serving plate. Serve with dipping sauce, such as sweet chili sauce or peanut sauce.

Note: To make this recipe vegan, omit shrimp.