serving & menu ideas
Serve on soba noodles, udon noodles, or rice, and top with Easy Baked Tofu or seasoned tofu, or toasted cashews or almonds. How about Lemon Coconut Tapioca Pudding or Mango Coconut Sorbet for dessert?
curried tofu with tomatoes
Tofu, ever the chameleon, lends itself to pairings with a multitude of sauces for nutritious and easily prepared meals. This is a favorite.
SERVES 4
TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 cups chopped onions
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1½ tablespoons grated peeled ginger root
2 tablespoons Curry Powder or commercial curry powder or garam masala
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cake firm tofu (about 16 ounces), cut into ½-inch cubes
1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
black pepper or hot sauce
In a large saucepan with a lid, cook the onions, peppers, and salt in the oil on medium-high heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, Curry Powder, cinnamon, and tofu. Cover and cook on medium-low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Occasionally stir gently. Add black pepper or hot sauce to taste.
serving & menu ideas
Serve at the table with pappadams and toasted cashews, chopped cilantro, and plain yogurt. This dish matches well with Coconut Rice or Yellow Rice. Remember to start cooking the rice before you make the curry. If you’d like dessert, Caramel Custard is a nice choice.
spicy potatoes & spinach
SERVES 4
TIME: 45 MINUTES
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 minced fresh chile or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1½ cups sliced onions
2 pounds potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
10 ounces fresh baby spinach
Heat the oil in a pot on medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin and fennel seeds. Stir for a few seconds and add the chile or red pepper flakes and the onions. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, scrub or peel the potatoes and cut them into wedges (about 6 cups). Add the potato wedges, salt, and 1 cup of water to the onions, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just tender.
Stir in the tomatoes and lemon juice and cook, covered, until the potatoes are done, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer until the leaves are wilted.
INGREDIENT NOTES Use ground cumin and/or fennel if seeds aren’t available.
In place of fresh tomatoes, you can use a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes.
serving & menu ideas
Top with yogurt and cilantro. Serve with naan bread or pappadams or on a bed of rice. Serve with chutney or fresh mango slices on the side.
navajo stew
Inspired by a Southwestern Native American dish, this is a sunny, colorful stew of roasted vegetables in a hot and smoky mole-type sauce.
SERVES 4
TIME: 55 MINUTES
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 red or green bell peppers
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 15-ounce can of tomatoes
1 tablespoon canned chipotles in adobo sauce
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can of butter beans or black beans, drained
flatbread (tortillas, lavash, or pita)
plain yogurt, sour cream, or Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Stem and seed the peppers and cut into 1-inch pieces. Peel the onion and cut it stem end to root end into thin wedges. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with the garlic, oil, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Stir and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy.
While the vegetables roast, purée the tomatoes, chipotles, and cilantro in a blender until smooth. Set aside. When the vegetables are tender, put them into a 2- to 3-quart baking dish, stir in the tomato-cilantro sauce and the beans, and return to the oven until hot, about 10 minutes.
A few minutes before serving, warm the bread in the oven. Serve the stew in bowls topped with yogurt or sour cream, with warm flatbread on the side.
INGREDIENT NOTE You can substitute 1 tablespoon of Cumin Salt for the cumin and salt in the recipe. You may need to add more salt to taste.
serving & menu ideas
This is a filling stew, but Corn on the Cob makes a wonderful side dish, and if you’ve still got room for dessert, consider Warm Plums with Mascarpone.
two potato gratin
For a nice balance of color and flavor, use white potatoes and sweet potatoes in roughly equal amounts.
SERVES 4
TIME: 55 MINUTES
2 eggs
3 cups grated sweet potatoes and white potatoes
½ cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup grated dilled Havarti cheese
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the potatoes, scallions, flour, salt, pepper, and half of the cheese and mix well.
Heat the butter and oil in a large ovenproof skillet (10 to 12 inches) on medium-high heat. Spoon the potato mixture into the skillet and spread evenly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the bottom is nicely browned. Do not stir.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the top is golden. Sprinkle the gratin with the remaining cheese and continue to bake until
