Palak Paneer (Tofu)

Palak Paneer (Tofu)
Serves 4-6

1 Tbs cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, rough chop
1/2 head garlic, chopped
2 Tbs ginger, minced
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cayenne
2 tsp fenugreek
28oz diced tomatoes, with juices
1 Tbs tomato paste
2 serrano peppers, minced
water, if necessary
1 lbs frozen spinach
2 blocks tofu or 1.5-2 lbs paneer, small cubes
1 cup+ Milk or cream or soymilk or...
Big spoonful yogurt

Cook the cumin, tumeric, and mustard seeds in oil until seeds are popping. Add the onion and cook until browned a bit, 5 minutes.
Add garlic and ginger and cook a minute. Add remaining spiced and cook until fragrant.
Add tomatoes and deglaze - scrape up all the brown bits. Add the tomato paste and peppers and spinach and water if it's dry, and cook 5 minutes, or until well mixed and thickened some.
If you want, blend everything up now with a blender or immersion blender.
Add tofu and milk and yogurt to desired consistency. Cook until hot and bubbly and serve with rice.

Gobi Mutter Paneer (Tofu)

Gobi Mutter Paneer (Tofu)
Serves 4

1 smaller cauliflower, florets
12oz frozen peas
1 block tofu, in smaller rectangles
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 med onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbs ginger, chopped
1 bay leaf
Dash cayenne
1 tsp coriander
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp curry power
1/2 tsp tumeric
Salt and pepper
15oz crushed tomato or sauce
1/2c cream or milk, or 3oz yogurt (and some extra tomato sauce)
1 tsp garam masala
Cilantro

Microwave the cut-up cauliflower until par-cooked, about 4 minutes.
Heat some oil in a dutch oven with the mustard seeds. Once they start popping, add the onions and saute until golden. Add the garlic and ginger and saute 1 minute. Add the spices and saute another minute.
Add in the cauliflower, tomato, bay, and season with salt and pepper. Add some more tomato or water here if using yogurt instead of milk later.
Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes, until cauliflower is almost fully soft.
Add the cream or yogurt, peas, and tofu (or paneer) and cook until everything is heated through. Finish with cilantro and garam.

Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Tofu and Mushrooms

Sweet and Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Tofu and Mushrooms
Serves 4

2 tablespoons sweet chile sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
14 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1.5 pound Brussels sprouts
canola oil
3 sliced scallions
1/2 fresh red chile, stemmed, seeded, and diced
3 cups shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
<1 br="" chopped="" cilantro="" cup="" leaves="">1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a bowl, combine the sweet chile sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Add the tofu cubes and stir until combined. Set aside.

Trim the ends off the Brussels sprouts, and then cut each piece into three thick slices.

In a large nonstick pan, warm four tablespoons of the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add half of the sprouts, or as many as will fit in one layer. Season with a little salt, and let cook until very well browned, about two minutes. (Note: Only cook the sprouts on one side.) Remove the sprouts with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Add a little more oil, and repeat process with remaining sprouts. Set all the sprouts aside in a bowl when done.

Pour two tablespoons of oil into the empty skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the scallions, diced chile, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, one to two minutes. When done, scrap the contents into the bowl with the sprouts.

Place the skillet back over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the tofu pieces from the marinade and add to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned all over, about two minutes a side. Transfer tofu to the bowl with the sprouts. Repeat process with remaining tofu pieces.

When all the tofu is cooked, add all of the contents from the bowl back into the skillet. Add the marinade and half of the cilantro. Turn off the heat, and stir well. Let cool down for a minute. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and garnish with the remaining cilantro.

Stir Fried Tofu, Eggplant, and Brussels Sprouts

Stir Fried Tofu, Eggplant, and Brussels Sprouts
Serves 2-3

1 pack extra firm tofu, cubed
1 very small eggplant, cubed and salted
1.5 lbs brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chile peppers, minced
1 tbs chile paste
1 T shoaxing wine
2 T soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
slurry
cilantro, scallion

Stir-fry shallot, garlic, chile, and paste for a minute, and add brussels sprouts. Toss for a few minutes. Add the tofu, eggplant, and liquids and braise 15-20 minutes, or until everything is done.
Thicken with cornstarch slurry if needed.
Garnish and serve.

Stir Fried Tofu, Eggplant, and Brussels Sprouts

Stir Fried Tofu, Eggplant, and Brussels Sprouts
Serves 2-3

1 pack extra firm tofu, cubed
1 very small eggplant, cubed and salted
1.5 lbs brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chile peppers, minced
1 tbs chile paste
1 T shoaxing wine
2 T soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
slurry
cilantro, scallion

Stir-fry shallot, garlic, chile, and paste for a minute, and add brussels sprouts. Toss for a few minutes. Add the tofu, eggplant, and liquids and braise 15-20 minutes, or until everything is done.
Thicken with cornstarch slurry if needed.
Garnish and serve.

Red Curry Noodles

Red Curry Noodles
Serves 6

1 lbs spaghetti or Chinese egg noodles, cooked
2 clove garlic
1 Tbs ginger
2 thai chile, minced
3 chopped shallot
3 Tbs red curry paste
1 red pepper, batons
1 smaller Napa cabbage, sliced
Handful broccoli or other veg
1 pack tofu, squares
2 Tbs fish sauce, 1 Tbs soy
1 Tbs sugar
juice of 2 lime
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 can coconut milk or (healthier) 1 can chicken stock
scallion, cilantro, chilies, peanuts

Cook noodles
Mix PB, milk/stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar, set aside.
Stir-fry shallot, garlic, ginger, chile, for minute. Add curry paste and cook another minute. Add red pepper and hard veg and cook for 2 minutes. Add napa and cook until wilted down mostly. Thicken with some cornstarch if using stock.
Mix everything together, heat through, and serve with garnishes.

Korean Tofu Stir-Fry

Korean Tofu Stir-Fry
For 2

20oz tofu, cubed
1 larger zucchini, half-moons
1.5 lbs brocolli florets
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp minced ginger
3 tbs gochujang
2 tbs soy sauce + 2 tbs mirin or wine+sugar
scallions, cilantro

Stir-fry garlic, ginger, and onion for a minute until no longer raw. Add
broccoli and cook for a minute, and then zucchini and cook for another
minute. Before the veg are done, add tofu and heat through.
Add sauce ingrediants, mix, and garnish.

Green Curry Whatever

Green Curry
Serves 4

1-1.5 lbs meat, tofu, shrimp
1/3-1/2c green curry paste
1 can regular coconut milk
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbs fish sauce, soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
rind of 2 limes
1+ lbs hard veg (asparagus, zucchini, eggplant, mushroom)
1 can bamboo shoots
Cilantro, chilies, rice

Cut meat thinly, tofu into tiles, or leave shrimp alone.
Saute curry paste and lime rinds briefly to get them going.
Add coconut milk, stock, soy/fish sauces, and sugar. Let simmer for a few minutes to get the lime flavor out.
Add the meat and cook until almost done. Add vegetables and cook until everything is done.
Serve with rice, cilantro, and extra chilies.

Lighter Summer Squash Red Curry with Basil

Lighter Summer Squash Red Curry with Basil
Makes 4 – 6 servings

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced
2 yellow squash, quartered and sliced
2 cups firm tofu, diced (or cooked chicken or shrimp)
1 15 oz. can coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
3 tbsp. red curry paste
2 tbs soy
juice of 1 lime
1 cup coarsely chopped basil leaves

Heat a large pot over medium. Once it’s hot, heat the olive oil, then add
the onions and peppers. Saute for 7 minutes, or until the onions are soft
and begin to get translucent.

Add the squash, zucchini, tofu and coconut milk and bring to a simmer.
While you’re waiting for the coconut milk to simmer, whisk the curry
paste into the stock until completely dissolved, then add it to the pot.
Let simmer for 10 – 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft, but not
mushy.

Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and soy sauce. Taste and
adjust the salt and curry paste to taste.

Ladle over rice and sprinkle with basil leaves.

Butternut and Tofu Laksa

Butternut and Tofu Laksa
Serves 6

2c water
1 small butternut, cubed
1 brick tofu, cubed
8oz shrimp
1 can coconut milk
4T soy sauce
1 tomato, chopped
cilantro, mint, sprouts, scallions
1lbs noodles - spagetti etc.

4 chiles, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2" ginger, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1t Tumeric
2 lemongrass, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime


Puree the latter ingredients into a spice paste and set aside.
Boil squash and set aside. Keep the water.
Fry the tofu and set aside.

Fry the spice paste in oil, 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tomato, tofu, and soy. Simmer 10 minutes.

Mix everything together and finish with herbs and extra 1/2 of the lime.

Tofu With Mushrooms and Greens

Tofu, Mushrooms and Greens

16 ounces extra firm tofu, cubed
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup Shao Hsing wine
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
3 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
6 scallion whites, thinly sliced on the bias
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced thinly
black pepper
10oz mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pound greens, trimmed
Some baby corn
green tops to the scallions, cut on bias into 1 inch lengths

Mix soy sauce and wine in a bowl, and put tofu in to marinate for ten
minutes. After ten minutes, turn it over and marinate the other side.

Take tofu out of the marinade, shaking some of the excess liquid off. Put
cornstarch on a plate and toss the tofu in it to dust all sides of each
piece.

Heat up wok until it smokes, then add oil. Allow to heat up until it is
nearly smoking, then add the garlic, scallions, ginger and chile, and
cook, stirring, until fragrant–about one minute. Add as much black pepper
as you like at this time.

Carefully set the tofu pieces in the wok or pan, and allow to sit without
stirring for about a minute or two to let the tofu brown on the outside.
Turn each piece so and repeat on other side, then add mushrooms and sugar
and stir fry as normal. Add the marinade.
Add the greens and the broth–and if you have mushroom soaking liquid, add
that at this time. Cook, stirring, until the greens wilt and a dark sauce
has formed, clinging to everything.
Toss in scallion tops, give a good stir, and turn out onto a platter.
Serve with steamed rice.

Pork, Tofu and Gai Lan

Pork, Tofu and Gai Lan
Serves 4

2 pork chops, shreds
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
1 Tbs ginger, minced
2 jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced
1 package baked tofu, thin shreds
1-2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 pound gai lan, washed and trimmed
1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons chili bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
(mix the last four ingredients in a small bowl and have ready by the wok)


Mix together pork slices, wine, cornstarch, sugar and first amount of dark soy sauce, and set aside to marinate for at least twenty minutes.

Heat up your wok, Add onion, and stir and fry until they wilt and turn distinctly golden. Add the ginger, garlic, and chile all at once, and stir and fry until the whole is very fragrant.

Add the meat, reserving marinade. Spread the meat into a single layer on the bottom of the wok, and let it sit, undisturbed until you can smell it browning. At that point, add tofu, and keep stirring and frying until most of the pink is gone from the meat. Add the extra marinade, soy sauce and the Shaoxing.

Add the gai lan stem slices, and stir and fry for about a minute or two. Spread the gai lan leaves over all, and add the chicken broth, then stir vigorously but are fully. After the leaves begin to show signs of wilting add the contents of the little bowl of bean sauce, sugar and oyster sauce, and stir to combine well.

Cook until done, saucy.

Beet-stained Penne and Vegetables

Beet-stained Penne and Vegetables
Servings: 4

1 lbs whole wheat penne
1 vidalia onion - sliced long
2 red beet -diced
4 T balsamic vinegar
3 T olive oil
20 large green olives, pitted and sliced
1 block crumbled tofu
10oz brussel sprouts - sliced thick
salt, red pepper flakes
1 T dried marjoram

Mix 2 T of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and toss with the diced

beets. Let the beet bits marinate for about 1/2 hour.

Heat the remaining 1T of olive oil and saute the onions till browned.
Add the sliced brussel sprouts and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add the olives and marjoram and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the dry curds and saute for another minute or 2 on low.
Take off the heat and toss with the beets, add the marinade into the

pasta too.
Season with red pepper flakes (and salt) as ne

Udon Miso Soup

Udon and Tofu Miso Soup
Serves 6

2 Tbs Sriracha
2 shallots, sliced
1 cm ginger, smashed
4 oz cremini mushrooms, chunked
1 quart chicken stock (or other)
Boiling water
1/4c Miso, or more to taste

1 package tofu, cubed
2 bunches watercress, or other tender greens
1 lbs fresh udon
2 scallions, sliced thin

Heat up a soup pot, and add the sriracha, shallot, ginger, and mushrooms. After a few minutes, add the stock and enough water to cover the various ingredients - about 3 cups. Mix in the miso and bring to a boil.

Add the tofu and greens and noodles and bring back to a boil. Soup's done when the noodles and greens are both cooked.
Top with scallions.

Tofu is best with Pork Sauce

I like how many Chinese restaurants list this under "vegetarian".

Ma Po Tofu

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
1 Tbs "Szechuan chili sauce"
1/2 lbs ground pork (or beef etc)
5 Tbs "Chili Bean Sauce"
1 Tbs soy sauce
1.5 Tbs Cayenne
1 block tofu, cubed (silken is traditional, firm is easier to deal with)
1/2 cup water
Slurry
1 Tbs ground Sichuan peppercorns
3 scallions, small batons

Drain and cube the tofu.
Heat oil on high in a large pan/wok. Add garlic, ginger, and chile sauce. Once that's chokingly fragrant, add the pork and chili bean paste. Cook and break up the pork until it's almost done.
Add in the cayenne and soy sauce. After a minute, add in the tofu and the water, and gently mix everything up. Bring to a boil, and simmer 4-5 minutes.
Stir in the slurry (to desired goopyness), peppercorns, and scallions.
Eat with rice.

Nice Healthy Stir-Fry

Thai/Viet Tofu with Watercress and Pak Choy
Serves...2-3?

5 heads (maybe 1 pound) of small Pak Choy (pale green little choy). Bottoms sliced and tops halved.
1 handful broccoli florets, washed and par-cooked. (I had leftovers)
1 brick extra firm Tofu - drained, cubed and warmed up.
1 small shallot, minced (leftovers!)
1 knob ginger, minced
2 Tbs Sriracha sauce
3-4 Tbs Soy Sauce
1 bunch Watercress, stems trimmed.
2 scallions, thin sliced
Rice

Prep everything. Warm up the tofu.
Stir-fry the broccoli and pak choy, reserve. Dump the tofu on top.
Stir-fry the shallot and garlic for a bit. Add the sriracha and cook for a minute.
Add the hard vegetables and tofu back, and add soy sauce. Add watercress and wilt.
Finish with scallions, and serve over rice.