Ami's Vegetarian Delicacies: Tofu

Showing posts with label Tofu. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Spicy Noodles with Multi Colored Vegetables & Tofu in Spiced Corn Flour Sauce

Noodles has always been on our weekly dinner menu. But method of making noodles is evolving. My mum made it very simple, she served noodles tossed with stir fried leeks and carrot to add some color. I tasted different varieties of noodles when I lived in Southeast Asia. Some of these mouth watering varieties are mee goreng, hokkien mee, chow mein, lo mein, pad thai etc., Each of these varieties has its own unique ingredients and sauces.

The Beauty of Broccoli

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Friday, June 24, 2011

Broccoli and Tofu Stir-fry with Thai Red Rice (Low Glycemic Meal)

I'm glad that I got the habit of reading health related articles and books from my dearest Dad. So when my DH asked me to read this book on "Healthy for Life" by Ray D Strand, MD, I willingly accepted. I strongly believe in this quote “Prevention is better than cure”.

Below are some insights I gathered from this book.

The way to manage weight and maintain healthy life is to consume protein rich food combined with complex carbohydrates and to avoid high sugar and refined flour food. Our diet plays an important role in managing the insulin levels in blood. When we consume high sugar food, the level of blood sugar rises, resulting in high insulin levels. The role of insulin is to drive sugar into a cell to be either utilized or stored as fat. In fat cells insulin enhances the conversion of glucose into fat resulting in weight gain. Hence higher insulin levels converts sugar into fat, and also holds on to stored fat like a sponge holds on to water.

The opposing hormone to insulin is Glucagon – a fat releasing hormone stimulated by the intake of protein. It is suppressed by the intake of carbohydrates. Hence when we eat a lot of high-glycemic carbohydrates rich food such as cakes, doughnut, croissant, sugar, white bread, polished rice, potatoes etc., insulin levels rises and glucagon levels drop. On the other hand when we eat balanced food having protein, good fat, and low glycemic carbohydrates in a meal, insulin and glucagon levels remain in a healthy balance. Examples of low glycemic food are fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, tofu, unpolished brown and red rice, parboiled long grain rice, nuts, rolled oats, low fat yoghurt and skim milk.

Knowledge from this book has inspired me to add more protein, and create a meal around protein.

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Saturday, May 21, 2011

Malaysian Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles)

Making tasty noodles has evolved in my kitchen with age and places I’ve been living. My childhood memories of home cooked noodles is simple. Noodles slightly colored in yellow using turmeric powder, mixed with leeks and carrots served with fried fish curry. (yes I’m a converted vegetarian, for 18 years) After a while when my mom became vegetarian and chose to avoid garlic and onion, she’d make the noodles with french beans, cabbage and carrot and serve it with some curry. South Asians cannot live without curry. (Some of Hindus (Brahmins, Jains) and Chinese vegetarians do not consume garlic and onion)

As we moved to South East Asia I was introduced to variety of noodles, and different methods of cooking them. Noodles in curry bowl (Laksa), Bee Hoon (Rice Noodles), chow mein (Chinese style stir-fried noodles), char kway teow etc., While I tried most of them I also developed my style of making noodles incorporating Malaysian, Chinese, Thai as well as my mom’s style.

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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Masala

Paneer is a special food item in North Indian cuisine. Paneer (cottage cheese) with its delicate milky flavor is used all over India to make delicious dishes. Available at most supermarkets in block form or even as curds, it readily takes on the flavor of the spices in which it is cooked.

Paneer is a good source of calcium, which in later years helps to prevent osteoporosis. Cheese provides 25% of the calcium in the food supply. Paneer in moderation, is associated with lower body weight as well as reduced risk of developing insulin resistance syndrome.

Please note Vegans can make similar dish with firm tofu.

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

To make paste

2 large tomatoes

1 onion

4 dry red chilis

Handful of coriander leaves

Few curry leaves

4 garlic cloves

1 piece of ginger

(Add all of above ingredients in food processor and blend to a smooth paste)

To make the masala

200 ml soy bean oil

500g Paneer cut into cube sizes

1 tsp of each cummin and mustard seeds

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp chili powder

200g low fat yoghurt / 200ml full cream milk

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves. Can be bought in Indian grocery stores. It's sold in packets)

Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pan, deep fry paneer cubes, till they are slightly golden. Drain them using slotted spoon, let them dry in kitchen towel.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of the remaining oil and stir in ground paste for 4-5 minutes till raw smell evaporates. When the paste starts to change color add fennel, mustard seeds stir for few more minutes.

Add curry powder, chili powder, tomato puree stir well. Mix yoghurt till it forms into a creamy gravy. When the gravy starts simmering add paneer, garam masala, kasuri methi and salt to taste.

If you like green peas you may add 100g thawed green peas with paneer. First photo I've added green peas.

Paneer Masala is best to serve with biryani and raita (Salad made with yoghurt, onion and green chili) or roti / naan/ paratha.

Stay tuned for future post on Paneer Tikka Masala....

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Stir-fried Tofu with Peppers

My prayers and good wishes to all affected people in Japan ! God.....please give strength to cope with this situation. Stop worrying, it won't help those who are suffering.

Tofu is not my favorite food, but I still try to take it due to its health benefits.. I make stir fried dishes, or add tofu to noodles or fried rice or soups.

Tofu is an excellent source of protein for vegetarians, also is a great source of calcium and iron. Regular intake of tofu helps to reduce serum cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride concentrations. Tofu is an essential ingredient in oriental cuisine, but increasingly becoming popular among western vegetarians.

This is a mildly spicy stir fried dish with three colored peppers, good to serve with rice or noodles. It takes only few minutes to prepare this wholesome dish.

Ingredients
Serves 2-3

100g firm tofu – cut into cube size
¼ of each green, red and yellow peppers – thinly sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
50g shitake mushrooms thinly sliced
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic ginger for a minute. Add tofu, mushrooms stir fry for 5 minutes. When they turn into golden brown color, add soy sauce and tomato puree stir well.

Add chili flakes, salt to taste. Remove from heat and serve with your choice of main meal.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Lemon Grass and Vegetable Soup

The Lemon grass is a good cleanser that helps to detoxify the Liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. It cuts down uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body while stimulating digestion, blood circulation, and lactation; it also alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis. Also, it can reduce blood pressure. Lemon grass, when boiled contains high amounts of beta-carotene; the powerful anti-oxidant that helps to prevent cancer.

Ingredients
Serves 2-3
1 vegetable soup cube
1 bowl of vegetables, like celery, cabbage, carrot, tofu, green and red chili, mushroom - diced
Lemon Juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
Salt to taste
2 lemon grass sticks cut into 4 inches length
1 tsp corn flour mixed in cold water
For garnishing
Few spring onion diced
Coriander leaves finely chopped

Method

Heat oil in a pan, sauté garlic and ginger for a minute. Add vegetables, stock cube and lemon grass, stir for 2-3 minutes.

Add one bowl of water, cover the pan with lid and boil the soup for 5-10 minutes till vegetables are tender.

When soup is simmering add corn flour mixture, and salt to taste stir for 2 minutes. Turn off heat add lemon juice and salt to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls garnish with coriander and spring onion.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Noodles in Soup (Tang mein)

Among chinese, noodles in soup (Tang mein) are far more popular than fried noodles (chow mein). This soup is originally chicken soup, converted to vegetarian version using tofu.

Ingredients

Serves 2

100g firm tofu cut into cube size

50g shitake mushrooms sliced

100g kalian or choy sum chopped

2 spring onions chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger

200g noodles

1 cube vegetable stock

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp tomatoes puree

10 spring onion thinly chopped

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add tofu, mushroom and soy sauce, sauté for few minute’s till they are slightly brown. Set them aside

In the same pan add oil sauté ½ of spring onion, garlic ginger paste for a minute. Add tomato puree, vegetable stock and one bowl of water and bring to boil.

Separately boil water in a sauce pan, add noodles cook for 2 minutes. When noodles are cooked add chopped kalian/ choy sum. Drain water set aside.

When soup is simmering, add salt and pepper to taste.

In soup bowls serve noodles, kalian / choy sum, pour soup over noodles, add tofu and mushrooms, garnish with spring onion.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Red curry Tofu Soup

This delicious noodle soup has Burmese origins but is now more closely associated with Thailand. It is the Thai equivalent of the Malaysian dish laksa.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g tofu cut into cube sizes

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 red chilli chopped

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger

200 ml coconut cream

2 tbsp curry paste (use curry powder mixed with water)

1 tbsp chilli powder

200g noodles

1 tsp turmeric powder

Spring onion & coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Stir fry tofu adding soy sauce, until it's brown. In the same pan add red chilli, onion, garlic ginger paste and sauté for a minute or two. Set them aside.

Pour coconut cream, curry paste, chilli powder, turmeric, and stir until colour changes and it forms into a thick paste. Add soy sauce, 1 bowl of water, stir and bring to boil for 5-10 minutes.

Separately cook or microwave noodles and set aside.

When soup is boiling add cooked noodles and fried tofu mixture, salt to taste and stir well.

Turn off the heat serve soup in bowls, garnish with spring onion and coriander leaves.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Tofu and Chilli Soup

Ginger and lemon grass adds an aromatic note to this tasty, refreshing soup, simmered vegetables served over delicious noodle soup. The soft vermicelli rice noodles are the perfect foil to the crunch of the cooked vegetables, and soak up the flavoursome liquid of this soup wonderfully well.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g firm tofu cut into cube sizes

1 tbsp minced garlic & ginger

1 lemon grass stalk, crushed to release flavour

2 fresh red chillis chopped

4 baby corns roughly chopped

1 carrot cut into thin sticks

1 vegetable soup cube

2 spring onions finely chopped

6 shitake mushrooms sliced

1 tomato chopped

1 tbsp tomyam paste

100g vermicelli noodles

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large pan; add tofu, mushrooms and soy sauce, sauté for 4-5 minutes. When tofu changes to golden colour, add minced garlic ginger, soup cube, lemon grass, tomato, tomyam paste stir well for 2 more minutes.

Add one bowl of water, baby corn and let the soup simmer for 5 minutes.

To cook the noodles, pour boiling water over vermicelli noodles, leave it for 5 minutes. When noodles are cooked drain water and set them aside.

When soup is simmering, add carrots and salt mix well.

Serve noodles in bowls, ladle soup on top, garnish with chopped red chilli and spring onion.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Red Lentil Tofu Soup

This attractive tofu and vegetable soup, made with cinnamon, is ideal for cold and hungry days, especially after energetic activities and long country walks in fresh frosty air.

Serves 2-3

Method

2 tbsp vegetable oil
50g firm tofu cut into cubes
1 onion chopped

1 tbsp soya sauce

1 tbsp minced garlic and ginger
200g tomatoes chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp curry powder
50g red lentils washed
50g boiled chickpeas / can

1 vegetable soup cube
250g noodles
salt & pepper to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Heat oil in a pan sauté cubed tofu, with 1 tbsp soy sauce until they are brown and set aside

In a pan stir fry onion and garlic, ginger for 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock cube, 1 bowl of water, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, curry powder, red lentils, turmeric and ground cinnamon. Stir well and cook for around 25 minutes, till lentils are soft.

When soup is simmering add chickpeas, salt, pepper and stir well.

Separately boil noodles and set aside. Serve noodles in soup bowls, ladle soup on top and garnish with coriander leaves and lemon slices.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Fragrant Tofu and Vegetable Soup

One of the most refreshing and healthy soups, this fragrant dish would make an ideal light lunch or supper.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2 tbsp sesame oil

100g firm tofu cut in cube size

1 vegetable stock cube

2 tsp chili flakes

1 kaffir lime leaf thinly sliced

1 onion chopped

2 tbsp garlic ginger paste

2 fresh red chilli, chopped

1 lemon grass stalk finely chopped

6 shitake mushrooms thinly sliced

2 spring onion chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Sauté tofu, by heating oil in a pan, add tofu, mushroom and soy sauce. Stir occasionally until tofu is golden. Set them aside.

In the same pan stir fry garlic ginger, onion by adding oil. After 2 minutes add vegetable stock cube, 1 bowl of water, lime leaf, lemon grass, soy sauce, sugar and chopped red chili, simmer for 5-10 minutes.

When soup is boiling add chilli flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and add tofu and mushrooms.

Serve in bowls garnish with spring onion.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Spiced Bean soup with tofu

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

200ml coconut milk

2 lime leaves, torn

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp sugar

Salt to taste

100g button / shitake mushrooms sliced

50g French beans

100g tofu, cut into cubes

Fresh chilli chopped

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a pan sauté tofu and sliced mushroom till it’s slightly golden. Set aside.

In the same pan add coconut milk, in low heat, let it simmer. When it’s simmering add curry powder stir well, add one bowl of water lime leaves, sugar let it boil for 5 minutes.

Boil water in sauce pan, when water is boiling add salt, and French beans leave it for 3-4 minutes. Drain water, wash beans with cold water set aside.

Add salt and pepper to soup, mix well, and turn off heat. Add French beans, tofu, mushroom and mix. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chopped red chilli and coriander.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Noodle soup with tofu

This light and refreshing soup is an excellent pick-me-up. The aromatic, spicy broth is simmered first, and then the tofu, mushrooms and noodles are added.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

150g noodles

1 vegetable soup cube

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp garlic ginger paste

100g tofu cubed

2 tbsp vegetable oil

5-6 shitake mushrooms thinly sliced

½ lemon juice

50g peanuts roasted

2 spring onions chopped

Method

Heat oil in a pan, roast the peanuts for 5 minutes, when peanuts change into golden colour, set them aside.

In the same pan stir fry mushrooms and tofu for 4-5 minutes, add few drops of soy sauce mix well, when tofu changes to golden brown, set them aside.

Stir fry garlic ginger for a minute, add soup cube, tomato puree, soy sauce, sugar, 1 bowl of water, and bring to boil.

In a separate sauce pan, boil water, when water is boiling add noodles and salt cook noodles, drain water and set aside.

When soup is simmering add salt, turn off heat mix lime juice, tofu and mushroom.

Serve noodles in soup bowls, ladle soup into the bowl, garnish with spring onion and roasted peanuts.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Thai Tofu & Noodle Soup

Originally a chicken soup, tofu is substituted for chicken.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

100g tofu cut in cubes

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp garlic ginger paste

1 onion chopped

100ml coconut cream

1 cube vegetable stock

1 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp curry powder

½ lemon juice

200g noodles

50g green peas

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Pepper n salt to taste.

Method
Heat oil in a pan, stir fry tofu, soy sauce until tofu skin is changed to golden brown. Set them aside

In the same pan Heat oil add garlic ginger paste, onion then add coconut cream, curry powder stir till colour changes. Add stock cube, lime juice, peanut butter and 1 bowl of water bring to boil.

Add noodles to the soup and boil. When noodles are soft, add green peas, season with coriander, black pepper and salt.

Depending on your preference to thicken the soup you may add 1 tbsp corn flour mixed in cold water and add to soup.