The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

Subscribe

Freestyle Fried “Rice”

By 1 Comment

These days, flexibility is key. While I used to be one of those people who would go to four different stores just to find one item, that’s obviously changed. Minimizing our time at the grocery store is important, as is adopting a “no-expectations” attitude when it comes to the items that will be waiting for you there. So, in the spirit of flexibility, I thought it might be nice to share a “recipe” that can be easily customized based on what you have on hand. It’s also comforting, flavorful, easy to make, and leftover-friendly (both in the sense that you can use up veggies or grains that are already cooked AND in the sense that it’s easy to make a LOT of this and eat it over a few days). I’m calling it freestyle fried “rice.”

“Rice” is in quotes because you can use just about any grain. My favorite is actually millet, or a mixture of rice and millet. The only grains you probably want to stay away from are the porridgy ones like teff, amaranth, and oats, as they won’t really give you that fried rice feel and are also strongly-flavored. This dish also works best with leftover (refrigerated) cooked grains, which is one reason I always make more than I need whenever I make a fresh grain as part of dinner. Even if I don’t end up making this freestyle “fried” rice, having a grain already prepped and ready to be reheated in the fridge means one component of a meal is already done!

In the spirit of freestyling, I’ve decided not to use measurements for this. It’s more of a general “how to” recipe that you can make using the guidelines below, your own intuitions, and your taste buds. (FYI, if you are interested in perfecting your cooking intuitions, my sibling, Rafael Natan, is offering sliding scale cooking lessons via Zoom. Rafael will help you use your taste buds and senses to create delicious meals suited to you and what you have available in your kitchen. Check it out!)

[Read more…]

Miso Egg Drop Soup

By Leave a Comment

This miso egg drop soup is simple to prepare, nourishing, and delicious. At the risk of angering the FDA with these statements (haha), I 100 percent guarantee that it can help you survive the polar vortex, recover from copious amounts of baking (see last week’s post), or fight off the sniffles.

Let’s take a closer look at why:

Kombu & Nori:  Seaweeds are some of the most underrated “superfoods” there are. They are rich in minerals – especially calcium and iodine – and alkalizing to the body, which means they are a great antidote to too much sugar, which is acid-forming. Kombu is also fantastic for digestion.

Miso:  Also alkaline, miso contains beneficial bacteria that can help fight off illness.

Egg:  Eggs are the most bioavailable form of vegetarian protein that exists, meaning they contain protein that is easy for our bodies to metabolize and use.

Carrot:  Rich in minerals and fiber, and – of course – good for the eyes!

So, ready to fuel up for this polar vortex? Let’s do it!

[Read more…]

Miso-Orange Charred Parsnips

By Leave a Comment

I surrender to you

Warm golden nuggets of joy

Your salty-sweet persona defies satiation

 

Mouthful after mouthful

Consumer and consumed blend together

As your hold on me tightens.

 

I am not fooled by your crispy exterior

Your blackened edges

The parts of you that seem imperfect

 

I’ve tasted your insides and there’s no going back. 

-Rumi (After I gave him one of these parsnips)

Okay, sorry everyone. I’m getting over a cold and it’s making me just a bit loopy. What do we think – better or worse than my carrot pasta inspired ode to Elizabeth Barrett Browning? Should I quite blogging and start a poetry satire company? Granted, the language is a bit modern for Rumi, I guess. Maybe it was actually Neruda who wrote this – I could have gotten confused.

So anyway, these miso crusted parsnips are really good. Miso has been missing from my diet for several years, since I had to remove rice temporarily a little ways back. Thankfully, in the past year or so, I’ve been able to eat it again and haven’t turned back. I’ve been putting it on everything! As soon as the parsnips made it into my shopping cart, I immediately knew I wanted to coat them in miso and roast them. I also knew I would use coconut oil for a rich, buttery flavor and just a bit of freshly-squeezed orange juice for slight acidity and sweetness.

The result? Well, I have to say I agree with Rumi. Or Neruda. These parsnips are awesome.

[Read more…]

Five Spice Tofu

By Leave a Comment

Have you ever realized that you tend to gravitate towards the same spices/herbs? Some years ago, I noticed that most of the meals I cooked for myself were seasoned with either cumin and hot paprika (still a solid combo!) or some version of Italian seasoning. Sure, occasionally, I would add one or two additional spices to the cumin and hot paprika mix (oregano for Mexican-inspired dishes, coriander and garam masala for Indian-inspired ones) but those three  – cumin, hot paprika, and Italian seasoning – were definitely the ones that I used most heavily.

Yet spices/herbs have impressive health benefits in addition to opening up a world of flavor combinations, so in recent years, I’ve been making an effort to branch out a bit more. Thyme – which I almost never touched for most of my life – has become a staple, as well as dill, sage, allspice, and turmeric. I discovered five spice powder (a mix of cinnamon, fennel, cloves, star anise, and white pepper) in culinary school, when we made five-spice dates, which literally consisted of rolling dates in five spice powder. But what a flavor! This was a spice mix I had to add to my pantry.

While I don’t use it as often as some of the spices mentioned above, it’s fantastic on root veggies, in noodle soups, and in this carrot breakfast pudding. But I probably use it most often in tofu dishes, along with tamari, toasted sesame oil, and chives. Sometimes I stir-fry my tofu and veggies briefly, and then just cover and let ’em simmer with the tamari and five spice. But I also love making Chinese take-out imitations like this dish, which coats crispy, fried tofu in a delightfully sticky, sweet and salty sauce and is perfect over rice or millet. Best of all? The sauce comes together in seconds!

[Read more…]

Chinese-Style Broccoli with Brown Sauce and Crispy Ginger (Soy-Free & Sugar-Free!)

By Leave a Comment

One of my favorite things about cooking for people with dietary restrictions is developing personalized recipes. This sauce was born a couple years ago, when I used to cook for a client who was soy-free, sugar-free, grain-free, and dairy-free. Some people might conclude that your standard American-style Chinese food was out of the question, since it’s normally loaded with soy and sugar. But I had a feeling that wasn’t the case.

One week, the menu leant itself to an Asian-style glaze. I knew I could replace the soy component and some of the sugar with coconut aminos, which is not only a great soy-sauce substitute but also lends a nice sweetness to marinades and sauces. For the rest of the sugar, I decided to use just a little bit of mandarin orange juice. Next, I added a touch of toasted sesame oil and boiled those three simple ingredients together until…voila…I had a soy-free, sugar-free Asian-style glaze. And I couldn’t stop eating it…

This recipe uses a very similar procedure to yield the brown sauce, but instead of mandarin juice, I’ve used navel oranges. These have a lower sugar content than mandarins, so the glaze takes a bit longer to reduce and becomes more of a sauce (as opposed to a sticky glaze) once you toss it with your broccoli. (By the way, I’ve also chosen to roast the broccoli, which I find is one of the easiest ways to get perfectly cooked, crispy-but-not-oily, lovely little florets!)

Since this dish is so simple (you basically roast some broccoli – easy peasy – boil the three ingredients to make your brown sauce  – even easier – and toss the two components together), I decided you’ll definitely have the time and energy to make some awesome crispy ginger to really take this dish over the top. Believe me, it’s well worth the extra 5 minutes!

[Read more…]

Tofu Satay Bowl

By Leave a Comment

Do you ever spend forever trying to decide the simplest things? I know I do…when it comes to ordering food, that is. I’m sad to say that far too much of my brain power has gone to agonizing over questions like “Sweet potato fries or regular?” “For the soup, did you want the cup or the bowl?” and “Pesto or marinara?” If these questions seem trivial, they absolutely are. But for someone whose happiness level is very much tied to getting these questions right – and who suffers from a disproportionate amount of ordering regret when it’s a miss – the decision can take a little while.

I had a similar dilemma when crafting this recipe, which was born out of a delicious thrown-together dinner (bowls are fabulous for these situations) a couple weeks back. I wasn’t planning to make it a blog post, but I was really happy with the tamarind-peanut sauce I had spontaneously created and thought a warming tofu satay bowl worth sharing. Then I had the leftovers – cold – the next day and found myself with an intriguing idea: should I post a summer salad instead? Same sauce – maybe make it a tiny bit more dressingy with a little vinegar – sub papaya for the broccoli, keep the tofu, cilantro, and peanuts, and maybe throw in some fresh basil? It certainly was quite delicious cold and you can never go wrong with fresh papaya! But I really liked that warm dinner bowl,  too…

I was so torn that I ended up buying both broccoli and papaya at the store so I didn’t have to decide until later. And I ended up going with the satay bowl. I don’t have any regrets (because this bowl is really quite delicious) but if you feel like trying the salad variation I described, do go for it. I don’t think you’ll have regrets either way.

[Read more…]

Lapsang Souchong Carrots

By Leave a Comment

Lapsang Souchong is a deliciously rich and smoky Chinese black tea that is fantastic for both cooking and drinking. Since it’s a black tea, it also carries with it all those lovely black-tea health benefits – antioxidants, heart-healthy compounds, etc. – though, since the tea is smoked over pine leaves, I do find myself wondering whether the antioxidants survive. Tea experts, please chime in! My google searching has proved inconclusive (nobody is talking about this on the internet, apparently) and I’d love to know what affect the smoking process has on a tea’s health benefits.

In any case, I can say with certainty (albeit certainty subjective to my own taste preferences) that the smoking process has a beneficial affect on the taste of this tea. If you’ve never tried it, you really must – I playfully call it the Laphroaig of teas since its smoky, intense, complexity reminds me of a bacony scotch.

This makes it a perfect ingredient for sauces and marinades, as it lends this complexity of flavor to the simplest of dishes. Seriously – you’ll be amazed at how easy these carrots are to prepare. Simply mix a 5-ingredient marinade together, pour it over some carrots, and bake until tender. That’s it! Serve them over your favorite grain with a poached egg or some baked tofu for a simple, delicious meal or leave them as is for a lovely side dish. You really can’t go wrong.

[Read more…]

Rebellious Tofu and Bean Thread Stir-Fry

By 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!

[Read more…]

Sweet & Spicy Black Sesame Snack Balls

By 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.

[Read more…]

Asian Tofu Salad

By Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever taken any sort of culinary or food science class, you may know that there are two types of cooking methods: dry-heat cooking and moist-heat cooking. Dry-heat is where your sautéing, roasting, baking, and frying lie. And moist heat is your boil, steam, simmer, and stew! (That’s by no means an exhaustive list of all moist/dry heat cooking methods, but it gives you a general idea.)

Anyway, it turns out I’m a dry-heat girl by nature. My go-to cooking methods are sautéing, roasting, baking, and pan-frying. Sure, I steam and boil on occasion (fried pasta would be pretty gross and I do like to blanch my greens and boil potatoes for mash now and then) but on the whole, my cooking routine generally begins with a skillet, some oil, and an onion.

In this heat, however, standing by a hot skillet babysitting a stir-fry is just not appealing. So when the craving for some tofu hit, I decided to boil it. Now if you’re like me, and you’ve spent your entire tofu-eating life baking, frying, or sautéing it, you may have some doubts about whether boiling is even possible. I know I did. But guess what?! It is! And it’s quite delicious and refreshing when seasoned well, chilled, and made into an Asian tofu salad like this one. In fact, taking foods I’m used to cooking one way and giving them a completely different treatment is definitely something I’d like to do more of. It helps me stay inspired, be creative, and not get stuck in any cooking ruts (which 90 degree weather can definitely precipitate!)

[Read more…]