Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

My sister Emily and I used to have a pretty good system down for splitting slices of Dairy Queen ice cream cake: she'd eat both of our frosted vanilla ice cream layers, and I'd get the fudge-topped chocolate ice cream layers.  Fellow chocolate-lovers can surely understand why that arrangement worked for me.   

This ice cream pie recipe takes things to the next level, swapping out vanilla for peanut butter.  It starts with a chocolate graham cracker crust. Then, chocolate peanut butter ice cream filling is topped with chocolate peanut butter fudge and garnished with chopped peanuts.

Ice cream pie

Recipe:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Ice Cream Pie

Crust:

• 2.5 cups vegan graham cracker crumbs (I crushed graham crackers in the food processor)
• 1 teaspoon honey (or agave)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup shortening, softened

Peanut Butter Fudge Topping:

• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/4 cup honey (or more agave)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup plain organic soymilk
• 5 ounces Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

Filling:

• 1 heaping tablespoon arrowroot powder
• 3/4 cup plain organic soymilk
• 2 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 5 ounces Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 12 ounces vanilla flavored, coconut milk-based, vegan yogurt
• 3 pints So Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Coconut Milk Dairy-Free Frozen Dessert, softened

Garnish:

• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

First, make the crust.  Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, honey, cocoa powder, and shortening in a medium bowl until well-combined.  Pour the mixture into a 10-inch springform pan and press onto the bottom and most of the way up the sides of the pan.  Set aside.

Then, make the peanut butter fudge topping. Pour the agave and honey into a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5-7 minutes.  The mixture should bubble and get a bit darker in color.  Remove from heat and add the peanut butter, soymilk, and chocolate chips.  Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Next, make the ice cream filling. In a medium saucepan, heat the arrowroot powder and soymilk on medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until simmering.  Remove from heat, and whisk in the cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and peanut butter until well combined.  Then stir in the yogurt.  Transfer this mixture to a large bowl, and add in the ice cream.  Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture until all ingredients are combined and the mixture appears light and fluffy. 

Now, assemble the pie.  Pour the filling into the crust, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze the pie for one hour.  After an hour, remove the pie from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap, and spread on the peanut butter fudge topping.  Top with chopped peanuts.

Allow the pie to chill in the freezer for another 8 hours (overnight) to set completely.

Remove the pie from the freezer at least 15 minutes before serving.  Run a knife around the inside of the spring form pan to loosen the pie, and then release the spring form ring from the bottom of the pan.  Cut the pie using a knife that has been run under hot water, and serve. 

Comments:

Taste:           

YUM.  This ice cream pie is a chocolate peanut butter lover's dream, even though the peanut butter flavor is somewhat subtle.  The rich, gooey, peanut buttery fudge topping is the star of the pie, in my opinion.  I also enjoyed the variety of textures throughout the pie: the crumbly crust, smooth ice cream filling, and crunchy peanut garnish complement each other well.  The only thing I'd change is the crust -- it was a bit too crumbly, but I think softening the shortening before using it (as I wrote in the recipe above) will help fix that.

Accessibility:         

This is an expensive dish to make.  Unfortunately, vegan ice cream is not yet fully mainstream; so, it's both difficult to find (we went to Whole Foods) and quite expensive.  We also had to get vegan yogurt at Whole Foods.

 Ease of Preparation:        

Each individual step in this recipe isn't too difficult, but it does take a long time to make (freezing overnight will do that to you).  At least you can lick the spoons/bowls used for preparation immediately!

Non-vegan friendliness:            

I haven't had an ice cream cake in years, so it's hard to compare this version to the "real thing." Simon says that it doesn't taste quite like ice cream, but it's still very good. 

Crispy Potato Latkes with Chunky Applesauce

In light of Hannukah (get it?), we made latkes last week!  I'd never made homemade latkes before so I was a bit worried about how they would turn out (egg is usually used as a binder to hold each latke together), but happily ours came out and held together well.  Just remember to pat each one with a paper towel to remove excess oil... 

A trio of piping hot latkes topped with applesauce.

I recommend making the applesauce first so it can cool a bit while you make the latkes. 

Recipe:
Chunky Applesauce

•  1 tablespoon canola oil
• 5 large Fuji apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the apples, stir, and sauté for two minutes.  Add the cinnamon and cloves; cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Allow the apples to cook for about 15 minutes (until they are tender).  Then, uncover the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the applesauce has thickened.  Stir in the sugar and cook for two more minutes.  Finally, remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and cool.

Crispy Potato Latkes

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsely
• 1 egg equivalent (we used Ener-G Egg Replacer powder)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more as needed, for frying

First, grate the potatoes and onion using the grating attachment of a food processor (or a regular hand-grater).  Alternate between the onion and potato while grating.  Transfer the grated ingredients to a colander.

One handful at a time, remove the grated ingredients from the colander, squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible, and place the mixture in a large bowl.  Then stir in the parsley, egg equivalent, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat in order to fry the latkes.  To form each latke, use a large slotted spoon to compress potato mixture into a pancake.  Then carefully place the latke into the pan and flatten using the spoon.  Fry the latkes for 4 minutes on each side (use two spoons/spatulas to turn them over to avoid oil splatter), or until very crisp on the outside.  Set the cooked latkes on a paper towel-covered plate while cooking the rest.  

Serve hot with applesauce.  Yields 18 latkes. 

Comments:

Taste:           

This recipe was a success.  The latkes were crisp on the outside, cooked on the inside, and nicely flavored.  I loved the homemade applesauce on top of the latkes: it adds a nice contrast in texture and temperature to the dish.  I wouldn't change anything about this recipe!

Accessibility:            

The ingredients in this dish are not difficult to come by.  Just be prepared to go through a lot of oil while frying. 

 Ease of Preparation:      

This is a pretty labor-intensive dish to prepare, though using a food processor to grate the onions and potatoes is certainly a time- and energy-saver.  Be sure to be cautious and delicate when dealing with the latkes in hot oil! 

Non-vegan friendliness:           

Simon, our resident latke expert, says that these taste as good as traditional non-vegan latkes, but they may not have held together quite as well.  Also, just as a note, Simon and Rachel ate some of their latkes with sour cream.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Just in time for Halloween (assuming it's not cancelled or rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy!), here is an extra-hearty, pumpkin-filled recipe.  I have fond memories of making various pumpkin-themed dishes with my family over the years--curried pumpkin soup served right in the pumpkin, for one--so here's one to add to that list.  Enjoy!     

Warm and creamy baked ziti with a sage crumb topping.

Recipe:     
Pumpkin Baked Ziti

• 1 pound ziti or penne pasta
• 3 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 onions, sliced very thinly
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound firm tofu, pressed and crumbled
• 1.5 teaspoons dried basil
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 2.5 cups bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces, blended in a food processor to create coarse crumbs
• 1.5 teaspoons ground sage
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• a few shakes of black pepper and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.  Prepare the pasta according to the package directions and set aside.   

Meanwhile, begin caramelizing the onions.  Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil a large skillet over medium heat and then add the onions.  Allow the onions to cook, stirring occasionally, until they become very brown and caramelized; they will reduce down, too.  This will take some time (at least 25 minutes, most likely), so be patient.  Once they are ready, set aside.

While the onions are caramelizing, prepare the tofu-cashew ricotta.  Blend together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, cashews, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor. Add the tofu and blend until the mixture is thick and well combined.  Then mix in the basil and salt. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Next, make the sage bread crumb topping.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.  Then stir in the bread crumbs, walnuts, sage, oregano, and paprika, and season with salt and pepper.  Stir until the mixture is lightly coated, and then remove from the heat.  Set aside. 

Now it's time to assemble the pasta mixture.  Mix the pumpkin, brown sugar, nutmeg, peppers, and vegetable broth into the tofu-cashew ricotta.  Then add in the cooked pasta and caramelized onions and stir until the pasta is coated.  Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula or spoon.  Then sprinkle the bread crumbs over top.  

Bake for about 28 minutes or until the breadcrumbs look golden brown.  Allow the pasta to sit for several minutes before serving. 

Yields about 8 servings.

Comments:
Taste:            

This pasta dish is incredibly rich (almost heavy) and smooth, thanks in no small part to the great tofu-cashew ricotta.  Far from overpowering, the pumpkin flavor is actually quite mild.  Simon and Rachel both enjoyed the subtle pumpkin flavor and we all appreciated the creaminess that it added to the dish.  The caramelized onions may have been my favorite part: they add a nice sweetness to each bite.  Unfortunately, we all agreed that there were too many bread crumbs, so I might cut them down a bit next time. 

Accessibility:         

This recipe has an extensive list of ingredients!  If you don't have some of the ingredients (especially in the bread crumbs), you can always consider leaving them out.  

Aside from the cashews, everything is pretty inexpensive.  (Why are nuts so expensive?  It must have something to do with the difficulty in shelling them.)  We didn't have trouble finding the ingredients. 

 Ease of Preparation:          

This recipe isn't too difficult to pull off, but it does take some time and attention.  I wrote the recipe to involve a fair amount of multitasking to save time, but it still took at least an hour to make. 

Non-vegan friendliness:         

Anyone who enjoys a creamy, rich pasta bake would enjoy this seasonal dish.  It's amazing how similar the tofu-cashew ricotta is to non-vegan ricotta.    

Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel

Butterscotch Blondie Bars with Peanut-Pretzel Caramel: sounds delicious, right??  Not the way I made them, unfortunately.

Looks can be deceiving!

I tried out this recipe from Epicurious with the intent of serving the bars at Rachel's birthday party, but things did not go according to plan.  I substituted a combination of unsweetened apple sauce and egg-replacer powder for the eggs, and I used coconut cream (the thick layer that rises to the top of a can of coconut milk) in place of heavy cream.

Even though the bars had a solid consistency and looked great, they didn't taste great.  The blondie bottoms were neither very sweet nor very flavorful (yet they were probably the best part of the bar).  Meanwhile, the caramel tasted slightly burnt.  Caramel is difficult to make, so I may have cooked it for too long or made some other mistake.  But, many Epicurious recipe reviewers also had trouble, so the recipe might need some tweaking, too.  I'm not going to write out the recipe here, but feel free to view the original.

In the end, I whipped up a batch of fudgy brownies instead of serving these blondie bars at the party.  If you do make these bars and you're successful, please let me know how you do it!  I believe they have the potential to be incredible.

Maafe (West African Peanut Stew)

Virginia is famous for its peanuts, but I recently learned that the history of Virginia peanut soup goes far beyond colonial Williamsburg.  Maafe, a traditional West African dish first made by the Mandinka and Bambara people of Mali, was brought to the United States through the slave trade and is the direct ancestor of Virginia peanut soup, according to African American foodways specialist Michael Twitty.  Maafe can be served with rice, couscous, or sweet potatoes, but when we made it the other night, we ate it as a stand-alone stew.  

I promise it tastes better than it looks.

Recipe:     
Maafe

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 onions, diced
• 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1.5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 - 10 or 14 ounce bag of cole slaw cabbage 

First, heat the oil and garlic in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

Then add all remaining ingredients except the cole slaw cabbage.  Stir together and bring to a boil.  Then add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.

Serve hot over rice or on its own.  Yields 6 servings.

Comments:
Taste:          

Rachel and I are maafe's new biggest fans.  The sauce is incredibly rich and creamy, and the peanut butter taste is subtle but pleasant.  My favorite part was that the acorn squash almost melts in your mouth.  Rachel compared the flavor of the sauce to chicken makhani.  Simon wasn't as keen on the dish because it lacked something to bite into, but I think serving it over rice or with some bread to dip in would add a bit more heft.

Accessibility:        

None of these ingredients is difficult to find.  You can substitute the bag of cole slaw for half of a head of cabbage, if you prefer. 

 Ease of Preparation:         

The recipe is pretty simple, but peeling the acorn squash was the opposite of simple.  It took forever to peel because of the ridges!  (We also don't have a vegetable peeler, which surely didn't help.)  Next time, I might try out these tips for peeling acorn squash: http://lazyhomesteader.com/2011/10/11/how-to-peel-an-acorn-squash/. 

Non-vegan friendliness:         

This dish has a great flavor and smooth texture, though I think it would be best eaten along with rice, bread, or something else (rather than on its own). 

Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

Hello, loyal readers.  I know I promised to post the salad recipe that goes along with the Spaghetti with Walnuts and Fried Breadcrumbs from last night, but I've decided against it.  It turns out that some things (job applications, for instance) take precedence over blogging about a fairly unexciting salad.

Don't fret, though: I am going to post a delicious focaccia recipe instead. 

What could be better than this?

Recipe:     
Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or another 1.5 cups all purpose flour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• olive oil, for greasing the baking sheet + 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

First, prepare the dough.  Stir together the flours, sugar, yeast, salt and 1.25 cups water in a large bowl.  Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands for five minutes.  Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

Meanwhile, generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Once the dough has risen, stretch the dough into a 12" x 11" rectangle in the pan.  Let rise for another hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare the focaccia topping.  Place the pistachios in a plastic bag and use the back of a spoon to crush them against your counter top (or use a food processor), leaving some larger pieces.  Transfer the pistachios to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Once the dough has risen, dimple the dough with your finger tips.  Whisk 2 tablespoons water into the topping mixture and brush the mixture onto the dough.  Then press the tomato halves cut-side up into the dough.  

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.  Serves 8. 

Comments:

Taste:      

The tomatoes, pistachios, and whole wheat dough come together into a hearty, nutty, toasty, yet fresh bite.  The light crust on the top of the focaccia adds a welcome crunch to the thick bread, and each tomato's sweet juiciness is icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

Pistachios should be easy to find--in my experience, they can be found in the bulk section of the grocery store, rather than in the snack nuts section--but they can be expensive.  Whole wheat pastry flour can also be replaced by regular flour for a lighter focaccia bread. 

 Ease of Preparation:        

There's nothing terribly complicated about this recipe, but it does take a long time and require some muscle. 

Non-vegan friendliness:       

"Mmmm!"  That is the sound that non-vegans make when they eat this focaccia bread. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Think you can only get soft pretzels at an over-priced stadium concession stand?  (Or from a convenience store, or in the frozen food section of the grocery store?)  Think again!
 

A pair of pretzels on a plate.

Simon and I took a stab at soft pretzel-making over the weekend.  Without a stand mixer and dough hooks to ease kneading, we put our muscles to good use.  That's what I call a work-out.

Recipe:     
Homemade Soft Pretzels

• 1.5 cups very warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces flour (a generous 4 1/2 cups) + more to flour your work surface
• 2 ounces vegan butter, melted
• Vegetable oil to grease your pans/work surfaces
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Pretzel or kosher salt to sprinkle on top

First, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and kosher salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one) until dissolved.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.

Then add the flour and butter.  Using a wooden spoon (or your stand mixer's dough hook attachment on low speed), mix until well combined. At this point, turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead--sprinkling flour to keep it from sticking, as needed--until the dough is smooth, approximately 5 minutes.  (Or, continue kneading in your stand mixer on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.  Then remove the dough from the bowl.)

Grease the inside of the empty dough bowl with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for approximately 50 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with oil.  Set aside.  Then combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the dough on a clean, lightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Using your hands, roll out each piece of dough into a 2-foot long cord.  To form each pretzel, start by making a U-shape with the dough.  Then, holding the ends at the top of the U, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U.  Carefully place each pretzel on the parchment-lined baking sheets.  

 Finally, one by one, carefully place each pretzel into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the pretzels from the pot using a large spatula and return them to the baking sheet.  Sprinkle salt over top of each pretzel while still wet.

Bake the pretzels until they are golden brown in color, about 14 minutes.

Yields 8 large pretzels.

Comments:

Taste:          

I was thrilled with how these pretzels came out.  Ours were a bit short and stout rather than long and lean, but they were still fluffy on the inside with a nice browning on the outside. 

Accessibility:   

Sometimes, staple ingredients are all you need.

 Ease of Preparation:      

This is a good weekend recipe because it does take a while to make, between the dough rising and kneading.  That said, it's pretty simple to do (even without a stand mixer).

Non-vegan friendliness:      

These taste better than many, if not most, of the soft pretzels I've had the pleasure of meeting. 

Sesame Seitan

Nothing says "It's the weekend" like Chinese take-out, right?  Almost.  This weekend we made our own, vegan version of a take-out classic--sesame chicken--with pretty great results. 

Why order out when you can make Sesame Seitan right in your kitchen?

Recipe:     
Sesame Seitan

• 2 - 8 ounce packages pre-made seitan (or you can make your own), drained and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1/2 cup + 1 cup flour (separated)
• 2 cup ice water (you might not use it all, but have it on hand)
• enough vegetable or peanut oil for frying
• 1 yellow squash, chopped matchstick size
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh, minced ginger
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1.5 cups frozen broccoli
• 1 cup frozen snap peas
• 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey or another liquid sweetener
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• sesame seeds, toasted (to garnish) 

 

First, combine the seitan and 1/2 cup flour in a plastic bag and shake until the seitan is coated.  Set aside.

Next, prepare the batter.  Put 1 cup flour in a small bowl and slowly whisk in the ice water, using just enough water to create a smooth, somewhat sticky batter.

Now you're ready to batter and fry the seitan.  First, right next to the stove, set out a plate covered with paper towels (this is where you will place the seitan once it has cooked).  Pour oil 1/2" deep into a large skillet and heat on high until the oil is hot.  Then dip some floured seitan into the batter and immediately, with care (hot oil will burn you if it splatters!), place the battered seitan into the oil to fry.  Do this with as much seitan as can comfortably fit in the skillet at once.  You'll need to turn over the seitan halfway through cooking, using tongs.  Once the seitan looks crispy, remove it from the skillet using tongs and place it on the paper towel plate to absorb excess oil while you repeat these steps with the remainder of the seitan.  Allow the cooked seitan to rest on the plate and set aside.

Then cook the vegetables.  Take about 1.5 tablespoons oil from the seitan skillet and pour it into another large skillet or saucepan.  Heat the oil on medium-high and add all of the vegetables.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil using a fork.  Add the sauce to the vegetables, stir, and then add the seitan and stir.  Cook until everything is heated through. 

 

Serve with brown rice and garnish with sesame seeds.  Yields 6 - 8 servings. 

Comments:

Taste:         

The breaded seitan is a little bit chewy and a little bit crispy, overall tasting shockingly similar to a dish you might find in a Chinese restaurant.  Beyond the sweet and savory sauce and the crunch that the vegetables add to the dish, my favorite part is the seitan's substantive mouthfeel.  You can really take a bite out of this dish, and each bite taken is incredibly satisfying.   

Accessibility: 

Unfortunately, a few of these ingredients are hard to find.  We buy seitan in large quantities at Whole Foods and store it in the freezer since we can't find it at our local grocery store.  Sesame oil is expensive, but you can buy it in little bottles (and there are numerous other recipes on this blog that call for it!).   

 Ease of Preparation:       

This was a fairly complicated dish to make, and we made quite a mess in the kitchen in the process.  Batter-splatter was everywhere.  But, I've tried to spell out the procedure as clearly as possible in the directions, above, so that everyone else can benefit from our first try.  

Non-vegan friendliness:      

I look forward to making this for non-vegan friends and family! 

Coconut Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

So much friendship; so much food!  Rachel and I had a friend over for dinner on Monday night.  We made a recipe which was passed along to me by another friend who has been living in China for the past year.  We enhanced the original recipe with a few little changes, and the results were quite favorable.

This dish pairs quite well with white wine, by the way.

Recipe:   
Coconut Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

Coconut Rice

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups lite coconut milk (or enough water + coconut milk to equal 2.5 cups liquid)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cups brown minute-rice

Prepare the rice first (or in advance).  Combine all ingredients except rice in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir in the rice and return to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 5 minutes.  Then remove from heat, stir, and let the rice stand 5 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed.  (Or, if you are using regular rice, prepare according to package instructions.)  Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside (or refrigerate until ready to use).

Curried Fried Rice with Tofu

• 1 head bok choy, chopped, keeping the white and green bits separate
• 2 packages extra-firm tofu, pressed and cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup olive or peanut oil
• 1 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 - inch chunk of ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1.5 cups frozen peas
• 1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons lime juice

First, prepare the bok choy.  I chose to steam the bok choy to give it a head start on cooking before adding it to the fried rice.  If you don't have a vegetable steamer, put about 3/4" water in the bottom of a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Add the white bits of bok choy, cover, and steam for 2 minutes before adding the green leaves and cooking, covered, for another 2 minutes.  Once the bok choy is pretty tender, drain and set aside.

Next, prepare the tofu.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, carefully add the tofu and allow to rest for a few minutes before turning it.  Continue cooking and turning until the tofu has browned on most sides.  Set aside.  

At this point, it's time to begin the fried rice.  Heat the garlic, ginger, and carrot over medium-high heat using the skillet in which you cooked the tofu (there should be a little oil left in the bottom--if there isn't, add a little more). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then add the curry powder and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.  Add the rice, peas, tofu, tomatoes, and bok choy and cook until heated through.  Finally, stir in the soy sauce and lime juice. 

Serves 6-8 people. 

Comments:

Taste:         

This is a beautifully colorful dish with a creamy texture and mild flavor.  I would have preferred if it were a bit spicier (I might add 1 minced jalapeno the next time I make this); Simon agrees that it was a bit bland.  Even though the flavor isn't too powerful, the dish definitely packs in a bunch of tasty vegetables and protein.  We all agreed that the carrots add a nice crunch to the dish, and we could have added raisins, too.

Accessibility: 

This is a very flexible dish.  Any of the vegetables could be swapped in our out depending on preferences, availability, and price.  For the record, bok choy was available at our regular grocery store, so it's probably available at yours too. 

 Ease of Preparation:      

It took a while to prepare this dish.  To cut down on prep time, you could prepare the rice and bok choy a day in advance (Maybe you don't even need to pre-cook the bok choy, but I didn't want to risk crunchiness, given our guest!).  Or, you might try using leftover rice.

Non-vegan friendliness:     

Simon, our very own carrot deflator, didn't think this dish was substantial enough to stand on its own.  That said, the three women agreed on Monday evening that it was a good meal.  With or without the tofu, this could also be a nice side dish.