Lemongrass Tofu with Coconut Soy & Brown Rice

This recipe came about while I was watching a cooking show at the gym. How's that for torture? Watching shows about food while trying to burn off food is just ridiculous. The host made a variation of this with fish and loads of butter, but I hate to say this version is better!

Fragrant steamed and grilled tofu with lemongrass, lime and ginger served with a quick coconut soy sauce and brown rice tossed with scallions and edamame.

One Year Ago Today Eggs in a Basket
Two Years Ago Today Sugar & Spice Tofu with Parsnip Puree & Green Beans

Lemongrass Tofu
serves 2
1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into 4
2 limes, sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, smashed and cut into 4" pieces
1-6" piece fresh ginger, cut into medium sized chunks
sea salt
1 1/2 cup mirin
canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350.
Fill the bottom of an 8" casserole dish with the lime slices, lemongrass and ginger. Place the tofu on top and generously sprinkle with salt. Pour the mirin over the top and cover with foil. Poke a hole in the top, allowing steam to escape and bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven and preheat a grill pan. Brush with a little canola oil and grill for 5 minutes on each side. Top with coconut soy sauce.

Coconut Soy
1-15oz can coconut milk
1 tbl soy sauce
1 tbl lime juice

Combine all of the ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and serve over the tofu.

Brown Rice with Edamame and Scallions
2 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1 bunch scallions, whites in large chunks, greens minced
1 garlic clove, smashed
sea salt
1 cup frozen, shelled edamame

Combine the water, rice, white scallions, and garlic in a pot. Season with salt  and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes and add the edamame. Cook 5 minutes more until the rice is tender. Remove the scallions and garlic and serve with minced green scallions.

Korean Barbecue Egg Rolls with Jackfruit & Mango Quinoa

Making your own egg rolls at home are easy, completely customizable and much less greasy than take-out. Bake, pan fry or deep fry if you're up to it and have your own crispy creations for lunch or dinner.

One Year Ago Today Aloo Chole (Indian Chickpea Stew with Potatoes)

Two Years Ago Today Thin Crust Pizza with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Artichokes


Shredded jackfruit slowly simmered in Korean barbecue sauce and stuffed inside egg roll wrappers with scallions and green cabbage. Serve with a great alternative to fried rice, mango quinoa.

Korean Barbecue Egg Rolls with Jackfruit
makes 15 +/- egg rolls
1-28 oz can young, green jackfruit in water (not syrup or brine), drained
1 tsp salt
1-15oz bottle Korean bbq sauce
1 cup water
3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 bunch scallions minced, white and light green parts only (save the green stalks for the mango quinoa)
15 egg roll wrappers
peanut or canola oil for frying
sweet chili sauce, for dipping

Pour the jackfruit in a pot and cover it with water. Add 1 tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes then drain. Shred the jackfruit with forks and add back into the pot. Add the barbecue sauce and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low boil and cover. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook for 20 more minutes.
Steam the cabbage and scallions lightly for 5 minutes to soften.
Lay out 15 egg roll wrappers on the counter. Divide the jackfruit amoung them, lining the bottom third of the wrapper horizontally and top with cabbage. Wet the edges with water and roll up like a burrito; fold the sides in first then roll up and away from you tightly. Set aside, seam side down until they are all done. If you are not cooking them immediately, chill until ready to fry.
Pan fry or deep fry in oil that has been heated to 360 degrees. Drain on a paper towel and serve while hot with sweet chili sauce.

Mango Quinoa
3 cups water
1 1/2 cup quinoa
2 tbl coconut or extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch minced scallions, dark green parts only
1 jalapeno, seeded or not depending on your heat preference, minced
2 mangos, roughly chopped
2 tsp curry powder
salt, to taste
1 cup frozen peas
2 tbl roughly chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the water and quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and has sprouted 'tails'. Uncover and let rest for 5 minutes then fluff with a fork.
Saute the garlic, scallions and jalapeno in coconut oil until tender and fragrant. Add the mango and curry and saute 2 minutes to toast the spices. Add the quinoa and peas and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt. Cook for 5 more minutes to get a light crust on the quinoa. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Black Garlic Noodles with Golden Beets & Radicchio

Black garlic has become pretty popular in the food scene this past year but it is still pretty hard to find. I happened to come across some at a specialty food store and made sure to grab a bag. The dark color comes from a long process in which the entire bulb is fermented until it produces a soft, black clove that is mild with a slight molasses/balsamic flavor. Enjoy cloves of black garlic raw or cooked.

One Year Ago Today Scallion Pancakes with Tamari-Ginger Dipping Sauce & Snap Pea Salad

Two Years Ago Today Creamy Polenta with Eggplant Mint Tapenade & Red Pepper Coulis


Fermented black garlic slivers tossed with udon noodles, shaved golden beets, radicchio, red bell peppers, cilantro, fresh basil and a tamari-toasted sesame dressing.

Black Garlic Noodles with Golden Beets & Radicchio
serves 3
udon noodles for 3
2 tbl coconut or canola oil
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 head radicchio, cored, thinly sliced
salt, to taste
5 black garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 golden beet, peeled
1/2 bunch scallions, green parts only, roughly chopped
3 tbl roughly chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbl roughly chopped fresh basil
1 tbl sesame seeds
dressing:
3 tbl tamari
1 1/2 tbl mirin
1 1/2 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Cook the udon noodles according to your package directions.
While the noodles are cooking, saute the red bell pepper and radicchio in coconut oil over medium heat for 7 minutes until the radicchio has wilted and the bell pepper is tender. Season lightly with salt. Add the garlic and toast 2-3 minutes more.
Drain the pasta and add to the sauteed vegetables. Toss to combine and add the dressing ingredients. Toss once more to coat the pasta.
Plate up the pasta and use a vegetable peeler to shave off thin slices of beets on top. Garnish with scallions, cilantro, basil and sesame seeds.

Ginger Chili Lime Salad with Black Sesame & Azuki Beans

This salad  requires no cooking and the dressing is made in the bottom of the bowl, so even less dishes to wash! Flavor is only enhanced the longer this salad sits so leftovers are tasty and welcome. Adzuki beans can be found at natural food stores but if you can't find them, substitute with black beans.
In Asian cuisine azuki beans are commonly eaten in sweet treats, ground up as red bean paste and filled in desserts, mixed in teas and even a popular ice cream flavor. I'm not feeling adventurous enough to make my own red bean ice cream right now so a delightful salad will do just fine!

Ginger Chili Lime Salad with Azuki Beans
serves 2-3 as an entree
juice of 1 lime
1 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp agave
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
1 cup canned azuki beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, small dice
1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

1/2 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped


1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
2 tbl minced red onion

2 tbl roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tbl toasted black sesame seeds

In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the lime juice, olive oil, agave, ginger and season with salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss to combine. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.