Green Curry Tofu cakes

If you have made my last recipe, I know that you have a pot of Thai green curry paste somewhere in your refrigerator, although you have made wise and placed it in your freezer. But, if you're like me, you always believe that you will serve immediately, keep you in the fridge…right up until the day that you notice that it is not green curry paste anymore but paste furry green.  Then the compost, dear compost spicy.

Don't let that happen to your curry paste! If you purchased it or it is of my recipe, ginger and Lemongrass exotic gave their lives for this valuable substance.  Use while it is fresh to make these delicious bites.

Modelled on a Thai fish cakes, these nuggets of size hors d'oeuvres use sea arame vegetables to give them a hint of flavor oceany. If you do not have or as green curry paste, you can use red curry. Or if the kitchen Thai is not your thing, do a version Americanized with old Bay Seasoning (start with 2 teaspoons and add more to taste) instead of curry paste and serve with tartar sauce or infused horseradish ketchup.

(printable version)

Arame brings a slight taste of seafood for cakes. If you find it not, other types of algae can be used, but be careful because some, such as wakame, may have a much stronger shady flavour.
1/2 cups, Tablespoons hot broth1 vegetables arame, crushed between your fingers slightly1 teaspoon chia seeds or ground flaxseeds14 ounces tofu extra-ferme, of drained well1 soup yeast2 nutritional tablespoons lite sauce soy or gluten-free green curry paste tamari2-3 tablespoons (same use less if you use) store-bought paste or don't like things too spicy) 1/2 cup quinoa flakes or Quick Oats (see notes below) 1/4 cup diced bell red pepper1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro1 cup breadcrumbs, optional (see below) heat vegetable broth and add the arame seeds and chia. (If the use of ground flax, add it to the tofu later.) Let stand for at least 1/2 hour to allow algae and chia to soften.Place the tofu, nutritional yeast, soy sauce, curry paste and quinoa flakes in food processor and process until that blended well. Add broth mixture and pulse quickly a few times to blend. In a bowl and add the red pepper and parsley or coriander. Cover and refrigerate at least 1/2 hour. Mixture can be prepared a day in advance if necessary.Preheat oven to 400F.Put your Breading on a plate, if you use one. Using a measuring spoon, scoop 2 tablespoons to bread crumbs, sprinkle with a little bread crumbs on top and shape gently into a large cake of 2 inches with your fingers. Use a spatula to lift the cake of the plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat cooking. Repeat for the rest of the tofu mixture. (If you do not use a breading, place 2 tablespoons of tofu directly on your loan Tin cookie and use fingers or a spoon to shape gently into a cake.) (Repeat for remaining tofu).Bake at 400F for 20 - 30 minutes. Cakes unbreaded take less time than the cakes with Breading.Remove from oven and serve warm with dip, below, tartar sauce, or ketchup supplemented with horseradish.

Preparation time: 1 hour (includes cooling time)

Cooking time: 25 véifier

Servings: 4

Yield: 16

If you do not have the quinoa flakes, you can override Quick Oats or oatmeal.

For a gluten-breading, try using additional quinoa flakes. If gluten is not a concern, panko, bread crumbs or crushed crackers make very crisp cakes. You can also do these free breading, but don't forget that your cooking plate is truly non-stick.

Nutrition (by 4 cakes, without Breading): 173 calories, 57 calories from fat, 6.4 g total fat, 0 mg cholesterol, sodium 368.3 mg, potassium 73.7 mg, carbohydrate 15.5 g, 3.1 g fiber, 1.6 g of sugar, 14 g protein4.7 points.

I their served with a sweet and vinegary sauce made with the vinegar of blood orange, but regular white wine vinegar makes one less tasty but good substitute.

1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbsp water
vinegar blood orange cup of 1/8
1/2 small carrots, shredded
1/4 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shredded

Heating sugar, water and vinegar in a small saucepan until the sugar is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in carrots and cucumber. Let cool before serving.

Sauce makes about 4 servings. Nutrition (per serving): 55 calories, <1 calories="" from="" fat,=""><1g total="" fat,="" 0mg="" cholesterol,="" 7.5mg="" sodium,="" 59mg="" potassium,="" 13.9g="" carbohydrates,=""><1g fiber,="" 13.2g="" sugar,=""><1g protein,="" 1.6="">marked as: gluten-free, high in fat, soy

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Thai Green Curry with Tofu and vegetables

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I’m not one of those food snobs who think that absolutely everything I cook has to be made from scratch. Though I believe that the results are usually better (and more nutritious) when all the ingredients are homemade, I’m not above using packaged ingredients, such as vegetable broth or canned beans, when the ingredients aren’t polysyllabic. I usually draw the line at using pre-mixed spices, though I make an exception for my beloved Maharajah curry powder and for more time-consuming seasonings like Thai curry pastes. So the first time I made this dish, I used green curry paste from a can, and it was delicious. It wasn’t food snobbery that led me to make my own green curry paste, but curiosity–a desire to see how all the individual ingredients combine to create something completely new. And in the process I found that the beauty of homemade curry paste is that you can still taste all the individual components–the heat of chiles, the sparkle of lime–a quality that’s lost during processing and canning. Homemade really is better.

But….It’s not so much better that you should pass up making Green Curry with Vegetables and Tofu if you’re short on time or can’t find all of the ingredients for the curry paste. Look for a green curry paste without fish sauce in your supermarket or Asian grocery store. But if you do have access to the ingredients and a little extra time, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can make your own curry paste, which will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks or in the freezer for 6 months. You’ll be able to make four to six batches of green curry from this one recipe:

(printer-friendly version)

1 tablespoon coriander seeds1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns5 medium green chilies, such as Serrano, stems removed and cut into large pieces3 stalks lemon grass, white part only, chopped2 shallots, peeled and quartered8 cloves garlic, peeled1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into pieces1 grated rind of 1 lime1/4 cup cilantro leaves or Italian parsley (optional)2 tablespoons water (more as needed)

Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet for about two minutes over high heat or until they become fragrant. Remove them to a bowl and allow to cool. Then grind them and the black peppercorns in a spice mill or coffee mill until powdered. (You may also grind them in a mortar and pestle).Place the spices and all remaining ingredients into a food processor and process until it’s a thick paste, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add more water, if necessary to keep the mixture moving, and be careful not to breathe in the fumes as you remove the cover (I know this from experience!)Place in a tightly covered jar and refrigerate. Use within 2-3 weeks or freeze for later use.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 2 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 16 (about 1 cup)

Nutrition (per tablespoon): 9 calories, 1 calories from fat, <1g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1.8mg sodium, 48.1mg potassium, 2g carbohydrates, <1g fiber, <1g sugar, <1g protein, 0.3 points.

Long-time readers may notice that this is the first time that cilantro has appeared as an ingredient in one of my recipes. As I was researching green curry paste, I found that some recipes contained cilantro leaves, stems, and roots, while others called for just the roots or no cilantro at all. As someone who is genetically predisposed to think cilantro tastes like soap, I couldn’t quite bring myself to add it to my curry paste. And then I read in Real Vegetarian Thai that Nancie McDerMott used cilantro or Italian parsley only to add green color to the paste. So I opted for the parsley (which you can’t even taste in the finished recipe) and sprinkled chopped cilantro over my cilantro-loving husband’s bowl of curry.

(printer-friendly version)

I make this curry lighter by making my own cashew-coconut milk, but you can make it richer by using 2 cups of lite coconut milk instead. Or reduce the fat even more by using unsweetened almond or soy milk.

1/4 cup raw cashews1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut2 cups water1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, minced2-3 tablespoons green curry paste1 cup vegetable broth2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)1 package ounces extra-firm tofu, cubed and lightly pressed(see variations below)4 cups swiss chard leaves, thinly sliced (see variations below)1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1-inch piecesJuice of half a lime1 teaspoon sugar, agave nectar, or sugar substitutesalt to taste2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, to garnishPlace the cashews and coconut into a 2-cup measure and add water to reach the 2-cup line. Allow them to stand as long as possible, preferably several hours (but 20 minutes will do in a rush). When ready to use, transfer to a blender and blend at highest speed until as smooth as possible. Add cornstarch and blend again to combine. Set aside.Heat a large, non-stick wok or pan and add the onions. Cook until they begin to soften, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking, and then add the garlic and curry paste and cook for another minute.Blend the coconut mixture again briefly and add it to the wok. Stir in the vegetable broth, soy sauce, and tofu. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.Add the Swiss chard and asparagus and stir well. Cover and simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender but asparagus is still slightly crisp. Stir in the lime juice and sweetener and add salt to taste. Serve over brown rice, garnished with chopped cilantro.

Instead of uncooked tofu, you may use baked tofu or 2 cups of shelled edamame. Also, you can reduce fat by using lite tofu.

Instead of chard, use 4 cups of any green leafy vegetable that you like; bok choy, mizuna, and other Asian greens are particularly good.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6

Nutrition (per serving): 142 calories, 61 calories from fat, 7g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 335.8mg sodium, 290.2mg potassium, 12g carbohydrates, 3.2g fiber, 3.7g sugar, 9.9g protein, 4.1 points.

Copyright © Susan Voisin 2011. All rights reserved. Please do not repost recipes or photos to other websites.

Tagged as: eat-to-live, gluten-free, higher-fat, soy, sugar-free

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Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo are we a great excuse to indulge in some Mexican inspired recipes, some of which may already be a staple of day of the week. Finally, many of us have already Taco night, or something similar. But to honor this triumphant day in Mexico's history, as the Mexicans of the French in the battle of Puebla here some are defeated, low fat Cinco de Mayo recipes, including some delicious fish tacos (in the picture).

Low fat fish tacos © Fiona Haynes licensed, about.com

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Mother's day recipes

As a Brit living in America, there are days, two mother in my world: United Kingdom, known as a Mothering Sunday, which falls in March where I remember me to my mother (actually, "Mother"), and the United States, which is on Sunday, when my two children scurry excited about semi-furtively, Planning some culinary masterpiece. Fortunately, have she moved on colorful cereal drowned in the chocolate milk, which seemed a good idea, obviously if they were disciples are used. Instead, they have to make eggs and pancakes pretty good. As to clean up, which always is good, nor think job or my husband's.

If it is your turn to treat MOM this year, I have 10 low fat mother's day cuisine , the the Bill, from delicious breakfast or brunch options for dinner and dessert should fit.

Low fat Cr?pes © Fiona Haynes, licensed, about.com

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