Guacamole

I LOOOVE guacamole...  Who doesn't? 

But, do you know how to make a good one? 

Authentic Mexican recipe, courtesy of my husband.

INGREDIENTS

2 ripe avocados

1/2 garlic clove 

2 green onions

3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves

1 lime juice

1/4 ripe tomato (or 3 cherry tomatoes)

Salt to taste

1/2 red chili (optional)

PREPARATION

Cut the avocados in halves.  Discard pits.
Scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon.  Place in a food processor or blender.
Peel and slice garlic, add.
Wash and chop onions, add.

Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth (or blend for as long as you like, if you prefer the chunky consistency).

Serve immediately on a bowl, with corn chips or corn tortillas for dipping.

You can NOT keep this in the fridge!  You'll have to it all of it... but don't worry, it won't be difficult.

Szechuan Spicy Eggplant

INGREDIENTS (for 2-3)

6 Japanese eggplants*

2 green onions

1/2 cup vegetable stock

3 tbsp vegetable oil

Spicy Szechuan Sauce:

- 4 garlic cloves

- 1 red Thai chili pepper**

- 2 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

- 4 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp black bean sauce

- 1 tbsp rice vinegar

- 2 tbsp mirin (or any rice wine)

- 2 tbsp sugar

- 2 tbsp sesame oil

- 1 tsp Szechuan pepper (if yo have it)

*Yes, you need these ones. Sorry, it's not going to work with the regular/Mediterranean type.

**If you don't have fresh Thai chillies, you can use chili paste instead (about 1 tbsp).

PREPARATION

Spicy Szechuan Sauce:

Peel garlic cloves and place them in a mortar. Add chili (or chili paste) and ginger. Grind and reserve.

Place all the other sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add the chili/garlic/ginger paste and mix.

Reserve.

Cooking the eggplant:

Wash the eggplants and cut off stems. Cut them into long strips (finger size). Reserve.

Wash the green onions and cut them into thin slices. Reserve.

Place a skillet over medium heat and add 3 tbsp vegetable oil.

Add eggplants and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir often.

Add half of the sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Stir often

Add the rest of the sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir.

Add vegetable stock and lower heat. Cook for 5 minutes.

Turn off heat.

Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve very hot with cooked rice.

VARIATION: you can make a version of this by adding chunks of tofu, either deep fried, stir fried or directly from the package. 

Peanut Sesame Noodles

One of my favorite noodle dishes ever! Easy to make and D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S.

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

2 cups udon noodles*

2 cups bok choy**

2 carrots

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Peanut sesame sauce:

- 1 cup peanut butter (creamy)

- 6 tbsp soy sauce

- 2 tbsp rice vinegar

- 2 garlic cloves

- 3 green onions

- 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

- 2 tbsp sugar

- 1 lime juice

- 2 tbsp sesame oil

- 1 tsp chili sauce

- 1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

- 1/4 cup water

*Use sweet potato or rice noodles for GLUTEN-FREE.

**It's also delicious with spinach or cucumber.

PREPARATION

Peanut sesame sauce:

Slice garlic and onion and add to blender. 

Add all the sauce ingredients, except for the peanut butter. Blend until smooth.

Then add the peanut butter and blend.

If the sauce is too thick, add more lime juice or water.

Reserve.

Vegetables:

Wash and peel carrots. Cut into very thin strips and reserve.

Wash bok choy. Cut off the bottom part of the stem and discard.

Place a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. 

Add bok choy and 1/4 cup water. Stir well and cover with a lid. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and reserve.

Udon noodles:

Cook the noodles in boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Drain, wash with cold water and reserve.

Serving the plates:

Place noodles in the middle of a bowl (or large plate) and add the vegetables.

Pour some peanut sesame sauce on top (you can always add more sauce while eating it). 

You can slice more green onion and sprinkle it over the sauce. 

Mix well all the ingredients and enjoy!

I've made this same dish with avocado, tomato, kale, "mock duck", tofu, lettuce, sweet corn... Use your imagination! 

Non-Meatballs With Squash Sauce (Indian Style)

INGREDIENTS (for 2-4)

4 defrosted veggie burgers (the vegetable kind, not the "mock meat" kind)

3 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour

1 large onion

1 small butternut squash

1/2 cup soy milk

1 green onion or fresh cilantro (for decoration)

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

Salt to taste 

Vegetable oil

Spice mix:

- 1 tbsp ground turmeric

- 1 tsp ground cumin

- 1 tsp ground coriander

- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1/2 tsp asafoetida

- 1/2 tsp chili powder

- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

PREPARATION

Place the defrosted veggie burgers in a large bowl and mash them together. You don't need a smooth paste, just destroy them a little!

Then make meat-less meatballs with it. Depending on the size, you could make either 12 or 6 (3 or 2 meat-less meatballs from each burger).

Place the flour in a bowl and batter the non-meatballs with it. Reserve.

Place a skillet with 6 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. 

Fry the non-meatballs until golden brown, carefully turning them while cooking so they fry evenly.

Then place them in a plate and reserve.

Mix all the spices in a bowl and reserve.

Peel and chop the onion into small pieces.

Peel and cut the butternut squash into small cubes.

Place a skillet with 3 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat and add spices. Stir for a few seconds and add the onion, squash and ginger. Stir well and fry for about 10 minutes.

Add 1/3 cup water, stir and cook for another 10 minutes or until water is absorbed.

When the onion is golden brown and the squash is soft, turn off heat and pour the cooked vegetables into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and pour back into the skillet.

Lower heat and add the soy milk slowly while stirring. Cook for a couple of minutes and add the non-meatballs (be gentle, you don't want to destroy them now).

Cook for 5-10 minutes, keeping heat at low. 

Turn off heat. Chop the green onion or cilantro (or both) and sprinkle on top of the non-meat balls.

Serve immediately!

You can serve this plate with basmati rice, any Indian bread you like or green salad. I usually do the "Indian Fest Night" and cook many different dishes to share with friends (Dhal, Cumin Rice, Palak Tofu, Samosas, Cucumber and Lime Salad...), so we can have a lot of flavors in our table as well as a balanced meal. I looooove Indian food.

BIBIMBAP (Korean Rice With Vegetables)

A)

B)

Two versions of the same dish, one with fresh vegetables (A) and the other with tempura and cooked spinach (B). Both have fried tofu and avocado (I know... I'm kind of obsessed with avocado)

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 cup Japanese rice

Tofu:

- 1/2 block firm tofu

- 1 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1 tsp sesame oil

Vegetables:

- A) Fresh version: salad greens, lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumber, red pepper, avocado, onion...

- B) Cooked version: fresh spinach leaves, carrots + green onions for tempura 

  If you are making this, you'll also need:

  - 3 tbsp chickpea flour

  - 1/3 tsp baking powder

  - cold water

  - 1 tbsp sesame oil

  - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

"Chojang" spicy sauce :

- 1 tbsp Korean hot pepper paste

- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp vegan sugar

- 2 chopped green onions

- 1 shredded garlic clove

- 1 tbsp sesame oil

- 1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

Vegan Kimchi (or Kimchee)*

*You always serve Kimchi with a Korean meal!

I specify "vegan" because you have to read the label: sometimes it has fish sauce or dried shrimp in it...

PREPARATION

"Chojang" spicy sauce:

Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and reserve.

If this is not spicy enough for you, add more hot pepper paste!

If it's too spicy, add more soy sauce, vinegar and sugar.

How to cook the rice:

Wash rice in cold water, stirring the pot and drain the water until it run clear (about 10 washes).

Leave the washed rice in the pot and add 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Bring water to a boil over medium/high heat, and when it starts to boil, cover the pot and keep it cooking for about 4 minutes.

Reduce heat to low/simmer and cook about 10 minutes. DO NOT UNCOVER the pot at any time!!! Turn off heat and let stand 15 minutes. 

(Only if you are not sure if the rice is well cooked, grab a teaspoon and take a little rice so you can taste it. If by any chance rice is not well done, add a little more water and cook for a few more minutes. Sometimes it depends on the rice type or brand, but I always cook it this way and it's always perfect!).

After 15 minutes, you can uncover the pot. 

How to cook the tofu:

You can prepare it while the rice is cooking.

Wash it with cold water and dry it gently with paper towels. 

Cut it in cubes (bite size) and reserve.

Place a skillet with 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat.

Add tofu and cook until golden, turning the cubes with two forks (that's what works best for me) when the first side is done. 

When it's ready, turn off heat and add: 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp vegan sugar and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir the tofu carefully to mix it with the sauce and reserve.

Fresh or cooked version?

A) For the fresh version, you just have to cut the vegetables into thin strips (julienne) and reserve.

B) For the cooked version: 

Wash spinach with cold water and drain.

Place a skillet with 1 tsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Add spinach, add 1 tbsp water and cover with a lid. Cook for a 3-5 minutes until spinach is soft. 

Turn off heat and add 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Stir and reserve.

Tempura: 

Cut carrots and green onion into very thin strips (you can use a potato peeler for the carrot, it works very well).  Reserve.

In a separate bowl, mix chickpea flour and baking powder. Add cold water until you get a smooth egg-like texture (a little thicker). 

Add carrots and green onion to the tempura mixture and mix well. 

Place a skillet with abundant vegetable oil over medium heat (for deep frying). 

When oil is hot, use two tablespoons to place small amounts of the tempura mixture in the oil.
Cook until golden-brown and turn. Cook the other side (they cook pretty fast!).

Place the cooked tempura on a dish covered with paper towels to drain excess oil.

Keep adding tempura mixture to the oil and cook it until it is finished. 

Remove and discard the paper towels when all the tempura is cooked and drained. It should be crispy and light. Reserve tempura.

Serving the plates:

Place cooked rice in the middle of a large bowl (or large plate) and add all the other ingredients, forming a circle around it (just because it looks prettier than throwing everything on top... you see all the different colors and textures).

Pour some of the spicy sauce on top of the rice, but not all of it, because you might find it very spicy! You can always add more sauce while eating it. 

Serve it like this. 

Then you mix well all the ingredients, usually using chopsticks and a tablespoon, and... ENJOY!

I love eating it while taking some bites of kimchi and mixing it with the rice. If you have never had kimchi before, pick a mild brand or very fresh kimchi (it's usually lighter), and try a small bite with some rice. In my case, it was LOVE at first bite, but sometimes it takes a while to get used to new strong flavors.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

My vegan -and equally awesome- version of the popular Thai dish

INGREDIENTS (for 2-3)

1 pack fresh rice noodles* 

5 garlic cloves

4 green onions

2 red tomatoes

1 large carrot (or 2 small)

6-8 Kailan (Chinese broccoli) stems + leaves and flowers** 

1/2 block firm tofu

1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves

1 tbsp chili paste (or 1 red chili pepper)

Vegetable oil

1/3 cup sweet Thai soy sauce (syrupy consistency)

4 tbsp soy sauce

*You shouldn't put the fresh rice noodles in the refrigerator because they will get dry and hard. It's better to buy them the same day (or the day before) that you are going to cook them, and keep them at room temperature.
Dry rice noodles work too, but try to find the widest possible.


**Regular broccoli also works, if you can't find kailan.

PREPARATION

If the rice noodles are not cut yet, cut them in large strips and use your fingers to separate them easily. Reserve. 

(They don't have to be perfect, they usually are irregular rectangles a little larger than bite size. It's better to separate them before you start cooking, because the cooking process is really fast and you want to have them ready to throw in the skillet).

I recommend having the tofu and vegetables prepared before starting to cook this dish.  The process moves fast and you can get caught chopping one ingredient and overcook another.  The cooking time is very short once everything is prepared.

Wash the tofu in cold water and squeeze it gently. Drain it using paper towels to remove excess water.

Place a skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil for deep frying.

Cut the tofu into cubes and add. Deep fry until golden (about 10-15 minutes). 

Use a spatula that can drain excess oil to remove the tofu from the pan.
Put tofu on a plate with paper towels below to remove excess oil.
After 2 minutes remove the paper towels and reserve the tofu (if you don't, it will get soggy).

Wash the kailan (or regular broccoli) and cut it into bite size pieces. Boil it in salty water for about 3 minutes. Drain and reserve. This will cook the kailan a little while giving it a bright green color.

Mince the garlic and reserve.

Wash the green onions and cut into bite size. Reserve.

Wash the carrot and peel it. Cut it into bite size, either slicing it diagonally or cutting thin strips (julienne style). Reserve.

Wash the tomato and cut it in slices. Reserve.

If you are using chili pepper instead or chili paste, mince it and reserve.

Wash the Thai basil and reserve.

Mix the soy sauces in a separate bowl and reserve.

Place a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 5-6 tbsp vegetable oil (mild olive oil works great).

When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chili paste (or minced chili pepper) and stir for about 30 seconds.

Add the green onion, carrot and kailan and stir for 2-3 minutes.

Add the rice noodles, separating them with your fingers while throwing them over the vegetables.

Add the soy sauce mix immediately and stir gently using a spatula. This will prevent the noodles from sticking together.

Add the tomato, tofu and basil leaves and stir. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Turn off heat and serve immediately.

VARIATION: you can make a faster version of this if you don't deep fry the tofu or simply skip it. 

I've also made it with "mock duck" and it's delicious! To cook it properly you have to squeeze it to remove excess water and then fry it in a skillet with 2 tbsp vegetable oil until brown. 

Enoki Spinach Soup

10-minute light and tasty soup

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

Soup broth:

4 cups water (or vegetable stock)

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable boullion paste* (skip this if you are using vegetable broth)

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp rice vinegar

1 cup fresh spinach

1 green onion

1/2 pack enoki mushrooms

1 pack udon noodles**

*I usually use "Better Than Boullion".

**Use soy, sweet potato or rice noodles for GLUTEN-FREE.

PREPARATION

Place water and vegetable bullion paste (or vegetable stock) in a pot over medium heat. Mix well.

Add soy sauce and sugar. Stir.

Wash the spinach and remove the stems. Add leaves to soup.

Add noodles and cook for 5 minutes.

Cut the green onion into thin slices and add. Stirring occasionally.

Add sesame oil, enoki mushrooms and rice vinegar. Stir and serve immediately.

Avocado Grapefruit Salad

5-minute delicious salad!

INGREDIENTS

1 avocado

canned grapefruit slices*

1 green onion

Salad dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1tbsp orange juice

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

*You can find them in the refrigerated area of your produce section

PREPARATION

Cut the avocado in slices and place them in a salad plate.

Add the grapefruit slices.

Cut the green onion into very thin slices and sprinkle on top of the avocado and grapefruit.

Whip all the dressing ingredients in a bowl and add to salad.

Avocado Tofu Ginger Salad

This salad is incredibly simple and super tasty!

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

1 avocado

1/2 tofu block (soft or firm, whatever you prefer)

1 green onion (or 2, depending on how big the onions are)

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

1/4 sheet nori seaweed 

1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

Salad dressing:

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp rice vinegar

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1/2 lime juice

PREPARATION

Cut the avocado into small cubes and place in 2 bowls.
Squeeze the lime juice on top of it.

Cut the tofu into small cubes and add.

Cut the green onion into very thin slices and add.

Cut out a quarter of a nori sheet (reserve the other part for future cooking). Then cut it in half, put the halves together and cut in half again. Put together and repeat again. You should have now layers of small rectangles together. Cut them into thin strips and add.
Add the shredded ginger.

Add the sesame seeds. (If you don't have the toasted kind, just put a skillet over medium heat -no oil- and toast the seeds for a minute or two. You'll know when they're ready because they will smell really nutty and good).

In a separate bowl, put all the ingredients for the dressing together and whip them until it's well mixed.

Add to bowls and serve immediately.

Miso Soup With Shiitake, Tofu And Udon Noodles

INGREDIENTS (for 2)

6 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 1/2 tbsp Japanese white miso
1 tbsp dried wakame algae
1/2 piece of fresh silk tofu (soft)
1 package udon noodles*
2 tsp vegetable bouillon paste**
1 green onion
4 cups water

*Use rice, sweet potato, or soy noodles for GLUTEN-FREE.
**I usually use "Better Than Boullion".

PREPARATION

Place shiitake mushrooms in a pot and add water. Bring to boil and then simmer on low for 15 minutes (or until mushrooms are soft).
Remove the mushrooms and cut out the stem. Slice mushrooms into thin strips. Reserve.
Add the vegetable bouillon paste to the pot.
Keep broth temperature on low.

Take 1/2 cup of the shiitake broth from the pot and in a separate bowl add white miso.
Mix well. Stir until smooth. Reserve. (This step is important because if the miso is added directly to the pot it does not mix well, thus affecting flavor and texture).

Add shiitake mushrooms, wakame seaweed and noodles to the pot.
Cut tofu into small cubes and add to soup. Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove the outer layer of the green onion. Cut into small thin slices and add to the soup.

Slowly add the miso broth prepared from bowl to the pot and stir well (miso should not boil at any time). Serve immediately!