Triple Green Curry

This southeast Asian curry has got a triple dose of green. First, you start with a blended green curry paste made with shallots, spices, and chilies. Second, you cook some nutritious green veggies (broccoli and bok choy) in a delicious coconut broth spiked with the curry paste. Third, you sprinkle fresh green herbs (basil and mint) over the whole thing at the end.

Triple Green Curry
From Cooking Light

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 8 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1-3 small serrano chiles, seeded (depending on how heat-tolerant you are)
• 2 large shallots, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 2 cups sliced baby bok choy
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 14-oz can light coconut milk
• 14-oz package water-packed organic firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups hot cooked long-grain white rice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Combine first 7 ingredients (through shallots) in a food processor and process until smooth. Set aside.

Cook broccoli florets in boiling water in a large Dutch oven 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove broccoli from water with a slotted spoon; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside. Return water to a boil. Add baby bok choy to pan; cook 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain and set aside.

Heat Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add cilantro mixture to pan; saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add sugar and next 4 ingredients (through coconut milk) to pan. Bring to a boil. Add tofu; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until slightly thick. Add broccoli, bok choy, and juice. Cook 1 minute or until heated, tossing to combine.

Place 1/2 cup rice in each of 4 bowls. Spoon 1 1/2 cups tofu mixture over each serving. Sprinkle basil and herbs over each serving.

Banana and Yam Stew

Two summers ago I had the amazing opportunity to go on a wildlife-viewing safari in Tanzania with my mom. Going to Africa to see the animals was one of her lifelong dreams, so it was a pretty unforgettable experience for her as well as for me. We saw some incredible things and I got the chance to take some great photos.

While we were there, we also had a great time talking to our guide during the long car rides between the Tanzanian national parks. He and all the other guides we met were so nice and always willing to tell us about everything we wanted to know, from Swahili words to Tanzanian history lessons to tidbits on Maasai culture.

While we were in the central Serengeti we spent a couple nights at a private camp where we could hear the wildlife moving about outside our tent. The last night at the camp, we asked the guides to cook us a traditional Tanzanian meal. They made a huge feast for us, but the thing I remember best was a coconut milk-based stew with yams and green bananas and all sorts of spices.

This recipe, from one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks, is really similar to that stew. I don't know if it's exactly the same, but it's really good and brings back great memories.

Banana and Yam Stew
From Linda McCartney on Tour

• 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, divided
• 2 pounds yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped roughly
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon each ground cloves, cumin, and turmeric
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/4 cups coconut milk
• 1 quart vegetable stock, plus another cup of water if you prefer
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• 2 green bananas, sliced

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the yams or sweet potatoes and cook until slightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to a plate or bowl. In the same pot, heat the other tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add the jalapeno, cilantro, onion, tomato, carrot, garlic, and spices. Cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaves and lower the heat to a simmer. Stir in the cornstarch mixture. Add the bananas and yams/sweet potatoes. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Thai Coconut Soup

I always love trying new recipes, so I don't usually make the same thing twice unless it's really good. So you should know it's really saying something that I've made this Thai coconut soup more times than I can remember.

This soup recipe comes from my favorite vegetarian cookbook, Linda McCartney On Tour.* Ms. McCartney was an animal rights activist who refused to "eat anything with a face." Her cookbook is fantastic and contains recipes influenced by all sorts of different world cultures and cuisines. I do have to say that I disagree with her choice of name for this recipe -- she calls it "tom yum soup," but it has pretty much zero in common with tom yum (at least as I'm familiar with it). This soup has more in common with tom kha gai, since it has a coconut base, except this is a vegetarian version with lots more veggies. And in my opinion, more deliciousness.

Whatever you want to call it, this soup has lots of wonderful flavors, and like all good soups it tastes even better the next day.

 Thai Coconut Soup

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper (or other, if your store has interesting types), seeded and minced
• 2 stalks lemongrass (if my store doesn't have it, I sometimes add some lime zest instead)
• 3/4 pound eggplant, cut into half-inch cubes
• One 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• One 14-ounce can of coconut milk
• Cilantro, anywhere from 2 to 4 tablespoons (or none at all)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 to 1 cup cooked jasmine, basmati, or long grain brown rice
• Chopped peanuts, for garnish
  

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the oil. When it is hot, add the garlic, onion, jalapeno, and lemongrass stalks (leave them whole, or at least in large enough pieces that you can easily remove them later). Stir-fry for 2 minutes, then add the eggplant and cook for about 4 minutes until it has browned. Stir in the sugar and tomatoes, and mix well. Add the stock, coconut milk, and cilantro (if using). Bring to a simmer, season to taste with salt and pepper, and simmer gently for about 5-10 minutes. Add the rice about 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Remove the lemongrass, pour the soup into bowls, and garnish with the chopped peanuts.

*Note: to be distinguished from my favorite vegan cookbook, which is definitely Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. You'll definitely see recipes from that book cropping up on this blog more than once.