Indian redux

Every day I walk into the work kitchen, the air is filled with the aroma of Indian spices, mostly ginger, garlic, onions, and the ever so popular cumin. And honestly, when you have a fellow neighbor who is Indian or your neighbor is by chance cooking Indian food, the scent of the spices flood hallway. That's just the way it is, and it is beautiful. Taking a softer and more subtle approach to Indian food was the endeavor of today. The spices are there. The ingredients are there. However, let's just say it's Indian nouveau.

Early spring vegetable fricassee, roasted spiced garbanzo beans, and sooji upma

The veggies were super simple: White and green asparagus and sugar snap peas tossed in a bit of fresh grated ginger, a touch of lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper and simply roasted at high heat. To add a bit of pungency, julienned spring garlic (yes - it's incredibly pungent) was grilled then tossed into the roasted vegetable mixture as well as fresh cilantro. A drizzle of masala spiced (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, garam masala, cayenne, pepper, and raw sugar) dressing (adding fresh ginger, coconut water, shredded coconut, organic honey, apple cider vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil) adorned the vegetables. The same masala spice mixture was tossed with chickpeas and roasted at high heat. Some turned out crunchy, some did not. And the upma? It was my first time making it and it was savory. It started off with a fry of cumin seeds, ginger, red onions, Serrano chilies, and curry leaves. Toasted semolina was added and then boiling water. I had to stir in constantly to ensure even distribution of water and to ensure that the upma did not clump together undesirably. After the sooji cooked for about 10 minutes, a blend of toasted cashews, almonds and coconut along with fresh cilantro were folded in.
Indian-inspired? Most definitely.

Nutty red Thai curry

One of my favourite cuisines is Thai food. It's a balance of flavors: salty, sweet, pungent, sour, and sometimes spicy. The best is when you make fresh curry paste on your own. Typically, red curry paste has dried shrimp in it, but in this version, the shrimp never made it in.

Nutty red Thai curry with tofu

To make the fresh curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, raw sugar, tamarind, Braggs Amino acids, Fresno chilies, shallots, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, cumin, coriander, tomato paste and fennel seeds (I know it's a laundry list of ingredients!) were blended together.

And the delectable curry started off with some coconut oil, red onions, carrots, cauliflower, firm tofu, asparagus, vegetable stock, and finishing with coconut milk. Allow all curry to simmer a bit so the flavors begin to meld together. The curry was garnished with a mixture of roasted almonds, sliced coconut, cashews and fresh chopped cilantro. And with some steamed brown rice, you couldn't ask for a better pairing.

Cream sauce sans cream

I remember a decade or so ago, I dined at the The Cheesecake factory where they had this amazing pasta with fettuccine, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken all tossed in a rich cream sauce. Since then, I have revised my ways, for the better in my heart of hearts. I will have to admit, there is something satisfying about a cream sauce. In this rendition, roasted cashews and it's accompaniments were blended into a "cream" sauce and honestly, I doubt you will miss it's dairy counterpart.

Fusilli with herbed cashew cream and spring asparagus

Cooked fusilli pasta was tossed with blanched asparagus, fresh ground Hawaiian red sea salt, and a cashew cream sauce made of fresh tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice, roasted garlic, Dijon mustard, nutritional yeast, and filtered water. To finish the sauce, I whisked in extra-virgin olive oil. And to garnish: some chopped Italian parsley and chopped roasted cashews.

Curried tofu rice bowl

Today marks the first day I have ever worked with Hodo tofu. It's actually quite nice. So nice that I found my soy-intolerant self wanting to eat the chewy textured firm tofu. The tofu was firm and held it's shape, but unlike other firm tofus which I have worked with before, the interior was not compact and hard. Rather it was airy and spongy. Along with other veggie accompaniments, marinated Hodo tofu highlighted the curried rice bowl.

Curried tofu rice bowl

The bowl was layers upon layers of goodies: Bloomsdale spinach, brown rice, grilled sesame broccoli, edamame, marinated and roasted Hodo tofu, and then ladled with a warm curry coconut sauce. The cubed tofu was marinated overnight in a bath of tamari, apple cider vinegar, garlic, curry powder, a touch of maple syrup, and filtered water. To make the sauce, yellow onions and garlic were simmered with cumin, coriander, and curry powders, filtered water and coconut milk. In lieu of the water, you can use vegetable stock. The sauce was then blended until smooth with a bit of roasted cashews, some of the tofu marinade, and a touch of apple cider vinegar.

Chop chop

The lunch rush is almost second nature, especially in America. Make it fast! Chop chop! There is no lounging around for two hours, strolling to the nearby cafe and dining alfresco like other places. In most cases, there is eating during a meeting, on a conference call (on mute, of course), at your desk, in other words, multitasking. I've been there. Even when we do get a chance to dine with our friends, are we engaged in conversation, food, both, neither? In Buddhist traditions, eating is sacred and done in silence. There is a lot to be said about this. There is more focus and absorption of the flavors, textures, and other notes of food. The more relaxed you are, the more likely you'll digest the foods eaten and the more nutrition taken in. However, in Rome, we do what the Romans do. Make it a healthy one.

Three-herb chop-chop salad with sprouted French green lentils

Sesame cracker bread

The salad was a toss of chioggia beets, roasted parsnips, carrots, red cabbage, avocados, sunflower seeds, sprouted French green lentils, whole mint, picked dill, and julienned sorrel in a creamy lemon-tahini dressing. To make the dressing, tahini, fresh lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar, garlic, soaked raw almonds, and a touch of agave were blended until smooth. You must add filtered water to the dressing to loosen it and season with salt and pepper to taste. Every bite of the final product will have a bit of a crunch, sometimes there will be mint, sometimes dill, and sometimes all flavors and textures will explode in your mouth. How aware are you willing to be?

A green take on chili

Chili: a pot of beans and spices simmered over a long period of time. Goes good with cornbread. Is that what vegetarians thinks when they hear the word "chili"? Not all chili has to be red. A light, green one is in order, especially with spring around the corner.

White bean chili verde

Caramelized onion and scallion cornbread

The chili started of with the usual: sauteed garlic and yellow onions, along with bay leaves, cumin powder and dried oregano. When the onions were almost translucent, I added white wine and reduced the mixture before adding sliced jalapenos. Next to join were steamed Yukon gold potatoes, dry roasted tomatillos, sliced granny smith apples...and finally, the cooked small white navy beans. All simmered in vegetable stock for what appeared to be a long time. The chili was garnished with chopped cilantro, sliced avocados, and grated granny smith apples. Rather a deep, dense red chili, this chili verde was lighter, cleaner, and a nice prelude to spring. And as for the cornbread, the recipe can be found here.

A taste of spicy Indonesia

When I visited Indonesia some two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find tempeh abound. Apparently, tempeh originates in Indonesia. 4 ounces of this fermented soybean product has a whopping 41% of the RDA of protein. What a great vegan protein option and with an Indonesian spicy sambal sauce, you'll be sure to enjoy knowing how tasty and nourishing it is for you.

Tahu dan tempeh bumbu rujak AKA Indonesian tempeh in spicy coconut sauce

Grilled asparagus

Simply steamed brown rice

I first made a sambal oelek (spicy sauce) from blending Fresno chilies, ginger, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, fresh lemongrass, tamarind puree, a bit of raw sugar, and apple cider vinegar. To make the tempeh, julienned shallots were lightly fried in oil. Once they began to brown, I added the sambal to "cook" the spices along with turmeric. Cubed tempeh then made it's way into the large pot, all the while, stirring carefully as to keep the tempeh intact. Then the saucy part came in: a bit of vegetable stock and coconut milk. After allowing the curry to simmer, I adjusted the sauce with some fresh lime juice, a bit more raw sugar, and salt.

The magic of herbs

Herbs, like spices, add a lot of flavor to foods. And fresh is best! I avoid using dried as much as possible as it is much more intense and does not capture the lightness of the fresh counterpart. This three-herb pistachio pesto featured chervil, Italian parsley, and lemon thyme. Lemon thyme is incredibly refreshing in scent and taste. You have to try it.

Quinoa fusilli pasta with 3-herb pistachio pesto, cranberry beans, kalamata olives, and sweet cherry tomatoes

Gluten-free pasta made of quinoa and corn met it's mate with a pesto made of roasted pistachios, raw garlic, Italian parsley, chervil, lemon thyme, lemon juice, and extra-virgin olive oil. It couldn't really get any simpler than that. And the taste will wow you. Toss it with whatever combination of vegetables or legumes you like. It really does prove it's magic.

Aztec pyramid in a bowl

Layers upon layers of goodness.

Organic field greens, red and white quinoa, pinto beans, steamed chayote squash, cumin citrus vinaigrette (toasted cumin seeds, mustard powder, chives, garlic, and extra-virgin olive oil), sunflower sprouts, picked cilantro, chili-maple peptias, and house BBQ sauce.

Macrobiotic in disguise

A bit more details on macrobiotics. Chew your food 50 times. Yes, 50. That helps with digestion and some say, the slower you eat, the more enjoyment and nourishment you receive from from food, and thus, the less you will eat. In terms of composition, a meal should comprise of the following:

• Whole cereal grains, especially brown rice: 40–60%
• Vegetables: 25–30%
• Beans and legumes: 5–10%
• Sea vegetables: 5%
• Fermented foods, such as miso, sauerkraut, kimchee: 5%

So in writing the menu, here's what I came up with.

Ume shiso brown rice
Burdock and lotus root simmered in miso with wakame
Hoisin glazed roasted tofu

Short grain brown rice was steamed with an umeboshi plum infused water that had sat overnight, and then tossed with toasted sesame seeds, sweet rice vinegar, and freshly chopped shiso leaves. The root vegetables were simmered in a broth of sauteed ginger and red and white miso. After about 1 hour and 30 minutes, the veggies were mostly strained and tossed with hydrated wakame and a splash or two of yuzu citrus juice and sesame oil. Both yuzu and sesame oil are strong, so not much is needed. As for the tofu, I knew hoisin is a pretty strong sauce and thus did not marinate the tofu overnight. I tossed the tofu in a blend of ginger, hoisin, sherry vinegar, and white peppercorns and then roasted them in the oven. And to add accent to the dish, a honey sesame adorned the plate. Made with a blend of toasted sesame seeds, ginger, organic honey, nama shoyu, orange juice, and a touch of sesame oil, the sauce rounded out the dish and was really tasty over the rice.

How balanced and nourished would you feel after a meal like this?

A touch of Valentine

What do I associate with Valentine's day? Red and pink colors, hearts, little Valentine's day cards, roses, and above all, chocolates! Another excuse to eat chocolate? Oh... poor us... if we must...

Fettuccine with savory red beet sauce, roasted red Russian kale, Marcona almonds, fresh whole mint, and dark chocolate paint

Fettuccine was tossed in a savory red beet sauce made of steamed beets, sauteed shallots and fresh thyme in extra-virgin olive oil, and lemon juice. While the beets were steaming separately, the shallots and thyme were cooking at a medium heat to bring out the sweetness of the shallots. Then I poured in the cooked beets and allowed that mixture to meld together and develop whatever flavors were in store. I honestly had no idea. After simmering for about 45 minutes, I pureed the mixture in a blender and stirred in a bit of lemon juice. The bittersweet chocolate sauce was made of minced garlic, reduced red wine, 72% dark chocolate, red chili flakes, and almond milk. Served on a bed of lightly roasted kale and amazing marcona almonds, the dish tasted almost like a savory entree with a bit of dessert hidden in its under-notes.

A little tase of Korea

I used to absolutely love Korean food. The spiciness, the garlic, the incredibly pungent flavors, and especilally the side dishes. Since turning vegetarian, and mostly vegan, Korean cuisine has been pretty much out of my options. Meat and seafood are staples and the waiter-ess will look at you funny if you ask for vegan foods. So I took it upon myself to create a little sampler dish.

Tempeh and tofu mandu with gochuchang dipping sauce

Marinated sesame bean sprouts

Sweet soy kabocha squash with chives

Flour potsticker wrappers were filling with a mixture of crumbled tempeh, finely diced tofu, scallions, cilantro, tamari, a touch of sesame oil, and garlic sauteed in shaoshing wine. They were then steamed and then pan fried and drizzled with a sauce blend of gochuchang (which typically has MSG!), red miso, sherry vinegar, and filtered water.
The bean sprouts were served raw and tossed with a blend of white and sweet rice vinegar, grapeseed oil, salt, and toasted sesame seeds.
The squash was steamed then tossed with chives and a sweet soy made of raw sugar, organic honey, ginger, apple cider vinegar, and tamari.
Savory, refreshing, and sweet. A little detour on the typical Korean route of flavors.

Herbs, herbs, and more herbs

Fresh herbs added to any dish, salad, and even beverages make such a huge impact on the taste and depth. Some herbs are more grounding such as rosemary, thyme, and sage, while others, such as mint and cilantro, give a certain lift to foods. Three different herbs were featured today: rosemary, sage, and dill. Play around with different herbs and different applications.

Herb stew with seitan and root vegetables

Dill beer bread

Seitan is a high-protein fake meat product (yeah... I'm not really sure what that means either), that is commonly used in vegetarian cooking to simulate the taste and texture of meat. You can make it yourself, but if time is a precious commodity, pre-made seitan can be purchased. The stew was a slow and steady simmer of garlic, yellow onions, red wine, rosemary, sage, tomato paste, carrots, celery, seitan, roasted rutabagas, steamed Japanese purple yams, tomatoes, Bloomsdale spinach, Braggs amino acids, and vegetable stock. It turned out to be a very herby and hearty dish. It's accompaniment was a dill beer bread baked with fresh dill and Harps beer.

Raw noodles galore

There are so many different ways that the raw food world creates "noodles": zucchini, squash, kelp, and in this case, green papaya. What better than a Thai spiced dressing to go with the raw green papaya "noodles"?

Raw pad Thai with chive tahini dressing

Roasted portabella mushroom satay

Papaya noodles, shaved broccoli, shredded carrots, whole Thai basil and cilantro, and bean sprouts were tossed in a salty, sweet, spicy, and sour dressing made of tahini, pure tamarind puree, garlic chives, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, nama shoyu, Thai chilies, maple syrup, young Thai coconut, and red miso. The amazingly savory and crunchy dish was garnished with roasted chopped peanuts. Served alongside were roasted portabella mushrooms caps which were sliced and then skewered. The shrooms were served with raw satay sauce made of unroasted blanched peanuts, garlic, shredded coconut, filtered water, apple cider vinegar, Thai chilies, honey, and nama shoyu.

A fusion on tofu

Being of Chinese descent, one would think that tofu and I are a match-made in heaven. This however, is not the case at all. Tofu, along with other soy products, does not make my belly happy. It's cousin tempeh, the fermented soybean, and I get along just fine. However, this does not deter me from putting tofu on the menu as I do know that many people do enjoy it. Hey, it's been made and eaten for over 2,000 years with its origins in China, so there must be something magical about it.

Coconut-crusted tofu cutlets with mac-mango salsa

Sesame and green studded brown rice

Organic firm tofu was marinated overnight in a mixture of tamari, filtered water, tahini, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, garlic, and a pinch of cayenne. The tofu was then drained, with the marinade reserved to make a sauce, and then coated with an aromatic blend of toasted coconut, finely ground cornmeal, cumin powder, chili powder, cilantro, and red chili flakes. What was surprising was that the tofu did not need any sort of adhesion prior to it's dive into the blend. It just needed a firm palm and press. To finish off the tofu, it was baked in the pizza oven on high temp until nicely golden brown. Served on a bed of brown rice tossed with toasted sesame seeds, Bloomsdale spinach, green peas, and sesame oil, the tofu cutlets were topped with a refreshing and hearty salsa made of roasted macadamia nut chunks, diced mangoes, diced red onions, cilantro, fresh lime juice, seeded and finely diced jalapenos, and a touch of agave.

Crab cakes gets a mood makeover

Growing up in Maryland, fresh crabs boiled or steamed in Old Bay, and even seared lumpy crab cakes, with the Old Bay accompaniment, is a must. I remember riding in the car with my mom and dad looking for the good old "crab truck" on the side of the road that sold bushels of crabs. We always bought the female crabs since they had the added bonus of the eggs. I remember once that my father asked me to clean the crabs with a toothbrush. It was the first time in which I "desensitized" crabs with hot water and watch them slowly lose life force. Sadness and the truth of life and thereafter swept over me. However, that path led me to the path today of recreating a similar crab cake sans crab.

Quinoa "crab" cakes with dill-Dijon tartar sauce

Spinach, roasted golden beets, and sunflower seeds tossed with fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic, mirepoix, and pulsed cauliflower were sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil with "crab boil" seasoning. I had waited for the good old Old Bay to come in from the purveyor, however, being pressed for time, I made my own with a blend of celery seed, mustard powder, Hungarian paprika, bay leaves, cayenne, black pepper, salt, and a touch of cloves and allspice. Oh! And a touch of brown sugar. The seasoned saute was folded in with steamed quinoa, house-made almond butter, panko, and pureed hydrated wakame. What really held the cake together was the almond butter and the wakame. The cakes were then formed and seared until golden and slightly crisp on each side. The warm cakes were served on a bed of chilled spinach, roasted golden beets, and sunflower seeds tossed in fresh-squeezed lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Each cake was drizzled with a dill-Dijon tartar sauce made from a blend of soy milk, Dijon mustard, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, fresh dill, cornichons, and a touch of agave. And all without a decline in the crab population and my conscience.

One bake, two bake, three bake?

There was a lot of oven action involved in today's dish. On the menu was a baked penne with tofu "sausage", mushrooms, and broccoli. Of course, I would have loved to throw in all the ingredients raw and allow it to bake in the oven. That would have been the easy way. However, it left more uncertainty to the final product. The flavors, taste, depth, and texture was much more important to me than saving and hour or so of time. So there I was, baking away today.

Tofu "sausage", mushroom, and broccoli baked penne
Mixed greens with house balsamic vinaigrette

Before I assembled the casserole, everything was pre-cooked:

• a white wine marinara sauce made of extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, white wine, yellow onions, tomatoes, basil, tarragon, dried oregano, lemon juice, and also sun-dried tomatoes;
• tofu sausage where crumbled tofu was sauteed with a melange of roasted fennel, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, red chili flakes, and tomato paste;
• broccoli and mushrooms simply tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and roasted;
  
• penne pasta cooked in salted water and
• a nutty mixture of macadamia nuts, lemon zest and juice, and parsley.

All of the above with the addition of Daiya shredded mozzarella cheese were mixed together and put into a casserole dish. It was then layered with additional marinara and "cheese". After baking the casserole for about 20 minutes at 350F with foil on, the foil was removed. Bread crumbs tossed in melted vegan soy butter was sprinkled on top and the penne was then baked again at 400F for 8 minutes until brown. Next time I would oil the foil a bit as some of the cheese melted and stuck to the foil after baking.

Two lentil and tempeh chili with an Ethiopian twist

I really enjoy Ethiopian food. The fact that you eat with your fingers grounds down the experience. The injera, a fermented spongy flatbread made with teff, a gluten-free grain, is used as a vessel to pick up all the amazing dishes. What stands out the most to me is this red lentil wot that I usually order. Made of berbere spices, the red lentils are simmered until done and it's amazing! Today, I took it a bit further: a full-blown chili with berbere and some good old cornbread...and you can use a fork.

Spicy berbere tempeh and lentil chili

Cornbread

The chili was initiated with sauteed yellow onions, garlic, tomato paste, and a blend of berbere spices. The spices comprised of toasted cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, whole cloves, cardamom pods, and soaked dried chilies del arbol then ground and mixed with turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, paprika, and fresh ginger. My gosh - the aroma, you can just imagine - was amazing. Into the chili pot in it's respective order: celery, carrots, ground tempeh (mimics ground meat), black beluga lentils, tomatoes, and red lentils. Vegetable stock was added periodically throughout the process as the lentils cooked and swelled.
The cornbread was made by using a modified blue-ribbon recipe. In lieu of the soy milk and canola oil, I used almond milk and coconut oil, both of which I find more nourishing.

A little of this. A little of that

Do you ever go to a restaurant, voracious appetite in hand, and while perusing the menu, almost everything looks good and you want to order everything. That's what I love about sampler platters: it's a little of this, a little of that, and a lot of different flavours. The feature today combined some raw foods and cooked foods, each with it's own uniqueness.

Raw turnip "ravioli" with herbed macadamia nut "cheese"

Olive duo with pits

Gigante beans in garlic-champagne vinaigrette

Crostini toasts

Turnips, with the skin on to highlight the colours, were shaved thin on a slicer and filled with a herbed mac nut cheese made with raw macadamia nuts, fresh basil, Italian parsley, lemon zest and juice, and a touch of filtered water and extra-virgin olive oil in a food processor. The "ravioli" was dolloped with a sun-dried tomato sauce which included a blend of fresh Roma tomatoes, tarragon, raw almonds, filtered water, and lemon juice. The olives you see are piccholine and nicoise olives. YUM! They still have the pits in them which I think improve the flavor. The less processed, the better. The gigante beans? I see these at the Whole Foods olive bar all the time and just had to make a simple version of it. After the beans were finished cooking, they were tossed with red onions, red bell peppers, Italian parsley, champagne vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil. Be sure to use a bit more vinaigrette as these large beans have the ability to just suck up the liquid. If I had to do the beans again, I would probably make them the day prior to serving.

Chili lentil tacos

Lentils are an amazing source of protein, fiber, and tryptophan. With a little help from a melange of spices, you won't miss the meat at all in these chili tacos.

Chili lentil tacos with crisp romaine and chunky avocado mango salsa

Cilantro-lime rice

Grilled pineapple spear

The lentils were par-cooked before they were added to a saute of grapeseed oil, red onions, garlic, cumin, dark chili powder, spicy-smoked chili powder, dried oregano, and tomato paste. They simmered for a long while so the flavors could infuse into the lentils. The simmered lentils were then scooped into a warm corn tortilla, topped with shredded romaine lettuce, and a chunky salsa made of mangoes, avocados, red onions, cilantro, and lime juice. The flavors were straight forward. I decided to keep the sides of jasmine cilantro-lime rice and simply grilled pineapple spear a bit conservative so that the tacos were truly featured, and thus savored.