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Showing posts with label VEGETARIAN RECIPES FROM THAILAND. Show all posts
Showing posts with label VEGETARIAN RECIPES FROM THAILAND. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

PAN FRIED TOFU

PAN FRIED TOFU
Tofu is made from soybean curds. It is an excellent source of iron and calcium. Contains no cholesterol. It is naturally gluten-free and low in calories.

Tofu is an important source of protein, especially for vegans and vegetarians.

Tofu is used as an alternative to meat and used in many Chinese vegetarian dishes as Mock meat here in Singapore.

How is Tofu made?
Tofu is made by coagulating soymilk to create curds. The curds are then pressed and compacted into the gelatinous white blocks recognized as tofu.

To make Pan fried tofu you need to use Extra firm Tofu. 
Unfortunately, the extra firm tofu was out of stock so I had to buy the silken Tofu (It was slightly difficult to manoeuvre the tofu for this dish) but the end result was lip-smackingly delicious.

Pan-fried tofu is a dish that everyone at home will love. It can be served as starters/ finger foods in parties/ social events too. Even those who are not a big fan of Tofu will love this recipe.
Tofu is very versatile. You can flavour it with any sauce or curry powders.
You can add Pan-fried tofu to fried rice or noodles as well.
I have used very simple ingredients.
But if you want you can add curry powder, sauces etc while tossing the tofu.




Ingredients
Tofu – 1 block (Firm)
Corn flour – 2 tablespoons
All-purpose flour – 1 tablespoon
Red chilli crushed – 2 teaspoons
Coarse Pepper – ½ teaspoon
Soya sauce – 2 teaspoons (Optional)
Salt as per taste (Refer Tip)
Oil for frying
Coriander leaves for garnish
Toasted sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon




Method
Tofu comes with some whey (Curdled water), We need to remove all the extra water, so Press the tofu by placing paper towels on the top and bottom of the block and absorb the whey.
After this slice the tofu into ½ inch cubes.
In a small bowl, combine the tofu with the flours, salt, crushed chilli, soya sauce (Optional) and pepper.
Toss gently to coat the tofu well.
Take a frying pan or a large skillet, add oil, heat the oil, once hot, Add the coated tofu.
Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly crispy. 
Serve it hot, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves, some crushed chilly and toasted sesame seeds.




Tips

· Firm or extra-firm tofu is best for frying
· Adjust salt if adding Soya sauce else your dish will become very salty
· Pressing the tofu is very important as it allows the tofu to absorb more of the flavours otherwise it will become soggy.
· If you would like a firmer pan-fried tofu, freeze the tofu cubes for about 30 minutes.

· For firm Tofu, you can use less oil and shallow fry but the silken tofu needs oil for deep frying.

Variations

· You can add paprika, curry powder, turmeric for some colour and flavour





Friday, June 5, 2020

THAI BROCCOLI SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK

THAI BROCCOLI SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK
Thai cuisine has some beautiful vegetarian dishes or rather dishes that can be made into vegetarian or even vegan without altering much of the taste. 
One such recipe I had earlier shared in my blog was Som Tam (Click on the hyperlink for the recipe)
The thing that I love about Thai cuisine is; it’s simple to cook and they use so many aromatic herbs and sauces and chilly to enhance the taste and tickle the palate.
My trips to various parts of Thailand and having friends living in Thailand to guide us has helped us enjoy this cuisine.
Today I’m sharing the recipe of Broccoli Soup. Do try this Thai Broccoli Soup.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
Broccoli - 1/2 kg
Rice bran Oil - 2 tablespoons
Garlic cloves - 3-4
Ginger - 1 tbsp pounded
Green chilli padi - 1 pounded with the ginger
Shallots - 2 chopped fine
Lemon grass - 2 tbsps chopped
Kefir lime leaves - 4 (optional)
Salt as per taste
Coconut cream - 1/2 tin (1 tin = 13.66 oz) of Thai unsweetened Coconut cream
Spinach - 3-4 leaves (For colour only)
Coriander leaves - 5-6 Tbsps (For Colour and Garnish)
Lime juice - 2-3 tbsps
Vegetarian Fish sauce - 1- 2 tsps (optional)
Croutons for Garnish

Method

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/wok.
Add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chilly.
Sauté until the shallot is transparent. Add lemongrass and sauté 1-2 more minutes.
Add 1 cup water, kefir lime leaves, salt and broccoli and bring to boil – it’s OK if the broccoli isn’t all submerged, it will still steam.
Bring this to a boil, cover, lower heat and gently simmer 10-12 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
Once tender, turn the heat off, uncover.
At this point, you could add a handful of spinach (Optional) to give the soup a more vibrant green colour.
Add 4-5 tbsps of coriander (save the rest for garnish). Let this cool down and blend until very smooth using a blender.
(Caution - Blending a blender full of hot ingredients will explode!)
Place the smooth blended soup back in the pot/wok, and let it simmer over low heat.
Stir in the coconut milk – you can start with half a can and add more to taste. After adding the coconut milk do not boil the soup. Just a simmer would do.
Add lime juice, and optional fish sauce (Vegetarians can use the Vegetarian Fish sauce) to taste.
Serve hot in a bowl, garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and croutons.
You can add a dash of coconut cream as garnish too. I didn't because I'm loving the beautiful green colour.
Dunk into the steaming bowl of the hot soup and enjoy.
A solace on cold winter nights and rainy days...

VARIATIONS


· The coconut milk can be replaced with dairy for non-vegans


· If not adding the Fish Sauce, check for salt and adjust accordingly by adding a little more salt to taste.



TIPS

· Blending a blender full of hot ingredients will explode. Please be careful. Allow the ingredients to cool down before running it in a blender.

Friday, July 4, 2014

STIR FRY TOFU WITH VEGETABLES

STIR FRY TOFU WITH VEGETABLES
This is a vegan recipe. I was also careful to use the NON GMO Soya bean Tofu.  
(Kindly do click on the word "NON GMO Soya bean" hyperlink to learn more about Non GMO Foods).
There are many varieties of Tofu available in the market. For this recipe choose the medium firm ones. In Singapore you can buy it everywhere and they are known as Tau kwa.
Soya bean is high in calcium which is good for your bones and teeth.

Tau Kwa also has a high amount of Isoflavones which allows one to prevent heart disease. FDA states that consumption of 25 grams of soy protein a day, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. With these kind of health benefits isn’t it good to add tofu to your vegetables?

This dish is very easy to cook and very healthy as it’s packed with proteins and vitamins. I would call it a crunchy crispy delight. You can eat this with brown rice/ white rice/ Noodles or just dunk into a bowlful of this nutritional delicacy.

Stir fry vegetables with soya sauce is made in many south asian countries with a variation to the sauces / spices used.

Below is the Indo-Chinese, Indo-thai, Indo-Pinoy fusion version. (Indo because there is an Indian twist to it)

You can add any vegetables to it like Broccoli, Celery, Mushrooms, Cauliflower….the list of variations is endless. You can rustle this up with whatever you have at home.


Ingredients
Tofu cubes (Tau Kwa) - 1 teacup
Carrot - 1
French Beans / Snow Peas – 5 - 6
Onions   2
Tomatoes - 1
Capsicum – 1
Green chilly – 1 big (non – spicy variety)
Stem of spinach – a few
Oil – 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (optional)
Soya Sauce – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – ½ tsp (optional)
Salt as per taste
Pepper – a pinch of coarsely ground pepper (optional)
Spring onion for garnish
Coriander leaves for garnish


Method
Cut the Tofu into cubes Deep fry the tofu until medium brown (about 5 to 8 minutes). Set aside. You can avoid frying and can add the tofu at the end when the vegetables are almost done. Tofu cubes are soft and tend to break, hence, frying would be a good option to keep its texture and shape good.

Chop 1 onion, tomato and the ginger and make a coarse paste in the blender. Keep aside.

Julienne ( cut thin strip lengthwise ) the carrots , beans , capsicum, Chilly,  Cut some Spinach stems about the same length as the julienned carrots

Now, heat a pan and pour-in 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Add the cumin seeds, when it splutters, Sauté the onion. Once it’s translucent, add in the blended coarse paste of the Onion- Ginger Tomato and sauté well, until you see the oil come out of the paste indicating its cooked well. Now add the fried tofu and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add all the vegetables and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes. Put-in soya sauce, salt as per taste, chilly powder and pepper as required. Cook in steam till it’s done. The vegetable shouldn’t be overdone. It should be cooked but crunchy.
Garnish with finely chopped spring onion leaves and cilantro (Coriander leaves)
You can make a vegetable broth to pour on top or just enjoy the way it is. Serve steaming hot with Rice/ Noodles or just plain.
Flavors of Cumin & Tomatoes give an Indian twist to this dish. Do enjoy this healthy recipe.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

SOM TAM - REFRESHING THAI SALAD (A VEGAN RECIPE)

SOM TAM - REFRESHING THAI SALAD (A VEGAN RECIPE)
I am not a huge salad lover and the entries in my blog can vouch for it as I don’t have many salad recipes. That does not mean I don’t love salads. I do love salads which are a good mix of ingredients and which appeal to my palate and once it does, it enters my blog. One of my friends recently moved and had a party at her house and she prepared this refreshingly lovely salad for lunch. I loved the refreshing tanginess of the mango, mixed with the neutral crunch of the papaya, the sweet blend of the carrot & onion. Adding to the refreshing feeling was the lemon, the crunch of the de-skinned salted peanuts. The sweetness imparted by the jaggery. The best part of the salad was all blended beautifully into one and yet had a unique taste and flavor. This dressing could be aptly described as “tangy” - a combination of sweet, sour, spicy and salty, but more sweet than sour which helps to balance out the sharpness of the papaya.
This led me to research about this Thai salad, and I found out that this salad is called “Som tam”.
Now, Som (means 'sour') Tam (means to 'pound' with a pestle and mortar).
This refreshing Thai salad, originates from the northeastern part of Thailand, but is popular all over Thailand and even in neighboring Laos and Myanmar.They have their version and additions to the recipe too.
A google search also led me to a website that lists this dish as Number 46 in the “World's 50 most delicious foods” (Below is the URL for you to see the Worlds 50 most delicious foods.)

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/eat/worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-067535

It’s no wonder that I liked this recipe so much.

As the Thais love meat, the som Tam contains dried shrimps and crab meat and fish sauce as one of the ingredients. But since Iam a vegetarian, I will be avoiding all this in my recipe.
They also pound with a mortar and pestle the garlic and chilli into a paste and pound the long beans to a bruise. In fact they pound even the grated papaya and carrot a bit. I didn’t add long beans nor did I add garlic or green chillies in my recipe as I have to cook for young kids who may not appreciate all the spice.

Below is the Vegetarian or might I say vegan version of the “Unpounded” Som Tam with ingredients blended to make anyone crave for a helping of it. Try this refreshing salad. A special thanks to my friend who introduced me to this recipe.

Ingredients
Raw papaya –½
Raw Mango – ¼
Carrot - 1
Onion – 1
Tomatoes – 1 red and ripened (I didn’t use in this recipe)
Long beans (lightly steamed/blanched and chopped) - 7-8 nos (I didn’t use in this recipe)
Green chilly - 1-2 to taste (optional)
Salted de-skinned Peanuts – 2 tablespoons
Red Chilly flakes – ½ teaspoon
Lemon Juice – 1 lemon
Jaggery – Lemon Ball size
Salt as per taste
Fresh green coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Method
Grate and soak the lemon sized jaggery in water. Make a solution of the jaggery.
Choose a nice green raw papaya, peel the skin and grate it. Don’t use the fine grater, use the medium sized grater, so that you can feel the texture of every ingredient. Keep aside.
I chose a nice green Thai Mango, you can choose any variety of raw mango.
Use only quarter of the mango. Peel the skin and grate using the same grater. Keep aside.
Now peel and grate the carrot and keep aside.
Onion has to be cut in thin strips. Keep aside.
Squeeze the juice of a lemon without the seeds and keep aside.
Now, in a big salad bowl, toss in all the ingredients.
Traditionally Thai som tam salad, is served along with a side dish. This includes pieces of green beans and a fairly thick but small size of cabbage.
Traditionally som tam is made very spicy and hot - the side dish also contains crushed ice along with the beans and cabbage.
I’d suggest that you toss all the ingredients together just 5 to 10 minutes before you plan to eat it. Leaving the ready som tam for a long time, causes the salad to become quite soggy. Remember that this is just you first try at making veg Thai food, you can always experiment by fine tuning the proportion of ingredients used in the recipe.
You can adjust the sweetness or spice levels according to your tastes.
This proportion serves 3-4.

Tips:
· Make sure you use unripe green papaya, which is firm

· Jaggery can be replaced with Sugar or Honey

· Ripe tomatoes can be chopped and added

· Long beans can be lightly steamed or pounded and added

Variations:
· The peanuts can be added as it is or split them into halves and add in, or do it the more authentic way. The roasted peanuts are generally pounded into smaller pieces, not a fine powder but rather coarse.

· Instead of peanuts you can use cashew nuts or both in the recipe

· You can add garlic and chilly pounded into a paste as per the traditional recipe.

· You can add a dash of soya sauce for a n Asian flavor.

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