Pad Thai

For this MoFo post I would like to share with you a recipe for a popular Thai dish. Traditionally Pad Thai contains scrambled egg, fish sauce and sometimes shrimp.

I omitted the egg and shrimp and replaced the fish sauce with tamarind paste. That's something that I learned from Emeril Lagasse and I found to work excellently when in need of a fish sauce replacement.

If you can't handle spice well, decrease the amount of Sriracha sauce from two tablespoons to one.

Anyone one else love Thai food as much as I do?

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

* 12 ounces dry flat rice noodles ( about 1/4 inch wide )

* 3 Tb tamarind paste

* 1/2 cup light sodium soy sauce

* 1/4 cup light brown sugar

* 2 Tb Sriracha ( asian chile sauce)

* 1 bunch scallions

* 4 large shallots

* 1 ( 14 oz ) package of extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained, cut into 1 inch squares

* 2 Tb peanut or vegetable oil

* 4 garlic cloves, minced

* 2 cups bean sprouts

* 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Garnish

* cilantro springs

* lime wedges

* extra Sriracha

Directions

1. Soak noodles in a large bowl of warm water until softened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well and cover with a damp paper towel.

2. Meanwhile, start on the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the tamarind, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha. Mix well until sugar is dissolved.

3. Cut scallions into two inch long pieces. Halve light green and white parts lengthwise. Cut scallions crosswise into very thin slices.

4. Place wok over high heat and add 1 Tb of peanut oil. When heated, add the tofu and cook until golden brown, stirring constantly. Cook no longer than one minute. Remove from wok and set aside.

5. If necessary add more oil. Stir fry shallots, scallions and then the garlic and cook for 3 minute, or until softened.

6. Add noodles and stir fry over medium heat for 3 minutes.

7. Add tofu, bean sprouts and 1 1/2 cups of sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in additional sauce if desired.

8. Sprinkle pad thai with peanuts and fresh shallots and serve with lime wedges, cilantro springs and Sriracha.

Chow Mein and Fried Rice

The days are going by fast. I can't believe this is already my fourth MoFo post. For today's post I will like to share a Chinese recipe that is most likely something that everyone has eaten before, chow mein and fried rice! I used fresh whole wheat noodles for my chow mein and it can be found easily at any Asian market. If you cannot find hoisin sauce, the chow mein will taste find without it, just add 2 of 3 more teaspoons of brown sugar.

The fried rice is also really simple to make and works great when you have old rice in your fridge and you don't really know what to do with it. I used white rice in mine but brown rice will work as well. This meal would totally be compete if you make some tofu orange chik'n on the side. A great Friday night Take-In Chinese dinner!

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Chow Mein

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

* 2 Tb canola oil

* 1 Tb ginger, minced

* 3 cloves of garlic, minced

* 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly

* 2 celery stalks, chopped diagonally

* 1 cup broccoli

* 1 cup cabbage, chopped

* 1/3 cup vegetable broth

* 2 Tb soy sauce

* 1 tsp brown sugar

* 1/4 cup hoisin sauce ( optional )

* 2 tsp corn starch

* 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed

* 1/4 cup baby corn ears, drained and rinsed

* 1 cup bean sprouts ( optional )

* half a pound ( 8 oz ) fresh whole wheat chow mein noodles ( cooked as directed on package )

* freshly ground black pepper, to taste

* 1 scallion, white and green parts, chopped

Directions

Make sure everything is chopped and ready to go before you start cooking.

1. In a wok or large frying pan, add the oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add the onion, celery, broccoli and cabbage and saute for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. While the vegetables are sauteing, start making your sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, sugar, hoisin sauce and corn starch.

4. Add the bamboo, baby corn and bean sprouts. Saute for 2 minutes, to heat through.

5. Add the noodles and mix well, using tongs.

6. Pour the sauce over the noodles and vegetables and toss. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir until slightly reduced and thick, about 2 minutes.

7. Season with freshly ground pepper, to taste.

8. Transfer to a large bowl and garnish with green onions. Serve immediately.

Fried Rice

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

* 2 cups white rice, cooked, either in water or Better than Bouillon's Vegetarian "Chicken" Stock (if using pre-made rice, make sure to warm it up and not use cold rice)

* 1 Tb canola oil

* 1 zucchini, diced

* 1 red bell pepper, diced

* 2 scallions chopped, white and green parts

* 1/2 cup frozen baby peas and carrots mix ( Ran over warm water in a sieve to defrost )

* soy sauce, to taste

* sesame oil, to taste ( optional )

* salt, to taste ( not really needed if using Better than Bouillon, which is already high in sodium )

* pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium high heat. Add zucchini and bell pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the green onion and saute another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in peas and carrots and cook 1 minute longer.

4. Add the warm rice, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Stir to mix all the ingredients.

5. Clear a small space in the middle of your pan and add the soy sauce. Immediately mix the soy sauce with the rice.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a drop or two of sesame oil if desired. Stir well.

Serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Tempeh with Vegetables

I've been trying to cook tempeh more and slowly I have started to like it. I think I can do thin strips of it but if it's too thick, then I won't like it. This meal was pretty good, I did make a couple changes from the original recipe.

It called for 1 cup of tamari and 1 1/4 cup of brown rice vinegar. I lowered the tamari to 1/2 cup because when I calculated how much sodium was in 1 cup of soy sauce ( and figuring I use reduced-sodium soy sauce ) I was shocked at how high it was. I also reduced the vinegar because 1 1/4 cups of vinegar sounds like it would be too sour. Feel free to use the original recipe ingredients if you like a stronger flavor.

I served mine with brown rice but if you have the extra time, fried rice would go great with this. Here is my favorite recipe for fried rice.

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Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup tamari
* 1/4 cup water
* 3 Tb toasted sesame oil
* 5 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 Tb minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 pound tempeh ( 16 oz )


* 1 cup maple syrup
* 3/4 cup brown rice vinegar
* 1/4 cup arrowroot
* 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
* 4 small onions, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 4 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise,and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
* 3 stalks celery, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch pieces
* 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
* 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and cut into 1 inch squares
* 1 1/2 cup yellow corn kernels ( about 3 ears of corn )
* 6 cups cooked rice

Directions
1. Whisk 1/4 cup of the tamari, the water, 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil, and the garlic and ginger into a 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish. Cut each tempeh square in half crosswise, then cut each piece in half horizontally. Place the tempeh in the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and marinate at least 1 hour at room temperature or up to 1 day in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.

2. Preheat the broiler and line a heavy, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Transfer the tempeh to the baking sheet, reserving the marinade. Broil for 5 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Turn the tempeh over and brush with the reserved marinade. Broil 5 minutes longer, or until golden on top. Cool slightly and cut into 1/2 squares.

pre-bake...


done!


3. Whisk the maple syrup, vinegar, arrowroot, and the remaining 1/4 cup tamari into the reserved marinade. Set the sweet and sour sauce aside.



4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and the crushed red pepper in a large, heavy frying pan with high sides or a large wok over high heat.


5. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes, or until they begin to soften.


6. Add the carrots and saute for 2 minutes.


7. Add the celery and saute for 2 minutes.


8. Add the bell peppers and saute for 2 minutes.



9. Add the cabbage and corn kernels, and saute for 2 minutes. At this point the vegetables should be crisp-tender.


10. Add the broiled tempeh, then stir in the sweet and sour sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until the flavors blend and the sauce thickens slightly.


11. Transfer to a bowl and serve with rice.


Nutritional Information
Sweet and Sour Temeph with Vegetables
449.23 calories, 67g fat, 981.23mg sodium, 72.65g carbohydrates, 46.77g sugar, 16.89g protein