Nearly Palak Paneer

I love Indian food.

With it's rich, spicy flavors and warm, inviting aromas, Indian food is one of my favorite comfort foods.  Whenever I eat it, I feel as if I am wrapped in a soothing sari of love. 

But I have never attempted to make it at home.  I think having an Indian buffet right around the corner for eight years was the main reason, although having the tiniest kitchen known to man didn't help, either.  So, now that I have moved and have some elbow room, I thought I should give it a whirl.

Indian cuisine varies from region to region, however, there are several ingredients common to most Indian food.  Chick peas, lentils, and potatoes seasoned with warm spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and chilies tend to cross over into all of the regions resulting in a beautifully fragrant array of deliciousness.

One of my favorite dishes is palak paneer, a wonderfully smooth combination of spinach and paneer, or Indian farmer's cheese.  As you know, I'm a true midwesterner with a passion for the cheese.  But for some folks, dairy is a no-no.  I look at this as an opportunity to play in the kitchen.  Since Indian food is primarily vegetarian, why not make it vegan as well.

Here is what I like to call Nearly Palak Paneer, a spicy (and dairy free) riff on that traditional spinach and cheese dish.

Nearly Palak Paneer

While this is not necessarily a traditional saag, it sure hits the spot!  Baking the tofu not only adds texture to an otherwise creamy dish but a pop of additional flavor as well.  If you aren't in the mood for tofu, try adding chick peas to the mix for that extra bit of protein.

1 16oz package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and mostly drained)
2 red peppers
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
3 cloves garlic
2" fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp galangal
2 Tbl garam masala
2 Tbl olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy milk
salt

For the tofu

16 oz firm tofu
2 Tbl soy sauce
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Slice tofu in half through the middle and place between several sheet of paper towel.  Press to release as much liquid as possible.  While the tofu drains, whisk together soy sauce, turmeric, and cinnamon.  After about ten minutes, remove tofu from paper towels and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Toss in soy mixture and place on a baking sheet.  Pop in the oven for 35 minutes, turning about half way through.  Tofu should be firm to the touch, but not browned.

In a food processor, place thawed spinach, garlic, and one red pepper coarsely chopped.  Blend until smooth.  You may need to add a bit of water to help encourage things.  Set aside.

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat and cook onions until translucent (about ten minutes).  Dice the remaining pepper and add to onions.  REMEMBER TO SEASON AS YOU GO WITH SALT!  Once the peppers start to soften, add ginger and jalapeños.  Cook for two minutes.  Add turmeric, galagal, curry powder, and cinnamon, and stir well to combine.  Cook for two minutes until spices are fragrant and fully incorporated.  Add pureed spinach mixture and 1/4 cup water.  Bring to a boil and reduced to a simmer for about five minutes.  Stir in soy milk.  Add tofu and garam masala.  Stir well to combine spices, and cook for two more minutes.

Serve with naan or over rice.

*Tofu can be prepared up to three days in advance.  Simply cool, wrap in plastic, and store in your refrigerator.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Cookbook Inspiration

I love a cookbook.

Not only do they provide you with tasty morsels to satisfy your belly, but they are snap shots of a particular time in culinary history.  You have your classics; Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking comes to mind, in which time honored techniques and traditions are carefully laid out for the reader.

Who doesn't love cooking over an open flame in your living room?

You have little gems from particular eras that highlight, thankfully, times gone by.  A favorite of mine is Life's 1958 Picture Cook Book with chapters titled "Man's Job: Steak," "French Lesson in Innards," and "Luxury with Leftovers,"filled with such delicious ideas as Fried Celery with Chicken Livers and Flaming Fruitcake.  I swear one day, I'm going to cook my way through that thing.

As cooking trends change and develop, nothing is better for information and inspiration.  A fabulous cookbook is Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi.  Nothing but veggies in this one and the photographs qualify as food pornography.  It was the photo of Black Pepper Tofu that enticed me, but the recipe is far from what you would call healthy.  Fried tofu in a rich sauce that calls for 12 tablespoons of butter...oy.  Of course I had to make it.  And then I had to figure out how to make it a bit healthier.  Here's what I came up with.

Healthier substitutions:  coconut oil instead of butter, tofu noodles instead of fried tofu, added veggies.

Black Pepper Tofu Noodles with Shiitake and Crimini Mushrooms

The sauce is the star here: warm, bold, and spicy without too much heat!  And it's basically a chop and drop kind of dish!  If substituting rice noodles, slightly under cook them and don't let them linger too long in the pan, otherwise they might disappear on you!

tofu noodles (16 oz package)
1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
1 1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 shallots, sliced into rings
2 red jalapeños, sliced into rings (remove seeds if you want to take the spice level down)
2 Tbl fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
3 Tbl whole black peppercorns
2 Tbl coconut oil
3 Tbl soy sauce
1 Tbl honey
1 Tbl cider vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)
2 green onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
cilantro for garnish

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat and saute mushrooms, browning them slightly. About five to seven minutes.  Add garlic, shallots, jalapeños, and ginger and continue to cook until the shallots are translucent.

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and sesame oil until honey is fully dissolved.  In a spice grinder (or, if you want to be old school, you can bust out your mortar and pestle), coarsely grind the peppercorns.  You don't want whole chunks, but you don't want finely ground pepper either.

Once the onions have cooked, add sauce to pan and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon.  Add peppercorns and stir.  Add tofu noodles and toss to combine.  Allow to cook for about three minutes so noodles can absorb the sauce.  If sauce is too thin, add 1/4 cup vegetable stock.

Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and cilantro.

It's Tofu Time: Breakfast Style

 I was never one for breakfast.

Usually I was still full from the night before or I had overslept and had to get out of the house or I thought skipping a meal would help my waistline. 

And then I started making smarter choices about food, and I have fallen in love with breakfast once more.  Consuming less animal products means a better night's sleep, less bloating, and, basically, not feeling weighed down so much.

One of my new faves is a tofu scramble.  Nothing against the humble egg (in fact, I have become quite the poach master general in our house), however, one egg contains almost 70% of the daily recommended dietary cholesterol values.  Oy!  So to be a little more heart smart, I have discovered the wonders of tofu.

On its own, tofu tastes like...nothing.  But with a little bit of love, it can transform into something versatile and delicious for breakfast.  Combine with a few leftovers from the fridge (quinoa, pesto, collards, spinach, tomatoes, salsa, etc.) and you have a fast, flavorful, and nutritious breakfast ready in minutes.

Culinary Terms of the Week:

Sweat:  When you sweat vegetables, you release moisture from them and they start to smell...just like you do when you sweat.

Bloom:  Blooming a spice mean maximizing the flavor by heating the dried spice for a short amount of time. When you bloom a spice in oil, you lose the gritty texture and have a more pleasant mouthfeel.

Mouthfeel:  Perhaps one of the grossest-sounding culinary terms in the book.  It just a way to express the texture of your food (i.e. smooth, crunchy, creamy, etc).  Please, never use this in my presence.


Basic Tofu Scamble

Scrambled Tofu with Spinach

A basic recipe that's great to play with.  The turmeric provides a beautiful golden color, and makes the tofu look like scrambled eggs! Perfect with whole grain toast and fruit.

8 oz firm tofu
4 green onions, chopped
1 Tbl olive oil
2 tsp turmeric
salt n' pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil and turmeric over medium heat.  Bloom the turmeric for about a minute.  Add onions and sweat the vegetables until tender but not translucent.  While onions cook, place tofu between a couple of sheets of paper towels. Gently press to release as much of the liquid as possible.  Crumble tofu into skillet, season with salt and pepper,  and cook for about five minutes until heated through. Serves two.

Once you've mastered this basic technique, you can play around with different combinations.

Breakfast Burrito

This is perfect for those workout days.  The beans and quinoa give you an extra punch of protein.  A great way to use leftover black bean Confetti Salad.

Tofu Scramble
1/2 cup cooked quinoa, divided
1/4 cup Confetti Salad
1 avocado, sliced and halved
2 whole grain tortillas

Prepare Tofu Scramble.  Divide quinoa and beans among the tortillas.  Top with tofu and fold over.  Top burrito with avocado slices.


Tofu Scramble with Pesto Quinoa, Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes

A perfect dish for brunch! Just adjust the quantities (this recipe serves two).

Tofu Scramble
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
3 Tbl pesto
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups spinach
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbl olive oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper
Basil to garnish

Prepare Tofu Scramble.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Saute garlic for one minute.  Add tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper, and cook until they begin to soften, about five minutes. Add spinach and cook until just wilted, no more than two minutes.

Combine quinoa and pesto.  To serve, divide pesto quinoa on to two plates, topped with spinach and tomatoes, then the tofu.  Garnish with basil.

It's Hot So Let's Get Pickled

Seriously.

Has it ever been this hot...ever?  Half of the country is melting away, and I am developing a seriously antagonistic relationship with my summer wardrobe.  How can you look cute when it's a gazillion degrees outside?

When it's this smeltering (that delightful combination of sweltering and melting), I tend to look for foods that help me feel cooler.  

I love all things pickled.  That bright and tangy splash of vinegar wakes up the senses and adds a ton of flavor to dishes without adding any fat.  I do a quick pickle on some red onions to add a bright note to tofu noodles for a super easy, non-cook meal that really satisfies!

Tofu Noodles with Pickled Onions, Cucumber, and Radish

Tofu noodles, which can be found in most Asian Markets, offer up a nice change to rice noodles or whole grain pasta.  Plus, you don't have to cook 'em!  Remember, tofu is a flavor sponge so allow the noodles to sit in a bit of the dressing while you chop!

Tofu noodles, 16 oz 
1 medium hot house cucumber
1 carrot, grated
5-6 radishes, sliced into matchsticks
Pickled Red Onion (recipe follows)
2 Tbl basil
2 Tbl cilantro
sesame seeds for sprinkling

Vinaigrette
2 Tbl olive oil
1 1/2 Tbl rice vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp sesame oil (really just a couple of drops)
1 Tbl honey
salt 'n pepper

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and honey.  Slowly whisk in olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, and add a couple of drops of sesame oil for a darker flavor (optional).

Place tofu noodles in a large bowl and dress with half of the vinaigrette.  Set aside.  While the noodles soak, chop your veggies and herbs.  Add them to the noodles and toss with the remaining vinaigrette.  Chill until ready to serve (can be made an hour in advance). Garnish with sesame seeds.


Pickled Red Onions

These bright and tart little guys are fabulous in the tofu noodle salad, and they can transform any chilled steamed veggie (think broccoli, green beans, or cauliflower) into a beautiful side salad.


1 medium red onion
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 whole star anise
1 1/2 Tbl pickling spice
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
2 dried red chiles
2 tsp salt
1 tsp honey

Slice onion in half, cutting through the hairy root end. Remove outside layer and discard.  Using a sharp knife, make thin slices toward the root end but not all to the root.  Once you have sliced the entire half, cut off root end.  What remains should be beautiful thin slices of onion. Set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Add onion and simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and transfer to a glass bowl.  Allow to cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour.