Lemongrass Ice Cream with Pineapple Compote

This was the final dish for the Thai inspired dinner party I threw yesterday (I will blog about that another day).  The lemongrass adds a nice finish to this basic vanilla ice cream recipe, and is not overpowering.  A bite starts off creamy and slightly sweet, and ends with that refreshing trademark scented tang.

INGREDIENTS
Ice Cream
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 1 400 ml can coconut milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp corn starch or arrowroot powder
- 1 cup soy milk
- pinch of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract

Pineapple Compote
- 1 pineapple
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- juice of 1 lime

METHOD
Ice Cream
1. Trim lemon grass stalks and slice lengthwise down the centre.  Bruise the stalks by bashing them with a rolling pin, then cut into whatever size will fit into your saucepan.  Add coconut milk, sugar, and salt and place over medium heat.  Bring it to just bubbling, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 mins, or until lemongrass is wilted and translucent.
2. Strain coconut mixture through a fine sieve to remove lemongrass.  If needed, add more coconut milk or soy milk to make 3 cups.  Return to saucepan over medium heat.
3. Whisk cornstarch or arrowroot powder into the 1 cup of soy milk to dissolve, then whisk into coconut milk mixture.  Bring to just bubbling, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Let mixture fully cool in the fridge before making it into ice cream as per the instructions for your machine.

Pineapple Compote
1. Trim and core the pineapple and cut into 1/2" chunks.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add margarine and when melted, add pineapple.  Cook for about 15 mins, stirring regularly, or until the pineapple begins to lightly brown.   (The pineapple will release its juice, that will cook down, and then the pineapple will start to brown up.)
3.  Add sugar and lime juice to the pan and cook/stir for 1 min, making sure the pineapple is nicely glazed.  Serve warm with the ice cream.

Thai Fishless Sauce

It's been a long time since I've tasted fish sauce, but I think this simple recipe does a nice job rounding out a Thai curry with a salty taste o' the sea.  I'm guessing it's actually nothing like fish sauce but I think it works better than soy sauce or hoisin sauce.  You could use any mixture of seaweed, I think, but I went with nori because it is more readily available at grocery stores what with sushi's popularity.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 cup
- 2 sheets nori, crumbled
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 cup boiling water

METHOD
1. Place all ingredients in a blender (or in a container and use a hand blender).   Let sit for 5 mins, then blend until smooth.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve.  Store in the fridge.

Thai Orange Curry

Technically, this is a red curry, but the tumeric in the curry paste gives the final dish a wonderful orange colour. The key here is to make your own curry paste--it's not too hard and the taste is fabulous. No one sells dried chiles around here, so I bought about 10 bags of them the last time I was in Columbus (there is a Mexican grocery store on Cleveland Avenue I used to frequent when I lived there). The paste is not too hot (best for the kids), but you can make it hotter by adding a few more Japanese chiles in place of one Guajillo chile. You can also add as many serranos as you like to the final dish. The recipes are veganized and slightly adapted from True Thai.

INGREDIENTS
Curry Paste
- 4 large dried Guajillo chiles
- 2 dried Japanese chiles
- 2 stalk lemon grass, lower section, trimmed and sliced
- 3 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 1/2 tsbp chopped garlic
- 1/2 cup chopped shallots
- 2 tbsp tumeric

METHOD
1. Stem and de-seed chiles and soak for 30 mins in hot water. While the chiles are soaking, pulse the lemon grass in a food processor until broken down into small pieces.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the processor and process into a paste, as smooth as you can get it. Add the water you used to soak the chiles as needed (about 1/2 cup) to make a smooth paste.

Thai Orange Curry
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 1/2 cup, or so, curry paste from above
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 8 lime leaves (I used dried), or zest of 1 lime
- serrano chiles to taste, sliced in half, lengthwise
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp vegan oyster sauce
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup basil leaves (Thai or Italian)

METHOD
1. Heat coconut milk and curry paste in a saucepan over medium heat. When bubbling, add chickpeas, lime leaves (or zest), chiles, sugar, and sauces. Bring to bubbling again, then lower heat, cover and let gently simmer for at least 20 mins.
2. If using dried lime leaves, remove. Add salt as needed. Adjust curry paste and sauces as needed. Right before serving, add basil leaves and mix in until wilted. Serve with rice.

Super Easy Thai Coconut Rice

I live fried rice as a quick and easy answer the question of what is for dinner. This dish is nothing fancy, for sure, but it tastes great and the kids love it. You can use chickpeas, tofu, or seitan in place of the Tofurky--it's just what I had on hand. Try to pick a veggie mix with some great colour that can contrast the yellow rice. I really don't put a lot of curry paste in because I enjoy the creamy mellowness of the coconut milk and tumeric.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp lemongrass paste
- yellow or red curry paste to taste
- 4 cups cold cooked rice
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 pkg Tofurky lunch meat, cut into strips
- 3 cups frozen veggies (some Asian mix), thawed
- salt to taste

METHOD
1. Heat wok over med-hi heat, then swirl oil in. Add onions and stir fry for 2-3 mins, until golden and softened. Add garlic and stry fry 30 seconds. Then add lemongrass paste and curry paste and mix well.
2. Add rice and fry for a few mins, turning to coat the rice well. Add coconut milk, tumeric, and hoisin, and lower heat to medium, mixing well. Add more coconut milk of mixture is too dry.
3. Add Tofurky and veggies and heat through. Season with salt and serve.

Thai Chickpea Curry with Thai Basil

Sorry for the radio silence, kids. I was on vacation and was very committed to relaxing and doing as little as possible. Now I am back and ready to blog! Anyway, about a month ago I bought a thai basil plant from the farmer's market and planted it in the garden. That night, the earwigs and/or slugs decimated the plant. I'll admit that I cried. But, for some reason, I never pulled it out. To my great delight, the basil rallied and is now a healthy and thriving plant. So, I had to put all those leaves to good use. This recipe is based on a dish from True Thai.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 19 oz can chick peas, rinsed and drained
- 1 14 oz can coconut milk
- red curry paste to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock (more if needed)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I used an Asian mix of carrots, beans, mini corn, edamame and snow peas)
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- salt and white pepper to taste
- cooked jasmine rice

METHOD
1. Pulse chickpeas in a food processor until they resemble very rough bread crumbs. Set aside.
2. Separate coconut cream from the watery part. Bring to bubbling in a large pot over medium high heat, then add pulsed chickpeas. Cook for 2 mins, stirring, then add curry paste and ginger, blending well.
3. Add the rest of the coconut milk and the stock and bring to bubbling. Add sugar, soy, and veggies and bring to bubbling again. Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are cooked. Add more stock if too thick. Season to taste.
4. Add basil and mix well. Let basil wilt a bit, but do not overcook. Serve over rice. I put the rice in a ring and pressed a depression in the centre so it could hold the sauce.

Thai Mushroom Soup

I made this soup a while ago (i.e. before the heat wave) but never got around to blogging it. It is actually quite good at room temp, so it is a good summer soup. It is based on a seafood soup recipe in a cookbook I have and I had every intention of using oyster mushrooms but there were none at the store. Turns out, plain ol' white mushrooms work really well, too. I also threw in some lobster mushrooms for colour and texture, but they are totally optional. So, once the heat breaks wherever you are, give this recipe a try.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/2 cups veggie stock, or water
- 1" piece fresh ginger, cut into thin slices
- 3 limes leaves, sliced if fresh, crumbled if dried
- 2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
- 5 stalks cilantro
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 shallots, chopped
- 16 oz mushrooms, chopped (white, oyster, etc., or a mix)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- green curry paste, to taste
- 1 14 oz can light coconut milk
- juice of 1/3 lime
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Put stock, ginger, lemon grass, and lime leaves into a pot. Strip leaves from cilantro and add the stalks as well. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins. Strain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, the saute shallots for 5-7 mins, until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are just releasing their water. Add strained stock to the pot, then add soy sauce and curry paste.
3. Add coconut milk and lime juice and mix well. Season to taste. Chop cilantro leaves and mix in. You can heat this up as much as you want before serving.

Green Curry Summer Rolls

Last week we had a bit of an early heat wave so I was looking for a nice cool dish that didn't involve a lot of cooking. Although the boys totally hated these, Vegan Mom and I loved them. The crunch of the lettuce contrasts the vermicelli and rice paper, while the punch of heat from the curry paste is cooled by the cucumber. Yum. Not a real recipe, but here is the stuff I put in mine. Adjust amounts according to how many rolls you want to make.

INGREDIENTS
- steamed broccoli (crisp and bright green, not mushy. Once the broccoli is cooked, plunge it into ice water to stop it from cooking)
- thinly sliced lettuce (romaine, or other)
- cooked rice vermicelli, cut into about 3" pieces, tossed with soy sauce and green curry paste (to taste)
- thinly sliced shallots
- thinly sliced cucumber
- finely chopped cilantro (or sliced basil, Thai or otherwise)
- rice paper
- dipping sauce

METHOD
1. Soak rice paper in warm water as per directions, fill with ingredients, roll like a burrito. Serve with dipping sauce.

Easy Green Curry

I love green curry, but I find I rarely make it and gravitate more to a sweet and sour red curry. This dish came together quite quickly from the veggies still kicking around in the fridge at the end of the shopping week. As you can see from the pic, this is a drier curry, but you could add more coconut milk to make it more saucy to be served over rice. I really like the black beans with the broccoli--an unexpected and tasty combination.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp, oil
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
- green curry paste, to taste
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup coconut milk, or more as desired
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Saute shallot, garlic, and ginger for a few mins, until fragrant and lightly browned. Add sweet potato and fry for 5 mins.
2. Add broccoli and cook for about 15 mins, adding splashed of water as needed to help stem/cook the veggies and keep them from sticking to the pan.
3. Add curry paste, along with 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Add soy sauce and beans and cook for about 5 mins, making sure the veggies are now fully cooked.
4. Add coconut milk, season to taste, and serve.

Thai Fried Rice

I can't remember how many times I tried to make fried rice back when I started cooking on my own before I learned that cold rice is the key to keep in from sticking together into one lump. It was a great day. Fried rice is a great way to use up extra rice, but I usually try to make a few extra cups so I can make fried rice on Asian night. This recipe has wonderful flavour, and the key is the coconut. Make sure you toast it but don't burn it.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2/3 cup unsweetened coconut
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp red curry paste (or more to taste)
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, cold
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 cup frozen French cut green beans, thawed
- 2 baby bok choy, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 vegan omelet, rolled and sliced (optional)
- juice of 1 lime


METHOD
1. Heat a wok over medium heat. Dry fry the cashews and coconut, stirring constantly, for a minute or so, until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside.
2. Increase heat to med-hi and add oil. Stir fry garlic for 30 seconds, until lightly golden, then add in curry paste and rice and fry for a few mins, until heated through.
3. Add brown sugar, sauces, and vinegar and mix well. Add in beans and bok choy and fry until bok choy is wilted but still nice and green. Add in onions, coconut, and cashews and cook for a few mins more.
4. Mix in omelet slices and lime juice and serve.

Thai Chickpea Cakes with Cucumber Relish

I am rediscovering my love of Thai food, now that I have more or less forgotten what fish sauce tastes like. I usually just end up chucking in a bunch of different sauces that I have in the fridge to get a more complex flavour: hoisin, vegetarian oyster, stir fry, soy, etc. This is a take on a fish cake--not so much a recreation of the texture and flavour, but more the spirit of the dish (whatever that means!). You can either fry or bake these. The baked version is a little dry, to be honest, by the relish moistens it right up.

INGREDIENTS
Cucumber Relish
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cups diced cucumber

Chickpea Cakes
- 1 nori sheet
- 1 19oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 tbsp red curry paste, or to taste
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oil
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup frozen french cut beans, thawed

METHOD
Relish
1. Heat vinegar, sugar and water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add garlic, ginger, and shallots. When cool, add cucumber and mix well. Let marinate for as long as possible.

Chickpea Cakes (makes 12)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Rip up the nori sheet and place in a food processor with the blade attachment. Process on high speed until chopped into small pieces. Add chickpeas curry paste and pulse until chopped up but not like a paste (you're not making hummus here).
2. Dump chickpeas in a bowl, add sauces, oil, lime juice and mix well. Add cornstarch and mix well. Add beans and mix well.
3. Using wet hands, press mixture into a moistened 1/4 cup measure (don't fill it right up--more like 1/3 full. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining mixture.
4. Spray cakes lightly with oil and bake for 15 mins, or until golden--don't over bake or they will be dry. Serve with relish.
5. You can also fry them for about 3 mins per side in 350 degree vegetable oil.

Fiery Red Thai Curry

If I were like my younger brother I would have titled this "Ring of Fire Thai Curry," but I have always been more couth than him. Back in my days in Kingston I used to frequent a Cambodian/Thai restaurant called Phnom Penh. I usually always got the #15, Pad Thai, but occasionally I would branch out and try different dishes. One night my housemate and I ordered a red curry with whole finger hot chiles in it (I really can't remember the name). He dared me to eat all of the chiles from both dishes, which I promptly did (and rather regretted later). This dish is based on the memory of that dish. The Thai chiles are from my own garden (see pic below)--the only peppers that actually grew in the garden this year. They provide the perfect burst of heat in the spicy sauce.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- stems from 1 bunch cilantro
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped ginger
- generous tbsp red curry paste (or to taste)
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 6 kaffir lime leaves
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp vegan oyster sauce (or veggie stir fry sauce)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 6 green Thai finger chiles, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, cubed (baked or fired, if desired)
- 2 tbsp plain soy milk
- 4 green onion, cut into 2" pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Place the first nine ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Transfer to a wok or large pot and heat over med-hi heat. Cook for 10 mins, stirring regularly, until sauce has thickened and darkened in colour. Add broth, lime leaves, sugar, sauces, chiles, and tofu and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 mins, allowing the chiles to cook and the curry to develop its flavour. Add more broth if too dry.
3. Add soy milk, green onions, and cilantro and cook for 5 mins, uncovered. Remove lime leaves, adjust seasoning to taste and serve over rice.

Thai Tamarind Chili Tofu and Cashews

Hopefully you've already made your tamarind chili paste and are ready to put it in a tasty dish for dinner. Keep in mind that you can alter this recipe to suit your tastes, making it sweeter or hotter as you see fit. None of my cooking is really all that precise, so take these recipes as a guideline. I have baked to tofu for this dish--I like my tofu to have some toothiness and this is a way to get a firm texture without frying.

INGREDIENTS
Golden Baked Tofu
- 1 pkg tofu, cut into cubes
- 1-2 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt

- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 shallot, halved and sliced
- red curry paste to taste
- 6 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red pepper, cored and seeded, thinly sliced
- 4 green onions, angle cut into about 1" pieces
- 3-4 tbsp tamarind chili paste
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock (or water)
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp mushroom soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- salt to taste
- cilantro for garnish

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss tofu cubes in enough oil to coat, add salt. Place sheet in the oven and bake for 20 mins, or until golden, turning cubes regularly to evenly brown.
2. While tofu is baking, prep your veggies. Heat oil in a wok over med-hi heat. Add shallots and fry for 1 min, then add garlic and curry paste and fry for 30 seconds. Add red pepper and fry for 1 min more, until it begins to soften. Add green onions and fry 1 min more.
3. Add tamarind paste, stock, sauces, and sugar and mix well. Season to taste. Add cashews and tofu and heat through.
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve over jasmine rice.

Thai-Style Sweet and Tangy Noodles

As you can imagine time has become a precious commodity around here with four kids to look after this summer (when does school start?). I think we have consumed far too any veggie dogs in the past few weeks so I am now turning to Asian cuisine for fast and fresh meals. Once you have all of your ingredients in place and your wok nice and hot, dinner can be cooked in a manner of minutes. This recipe is more or less from True Thai which has a wonderful vegetarian section. The original recipe calls for black-eyed peas but I had none on hand and used chickpeas.

INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz rice noodles (I used rice vermicelli)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 6 large garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup vegetable stock
- 6 green onions, angle cut into 1" pieces
- 1 large tomato, halved, and cut into thin wedges
- 1/2 block extra firm tofu
- 3/4 cup cooked beans (I used chickpeas)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp mushroom soy sauce
- 1 tsp white pepper
- generous tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 lb bean sprouts
- cilantro to garnish

METHOD
1. Prepare noodles according to directions on the box (usually you soak in hot water for about 10 mins), then rinse in cold water and set aside.
2. Heat wok over medium-hi heat. When hot, add oil and rotate to coat the wok.
3. Add garlic and fry quickly, until aromatic. Add noodles and fry for 1 min. Add stock and mix well. Add green onions, tomatoes, tofu and beans and stir fry for 1 min.
4. Add sugar and soy sauce and fry 1 min. Add pepper, vinegar, and bean sprouts and mix well. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Gwailo Pad Thai

There is no point even trying to justify this dish as authentically Thai, but it still tastes great and does not rely on any overly exotic ingredients. I bought bean sprouts this week when I came down with an inexplicable hankering for Pad Thai like I used to get at Phnom Penh in Kingston (back in the non-vegan day, that is). The ol' Number 15, baby! I didn't have all the necessary ingredients on hand, so I improvised. I also tried adding some nori flakes to mimic fish sauce and I think it worked pretty well.

INGREDIENTS

- 225g medium width rice noodles

- 3 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp Bragg's

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp water

- 1/4 cup brown sugar

- 2 tbsp tomato paste

- 1/4 cup white vinegar

- juice of 1 lime

- 1/2 tsp nori flakes (optional)

- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, diced

- 1 tsp soy sauce

- juice of 1 lime

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

- handful of bean sprouts

- tomato and cucumber slices

- chopped fresh cilantro

METHOD

1. Soak rice noodles in hot tap water for 30 mins.

2. Make sauce: mix together ingredients from soy sauce to chili garlic sauce. Adjust to taste. Thai balances salty, sweet, hot, and sour. I like a more sweet sauce with a hot undertone.

3. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Dry fry tofu, stirring regularly, until it begins to turn golden. Add a splash of oil, if needed. Add soy sauce and lime juice and stir well. Remove from heat.

4. Rinse rice noodles and heat oil in wok over med-hi heat. Stir fry onion and garlic for a min or so, until onion softens. Add noodles and stir fry for a few mins, until noodles get translucent and begin to stick together.

5. Add sauce to the wok and mix well. Add tofu, and peanut butter and mix well. Cook, stirring regularly, until noodles are soft and liquid is mostly absorbed.

6. Serve topped with bean sprouts and garnished with cucumber and tomato slices and cilantro.

Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I knew when I made this tonight that it would not photograph well, so sorry for the pic. But, bad pictures aside, I totally love peanut sauce. Tonight I served it simply over udon noodles (mainly because my fridge is looking pretty empty), but it is also good over jasmine rice.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1" piece ginger, chopped

- 3/4 cup peanut butter

- 3/4 cup plain soy milk (or light coconut milk)

- 1/4 cup water

- 1/4 tsp Thai Kitchen red curry paste

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 1 tsp coriander

- 2-4 tbsp cup brown sugar

- 1 tbsp white vinegar

- 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce

METHOD

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until very smooth. Heat to bubbling in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 mins, stirring regularly.

2. Serve over udon noodles, or over rice.

Five Spice Tofu

The original version of this recipe calls for pork belly, which, I have to admit, I have never had. But, I imagine it would be kind of chewy and crispy. So, I have substituted crispy tofu. This recipe is also heavy on the cilantro, so cut back or eliminate it altogether if you don't like cilantro's unique flavour.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 pkg firm tofu, pressed and cut into thin slices

- cornstarch

- oil for frying

- 1 tbsp oil

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 tbsp Chinese 5 spice powder

- 2 cups canned diced tomatoes, with juices

- 1/2 cup water

- 2 tbsp soy sauce

- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp sugar

- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

- juice of 1 lime

METHOD

1. Toss tofu in cornstarch and fry in oil in batches over medium heat until golden. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Fry garlic for a min or so, until golden. Add spice power and fry for1 min. Add tomatoes, water, sauces, and sugar and mix well. Adjust flavours to your taste. Add tofu and bring to bubbling. Cook for at least 10 mins, until sauce thickens a bit. Add coriander and lime juice and cook for a few mins, until coriander wilts a bit.

Sweet Potato and Cashew Curry

I love cooking a dish with beautiful complimentary colours, like this one. There is something so satisfying about preparing a meal with yellows, oranges, reds and greens--makes you just stand back from the wok and admire the food like a work of art. Or, do I just need to get out of the house more?

INGREDIENTS

- 2 tbsp oil

- 1 sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced

- 1 stalk lemon grass, tough outer husk removed, finely minced

- 1 cup raw cashews

- 1 tsp Thai Kitchen yellow curry paste (or to taste)

- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into small chunks

- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes (with juice)

- 2 cups water

- 1 cup frozen corn

- 2 stalks celery, chopped

- peel and juice of one lime

- 1 tbsp tomato paste, or 2 tbsp ketchup

- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce

- 2 tbsp vegetarian stir fry sauce

- brown sugar to taste

- 4 green onions, thinly sliced

- Thai basil to garnish (if you have it, which I don't)

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat. Stir fry onion for 3-4 mins, until translucent. Add lemon grass and fry 1 min. Add cashews and fry until golden.

2. Stir in curry paste and mix to coat onions and nuts. Add the potatoes and fry 1 min. Add tomatoes and water and bring to bubbling. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for about 15 mins, until potatoes are soft but not mushy. Add more water if needed.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients except green onions and basil and simmer for 5 mins, until heated though. Adjust seasonings to taste (Thai food is a balance of sweet, salty, hot, and sour, so adjust to your own liking).

4. Stir green onions through right before serving, and garnish with basil. Serve over rice, or by itself.

Homemade Green Curry Paste

Homemade curry paste is so much better that the pre-fab stuff like Thai Kitchen. Not to diss Thai Kitchen, but, like everything, making something yourself always means it tastes better.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 tsp coriander
- 10 whole anise seeds
- 1 tbsp whole white peppercorns
- heaping spoonful of peanut butter (optional)
- peel and juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro stems
- 2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped ginger
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 8 romaine lettuce leaves, chopped

METHOD
1. Crush anise seeds and peppercorns with a mortar and pestle. Mix with coriander and set aside.
2. Put peanut butter, lime peel and juice, cilantro, lemon grass, ginger, garlic, onion, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth. Add spice mixture and romaine leaves and process again until smooth. Remove from processor and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

The dish pictured above is a variation of the green curry tofu I made before. You can use more soy than I have listed here if you want, I just find that it takes away from the lovely green colour of the dish.

INGREDIENTS
- Half of the curry paste above (about 1 cup)
- 1.5 to 2 cans coconut milk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- salt to taste
- 1 pkg tofu, diced and prepared however you like
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cup frozen green beans

METHOD
1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry curry paste for 5 mins, until fragrant and most of the water has evaporated. Add 1 can of coconut milk and bring to bubbling. Cook for 15 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. The curry sauce has a bit of texture from the lemon grass. If you want a smoother sauce, strain and add back to pan. Add sugar, soy, and season to taste. Add tofu and cook for 5 mins. Add more coconut milk if sauce is too thick.
3. Add corn and beans and bring to bubbling. Add enough coconut milk to get the consistency you like. Serve over rice.

I also made Thai Corn Fritters. I used hoisin sauce instead of mushroom soy sauce--it made for a lighter colour and a more photogenic fritter.

Thai Corn Fritters with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

Don't judge these by the picture--they are fantastic! "Real" corn fritters have egg, which I replaced with a bit of cornstarch and chickpea flour. They are nice and crisp, and have a hearty flavour and texture. They are made even better with this dipping sauce, which is so good I am going to make more and find things to dip into it.

Thai Corn Fritters

Makes 10

INGREDIENTS

- 2 cups frozen corn, thawed

- red curry paste, to taste

- 1/2 cup chickpea flour

- 2 tbsp cornstarch

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

- 1 tbsp mushroom soy sauce

- 1-2 tbsp water

- oil for frying

METHOD

1. Heat 1/2" of oil in a frying pan over med-hi heat.

2. Put thawed corn in a bowl. Mix in curry paste. Add in flour, cornstarch, garlic, cilantro and soy sauce and mix well. Add in water to make a batter that will coat the corn but not be too runny.

3. Drop large spoonfuls of batter into the oil, making 4-5 inch round fritters. Fry about 2 mins each side. Make sure the oil is hot enough to cook the bottom, but not too hot to burn the fritter.

Sweet Chili Sauce

- 1/4 cup white vinegar

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 tsp garlic chili sauce

METHOD

1. Bring vinegar and sugar to bubbling in a small saucepan. Cook for 2 mins, stirring constantly.

2. Remove from heat, add in salt and chili sauce. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Thai Tofu Red Curry

The secret to a tasty Thai curry is a quality curry paste. Of course, I don't have access to the ingredients needed to make a quality curry paste, so it's good ol' Thai Kitchen for me. The thing I don't like about the bottled curry pastes is that they are too potent and their heat overpowers the dish before you can get a good red colour and taste. As you can see from the picture, this dish is really more brown from the soy sauce than red from the curry. Oh well. When I can get some lemon grass, galangal, and dried chiles I will make curry paste once more. That being said, this dish is still quite good.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 can coconut milk

- red curry paste, to taste

- 3 tbsp soy sauce

- 1 tbsp brown sugar

- 3 cups sliced mushrooms (or leave whole if they are small)
- 1 cup green beans, cut in 2 inch lengths

- 1 pkg firm tofu, diced

- 3 baby bok choy, cut in 2 inch lengths

- juice of 1 lime

- cilantro for garnish

METHOD

1. Pour 1/2 the can of coconut milk into a wok and bring to bubbling over med-hi heat. Add curry paste, soy sauce, and sugar and mix well. Add in mushrooms and cook for 2-3 mins, until mushrooms begin to soften.

2. Add in the rest of the coconut milk and bring to bubbling. Add in green beans and tofu and simmer for 5 minutes, or until beans are done to your liking.

3. Gently stir in bok choy and cook for 1 min, or until it begins to wilt slightly. Stir in lime juice and adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with cilantro and serve over jasmine rice.