How has your winter been so far? New Year has turned Missouri into a chilly and a windy state, limiting me to indoors most of the time. Still I love it, as being a food blogger I get to focus more on my work and makes me say… “Ya baby, winter is nice!”. But it’s the weekend snowstorms and freezing rains which make me say “Grrrr, I hate this…”.

So coming to my recipe of the day, here I am with a dish perfectly suited to warm you up, and is vegetarian with Tofu as the hero… a simple Fried Rice. This year as part of my “Blogging Resolution”, I plan to bring you a lot of healthy recipes. In the first year of my blog I was so excited to add all my favorites without worrying about the calories, but now it’s time to get healthy and of course in a delicious way. Ahaa…!

This is my first Tofu recipe as it is not popular in my hometown, and a similar substitute we are often used too is Paneer (cottage cheese). It was after moving to the US and visiting restaurants with my vegetarian friends/relatives did I get to taste Tofu. Hope that gives you a picture of my non-veg cravings, hehe! I personally never order vegetarian food outside, but the mouth watery vegetarian dishes on my friends plates make me dig into it. May be a good reason to hang out more with veggie friends and stay healthy (wink)!

For this recipe, you can use all types of vegetables along with paneer or even meat. Other than Tofu, Edamame is another healthy ingredient I have added and is my first. What I love about preparing a fried rice dish is the ease of cooking, and the best option to make use of all your leftover veggies/meat in your pantry, including the rice.

With any fried rice recipe, it is a known fact that a day old cooked rice works the best. Freshly cooked rice contains moisture which doesn’t help in roasting it properly. But when sat in a refrigerator overnight, there is no moisture left in it and the rice stays separated, which is perfect for stir frying.

Tofu is a healthy way to include a protein to your rice and veggies. But the tricky part in making a delicious tofu fried rice is draining the tofu completely of water, which otherwise will not allow the marinade to mix well and would taste bland.

Check out my Notes section for additional Tofu & Rice cooking tips.

Enjoy…!!!!

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Tofu Fried Rice

Healthy n Yummy restaurant style Tofu Fried Rice…! Loaded with Edamame, Carrots, Bell Peppers, and Onions... Substitute Tofu with Paneer or a Protein of your choice and this recipe still delivers a Simply Delicious Treat…!!!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword asian, fried rice, tofu fried rice

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 3

Author Akhila

Ingredients

Sauce for Tofu

• 12 oz extra firm tofu (drained and pressed for at least 20 minutes)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 1 tsp sriracha sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• a pinch of salt

For Fried Rice

• 1 cup cooked rice (I have used basmati rice)
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp oil (for rice)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1/2 cup carrots (chopped)
• 1/2 cup red and green bell peppers (chopped)
• 1/2 cup edamame
• 1/2 of yellow onion (sliced)
• 1/2 cup spring onions (chopped)
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• 2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 2 tbsp oil (add more if necessary)
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Wash rice in cold water thrice. Drain and soak in cold water for 30 minutes.
• Cook the rice, add a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil while cooking. Once done, keep aside. Refer notes for additional rice cooking pointers.
• Prepare the sauce for the rice by whisking soya sauce, sriracha sauce, brown sugar, pinch of salt in a small bowl. Keep aside.
• Drain, dry, and cook the tofu. Refer notes for detailed instructions.
• Prepare the tofu marinade by mixing soya sauce, sriracha sauce, garlic, brown sugar, oil and a pinch of salt, in a small bowl. Whisk it well. Pour it onto the cubed tofu and marinate, allow it to sit for 10 minutes. Be careful not to crumble the tofu while marinating.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan/wok, pan fry tofu on a medium flame till its sides start turning brown, 2 minutes on each side should do. Remove the fried tofu from the pan and keep aside.
• To the same pan, add the minced garlic and saute until fragrant. Add salt and the remaining vegetables; carrots, bell peppers, edamame, onions, a handful of spring onions (reserve some to garnish later), and saute on a medium flame. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes until the vegetables turn tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and stir fry the cooked rice for 4 minutes on a medium flame. Add the prepared sauce for the rice and stir to mix well. Add the cooked tofu and vegetables, and toss to mix with the rice. Place the lid and cook for a minute.
• Garnish with spring onions.
• Serve hot with a sauce of your choice (I prefer Sriracha sauce).

Notes

1. You can use this recipe to substitute tofu with paneer, meat, vegetables, or any protein of your choice.

Preparing Fried Rice

1. Texture of the cooked rice is very important in making a good fried rice dish. Rice cooked a day ago works the best as it would be dry which is crucial. But if you couldn’t plan in advance, make sure to completely cool the cooked rice by spreading on a plate, before preparing the fried rice.
2. You can use any long or medium grain white rice like basmati, jasmine or brown rice.
3. Make sure your pan is really hot before stir frying rice.

Preparation of Tofu

1. When shopping for tofu, look for extra firm one. Extra firm tofu works well.
2. Drain the tofu completely of water before cooking. You can place it between paper towels and keep pressed with a weight on top, this will release the water. Repeat as many times till it is dry.
3. Cut tofu into cubes.
4. Cook the tofu when the pan is really hot.

The post Tofu Fried Rice appeared first on Pepper Delight.

This is my faaavourite Thai Curry, inspired from my honeymoon trip to Thailand! Since then, whichever Thai restaurants I go to, this dish would be my first choice. After seeing me repeating the same dish every time, my husband suggested me to try preparing it at home. It was about time, and that’s how all this came together…

It is said “Great Ingredients make Great Food”, and that’s exactly how I feel about this recipe. A simple and authentic curry in 30 minutes time; it’s so comforting, packed full of flavours, with the aroma of the leaves, richness from the coconut milk, spiciness of the paste, saltiness from the fish sauce, and sweetness of the sugar. If you need some extra spice – add some serrano peppers! And the best part of this recipe is, I managed to pull it off in restaurant quality style, trust me!!!

The hero of this dish is the Panang curry paste which is prepared from dried chili peppers, galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, coriander root, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, garlic, shallot, shrimp paste, salt and peanuts.  I have used a store bought paste due to the unavailability of all the ingredients in my nearby grocery stores. If you are allergic to peanuts by chance, most of the store bought Panang curry paste omits the use of peanuts so as to keep it safe for everyone.

The authentic curry calls for kaffir lime leaves, which is an inevitable part of Thai dishes especially soups, curries or stir fried dishes. If you are planning to add Kaffir lime leaves in your curry, make sure you remove its stem and chop leaves into a julienne cut (cut into long thin strips). Generally people tend to discard it if left as a whole. The zest of lime is also a substitute for kaffir lime leaves (6 leaves = 1 tbsp zest). And like me if you couldn’t get these leaves, using Thai basil leaves instead is another good option. Basil is not an exact substitution, but it has a unique flavour which stands up to Thai dishes.

The dish is usually made with any protein which is also cut into thin strips. That helps in ensuring a proper cook quickly as the dish is not boiled long since it contains coconut milk which may split. The concentration of coconut milk has to remain very thick to give the richness to the curry. For vegetarians, alternatives for fish sauce will be vegetable stock or soy sauce. Tofu can be used in place of meat.

I highly recommend you to read the “Notes section” below for the variations.

Enjoy this Thai delicacy…!!!

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Prep time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb chicken tenderloin / breast (cut into thin strips)
• Oil (as required)
• 2 tbsp panang curry paste (store bought)
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar (or palm sugar)
• ½ cup bell peppers (sliced)
• 3 tbsp water
• 8-10 Thai basil leaves (plus extra for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a pan with little oil and start sautéing the panang curry paste on a medium flame until it is aromatic (for 2 mins). Make sure not to burn the paste.
2. Add the thick part of the coconut milk (4 tbsp), saute well until the oil starts to separate.
3. Add the chicken pieces, basil leaves, and the rest of the coconut milk along with a little water.
4. Bring the heat to low, add bell peppers, fish sauce and brown sugar, and allow it to cook for 5-7 mins. Turn off the heat when the chicken is completely cooked.
5. Garnish with additional basil leaves.

Serve with steamed white rice/ fried rice.

Note:

1. For Vegetarians, substitute protein with tofu, and fish sauce with vegetable stock or soya sauce. Use gluten free soya sauce like tamari to make this recipe gluten free.
2. If you are preparing the Panang curry paste on your own rather than a store bought one, you may need to increase the quantity of the paste to 4 tbsp because store bought paste is usually concentrated.
3. Palm sugar (authentic ingredient) can be replaced with light brown sugar or sugar.
4. Kaffir lime leaves (authentic ingredient) can be replaced with lime zest (6 leaves = 1 tbsp zest) or with Thai basil leaves.
5. Fish sauce / soya sauce already has plenty of salt in it, so season only if necessary.
6. Use Serrano peppers for extra spiciness.

Interested in more Thai recipes? Check these out:

Pad Thai with Shrimp

Rice Noodles with Chicken & Veggies

The post Panang Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

The word pad means “stir fried” and it is the common meal you can find on the streets of Thailand. How would I know? Well actually that’s where we toured for our honeymoon!! Awwww, it was one of the most memorable trips… sightseeing, adventure tours, walking around the street shops, trying food at different roadside eateries, shopping… we had so much to do and it was super fun..!!!!

The yummiest Pad Thai I have ever tasted was at my first time, at an upscale restaurant in Pattaya, Thailand. The balance of the sauces, perfectly cooked rice stick noodles, fresh shrimp, the plating, altogether it made me a huge fan of this dish. After moving to the US I have had no dearth for Thai food, and I just love their various dishes like the spicy basil fried rice, and Panang curry.

Pad Thai flavours are a combination of the rice noodles, veggies, protein, peanuts and the main hero, it’s Pad Thai Sauce. The sauce is a complex blend of hot, sour, sweet and salt; the right balance of the sweetness from sugar/brown sugar, sourness from tamarind puree, acidity of the lime juice, spiciness from the paprika and the salty fish sauce and oyster sauce. Another thing I like about Thai food is how easily you can use any protein – chicken, shrimp or tofu for the veggies.

Do try this recipe and let me know how it tasted… Enjoy..!!

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Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 7 oz dried rice noodles
• 2 tbsp tamarind puree
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• ¼ tsp paprika/chili powder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 1 tbsp shallots (minced)
• 5-8 shrimps (deveined)
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup carrots (sliced thinly)
• Crushed peanuts
• Oil (as required)
• Green onions (chopped)
• Lime wedges (to garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To prepare the pad thai sauce, in a small bowl mix tamarind puree, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and paprika powder, stir well and keep aside.
2. Meanwhile cook the noodles according to its package instructions OR soak rice noodles in lukewarm water for 1 hour. Drain, and add to pan as required in the instructions below.
3. Heat a pan/wok with some oil. Add chopped garlic and shallots, saute until they are fragrant. Add shrimp and cook till its color changes.
4. Make a pit in the center of the wok by moving the cooked shrimp mix to the sides and pour the eggs. Beat the eggs lightly so that the yolks break and as it starts to coagulate fold in the cooked shrimp mix. Add carrots.
5. Add the drained rice noodles to the pan and toss well.
6. Once the noodles and the shrimp are almost cooked, add the pad thai sauce to the pan and mix.
7. As the sauce starts to boil, add the peanuts and keep folding in the noodles with the sauce till it thickens (2 mins).
8. Remove from the heat, garnish with green onions, peanuts and lime wedge.
9. Serve immediately.

Note:

1. For vegetarians, the shrimp/protein can be substituted with tofu, and fish/oyster sauce with soya sauce.
2. A wok suits the best to cook pad thai, but if you don’t have one you can use any centered heavy bottomed pan or even a cast iron skillet works.
3. Use rice stick noodles, the extra wide ones can be bought from Asian stores.
4. Do not overcook rice noodles as it can turn sticky.
5. Vary the spiciness according to your preference by adjusting the amount of paprika powder.

The post Pad Thai with Shrimp appeared first on Pepper Delight.

Sometimes I feel totally lazy, just wouldn’t want to open the kitchen… and if it’s one of those days when your hubby takes you for a drive and a night out, aww that’s special!! We love going for drives without any planned destination, silently in the dark with only light music playing in the car, till hunger strikes, and then a lookout for a good restaurant, a scrumptious dinner… ohhh what a night !!!

One such night took us to a Thai restaurant; it had been a while since we tried Asian food. But I must say, it was delicious! Pad thai, Panang curry, basil fried rice – some of our favourites… and that night I decided it was time for a new post with something Asian.

Tadaaa, here you go… my bowl of rice noodles with chicken n veggies.

When preparing this recipe, make sure you do not overcook the rice noodles as it can quickly turn sticky and clumpy. I suggest you cook the noodles after the preparation of chicken and mix it immediately with the saute as the sauces keep it separate and loose.

This recipe is easy, simple and a Yummilicious dinner bowl for a good nite…

Prep time: 30 – 40 mins
Serves: 2 – 3 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 7oz rice noodles (200 gm)
• 1 large chicken breast
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• ½ cup yellow onions (sliced)
• 1 tbsp ginger (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 green chilies (sliced )
• ½ cup broccoli
• ½ cup carrot(sliced lengthwise)
• 4 tbsp soya sauce
• spring onions (chopped)
• oil (as required)
• pepper (as required)
• salt (as required)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation of chicken and broccoli

1. Clean and slice chicken into thin strips.
2. Mix chicken with salt, pepper and corn flour. Fry until golden brown. Place the chicken in paper towels to remove excess oil.
3. In the same pan, saute sliced onions, green chilies, grated ginger and garlic, broccoli and carrots with a little salt and pepper. Saute until the vegetables are cooked and translucent.
4. Add the fried chicken pieces and mix well with the vegetables.
5. Add soya sauce, toss and saute until properly mixed and coated. If you want it to be saucier, add more soya sauce as needed.

Preparation of rice noodles

1. Cook either according to package directions.

OR

2. Soak rice noodles in cold water for 10 – 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring 2 cups of water to boil. Transfer noodles to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Drain quickly.

Mix immediately cooked noodles with chicken and toss well. This will help to prevent noodles from sticky. Garnish with spring onions.

Serve hot.

The post Rice Noodles with Chicken & Veggies appeared first on Pepper Delight.