Warm Cabbage Salad with Tofu (and optional Sweet Chili Glaze)

I know. It sounds gross.  But it's actually really really good!  And healthy. 

CRISPY TOFU WITH WARM CABBAGE SALAD

(from Cook's Illustrated Dinner Tonight)

serves 4-6

28 oz (800g) tofu (or however much you have)

salt and pepper

4 scallions

fresh cilantro - big bunch

fresh mint - big bunch! (although I've successfully used dried mint)

¾ C peanuts

3 T plus ¾ C vegetable oil

5 T rice vinegar

2 T soy sauce

2 T sugar

1 t Asian chilli-garlic sauce

14 oz (400g) green coleslaw mix (or, if you don't *have* that where you live - use the food processor to cut up some cabbage and carrots into slaw!)

¾ C cornstarch (or rice flour)

¼ C cornmeal

1. Prep tofu – cut into 3 inch x ½ inch planks (or whatever size you want, mine are usually 3cm x 1 cm). Let drain for 20 min. or put in a dish towel and place something heavy on top to squeeze out the water. Season with salt and pepper (optional!)

2. While tofu drains, slice scallions thin. Pick ½ C cilantro leaves. Chop ½ C mint. Chop peanuts. Put in large bowl with coleslaw mix.

3. Make dressing. Whisk 3 T oil, 5 T rice wine vinegar, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T sugar, 1 t chili-garlic sauce in bowl. Cover and microwave until simmering. (1-2 min) Measure out and reserve 2 T dressing.

4. Toss salad. Toss remaining dressing with coleslaw, scallions, cilantro, mint and peanuts in a large bowl. (leave peanuts off til serving so they stay crunchy!)

5. Mix cornstarch/rice flour and cornmeal in shallow dish. Coat pieces of tofu thoroughly and transfer to a large plate.

6. Heat ¾ C oil (I usually use about 2 T) in 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, cook tofu until both sides are crisp and brown. (about 4 min each side). Transfer to paper towel lined plate. When all the tofu is cooked, I put it all in the pan and drizzle with the reserved dressing - it sizzles and steams and gives a nice crunchy coating. Serve with cabbage salad.

For an added treat, you can make this glaze for the tofu.

SWEET CHILI GLAZED TOFU

(from Complete Vegetarian Cookbook)

½ C water

½ C rice vinegar

1/3 C sugar (or honey)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 t Asian chilli-garlic sauce

2 t cornstarch (or rice flour)

¼ C minced fresh cilantro

salt

FOR THE GLAZE: Whisk water, vinegar, sugar, garlic, chili-garlic sauce, and cornstarch together in bowl. Wipe out now-empty skillet with paper towels, add glaze, and simmer over medium heat until syrupy and reduced to 1¼ cups, 2 to 3 minutes. 5. Off heat, stir in cilantro. Add tofu and turn to coat with glaze. Season with salt to taste and serve.

 

Lentil Bulgur Herbed Salad

Herbed Lentil Bulgur Salad

One day, in a time long long ago, I joined Sparkpeople in an attempt to lose weight. Hah!   With all seriousness I signed up for the daily Sparkpeople recipe.  I have used exactly ONE of those recipes.  In 5 years.  It's this one. And it's really good. and really versatile.  Especially when you live in a country with open markets full of nice vegetables and fresh herbs.  (Pretend there is a picture of the market here, with stalls overflowing with produce and big bunches of green stuff.)  Below is the actual recipe.  Along with my own notes.

It is a great one to bring to school for lunch, or on picnics, or to people's houses, because it is best served at room temperature and you can put whatever you have in it.

Chef Meg's Herbed Bulgur and Lentil Salad

1 c dry lentils, preferably green or brown (not the kind that disintegrate into soup upon cooking)
2 c water
1 c dry bulgur  (I mix up two different size and color bulgurs, because I can!)
1 c boiling water
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t salt
2 T mint, chopped
2-3T dill, chopped
fresh black pepper, to taste
1/4 c parsley, chopped
1/3 c red onion, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, diced (or really any kind of pepper works well!)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (not really, we still don't get it here very much.  so I often grate a carrot into it instead!)

Optional additions (calories not included in total but are noted below):
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese (add 25 calories, 2 g fat per appetizer-size serving)
1/2 c niçoise or other black olives (add 10 calories, 1 g fat)  (just ask Barb about my favorite kinds of olives!)
1 tomato, diced
1/2 c walnuts, toasted and chopped (add 50 calories, 5 g fat)
squeezable wedges of lemon, for garnish

I usually go with feta cheese (Beyaz Peynir for the Turks among us!) and diced tomato.  I've been known to sprinkle with almonds or sunflower seeds too...

Directions

Wash lentils. Place in a medium-sized saucepan, cover with water, and bring just to the boiling point. Turn the heat down, partially cover, and allow to simmer without stirring for 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain well, and then transfer to a large bowl.
While the lentils are cooking, place the bulgur in a small bowl. Add boiling water, cover with a plate, and let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
Add everything to the lentils, except tomato chunks, walnuts, and lemon wedges if using. Mix gently but thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate.
Just before serving, top with tomatoes and feta cheese. Garnish with lemon wedges.


Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 159.2

Total Fat: 7.1 g

Cholesterol: 0.0 mg

Sodium: 300.4 mg

Total Carbs: 21.0 g

Curried Couscous Salad

Friday Night Dinners

There is a long-standing tradition of Friday Night Dinners in Istanbul.  Although they originally started out as Sunday Night Dinners.  When a few close friends had children the same age as mine, we discovered that getting together on a Friday night is a great way to end the week.  The grown ups get to chat and have a drink and the children get to play.  Friday Nights With Kids started as ordering in pizzas to go with our bottles of wine.  Now that the kids are older, we cook when we have time.  Last night's dinner featured this Curried Couscous Salad which was adapted from a Barefoot Contessa recipe.

I first met this salad at a class picnic held at Robert College, overlooking the Bosphorus.  Every time I eat it I am reminded of the mother who made it telling me how easy it was (it is!), the fact that I ate several helpings of it, the smells of lambs ear and fresh cut grass, and the view of the Bosphorus sparkling on a sunny day.

CURRIED COUSCOUS SALAD

 adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

1 1/2 cups couscous (or bulgur if you don't have couscous! I like to mix a large wheat bulgur with smaller bulgur for a little textural variety!)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup small-diced carrots

1/2 cup small-diced red peppers

1/2 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins - I prefer dried cranberries

1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds - or sunflower seeds, or any other nut or seed you like!

2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

1/4 cup small-diced red onion

Directions

Place the couscous/bulgur in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in the boiling water and pour over the couscous. Cover tightly and allow the couscous to soak for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.  (If using the large wheat bulgur, add a little extra water and cook it a bit before turning off the heat to soak up the water)

Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, curry, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Pour over the fluffed couscous, and mix well with a fork. Add the carrots, red peppers, parsley, dried fruit, nuts/seeds, scallions, and red onions, mix well, and season to taste. Serve at room temperature

Barb's Italian Orzo Salad

Barb's Italian Orzo Salad

I've just returned from Spring Break in Italy, and a trip to the grocery story is always a highlight for me in a new country!  I managed to find some "Risoni", or Orzo to we Americans, and that was the inspiration for this dish.  Here's how I made it:


Italian Orzo Salad -makes 4 small side dish servings, or  2 salad size servings

Ingredients:

1   cup Orzo
1   medium zucchini
1   Tb Pesto
1   Tb olive oil
1   tsp oregano or Italian herb mix
5-6  sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1   large ripe tomato, chopped
5-6  Kalamata olives, chopped
Fresh Parmigiano Reggiano
2 Tb  roasted pine nuts
Parsley

Begin by cooking 1 cup orzo  in boiling water for 8 minutes.  I put a little chicken bouillon in for flavor.  The orzo comes out very sticky--but don't rinse as this will help the dressing adhere.

While the orzo is cooking, chop 1 fresh zucchini into cubes and saute in a pan with a little olive oil (about 1 Tb or so).  Add fresh garlic when it is nearly done, about 30 seconds before removing.

Drain the cooked orzo with a mesh strainer and put in a bowl.  Add and stir in:

1 Tb   pesto sauce
1 Tb   olive oil (more or less, depending how oily your pesto is, or use the oil from the dried tomatoes)
2 tsp    Oregano or Italian Herb mix

Stir this around, and then add in the sauteed zucchini, both kinds of tomatoes, chopped, and the olives, also chopped.  Add more or less of anything to taste.  Or leave out the olives completely!  Grate the Parmigiano and add in the roasted pine nuts and stir, and then put some more Parmigiano
shavings on top.  Parsley would also be pretty if you have some.  You can change it up with feta instead.