Subject: VEGAN: Thai (non)pig-out (repost)

From: [email-masked] (Chuck Narad)
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 1994 09:57:18 GMT

Well, after Guru cooked us up a Southern Indian feast a couple of weeks
ago, I got drafted to do something Thai for the crowd.  Since a large
crowd (4 became 7 became 10) was coming, it only seemed fair that at
least one dish was a total experiment.  Frank volunteered to bring Pad
Thai Noodles, and I decided to do a thai veggie curry, fried rice, and
something new and exciting; Satay Tofu Kabobs.  Fruit salad with
yogurt/amaretto sauce to round it out, and lots of wine...

The tofu dish took two days to prepare, which got me thinking about
the time I was on the island of Espiritu Santo in Vanuatu.  The country
is still very primitive; people with shells through the nose, used to
be cannibals (but not in at least 20 years...uh HUH!).  Anyway, we hired
a guy with a truck to drive us to some interesting places on the island.
After visiting a kastom (traditional) village that would let outsiders
see them, we drove through the government agriculture station.  The
only industry in the island is the production of copra (coconut meat),
so the station had many strains of cocnut palms; also it had many
varieties of kava, which is a plant that produces a mild narcotic
which is consumed sort of like beer in many parts of the South Pacific.
After cruising past dozens of rows of kava, there was a small sign:

        "Two-Day Kava"

Yee hah!  So in honor of two-day kava, I'm going to call this dish
"Two-Day Satay Tofu Kabobs".

        Two-Day Satay Tofu Kabobs  with Peanut Sauce (vegan)
        --------------------------------------------

        2 pkgs firm tofu
        2 tbs vinegar
        2 tbs sugar
        3 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
        1 tsp cumin
        1/4 tsp white pepper
        2 tbs lemon juice
        1 tbs dried onion
        1/2 cup light soy sauce
        1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
        1 cucumber (for garnish)
(note: in a subsequent experiment I added 1 cup of orange juice
to the marinade, which worked really well)

Sauce:
        1 medium onion, minced
        2 cloves garlic, minced
        1/2 tsp cumin
        1 tbs hot oil
        1/3 cup peanut butter
        1 cup water
        1/2 can coconut milk
        2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
        lots of minced fresh ginger (about 4 tbs)

Rinse and dry the tofu, then split it into quarters.  Put lots of paper
towels on a cutting board, place the tofu (cut side down) on the
towels, put several more layers of towel on top, then cover with
another board and place a heavy weight on it (I used a 2.5 gallon water
jug and two gallons of tequila).  This needs to sit for at least 4 hours,
maybe 5.  Lots of water will come out.  After this, cut each piece into
3 strips (these will be something like 1" x 3" x 1/3").

Mix together the soy, oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, cumin, white pepper,
lemon juice, and onion.  Place the tofu strips into a glass dish, pour
the marinade over them, and cover.  Marinate 24-48 hours (mostly
in the refrigerator).

Take the tofu out of the marinade, and skewer them lengthwise
on a bamboo skewer, 3 pieces per skewer.  Go slowly and carefully
so they don't split!  Cover a baking pan with foil, then lay the skewers
across the pan.  Broil until brown and starting to bubble, then turn
over and do the same on the other side.

Surround a platter with thin slices of cucumber, and arrange the skewers
on top.  Serve with peanut sauce on the side.

(the remaining marinade can be poured on a stir-fry, why waste
all of that natural goodness?)

        Peanut Sauce:
        -----------

Mince the onion, and saute in a small amount of olive oil.  When
soft, add the garlic and chilies, satue another minute or so.  Add
the ginger, cumin, and water; when hot add the peanut butter and
coconut milk.

=======================================================

        Chuck's Standard Fried Rice (vegan or ovo)
        ----------------------

        2 cups (raw measure) calrose or jasmine rice, cooked
        6 cloves of garlic, minced
        2 thin slices of ginger, minced
        1/3 cup frozen peas
        1 can bamboo shoots
        1/2 can water chestnuts, sliced
        1 handful snow peas
        1/2 can straw mushrooms, sliced
        2 handsful bean sprouts
        2 eggs (optional)
        1 bunch scallions (green onions), chopped
        whatever else seems like a good idea at the time
        splash of light soy sauce

Beat the eggs, heat the wok, scramble the eggs and set them aside.

When the wok is *really* hot, add 1/4 cup peanut oil.  When the oil
is about to smoke, add garlic and ginger, toss for 30 seconds, then
add the rice.  Toss for a few minutes, then add one ingredient at a time
and toss each for about a minute before adding the next.  Go roughly
in the order above. Pour on about 2 Tbs of light soy, stir well. Add the eggs
on top, and serve.

===========================================================

        Yet Another Thai Curry
        ------------------

        2 chunks fresh wheat gluten, drained and cut into 1/2" cubes
        1 can water chestnuts, sliced
        1 can bamboo shoots (or a chunk of fresh), sliced
        1 can straw mushrooms, drained, rinsed, and sliced
        1 small handful Dried Black Fungus
        1 cup fresh oyster mushrooms (or 1 can), sliced
        1 can green Thai Curry Paste (or less, to taste)
        1 bunch fresh basil
        1 1/2 cans coconut milk
        1 carrot, sliced
        1 bunch broccoli, florets only, in stir-fry sized pieces
        2 small zucchini, sliced
        1 crookneck squash, sliced
        1 bak choy, sliced (greens also sliced into strips)
        2 cloves garlic, minced
        light soy sauce
        cooking sherry or dry sherry
        peanut oil

Soak the black fungus in a bowl of warm water for about 20 minutes while
prepping the vegetables.  Marinate  the gluten in a mixture of soy sauce,
sherry, and garlic.   Open, drain, and slice all of the canned ingredients; slice
the fresh ones to stir-fry size.

Remove most of the stems from the basil, and chop the remainder
of the basil medium-sized.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a small pot; add the curry paste (one heaping
tablespoon for western crowds, 2 heaping scoops for those that
appreciate meals that make then perspire), and stir-fry it for a few
minutes.  Add the basil; stir until it wilts, then stir in the coconut milk
and reduce the heat to low.  Stir this occasionally while stir-frying.

Drain and rinse the black fungus, and cut to strips if neccessary.

Heat the wok, then add 1-2 Tbs oil; stir-fry the gluten for a few
minutes.  Next, add each of the other ingredients, from heaviest to
lightest, stiring each for a minute or two before adding the next.
Every 2-3 ingredients, add a splash of sake to the wok for sweet
steam, or use the leftover marinade from the tofu.  When the vegetables
are almost ready, pour the curry sauce over them, and stir for a few
minutes.

=====================================================

        Frank & Kitty's Pad Thai Noodles (includes non-veg options)
        --------------------------

    Number of Servings:   4 (Doubled for this crowd)
    Approx. Cook Time: 45 mn

    INGREDIENTS ------------------------------------------------------------

       1/2      lb    Rice Noodles
       4              red chilies dried
       3              small shallots
       3        Tbs   naam pla  aka fish sauce (sustitutes for veg?  Miso?)

       1        Tbs   palm sugar
       1        tsp   lime juice
       3        Tbs   tamarind water
       5        Tbs   oil
       1        cup   prawns minced  (omit for veg)

      1/2      cup   water
       3              eggs scrambled
       1/2      cup   bean sprouts
       2        Tbs   peanuts coursely ground for garnish
       2        Tbs   tofu deep-fried diced
       1        Tbs   chili flakes dried
       1/2            carrot julienne for garnish
                      red cabbage julienne for garnish

    DIRECTIONS  ------------------------------------------------------------

    1. Soak noodles in cold water for 30 minutes or more, set aside.

    2. Soak dried red chilies until soft.  Toast shallots.  Use mortar and
    pestle(or mini chopper) to mash both ingredients into a paste.

    3. Add naam pla, palm sugar, lime juice and tamarind water to the
    chili/shallot mash.

    4. Using a wok, fry mash mixture in hot oil until fragrant.

    5. Add minced prawns, stirring well.

   6. Add drained noodles and 1/2 cup water.  Toss and stir noodles until
    soft.  Watch closely as noodles will turn from a rubber state to soft
    very quickly - then quickly turn to paste if not watched closely.

    7. Mix in scrambled eggs and half of the bean sprouts.

    8. Pour into serving dish, and then garnish by placing sprouts,
    peanuts, tofu, chili flakes, carrots, cabbage etc.. in parallel rows
    across the top of the phad-thai.  Serve with salad tongs.

    Note:  When using 6 chilies in the mash the Phad-Thai is generally hot
    enough for the average diner, omit the chili as a garnish if your
    guests don't like their food real hot/spicy. Use what ever is in the
    fridge as your garnish - color is the primary effect, but peanuts add
    a very nice flavor touch.

    Tamarind water can be made by breaking off a one inch chunk of
    tamarind and adding one cup of hot water - strain.  If tamarind pulp
    cannot be found then Knor Tamarind soup base is an acceptable
    substitute.  Tamarind is a KEY ingredient, it can not be omitted or
    substituted.

=========================================================
We were so stuffed by this point that desert seemed pointless, but hey,
by now it had become A Mission to at least taste it all...

        Amaretto Fruit Salad
        -----------------

        2 apples
        1 orange
        1 bannana
        1 bunch green grapes
        one large can pineapple chunks
        handful dried cranberries
        1 cup yogurt
        3 tbs amaretto
        1 tbs honey

Slice, seed and peel fruit as appropriate.  Dump them all into
a bowl; pour the pineapple on top, with the juice (the juice keeps
everything from turning brown).  Toss, top with the cranberries,
and let sit overnight.

Mix the yogurt, amaretto, and honey.  Serve the fruit salad in
small bowls with a dollop of the yogurt mixture.

====================================================
It was a massive feast, and I'm stuck with a couple of days
worth of leftovers.  I wonder what the next blow-out will
be.  We've drafted a house already...

--------------------------------------
Chuck Narad -- diver/adventurer/engineer