Episode 6- The last episode of 2009!!

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Wow, what a ride this has been. Can't wait to tackle 2010 like an NFL defensive lineman. Booya!! So, here it is, the last episode of 2010. Thai Night in the Orange Kitchen

NOTES:

Yet again I attempted to make something I love to eat but would never have thought that I could make, Vegetarian Thai food. Here in Los Angeles there are great vegan thai restaurants with amazing appetizers. My two favorites are summer rolls with that delicious hoisin sauce and satay. What I like about this satay is that it is still relatively healthy. It's not fried and dripping in oil. Instead the marinate soaks into the tofu and browns nicely under the broiler.

RECIPES:


Tofu Satay

Ingredients:
1 White Onion
2 Cloves of garlic
The juice of 2 Limes
2 small bunch of cilantro
1TB chili sauce
2TB Rice wine vinegar
2TB Agave syrup or 1TB sugar
1/4 cup Soy
1 TB freshly grated ginger
2TBS Sesame Oil

Blend the ingredients in your processor and season with salt to taste. If it is too hot, add more sugar and lime. If it is too sweet, add lime and chile and if it's too sour add sugar and chile. Yup its all a balancing act of sweet, salty, sour and hot.

Cut 1 package of extra firm tofu into little rectangular slabs, a bit like a deck of cards but a tad smaller. Marinate the tofu slabs for a half of an hour.

Preheat your broiler.

Skewer each tofu slab and place on a baking sheet. Add a bit more marinate to coat the tops and cook until golden brown. Flip the skewers and add more marinade to the exposed tops. Broil until brown and remove.

Summer Rolls

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber cut into matchsticks
2 carrots cut into matchsticks or thinly sliced
1 bunch of mint
1 bunch of sweet basil
1 package of rice paper sheets
1 package of rice or mung bean noodles
Hoisin sauce
rice vinegar
ground roasted peanuts

Marinate the carrots in rice vinegar, sugar or agave, and water for at least an hour. This will season them.

Boil your rice noodles and drain. Toss in 2 tbs of rice vinegar.

In a bowl full of tepid water, add two sheets of rice paper. When the rice paper begins to feel soft, drain and place on your work surface. Carefully spread the sheet. Add 3 to 4 mint leaves face down on the sheet. Then place the cucumber sticks, carrots, basil leaves and rice noodles. Squeeze a line of hoisin sauce and sprinkle some peanuts. over.

Wrap the bottom over the ingredients, then pull in the sides. Roll like a tight burrito and cut in half.

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tsp chile sauce
2 tsp Agave syrup
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbs cilantro leaves
2tbs sesame oil
1/3 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of water

Mix the ingredients together until creamy. If it seems to thick add more water. Cook on the stove over a low heat until the sauce becomes smooth and aromatic. Once the sauce cools it will become thicker.

ENJOY!!

I had a great year and my sincerest thanks for all of your support. I raise my glass of wine to you all and hope that you get into the kitchen and start cooking those vegetables!!

Alpha Andy

Fried Tofu and Chard with Peanut Sauce over Rice Noodles.

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Phew, it's been awhile since my last post but it hasn't been due to inactivity. Episode 4 has been a doozey to shoot and edit and work at the ol' cubicle range is crazy with Christmas decorations and props. To tide you over until I post the episode I offer you this easy dinner that is both vegan and delicious.

Fried Tofu and Chard with Peanut Sauce

I picked up some chard at the Farmer's Market and decided that it would be a great stir fry with the tofu we had in the fridge. My good friend Nada has a recipe for peanut sauce that I have been itching to try. I gave it a few of my own little twists but the basic recipe is hers.

At the Indian grocery store down the street I found the cutest peanut butter in their "English Section" as the manager put it. It is natural and sugar-free. Awesome!!

Peanut Sauce

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (my addition)
2 cloves of garlic chopped
2 tbsp. honey
1/2 of a fresh squeezed lime
salt and pepper
1 cup of water

Whisk all of the ingredients together and heat in a sauce pan on low heat. Once the sauce is mixed and smelling yummy, turn the heat down to barely on.

STIR FRY

1 pkg firm tofu cut into small cubes
peanut oil
1 bunch of red chard, stems removed and chopped.
1 bok choy chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped.

In a frying pan heat a tablespoon of peanut oil and fry the cubes of tofu until golden. Transfer tofu to bowl for later.

Add a smidge more oil and add your onions, cook until translucent. Add the garlic. In batches add the chard and bok choy until it has all cooked down.

Add the tofu and toss with the peanut sauce.

Serve over boiled rice noodles tossed in a bit of rice vinegar, if you have it.