Thai Curry From Scratch

October 3, 2014

This is probably my favorite food. Well, I don't really keep favourites, but this is top ten. A properly spiced thai dish is a pinnacle of human sensation. Thai food isn't always sharply 'hot,' rather contains the primal elements of good taste: sweet, savoury, slight acidity, umami and pungency. The fragrance of the cuisine cannot be overlooked or understated. Jasmine rice, citrus, ginger and richly flavoured vegetables/herbs create an unmatched aroma.

Here I plate an inverted arrangement of curry and cashews, beset with jasmine and black rice.

First, start sauteing the extra-firm tofu on low heat with coconut oil. Turn every 5 minutes until tofu is chewy.

Home crown chili makes this fresh - as well as kaffir lime leaves from my tree and fresh pulled shallots. I added a bit of salt and peanuts and bashed them in the mortar.

Bash the end of a lemongrass stalk and chuck into a pan with a can of full-fat coconut oil. Add the bashed curry paste and lime juice or tamarind paste to pan as well. Simmer the coconut milk mixture until slightly thickened and add in fresh veg. I like sliced carrots, peppers, diced tomato and green onions. Dice the tofu and add in.

Plate and serve with rice, cashews, thai basil and fresh grated coconut (unsweetened).

Confit byaldi - Variation on Ratatouille

August 17, 2014

My favourite vegan french dish: Ratatouille! It's also one of my favourite dished because I grow all the vegetables in my garden.

First, slice the squash, zucchini and eggplant. Then, dice and fry in olive oil; the peppers, tomatoes, shallots and onions. Once the onions and peppers are softened, spoon the mixture in a baking dish. I chose to use small oven-safe dishes but really any baking dish will work.

Then, layer the sliced vegetables in an overlapping, alternating pattern. Be sure to cover the entire baking dish. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the top.

Wrap, or cover, the baking dishes with parchment paper (not wax paper). This keeps the vegetables from drying out in the oven. Bake at 350F for about an hour. Remove from the over, let cool and refrigerate over night.

The next day, remove the parchment and cover the top with tomato sauce. Admittedly, I used tinned tomato paste with fresh sauteed vegetables to make the top sauce. I had only green tomatoes and those don't make an attractive sauce.

Return the sauce covered ratatouille to the oven for ~15 minutes to reheat. Serve while it's still hot. It's amazing on its own, but also goes well with rice and salad.

Creme d'asperges [Cream of Asparagus Soup]

December 11, 2013

This amazingly creamy, yet vegan, soup is the perfect thing for a cold winter's day.

First, remove the woody ends of the asparagus; slice the shallots, the leek and crush the garlic. Since it's all getting blended, precision isn't essential. Beth Le Manach, an inspirational chef, shares her secret for ultra creamy soup - a medium-large potato.

Saute the shallots, garlic and leek, giving them a bit of colour. Then, add in water, the potato and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes of ferocious boiling, add in the chopped asparagus stems, reserving several of the tips for garnish. Boil another 5 minutes, or until the potatoes and asparagus is completely tender. Blend it up and flavour with a squeeze of lemon.

I first tested with an immersion blender. The results were alright. But, the soup wasn't super creamy until I sent it through the Vitamix. Afterwords, it was ultra smooth, with a there-has-to-be-heavy-cream-in-this mouth feel: