Authentic Thai Cucumber Salad

You know the stuff.  You get it in teeny tiny bowls at your favorite Thai joint.  Then you order a huge plate of it for two bucks and some change because you can't get enough and your lunch date ate most of it anyway.  It's tangy, sour and sweet and now you want some.  This satisfying side dish is easy to throw together and it costs next to nothing.  Here is what you need:

Authentic Thai Cucumber Salad

1 Large Cucumber

1/2 Small Red Onion

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 Bunch Fresh Cilantro

1 Serrano Chili Pepper

1 Jalapeno Pepper

Sea Salt

Roasted Peanuts (for garnish, optional)

Begin by peeling cucumber.  Slice lengthwise and remove seeds using a spoon.  Slice thinly and set in a collander.  Next slice onion thinly and add to collander.  Cut peppers in half and remove white ribs and seeds.  Dice these finely and add to collander.  Sprinkle mixture with a generous amount of sea salt, toss with a spoon and set aside for 30 minutes (put a plate underneath to catch the liquid the salt will draw out of the mixture).  

Now rinse mixture thoroughly with cold water and shake off excess liquid, squeezing or you could spin it in a salad spinner.  In a large glass bowl, add sugar and vinegar.  Allow sugar to dissolve and add cucumber mixture.  

Stir to combine and add finely chopped cilantro.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  Sprinkle with chopped roasted peanuts, if desired.

Ground Tofu "Beef"

Convenience vegan prepackaged foods like ground soy meat are fine every once in a while but for a lot less money you can make your own faux ground beef  out of extra firm tofu and tailor the seasoning levels to suit your taste.  Today I went asian with my seasonings because I wanted to use the faux meat for stir fry.  Give it a try.  It is easy to make and fun to eat.  Your kids might even like it - mine sure do!

Ground Tofu "Beef"

2 one-pound packages extra firm tofu

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/8 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon seasoning salt (like Lawrys)

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1 inch knob fresh ginger (mince finely)

1 clove fresh garlic (mince finely)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Strain and press tofu to drain as much liquid as possible.  Cut into cubes and mix with all ingredients.  Place mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 1 1/2 hours stirring every 1/2 hour to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and use immediately or allow to cool before storing in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Use in stirfry, soup, stews, shepard's pie, sandwiches, burritos and more!

Vegetable Chow Mein

There really is nothing that compares to the perfect bowl of vegetable Chow Mein.  There is also no one right way to make it.  But I have a few tips for you that may help along the way.  This lovely feast fed my family of 5 with leftovers to boot and it didn't cost very much either.

Feel free to interchange vegetables to suit your preference.  I just used what I had on hand.

1 one pound package fresh Chow Mein Noodles (at my local Asian grocery, these cost 1.49)

2 crowns Brocolli (remove large stems)

2 medium Carrots

1 Cup Sugar Snap Peas

4 Scallions (green onions)

6 cloves fresh Garlic

Dash of Canola Oil (for sauteeing)

2/3 Cup Vegetable Stock

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Fresh Cilantro (for garnish)

Tamari (optional, for serving)

Begin by bringing a large pot of water to boil.  While water is boiling, wash and chop vegetables into desired sizes.  I suggest removing tough ends and "strings" from sugar snap peas, chopping carrots into juliennes and leaving broccoli crowns fairly large.  Finely chop scallions and garlic and set aside.

When water is boiling drop in fresh noodles and cook for 5 minutes.  Strain noodles and rinse well in a collander with cold water to stop cooking process.  Set aside.  In a large saute pan or ideally a wok, heat a little oil on high heat and add garlic.  When garlic just begins to turn golden, add broccoli, stir gently and cook for about a minute.  Next add carrot and cook for another 3 minutes.

Lastly, add sugar snap peas, vegetable broth, salt and pepper and cover for another 2 minutes.  Stir occasionally and then add scallions and noodles.  Heat through, toss to coat and serve immediately.  You want the vegetables to remain crisp so do not overcook.  Garnish with cilantro and Tamari, if desired.

Pantry Stocking Tips When You Want to Go Asian..

I adore Asian food of all types and I crave it at least once a week.  I do my best to keep certain things stocked in my pantry so, when a craving strikes, I can whip something up instead of reaching for the phone for takeout.  Here are a few things you can pick up so you too can cook like a pro when you want to GO ASIAN!  Obviously, you don't need to buy ALL of these things at once, but over time, I think you will find that the more you have on hand, the more creative you can be with your produce and proteins.

Please note:  Some of these items are way over-priced at major supermarkets, so if you are on a budget, try visiting a local Asian Market or go to Trader Joe's if you have one nearby.

Any and All Vegetables (especially Carrots, Broccoli, Snow Peas, Water Chestnuts, Bamboo Shoots, Mushrooms, Zucchini, etc.)

Tofu (firm is best)
Nuts, raw or toasted (especially Cashews, Almonds and Peanuts)
Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Coconut and Peanut Spread, Coconut Milk, Coconut Cream, Shredded Coconut, sweetened or unsweetened (basically anything that contains nuts and/or coconut)
Vegetable Broth or Vegan "Chicken" or "Beef" Broth (I really like all the products by Massel
The products are absolutely AH-MAZE-BALLS (thank you to my neighbor Jamie for introducing me to them!) they are all vegan and gluten-free!)
Dried Noodles such as Somen, Ramen, Udon, Vermicelli, Rice or any others
Toasted Sesame Oil 

Black or White Sesame Seeds

Sambal (Chili Garlic Sauce)

Miso Paste or Powder (Yellow or White)

Rice Wine Vinegar

Tamari or Soy Sauce

White Pepper

Garlic (fresh, jarred, pickled or powdered)

Ginger (fresh, frozen, pickled or powdered)
Curry Powders and Pastes (any and all colors and varieties may apply here)

If you already read my blog posts, you will notice that many of these ingredients are things I use on a regular basis.  If you want more Asian Recipe Inspiration, drop me a note at chumbutt at gmail dot com.
I am happy to help!  Have a great holiday everyone!  Eat, Drink and Be Merry.

P.S. Don't beat yourself up if you eat a little real butter over Thanksgiving, it happens to the best of us!  Cheers!