TOFU IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE

We tried this dish in a local Chinese restaurant recently. This was served as a starter. I tried to remember all the ingredients in the sauce and make the exact dish later that week. We had it with noodles. This can be served with rice also and the tofu can be substituted with any type of meat and vegetables and broccoli.

INGREDIENTS:
1. Tofu, 1 packet, I have used silken tofu here.
2. Small onions, 2.
3. Garlic, 3 large cloves.
4. Chopped cilantro, ½ cup.
5. Green chili, 1.
6. Low-sodium soya sauce, 2 tablespoons.
7. Chili and garlic sauce, 1 teaspoon. (I used a less spicier version).
8. Corn flour, 1 teaspoon.

PREPARATION:
Mix the corn flour, soya sauce, and chili garlic sauce with half cup of water. Keep stirring until there are no lumps in the mixture and keep aside. Slice the small onions into thin even slices, slice the garlic into very thin slices, and dice the green chili finely. Cut the tofu into even bite-size pieces. Heat a pan with some sesame oil and add the sliced onions, garlic and chili and keep sautéing until the onions are transparent. Add the sauce mixture now along with chopped cilantro and let it cook for 5 minutes. Once the mixture starts to thicken, add the tofu and let it cook for a few more minutes. Serve hot over noodles or rice.

Note: I have not added salt here as there is enough salt in the soya sauce. If needed, some extra salt can be added according to taste

Garlic Porcini Mushroom Pasta

 

Sometime ago, I received dried porcini mushrooms from MarxFoods and tried it with bow tie pasta.  I like bow tie pasta for it's pretty shape and texture when cooked al dente.  Porcini mushroom is often used in risotto and soups but I prefer it sauteed in butter, garlic and shallots then added to pasta.  It's meaty, nutty flavor blends well with these ingredients. For me lemon juice and fresh cilantro adds a brightness to the dish but if you are partial to parsley, you can use that too. So, here is my jazzed up version of olive oil-garlic pasta. If you opt to add cream or cheese, make sure you adjust your seasonings.

1 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp salted butter
1 Tbsp minced garlic
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in warm water, strained, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro (parsley or another herb, if you prefer)
a squeeze of lemon (depends on how acidic you want it)
salt and pepper to taste
1- 2 cups cooked bow tie pasta

Heat the canola oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook till golden brown.  Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook about 5 minutes then add the cilantro and turn off heat.  Squeeze some lemon juice and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Mix in cooked bow tie pasta and serve.

Did you know?

1. Mushrooms are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidant, vitamins and minerals.

2. All parts of the cilantro plant can be used for cooking. The fresh leaves are used in soups and are indispensable in salsa. The roots have an intense flavor and are used in Thai cuisine.The dry seeds of cilantro are known as coriander seeds.

3. Although I love cilantro in my food, some people dislike its taste.  Cilantro is very popular in American Southwest cuisine but not in Europe and in some part of Asia.  Some people seem to detect a "soapy" flavor or an faint odor, similar to "bedbugs".  What do you think?  Some say there is a genetic basis for this perception, but there is no firm evidence. In my family, my son and hubby don't care for cilantro.  Do you use cilantro in your dishes?  What flavors goes well it?