TEMPTING TOFU....REALLY

When we think of beans, we may think of pork and beans, red beans and rice or perhaps cassoulet, see here but automobiles? Really? Automaker Henry Ford grew acres and acres of soybeans, intending to make a soybean plastic to build cars out of them. He made one prototype in 1941 but World War II priorities killed the program. Ford, a believer in agriculture uses for industrial use did use soybean-based plastic for gearshift knobs, horn buttons and such.

While soybean use in Asia goes further back, the American chemist George Washington Carver, in 1904, detailed how valuable a foodstuff soybeans are. Not just the bean’s oil or the protein in the meal but the huge concentration of vital minerals as well. Carver also related how exceptional planted soybeans were for farmland soil enrichment.

I think the best use of soybeans is in producing bean curd, which the Chinese call tofu. Many people turn up their noses when I mention tofu but it really is a miracle food. Vegetarians can appreciate tofu for the high protein content but so can anybody, because properly prepared; tofu makes a superlative culinary contribution. I have been preparing Italian –style stuffed shells with it for years. See here

A great tofu dish for neophytes is a crispy one with a couple of colourful vegetables in a sweet and hot sauce. These crispy, golden cubes are aromatic and spicy and sure to thrill your taste-buds. You may already have all the groceries for the tofu in your pantry. So please give it a try, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Really.

Adapted from:  http://chefinyou.com/2011/10/fried-tofu-sweet-chille-sauce/

Crispy Tofu with Chili Soy Sauce                                 serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound of firm tofu

3 Tablespoons  vegetable oil

2 Garlic cloves, sliced thinly

1 Carrot, cut into julienne sticks

1 Green or red bell pepper, cut into julienne sticks

1 Small red chili pepper, seeded and minced or ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Adjust according to taste

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce (aka nam pla or nuoc mam)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Method

• Thoroughly drain the tofu, first on a wire rack, then on paper towels.
• Cut into small cubes (3/4 “) or slice horizontally so you have ¼ “ planks and then cut them into one inch squares (they will be like wafers)
• Place them on fresh paper towels to absorb any excess moisture
• Heat a large skillet till warm, add the oil and slowly heat.
• Increase the flame to high and add the garlic
• Fry garlic, stirring all the while and remove when golden and set aside
• Add the tofu, let sit a minute or two, and then carefully turn when golden brown. You might want to do small portions at a time. Adjust flame so as not to burn
• Take out the tofu and drain on wire rack or paper toweling, keep warm
• Put the carrot and bell pepper into skillet and stir-fry one minute
• Put the tofu into a serving dish or the individual plates and put the stir-fry atop it
• Combine the last five ingredients in a bowl
• Stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar
• Pour over the tofu and top off with the garlic slices.

How hard is that? Not. But wait, the taste is so awe-inspiring you will stock tofu regularly. Really.

FRUITY FRIED RICE

 I used to go to this salvage store back when because they had discounted dented canned foods and such.  I made hard cider once in awhile and would go in for the discount priced apple juice, buying twenty quarts at a time.  Man alive, the store manager loved me.  When they had a big sale on canned pineapple I stocked up on it.  I liked it in pork stir fries with bell peppers, or would serve the sliced pineapple with powdered ginger for dessert.  As a big rice eater I always had a lot of rice in the icebox and made fried rice often. After awhile I changed up the fried rice recipe by adding some diced up canned pineapple to it. 

After years of making fried rice, I started using fresh pineapple and appreciated it, but you know, I fondly remember enjoying the canned pineapple when it was the only game in town.

If you ever have leftover rice (you can insure this by making extra above what you need) a really fantastic fruity fried rice can be made.  Fried rice is great for daytime snacks, side dishes, or can be pumped up with tofu or edamame for a complete meal.  This is, to me and my BW, one fabulous fried rice.

Fruit Fried Rice                                      serves 4 or 2 as a main dish

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil in all

2 eggs beaten with a dash of soy sauce and water

3 scallions sliced, white and green both

3/4 cup diced red bell pepper, diced small

1 tablespoon grated or minced gingerroot

2 cups day old, cooked, leftover rice

1 cup diced pineapple, diced small

½ cup orange segments, cut in half or diced peach slices, diced small

1 Tablespoon Asian dark sesame oil

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

Dash of hot sauce (optional)

½ teaspoon salt or more to taste

Dash of crushed red pepper (optional)

Method:

1. In a wide skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and pour the beaten egg mixture in.  Swirl the skillet to let the egg cover the skillet bottom so that you have a very thin omelet.  Cook slowly till set and then carefully turn the egg over and cook it briefly. If your skillet is not wide enough, use one beaten egg at a time because you want the cooked omelet very thin. Remove to a cutting board, fold in half, cut into thin narrow strips, starting parallel with the fold and then cut them crosswise, ending up with small squares.  Set aside.

2. Wipe the skillet clean and put 2 tablespoons of oil in it and heat.  Put in the onions, bell pepper and the gingerroot.  Stir thoroughly.

3. If you want to add tofu or edamame or even velveted chicken,   http://gritsandgroceries.blogspot.com/2011/04/velvet-chicken.html  add it now.  The edamame can be par boiled or microwaved briefly before adding.  If using tofu, use very firm tofu and fry it first to brown it slightly.  Then add it to the skillet.

4. Add the rice and stir it in.  Then stir in the fruit, the sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and the hot sauce and crushed red pepper if using.  Stir thoroughly.

There you have it, a fried rice dish brought to fruition.  Enjoy

RED GREEN BEAN CURRY

When I was very young, the stoplights in the city were different than today.  Back then they were only red and green, with no yellow light in between.  Instead of yellow, when the green was changing to red, the red would come on with the green, letting drivers know it was about to be red only.

 In the grocery store you can get a “stoplight” package of one each - red, yellow and green pepper. The three colours together remind you of the stoplight and are really very appealing to the eye.

Okay, great, but what does that have to do with the price of tea in China?   Well, I was thinking about the “stoplight” package and the old traffic lights after I made a Thai red curry recently. 

My BW loves those very wide green beans, the ones called Kentucky wonder or Italian beans.  I decided to try a curry with them, and use a red- curry paste base. The first preparation was good enough for seconds and then I thought about adding tofu to boost the protein.

What follows is a great curry, featuring green beans in a red sauce; a red, green bean curry.  It’s not surreal; it’s surprisingly special in a simple, straightforward way.

Red Green Bean Curry                         serves 4

Ingredients:

1- Pound (500g) green beans

1- 13 ounce (400ml) can of coconut milk

1- Tablespoon bottled red curry paste

1 or 2 red chilies, chopped (optional, red paste may be spicy enough)

½ teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon of grated lime rind, the green part only

½ cup small button mushrooms (optional)

4 ounces (125g) firm tofu, drained and diced

1 tablespoon oil, such as light olive or safflower, or your personal choice

3 scallions (green onions) sliced thinly

½ cup (125ml) coriander leaves, minced

Method:

• Cut the beans into about 2-inch (5-cm pieces)
• Pour the coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Turn heat to high.
• Add the red curry paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, grated lime rind, paprika and chilies (if using)
• Combine thoroughly and then add the beans and bring just to the boil
• While pot is heating,  fry the tofu in the oil on all sides
• When beans come to the boil, lower heat to a simmer and add the browned tofu.
• Stir the pot and add the mushrooms if using.
• Simmer the pot for 5 minutes then taste- check beans for doneness.
• When beans are tender to your taste, they are ready to serve.

The curry should have a warm, reddish colour. I didn’t, but you could fry the raw beans in oil and then add to the coconut milk.

You could skip the mushrooms and tofu and this will still remain a lovely green bean dish.  But, if you have them, use them.

So, if you’re bored with green beans but still have plenty in your freezer, stop and go try this preparation, it will revive your interest in them.

A WONDERFUL BIRTHDAY CAKE

So I go to a birthday party for me held at my daughter’s house.  My BW loves Italian food, and daughter Stephanie is a vegetarian, so I prepared a version of Stuffed Shells.  I use Tofu with the cheese to boost the protein but you’d never know it, it tastes that good.  We don’t have any pasta shells in the cupboard so we use Manicotti instead.  It is a little harder to stuff, but delicious nonetheless. 

After dinner, Stephie reveals the birthday cake and it is incredible.  It looks like a pizza.  Really.  The crust is a yellow cake, with red “sauce”, “pepperoni”, sliced “green and yellow peppers” and white shredded “mozzarella “´cheese, all made from fondant. Stephie, a friend and daughter Victoria spend several hours making it; it cannot be more perfect if made by a professional baker.

We played electronic games like bowling which uses the TV screen.  I think it was Wii or X-Box or something.  The most fun I had was playing Bocce, the Italian court game using 4 balls per player plus a smaller “jack” ball.  I liked it so much I’m planning to build a Bocce court in my yard.  We put away the Manicotti and watched a movie: “REDS” with Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis, John Malkovitch and Helen Mirren.  We all thought it was a great story.

When I was making the Manicotti, the tipster had me make extra so we could have some the next day.  Even though it is meatless, we love it.  Of course, sausage or chopped beef could be added to the sauce if you prefer, but once in awhile this dish is longed for.  My other daughter hates the idea of Tofu, but loves this because you don’t notice any Tofu.

STUFFED PASTA SHELLS   serves four

Ingredients:

12 jumbo pasta shells

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1/3 cup shredded carrot

2 shallots (green onions) sliced thinly or minced onion

8 ounces fresh tofu, drained

½ cup ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded asiago, provolone or mozzarella cheese

1 egg white

A pinch of salt and pepper

A 16 ounce can of tomatoes, crushed

Half a teaspoon of fennel seeds, crushed

One teaspoon of minced garlic

One half of a six-ounce can of tomato paste

Two teaspoons each of basil and oregano

½ teaspoon of honey or granulated sugar

Grated Romano cheese

Method:

1. Put the pasta on to boil. When done, rinse with cold water and drain.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a small pan, cook the carrot and onion in a little water and a dash of olive oil for a couple of minutes, just until softened.
3. Make the filling: Mash the tofu in a medium size mixing bowl.  Stir in the carrot and onion, ricotta cheese, ½ cup of shredded cheese, egg white and the salt and pepper.  Set aside.
4. Make the sauce:  In a medium saucepan combine the remaining ingredients, except Romano cheese.  Bring to boiling, and then simmer ten minutes uncovered.
5. Stuff each shell with one rounded tablespoon of the filling.  Put the stuffed shells in an 8”x8” ungreased dish.
6. Pour the sauce over the shells, cover the dish and bake 20-30 minutes until hot. Uncover and sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over shells, put back in oven a couple minutes to melt cheese.
7. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Romano and serve.

Everybody likes this; and vegetarians get plenty of protein without an overabundance of fat.  But regardless, stuffed shells are a toothsome delight, especially made this way.  Enjoy.