Tofu Fried Rice

 

Tofu is a cheap source of protein, it's versatile and packed with nutrients. There are several variations of tofu fried rice, this recipe is my favourite, it is easy to prepare and difficult to mess up, especially when you don't have too much time on your hands. I made a small batch last week and devoured every single bite. 

 

 

Ingredients 

 

1 pack extra firm tofu (I used the whole foods 365 brand tofu, it's barley two dollars)

Half a red pepper chopped

Half a green pepper chopped

Half a spoon of minced garlic and minced ginger paste 

Half an onion chopped or a few scallions chopped (this is optional)

A cup of cooked rice (I used leftover basmati rice, you can used any long grain cooked rice)

Siracha sauce or traditional sambal (chilli paste)

Soy sauce

Salt and pepper 

Procedure 

 

Heat a thick pan and add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil. 

 

Add the onions/scallions and minced ginger and garlic and sauté. 

Add the red and green pepper and sauté for a minute or two, don't let it cook too soft.

 

Add the chopped tofu pieces and sauté gently. 

 

Add the cooked rice and stir it gently with a forked spatula or fork. 

 

Season with siracha sauce, soy sauce and check for salt and spice.

 

Soy sauce is salty, so it should be sufficient to flavour the rice but if you feel the need you can sprinkle more salt along with pepper and be sure to check before you serve it.

 

Sprinkle chopped green scallions (optional) and serve hot.

Farm Fresh Tomatoes

Some photographs taken at the farmer's market at foggy bottom earlier this year.

 

Egg Curry

An easy curry you can cook in 15 minutes.

Ingredients
 

Boiled eggs

1 onion 

1 tomato

2 small Thai green chillies (optional)
A few pinches of turmeric powder 

Half a spoon of ginger and garlic paste 

Few table spoons of marinara sauce 

Cayenne pepper powder for spice 

Few dollops of coconut milk

Salt to taste

Cilantro to garnish
 

Procedure
 

Take a medium sized pot, fill water until, bring to a rolling boil, add 3-4 eggs and let to cook. 

Heat a medium sized sauce pan, add a table spoon of oil (I prefer sunflower oil for all curries, but you can use canola or olive oil.)
 

Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, add and sauté the ginger and garlic paste until it smells fragrant and not raw. Add and sauté slit Thai green chillies, I like the heat and these chillies adds an extra thick to this curry, but this is optional if you don't think you can handle the spice, please exclude this from the recipe.

Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes, pour few table spoons of marinara sauce of your choice, I usually pick the garlicky one from whole foods (the reason I use marinara along with fresh tomatoes is it gives a good consistency to the curry, and it is effortlessly great for a quick curry recipe.)

 

When the mixture is simmering, peel the shells off the boiled eggs and keep it ready.
 

Season the curry with a pinch of  turmeric powder (for color) and cayenne pepper (for spice) adjust the amount of cayenne according to your spice tolerance. Finally add the boiled eggs and coconut milk.  

The coconut milk can subdue the heat from cayenne, keep checking for salt and spice and adjust accordingly and let it simmer for a few minutes until you get the consistency of your choice ( I prefer my egg curry slightly thick.) 

When the curry is ready, remove from stove top, add chopped cilantro leaves, and serve with cooked rice or bread of your choice!

Egg Curry in 15 minutes.  

Hello again!

I have been on a long hiatus, but now that I am officially done with school, I am planning to break the hiatus and begin food blogging again! I have lots of recipes, photographs and adventures to share. Living in DC is like a beautiful dream, it's a quaint, idyllic and, scenic (if you travel away from the city traffic that is) I am thankful that I have the opportunity to live, study and work in DC... but I have to admit here that it leaves a massive dent on your savings account. Rent alone costs an arm and leg, and if you can pay rent and still afford food you have everything my friend.

One of the best ways to mitigate the expense of living in DC is to cook your meals and cut down the cost of eating out  regularly. Now, I know it will be tough to balance school, work/internships and  come home and cook dinner, the trick is to go the simple route and stick to minimalistic recipes. I personally like recipes that don't need a new list of ingredients but that can be prepared with the things you can find in your pantry. Don't waste your life's savings on groceries, stock up on seasonal produce, spices, and other basics. Even if the only grocery stores found near your are Whole foods and Trader Joes, you can shop smart without going broke. Look for locally sourced seasonal produce to help you cut down your grocery bill. I never miss an opportunity to visit farmer's markets whenever I can, I personally like the one at foggy bottom, it's the closest one to me. I will create a separate post about  farmers market and share pictures as well :) I will also share some new tips and tricks I learned over the past 2 years and much requested India vegan and vegetarian recipes. For now,  Adios Amigos! :) I will see you soon with new post, meanwhile feel free to comment and share what new or classic recipes you would like to see in the blog! Happy weekend!