Of all the things we sampled, our favorite was the popular Asian tuna, which the cafe serves on ciabatta rolls or as a green salad topping.

The tuna gets a little kick from Sambal Oelek, an Indonesian condiment made from very hot chiles, vinegar, and salt. Sambals vary between countries and regions, and use a variety of chiles, spices, and many other ingredients, so depending on what you have a taste for and what your local Asian grocery store stocks, you can spice up sandwiches and other dishes in dozens of different ways. Just be prepared because this is spicy stuff.

Other samples we tried included the Santa Fe Salad, Southwest Wrap, Turkey Avocado Sandwich, and the Chicken Pesto Pizza, so it’s a good thing we skipped dinner that night.

Recipe Notes

The recipe as distributed at the demonstration yielded a tuna that was much wetter than the version served in the cafe, plus it was much, much spicier, so we adjusted the ingredients amounts to hopefully come closer to the tuna we sampled. The flavor is very good and it makes a delicious stuffing for lettuce wraps, tortillas, tomatoes, on top of cucumber slices for an appetizer, as well as a salad topping. We’ve been stuffing our homegrown heirloom tomatoes with it, and the combination is terrific. Can you guess what kind of tomato is in the photo? It’s Michael’s favorite and we try to grow them every year. Because these tomatoes are sweet, we omit the honey in the tuna and really don’t miss it.

The tuna salad will keep for a day or so, but it tastes best on the day prepared.

(Print this recipe)

ASIAN TUNA SALAD

Adapted from LifeCafe.

Serves 6.

Equipment

3-quart mixing bowl

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 ml) mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (Indonesian chili paste), or more to taste
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
4 (6 ounce/170 g) cans tuna, drained and chopped (LifeCafe uses white tuna, we opted for light.)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Preparation

1. In the large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sambal oelek, sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, ginger, kosher salt, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.

2. Add the tuna, carrots, green onions, cilantro, and dried cranberries, then toss to mix well. Use as a stuffing for lettuce wraps, tortilla wraps, tomatoes, on top of thick sliced cucumbers, or on top of green salads.

More Easy Healthy Seafood Recipes

More Healthy Tuna Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Seared Ahi Tuna with Avocado

Steamy Kitchen – Sesame Seared Tuna with Lime Ginger Vinaigrette

Farmgirl Fare – Swiss Chard Tuna Salad

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Tuna Stuffed Avocado Salad with Tomatoes, Cilantro, and Lime

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Last spring my sister came out for a visit and we had a girls’ day of shopping and of course a dinner out together. We both like sushi and headed for a little Thai and sushi fusion restaurant nearby and ordered our favorites. We also noticed a card on the table advertising their Thai mango sticky rice, a classic dessert made with Thai sweet glutinous rice, and decided we would share some of that as well.

When the dessert showed up, we were a little surprised to see green rice on the plate, because it wasn’t green in the picture. We tasted it and tried to pinpoint the flavor, but it wasn’t immediately apparent. The flavor was mild and the color wasn’t very bright, but it was definitely green. We asked the waitress about the rice and how it had been prepared, but she simply smiled and said in her Thai accent that it was “difficult.” Now we didn’t know if that meant difficult to explain or difficult for the average home cook, but in any case she would not divulge the secret even though we asked again.

So after a bit of research and a return visit to the restaurant specifically to order this dessert and ask the chef about it, I’ve learned the secret is pandanus leaves or pandan extract. The leaves are a traditional ingredient in Thai and Vietnamese cooking, and the extract adds a slightly sweet flavor. Now that I knew what to look for, I set out on a search and I can tell you it was not easy to find. After visiting several international grocery stores, I finally found some canned pandan extract, which is not the same as the concentrated stuff. The canned extract is a green liquid but it does not impart the bright green color you see in desserts from the region, so to get the color you have to add a drop or two of green food coloring. I opted to not go for the food coloring, so the green color of my rice is muted. If you can find pandan leaves, either frozen or fresh, you can also make your own pandan extract.

With mango in season, this is an easy dessert that you can serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled depending on how hot the day is. I use an electric rice cooker to make the rice, but you can also make it using a traditional conical rice steamer, which is actually fun to learn. The rice should be soaked before cooking, at least 30 minutes if using an electric rice cooker, or overnight if using the rice steamer.

(Print this recipe)

THAI GREEN STICKY RICE WITH MANGO

Serves 4.

Equipment

electric rice cooker (or traditional rice steamer)
small saucepan

Ingredients

1 cup Thai sweet glutinous rice
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons canned pandan extract (or 1/2 teaspoon pandan essence)
2 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 mango, peeled and thinly sliced

Preparation

1. Pour the sweet rice in your rice cooker. Add the water and stir. Let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours. Add the salt, pandan extract, and green food coloring, then stir. Turn on the rice cooker.

2. While the rice cooks, warm the coconut milk with the sugar in the small saucepan. Remove from heat and allow too cool to room temperature.

3. After the rice cooker finishes the cooking cycle, allow the rice to stand 5 more minutes.

4. For each serving, place a scoop of the warm rice in a bowl or on a plate and drizzle with the coconut milk. Arrange slices of the mango with the rice, then serve.

More Mango Recipes

More Mango Recipes From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Mango Chicken Curry

Cooking with Amy – Frozen Mango Lassi

TriniGourmet – Raw Green Mango Chow

Rasa Malaysia – Mango and Lobster Salad

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Juicy cucumbers are one of my favorite summer vegetables, and I like to slice one up and eat it with a bit of salt for an afternoon snack, but using them as a base for salads is my favorite way to eat them. We’ve been on a cucumber salad binge lately, trying different vegetable combinations and vinaigrettes, and this is by far our favorite to date. The Thai vinaigrette gets a little kick from crushed red peppers (pepper flakes), which you can adjust to your taste. Make sure you use an unseasoned rice vinegar because the seasoned kind has added sugar and salt.

(Print this recipe)

CUCUMBER SALAD WITH TOMATO, BELL PEPPER, AND SPICY THAI LIME VINAIGRETTE

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

cruet or small jar with lid

Ingredients

2 cucumbers, peeled and julienned
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 red bell pepper seeded and cut into thin strips
1/2 cup shredded or julienned carrot
cilantro sprigs for garnish

VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

1. Add the lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, minced garlic, pepper flakes, and sea salt in a cruet or small jar with a lid. Cover and shake well.

2. Toss the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper strips, and carrots in a serving bowl and drizzle with some of the dressing. Top with cilantro sprigs for garnish and serve with the remaining vinaigrette on the side.

More Summer Salads

More Thai Salad Recipes From Around the Blogs

What We’re Eating – Spicy Thai Jicama Salad

Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté – Thai Wild Mushroom Salad

The Perfect Pantry – Thai Beef Salad

Rasa Malaysia – Thai Pomelo Salad

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Whenever we make a trip to Costco, I always stop to browse the books aisle, and every once in a while I come across some finds that make their way into the cart. Earlier this summer I found a big paperback book simply called Thai & Asian by Deh-Ta Hsiung (previously published as Thai and South-East Asian Food and Cooking). With a plethora of gorgeous dishes from Thailand, China, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea, as well as over 100 pages of information on ingredients and proper Asian cooking gear, this book was a no-brainer and a bargain at US$9.99. My memories of the food I enjoyed on a trip to Koh Samui and Phuket in the mid 90s are imprinted in my head, and I’ve enjoyed introducing my family to the wonders of Thai flavors over the years. Perhaps someday I’ll get a chance to go back to Thailand; I would so enjoy a trip to Chiang Mai, but until then I’ll have to keep cooking Thai at home.

Lemongrass is a frequently used ingredient in Thai and southeast Asian cooking, and for years I tried growing it in pots so I could bring it indoors for the winter, but the plants would never last more than a month indoors, and I finally decided to just stick one in the ground to see what would happen. After a very cold snowy winter it might not seem like a good idea, but those kinds of winters are not typical for our area so there’s a slight chance the lemongrass might survive. Fortunately it’s flourishing and adds wonderful flavor to our Thai dishes.

This grilled chicken has a flavorful marinade that’s easy to make, and we were able to use our homegrown lemongrass and garlic in it. The cilantro bolted in the heat, so we’ve reseeded and hope to have more in a couple weeks.

And speaking of growing herbs, don’t forget the Grow Your Own deadline is this Friday. Be sure to visit the Kitchen Gadget Girl blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

[Update: August 2010, featured on Saveur.com in their Best of the Web section!]

(Print this recipe)

THAI GRILLED CHICKEN WITH COCONUT MILK MARINADE

Adapted from Thai & Asian, by Deh-Ta Hsiung, Becky Johnson, and Sallie Morris.

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

food processor
gallon plastic bag or glass dish for marinating
grill

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

MARINADE
2 lemongrass stalks, roots trimmed
1.5 inch ginger, peeled and sliced
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
4 shallots, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (20 g) cilantro roots, chopped (or stems and leaves)
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons light soy sauce

GARNISH
lime wedges
fresh red chiles
cilantro sprigs

Preparation

1. Remove the lower 2 inches of the lemongrass and the leaves, and chop the stems coarsely. Add lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots, cilantro, sugar, coconut milk, fish sauce, and soy sauce to the food processor bowl. Process until smooth.

2. Trim the chicken breast and put them in the gallon plastic bag (or marinating dish). Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure the marinade coats the chicken completely. Leave in the refrigerator for 4 to 12 hours.

3. Preheat the gas grill or barbecue to a temperature of 400° F/200° C. Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade. Rub the hot grill with vegetable oil to keep the chicken from sticking.

4. Grill until the chicken is done, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Brush with the reserved marinade while cooking.

5. Transfer cooked chicken to a serving platter, garnish with lime, cilantro, and chiles, and serve.

Variations

If you can’t find lemongrass, use the zest of 1 lemon.

If you can’t find palm sugar, use light brown sugar.

Other Thai Recipes

More Thai Chicken Recipes From Around the Blogs

Rasa Malaysia – Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

Chez Pim – Thai-Marinated Fried Chicken

Closet Cooking – Thai Chicken Mole

Ezra Pound Cake – Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

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My carbon steel wok is 13 years old and a treasured part of my kitchen gear. I found it for $5 on a clearance table and snapped it up, and that little bargain has proven invaluable over time. It wasn’t my first wok as I had given the nonstick woks a try, but after going through two of them and throwing them away due to peeling, I decided to go with carbon steel, which seasons over time similar to a good cast iron pan. It’s on the smallish side, about 12 inches across, but the size has been perfect for our family, up until recently.

Asian food is one of our boys’ favorites and usually a solid bet for dinner time, and a few months ago we decided that we should probably have two woks so we can have multiple dishes served for meals. So we added another carbon steel 12-inch wok to our kitchen as well as a domed lid.

Like cast iron pans, carbon steel woks are easy to care for. Season your wok before first use, then after cooking just rinse and lightly brush out any food particles and hand dry or heat on the stove just until dry. I also lightly rub the inside of my woks with a little oil before putting away. With a little care a carbon steel wok should last a lifetime and you’ll have years of enjoying homemade Asian food, like this Spring stir-fry with asparagus and snow peas.

(Print this recipe)

CHICKEN STIR-FRY WITH ASPARAGUS AND SNOW PEAS

Serves 4 to 6.

Equipment

glass pie plate or 8×8 pan
wok and lid
steamer basket
splatter screen (optional but recommended)

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (or gin or dry white wine)
16 ounces (454 g) asparagus spears, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2-inch ginger, sliced
2 cups snow peas, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons light soy sauce (or gluten-free alternative)
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

1. Place the sliced chicken in the glass pan and sprinkle on the cornstarch. Pour the rice wine over the top and stir until the cornstarch mixture coats the chicken. Set aside while preparing the vegetables.

2. Add an inch or so of cold water to the wok and place the steamer basket in the wok. Turn the burner on high and distribute the asparagus pieces around the steamer basket. Steam for 2 to 3 minutes, just enough to soften slightly, then turn off the heat and transfer the asparagus to a plate. Remove the steamer basket, dump the water, and wipe the inside of the wok dry.

3. Add the canola oil and the garlic and ginger slices to the wok and let them sit for 1 to 2 minutes, then turn the heat to medium high. Remove the garlic and ginger when they start to brown.

4. Add the chicken to the wok and cook while stirring until the chicken is just cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover.

5. Add the snow peas and steamed asparagus, cooking just for 1 to 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the wok, add the chicken stock and light soy sauce and bring to a boil, cooking for about 1 minute while the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and serve.

More Easy Stir-Fry Recipes

More Asian Asparagus Recipes From Around the Blogs

Tigers & Strawberries – Thai Spicy Chicken, Basil, and Asparagus

Chez Us – Thai Inspired Chicken

Sunday Nite Dinner – Garlic Beef with Asparagus and Shiitakes

Appetite for China – Shandong-Style Asparagus

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The October 2009 Daring Cooks’ challenge was brought to us by Jaden of the blog Steamy Kitchen. The recipes are from her new cookbook, The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook.

I was excited to see that Jaden would be our host for the October Daring Cooks challenge, especially since I finally got to meet her at BlogHer Food, but when I scrolled down and saw we would be making pho (pronounced “fuh?”) I almost got week in the knees. I’ve eaten pho at Vietnamese restaurants but have never made it at home, and none of my family had ever tasted it. I couldn’t wait to give them a taste of this soup that won my heart long ago.

Jaden gave us two options for making the pho: follow the recipe in her book (a shortcut version, see below), or follow the recipe on her blog (making stock from scratch). I chose to follow her scratch recipe because this is a Daring Cooks challenge, after all, though since I regularly make chicken stock and always have some in the freezer, I would probably choose the shortcut version for everyday meals.

Finding and selecting ingredients for Asian food can sometimes be a challenge, even in our large metropolitan area with representatives from just about every nationality on the planet. This time I stood in our large local international grocery store gazing at no less than 12 different brands of fish sauce but couldn’t find the star anise to save my life. Fortunately Jaden’s advice on how to buy fish sauce helped. Look for fish sauce that is colored like tea, not like Coca Cola, because the really dark stuff is inferior quality, and her favorite is Three Crabs Brand of fish sauce. While searching for Three Crabs Brand I also saw One Crab Brand, Two Crabs Brand, and Five Crabs Brand, and then there was Squid Brand and a whole bunch of others. I stood in the store aisle giggling as I looked at all the bottles and people probably thought this chick was nuts. I did finally find a bottle that said Three Crabs Brand in tiny print under a picture of three green crabs, so hopefully this is the right stuff. In any case it tastes better than other fish sauce I’ve tried, which sometimes just smell rancid, so I’m sticking with this one for now.

The spices for pho broth remind me of autumn, though I could eat this comforting soup any time of year.

We skipped the Sriracha and hoisin sauce accompaniments, just wanting to taste the unadulterated soup, though Michael did pile on one whole red jalapeno fresh from our garden. It turned out to be a spicy little devil that left him huffing and puffing while slurping and complaining about how he’s lost his chile eating mojo. Poor guy.

Jaden also gave us an optional sweet challenge, and I was very tempted to make her chocolate wontons, but for some reason sweets have not agreed with me lately and I decided I must reluctantly decline on those. They do look gorgeous and would make an easy and delicious cocktail party dessert.

Thanks to Jaden of Steamy Kitchen for hosting this month and for generously sharing the recipes from her new book. Her pho recipe won my family over and Michael said I can make this any time.

To see all of the pho and sweet wontons, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

STEAMY KITCHEN’S PHO GA

Adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair.

Makes 4 large servings.

Equipment

frying pan
6-quart pot with lid
tongs
strainer, sieve or colander
bowls for serving

Ingredients

BROTH
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
4 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2 quarts (2 liters/8 cups/64 fluid ounces) store-bought or homemade chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast (bone in or boneless)
1/2 onion
1 3-inch (7.5 cm) chunk of ginger, sliced and smashed with side of knife
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Jaden recommends Three Crabs brand.)

ACCOMPANIMENTS
16 ounces (500 g) dried rice noodles (about 1/4 inch/6 mm wide)
2 cups (200 g/7 ounces) bean sprouts, washed and tails pinched off
fresh cilantro (coriander) tops (leaves and tender stems)
1/2 cup (50 g/2 ounces) shaved red onions
1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
hoisin sauce
sliced fresh chili peppers of your choice

Preparation

1. BROTH: Heat a dry frying pan over medium heat. Add the coriander seeds, cloves and star anise and toast until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Immediately spoon out the spices to avoid burning.

2. In the 6-quart pot, add the homemade stock, chicken breast, onion, ginger, sugar, fish sauce, and toasted spices and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface frequently.

4. Use tongs to remove the chicken breasts and shred the meat with your fingers, discarding the bone if you have used bone-in breasts.

5. Taste the broth and add more fish sauce or sugar, if needed. Strain the broth and discard the solids.

6. Prepare the noodles per directions on the package.

7. TO SERVE: Ladle the broth into bowls. Then divide the shredded chicken breast and the soft noodles evenly into each bowl.

8. Have the accompaniments spread out on the table. Each person can customize their own bowl with these ingredients.

Previous Daring Challenges

You can find all of my previous challenges in the Daring Challenges tag list.

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This dish is the main reason we grow Thai basil in our herb garden. We’ve grown many kinds of basil over the years and seem to have settled into a routine of Genovese, Lemon (Sweet Dani or similar), and Thai (Sweet Thai or Queen of Siam) basil because they cover the spectrum of our uses. The Sweet Thai variety we grew this year produces plants with purple stems and gorgeous purple flowers. Like most basils, the flowers are also edible and add a punch of anise flavor to Asian dishes. Our basils will last a few more weeks, then it will be time for the final harvest of the season and a marathon session making pesto (basic and sun-dried) and basil ice cubes.

The peppers, basil, and garlic all came from our garden. You might wonder why the peppers are dark in this photo but green in the finished dish. These dark peppers are called Purple Beauty, and as you can see they ripen a deep purple, almost black. The inside remains green and when cooked the skin looses its lush color and turns back to green. The substance that causes that deep purple color, anthocyanin, is a powerful antioxidant that is also water soluble, hence the change in color when cooked. None of our red peppers were ripe when we made this dish recently, so we used the Purple Beauty, but they definitely provide greater health benefits when eaten raw.

When making this dish for people who enjoy some heat, go for the full amount of hot peppers. This meal has to feed all the eaters in our home, including the little guys, so I hold off on the hot chiles, just adding a few slices with some seeds to the wok. Michael sets his mouth on fire by adding a whole sliced chile (or two) with the seeds to his bowl.

I’ve adjusted the method for making this dish by starting with a cold wok and adding the garlic and chiles to the cold oil. This allows the flavor to release as the oil heats and prevents the garlic and chiles from burning. Thanks to Jaden for sharing this technique!

This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, the blogging event that celebrates dishes we create from foods we’ve grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Dido of Mowgli Chic is our host for this round, so be sure to visit her blog for more information about submitting your post. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.

Also, be sure to check out the most recent Grow Your Own roundup at Masala Heaven, which was hosted by Praveen.

THAI BASIL CHICKEN (KAI KRAPHAO)

Adapted from Simply Thai Cooking, by Wandee Young and Byron Ayanoglu.

Makes about 4 servings.

Equipment

wok

Ingredients

10 ounces chicken breast, boneless and skinless
1/2 medium bell pepper (green or red), cut into 1/2-inch squares
5 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
6 fresh hot chiles, roughly chopped (adjust to your heat tolerance)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons water
20 whole leaves fresh Thai basil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

SERVE WITH
steamed jasmine rice

Preparation

1. Slice the chicken breast into thin strips, 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick by 2 inches (5 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. To achieve very thin slices, put the chicken breasts into the freezer for about 20 minutes to harden slightly, then slice. Set aside.

2. Pour oil into the cold wok and add the garlic and chiles. Cook over high heat until the aromas start to release. Add the sliced chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the fish sauce, sugar, and soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute. Add the oyster sauce and 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add the peppers and 16 of the basil leaves and stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the peppers start to soften.

5. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of cold water, add to the wok, and stir-fry for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens.

6. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Other Recipes With Basil

More Thai Basil Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Spicy Cucumber Salad with Thai Basil and Sesame Seeds

What’s for Lunch Honey? – Parmesan Thai Basil Crusted Chicken

Rasa Malaysia – Steamed Mussels with Lemongrass, Thai Basil, Chilies, and Coconut Juice

Viet World Kitchen – Vegan Green Papaya Salad with Thai Basil

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For the Daring Cooks September challenge, we made vegan dosas adapted from the reFresh cookbook by Ruth Tal. Fresh is a popular chain of vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Toronto, Canada with three published cookbooks teaching how to cook Fresh food at home. Our host Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen chose this fun challenge for us, and I for one am grateful because this is the first time I’ve ever made Indian food and witnessed our two older boys actually eat it. Builder Guy (6) has recently developed a taste for spicy foods—good thing because we like our spices—and Top Gun (5) is finally coming around and trying new things. Monkey Boy is still a picky three-year-old, but he did eat one of the plain dosas. We thought the dosas were delicious and would eat that coconut curry sauce on just about anything.

The challenge had three components: the dosa pancakes, the garbanzo filling, and the coconut curry sauce. The primary rule was that everything had to be animal-free, but we were given freedom to come up with our own vegan fillings. Also, the challenge was to be 99% oil free, so we could use light amounts of cooking spray when sautéing, but that was it. The dosa recipe departs from the traditional fermented rice and black lentil base, calling for spelt or a gluten-free all-purpose flour. I forgot to acquire one of the recommended flours and had to use what I had on hand. The flour soaked up the liquids so much that the batter was too thick, so I thinned it with more almond milk a few tablespoons at a time until the consistency was thin enough to spread easily. Because I adore cilantro with curry, I added some chopped leaves to the garbanzo filling and used it as a garnish as well.

We were excited to use more of our homegrown tomatoes, garlic, and peppers for the dish. The tomatoes were a mix of what was ripe at the time, including a Cherokee Purple and some Early Girls, and the peppers were Tequila Hybrids and a Big Jim chile.

Thanks to Debyi of Healthy Vegan Kitchen for hosting this month. To see all of the dosas, visit The Daring Kitchen Blogroll and the Daring Bakers Gallery at Foodgawker.

VEGAN DOSAS

Adapted from reFresh by Ruth Tal.

Equipment

large bowl
whisk
griddle or skillet (or crepe pan)
ladle (or large spoon)
spatula
vegetable peeler &/or knife
large saucepan
food processor or bean masher

Ingredients – Dosa Pancakes

DOSA PANCAKES (Makes 8 to 12 dosas.)
1 cup (120 g) spelt flour or all-purpose, gluten free flour (I used 1 cup chapati flour.)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2  teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup (120 ml) almond milk (or soy, or rice, etc.)
3/4 cup (180 ml) water
cooking spray

DOSA TOPPINGS
1 batch Coconut Curry Sauce (see below), heated
grated coconut
cucumber pieces, sliced with a vegetable peeler
cilantro leaves

Preparation

1. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and curry powder in a medium bowl. Slowly add the almond milk and water, whisking until smooth.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray your pan with a thin layer of cooking spray, if needed.

3. Ladle 2 tablespoons of batter into the center of your pan in a circular motion until it is a thin, round pancake. When bubbles appear on the surface and it no longer looks wet, flip it over and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining batter. Makes 8 pancakes. (I made the pancakes a little smaller, yielding 12.)

Ingredients – Curried Garbanzo Filling

5 cloves garlic
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced (I used Tequila Hybrid.)
2 medium hot banana chilies, minced (I used a Big Jim chile.)
2 tablespoons cumin, ground
1 tablespoons oregano
1 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoons turmeric
4 cups (960 g) cooked or canned garbanzo beans
1/2 cup (125 g) tomato paste (I used an entire 6 ounce/170 g can.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional, my addition)

Preparation

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Spritz on a little cooking spray, then add the garlic, veggies, and spices, cooking until soft, stirring occasionally.

2. Mash the garbanzo beans by hand or in a food processor. Add the garbanzos and tomato paste to the saucepan, stirring until heated through.

Ingredients – Coconut Curry Sauce

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
3/4 teaspoon sea salt (coarse)
3 tablespoons (30 g) curry powder
3 tablespoons (30 g) spelt flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable broth
2 cups (480 ml) coconut milk
3 large tomatoes, diced

Preparation

1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Spritz on a little cooking spray, then add the onion and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until soft.

2. Add the cumin, seal salt, and curry powder, cooking for 1 minutes more. Add the flour and cook for 1 additional minute.

3. Gradually whisk in the vegetable broth to prevent lumps. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the coconut milk and tomatoes, stirring occasionally.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Previous Daring Challenges

You can see all of my previous Daring Challenges in the the Daring Challenges tag list.

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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My first cookbook from Sheila Lukins was the 1980s classic Silver Palate Cookbook, a popular book that led many people in the United States to change the way they cooked and viewed food. I’ve collected just about all of the books she wrote and have cooked from them many times over the years, learning something new with each dish. My favorite book of hers is the All Around the World Cookbook because it complemented my taste for authentic regional foods, and I’ve gifted copies many times over the years.

After learning of Lukins’ untimely death from brain cancer on August 30, I felt the urge to cook from her books again as a reminder of her importance in my own cooking. I opened my copy of All Around the World Cookbook and chose her Spiced Vegetable Dal, one of my favorites. I often play around with the flavors, using three or four shakes rather than the pinch of turmeric listed just because I like the warm yellow color it lends to the dish, sometimes adding a touch of cinnamon, or using cilantro instead of parsley. It’s uncomplicated fare that I’ve eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner over the years, but sometimes simple is best.

Because we lost Sheila to cancer, it seems fitting to share her healthy dish with this years A Taste of Yellow event, hosted by the beautiful Barbara of Winos and Foodies. Barbara started A Taste of Yellow in 2007 as a way to show her support for the Lance Armstrong Foundation while she herself battled cancer, and we are so glad that we still have her today. Thank you, Barbara, for keeping this event going and continuing to bring awareness to cancer causes. Livestrong Day is October 2, and if you would like to participate in cancer awareness activities in your community, you can find more information at Livestrong.org.

SPICED VEGETABLE DAL

Adapted from All Around the World Cookbook, by Sheila Lukins.

Serves 6 to 8.

Equipment

strainer
4-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large onion, halved and slivered
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of ground turmeric (or more as desired)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. In the 4-quart pot, heat the butter and canola oil over medium-low heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and slivered onions, cooking and stirring until wilted, about 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the drained lentils, add the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to around medium and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft but not mushy, stirring occasionally. Skim off the foam as it rises to the top.

3. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley. Continue to cook and stir for another 15 minutes. The lentils should be very soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Sheila Lukins Recipes

More Sheila Lukins Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Kohlrabi Purée

Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy – Chicken Marbella

Champaign Taste – The Silver Palate Smoky Pumpkin Soup

The Perfect Pantry – Pasta Puttanesca

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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My introduction to soba noodles was actually on a plane flying from Tokyo to Honolulu, admittedly not the best place to get good food. The flight attendants came around with breakfast and asked if I wanted the Japanese or the American breakfast, and I chose the Japanese because I could see the noodles that someone else already had on their tray. I swirled them in the sauce and enjoyed the slippery sensation and flavor while the American woman next to me eyed them with a look that said, “I can’t believe you are eating that.” I just smiled and enjoyed my breakfast.

Soba noodles also make a perfect light lunch on a hot day and I’ve got my 6-year-old, Builder Guy, hooked on them. Sometimes we have them plain with the traditional dipping sauce, but other times I like them as a salad tossed with some vegetables. This particular recipe has lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, grated ginger, scallions, and cilantro for flavor, and zucchini, carrots, and avocado for vegetables. I could eat this all the time, but it tastes best when zucchini is in season, so now is a perfect time of year for this salad. I follow Maki’s method for cooking soba noodles, and it works perfectly.

One common question about soba noodles is whether they are gluten-free because buckwheat is not actually wheat at all and is naturally gluten-free, and the answer is it depends. Many soba noodles have wheat flour added to act as a binder, but you might find some gluten-free soba such as Eden Selected Buckwheat Soba or King Soba Noodles in larger grocery stores, Whole Foods, or even an international grocery store. Of course, you can also make your own gluten-free soba. And if you cook gluten-free, make sure you also choose a gluten-free soy sauce.

I made this with our homegrown scallions, which have started to peak in production. Our ginger isn’t quite ready, but hopefully next month we’ll have fresh homegrown ginger root. Squash vine borers defeated our efforts to grow zucchini this summer, but there’s always next year.

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for the second anniversary of Grow Your Own is coming up on August 30. If you haven’t yet sent your post information, you still have time. Email me at andreasrecipesgyo AT gmail DOT com. If you are new to the event, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page. I’m excited about the anniversary event and can’t wait to see all your posts!

ZUCCHINI SOBA SALAD

Adapted from Epicurious.

Makes 4 to 6 large servings.

Equipment

5-quart pot
wire mesh strainer
large serving bowl

Ingredients

8 ounces (227 g) soba noodles
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1-1/2 tablespoons peeled and finely minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 carrots, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 avocados, cut into chunks
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
cilantro, for garnish

Preparation

1. Bring water to boil in the pot. Add the soba and reduce the heat so the water is simmering, not at a hard boil. Cook until soft and pliable, but not mushy. Drain and add very cold water back to the pot, add some ice if necessary. Stir the noodles with your hands or long chopsticks to loosen any remaining starches. Drain again and run cold water over the noodles until the water runs clear.

2. Whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, ginger, honey, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, carrots, scallions, and avocado chunks and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately at room temperature with cilantro for garnish.

More Salads

More Zucchini Salad Recipes From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Zucchini Carpaccio (Raw Zucchini) with Lemon, Herbs, and Goat Cheese

Closet Cooking – Grilled Asparagus, Zucchini, and Halloumi Salad

Almost Turkish Recipes – Zucchini Salad with Yogurt

A Veggie Venture – Tomato and Zucchini Salad

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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