Chow Vegan

Spooky Thai Vegetable Curry

October 23, 2016 By chow 8 Comments

This is the tale of the Spooky Thai Vegetable Curry. It begins as all such tales begin, on a dark and stormy night. A weekly gathering of random left over vegetables thrown into a kitchen-sink type of Thai-inspired green curry for an easy dinner. Until that fateful night, when half a red cabbage joined in.

The finished curry started off innocently enough, in the light of day, it looked bright and colorful. See above as proof positive. Quite the tasty dinner. But as darkness fell and the leftover curry put to bed in the refrigerator for the night, a transformation took place.

At noon the next day, the cook discovered the curry had developed a ghoulish purple cast, turning itself into Spooky Thai Vegetable Curry. Even though the curry looks very Halloweenie, the taste went unchanged, if anything it’s better. See? S P O O K Y.

Spooky Thai Vegetable Curry

Makes about 4 servings

The veggies can vary depending on what’s on hand. Besides the vegetables below, I’ve also thrown in various combinations of: sweet potatoes, green beans, baby corn, broccoli, and eggplant. But if you want the spooky effect, the red cabbage is a must as is a night in the fridge.

4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
1/2 medium red cabbage, cut into pieces
2 large red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 medium carrot, sliced
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
1 small zucchini, sliced
Handful of torn kale
1/2 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into cubes
13.5-ounce can of coconut milk
1 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste, store-bought or home-made
1 tablespoon tamari
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
Cilantro for garnish

In a wok, bring the coconut milk to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the green curry paste, tamari and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes.

Add in the vegetables with the longer cooking ones at the bottom (potatoes, carrot, etc), quicker cooking on top (tofu, cabbage, etc). The wok will be quite full but it’s okay as it’ll cook down some. Cook for 10 minutes, stir and add in the kale. Cook another 10 minutes or so until the potatoes are tender.

Garnish with the cilantro and serve with rice. For a spooky purplish cast, let cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day, reheat to serve.

Jackfruit Curried Rice

October 15, 2016 By chow 10 Comments

In a previous post, I popped open that accidental can of ripe jackfruit in syrup that’s been sitting around the pantry and made Chinese Tomato “Beef”. Home-style comfort food for me, but maybe tomato “beef” is not your cup of tea. Perhaps Jackfruit Curried Rice is more to your liking – fluffy grains of curry flavored rice with bits of sweetness from jackfruit and raisins.

Ripe jackfruit in syrup taste like a cross between pineapple and banana with an intoxicating fragrance. With nine pieces of jackfruit in one 20-oz can, I’ve made tomato “beef” twice already. Then thought maybe I should try the sweet jackfruit in another savory dish, subbing out the pineapple for jackfruit in my Curried Pineapple Rice recipe.

Super easy to make in a rice cooker, just throw things into the pot, press the cook button and 45 minutes later, you’ve got jackfruit curried rice. It’s no accident I’m now buying cans of sweet jackfruit on purpose.

Jackfruit Curried Rice

Makes about 5 cups

4 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water until soft, cut off stems and dice
1 1/2 cups white basmati rice (using the measuring cup that came with the rice cooker)
1/2 cup raisins
2 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/2 lime, juiced
2 green onion stalks, chopped
3 pieces of canned ripe jackfruit in syrup, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds (optional)

Cooking directions is for use with a 5.5 cups capacity rice cooker. Using the inner pot of the rice cooker, rinse the rice well in several changes of water until the water is clear. Add water to the marked level on the inner pot according to the rice cooker’s directions.

Add the rest of the ingredients except for the green onion, jackfruit and almonds. Select the setting to cook white rice and press start.

After the rice cooker beeps, stir in the green onions and jackfruit. Turn it off and serve or leave on the “warm” setting until ready to serve. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on top if using.

Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon link, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

Patxi’s Pizza Vegan Thin Crust

October 9, 2016 By chow 8 Comments

Patxi's Vegan Thin Crust Pizza

Did you know October is National Pizza Month? And it’s World Vegetarian Month too. Celebrate by smooshing them together and you can have a month of vegan pizza eating.

Starting off with Patxi’s Pizza, last time I got the vegan deep dish in downtown Palo Alto. A newer location opened that’s much closer to me in downtown San Carlos, still it took awhile for me to finally get over there and try out their thin crust pizza.

Because October is also Spinach Lovers Month*, I got the 10-inch thin crust Spinacini – fresh spinach, whole roasted garlic cloves, roasted grape tomatoes and extra-virgin olive oil, swapped out the fresh mozzarella for Daiya vegan cheese. There’s no additional charge for vegan or gluten-free substitutions (yay for not being nickel-and-dime to death on that).

Patxi's Vegan Thin Crust Pizza Slice

If you’re ordering the deep dish, order as soon as you sit down as it takes awhile to cook. The thin crust comes out much quicker. There’s salad and apps if you desired such things, I was there just for the pizza, after all, it is National Pizza Month. Good hot out of the oven, but I like it better the day after when the flavors have a chance to meld a bit more.

*Where do all these different national food months come from? Can anyone just make one up? Is there one for vegan food? For reals, Vegan Month of Food better known as VeganMoFo, coming up in November this year.