Archives for August 2016

Rebellious Tofu and Bean Thread Stir-Fry

August 25, 2016 By Alana Leave a Comment

Rules are made to be broken. Even in the kitchen. While this is a pretty simple comfort-food kind of meal (a healthier alternative to reaching for that Chinese take-out menu after a long day), it’s also just a tad rebellious. You won’t be able to taste the rebellion (unless you add some chili paste, of course — more on that in a bit) but you’ll know it’s there.

What on earth does rebellion have to do with a simple stir-fry? Well, let’s start by discussing what most people will tell you is the #1 tofu rule: press it. I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard that the secret to great tofu is to get all the moisture out of it so it crisps up better. It seems everyone and their mother has their own tofu pressing method – press it at an angle, so it doesn’t sit in its own water; cut it into small pieces before pressing; freeze it before pressing … I could go on for a while here. And yes, I’ve done some of these, and yes, they do yield crispy tofu. But is it better tofu? And is it worth the hassle/time of pressing? In many cases, I would (gasp!) say absolutely not.

With one exception – I do press my tofu when I need it to look visually stunning. Pressing and then browning it really well definitely does the trick there. But in terms of taste, I actually like my tofu better when it’s not pressed. And I definitely prefer not having to plan ahead when I want a quick dinner – tofu has always been my gold standard for a quick meal and pressing it takes that quality away completely.

Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that I like my tofu mushy and soggy. But if you buy the right brand (Fresh Tofu Inc. is especially firm and dry and Nasoya Extra Firm is usually okay too, after a bit of light squeezing) and fry it up with some gluten-free soy sauce, it’ll be flavorful + tender with some lovely crispy bits – better than the overly chewy and sometimes dry quality you get when you go the press + brown-all-around route.

Confused? Don’t worry – my rebellious tofu is detailed in this recipe, so you can feel free to try it for yourself and see what you think. And if you’re a tofu pressing fanatic – no worries. You can definitely go ahead and press your tofu for this recipe if you must. As long as I don’t have to do it!

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Sweet & Spicy Black Sesame Snack Balls

August 14, 2016 By Alana Leave a Comment

Have you ever noticed that each judge on Chopped has at least one pet peeve – feedback that they seem to give over and over? Maneet Chauhan’s is raw cayenne. I feel like I’ve seen at least 8 episodes where she criticizes a chef for not cooking the spices properly, or for adding cayenne right before the buzzer. She hates the taste of raw cayenne!

I totally see where she’s coming from, but I have a dirty secret: I happen to really, really enjoy raw cayenne. Okay, maybe not in curries…you definitely gotta bloom your spices there. But sprinkled on fruit, gluten-free flatbread, fries, plantains … I have to say I really like the intensity you get when it’s raw!

Especially when it’s coating these black sesame – date balls. They were born when I decided to attempt a no-bake black and white cookie (made from black and white sesame seeds!) and then got distracted after my first attempt at the black half because I started thinking how delicious my dough would be rolled in a spice mixture. The cookie idea got shelved, and instead I went for some fiery snacks.

I’m glad I did – the black sesame, date, and raisin mixture is interesting on its own, but after being rolled in cinnamon, cayenne, and crunchy black and white sesame seeds, it really pops! Plus the snack balls are so pretty … and a cinch to put together! They are also nice and healthy – cinnamon and cayenne have a load of health benefits I won’t get into here (because the list is long – google it if you are interested!) and the balls are sweetened only with dates and raisins.

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Pan-Grilled Fairy Tale Eggplant with Feta, Honey, and Tarragon

August 5, 2016 By Alana Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, a pound of cute little purple and white striped eggplant lived in a lovely garden with their father, a big purple Italian eggplant named Giuseppe, and their mother, a Japanese white eggplant named Mari. Life was pretty good – they were all given plenty to eat and drink and the compost in their part of town was utterly delicious.

One day, one of the purple and white striped eggplants overheard the cherry tomatoes talking amongst themselves. “It was incredible!” said a cherry tomato named Steve. “I never dreamed the world was so large!” “Oh, shut up, Steve,” said Marcus, an elderly tomato who was already starting to shrivel. “You have no business spreading lies around the garden. We all know you are making this up – I mean, you couldn’t roll two feet without getting stepped on, let alone all the way to Manhattan.” “Oh yes, I can,” retorted Steve. “I’ll prove it to you! Tomorrow, I’m going to the Union Square Greenmarket and I’m going to purchase an herb for my mother to wear – basil is all the rage these days!”

The little purple and white striped eggplant could hardly believe his ears. Leaving the garden? Why would anyone want to do that, he wondered to himself. But that night, he couldn’t sleep. Suddenly, he began to see the wisdom in what Steve had been saying. What was he doing, spending his whole life in one tiny corner of the world? He had to get out there. He had to take risks. Shaking his brothers and sisters awake, he told them what he had overheard. “Let’s go to Manhattan!” he said. “Steve already knows how to get there – all we have to do is follow him!”

And so it was decided. Bright and early the next morning, the pound of little purple and white striped eggplant set off, led by Steve, the cherry tomato. Unfortunately, the fairy tale these eggplants were born into was of the Brother’s Grimm variety, and so while Steve would miraculously survive to teach Marcus an important lesson about truth (namely, that he was telling it) that pound of purple and white striped eggplants was doomed. It would see the world – that was something – but then it would be purchased by a hungry female giant named Alana, grilled alive, and eaten.

But oh, in this fairy tale, deliciousness would prevail. Because young, tender, fairy tale eggplants quickly grilled in a cast iron skillet, sprinkled with a feta-tarragon mixture, and finished with honey and sherry vinegar are infinitely more delicious than poisoned apples, stale gingerbread houses, or magic beans (which to the best of my knowledge nobody even ate, but still). They are so supremely delicious, in fact, that you might be okay with fighting a hungry giant or slaying a fire-breathing dragon just to get your hands on them.

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