The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [74]
2. Add the coconut milk, water, and agave. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Add the sprouts and cilantro. Stir and serve.
Tips and Tricks
If you are using store-bought curry paste: Heat 1 tablespoon coconut, sesame, or olive oil in a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat to sauté the tofu and vegetables. Add in the curry paste in step 2 and continue with the instructions.
If You Have More Time
Eggplant is used a lot in Thai curry dishes. You can add 2 cups of chopped eggplant (about 1 medium-size eggplant) or substitute it for the tofu. It takes 5 to 10 minutes longer to simmer, depending on the toughness of the eggplant. Be careful to keep the flame on low; you don’t want the coconut milk to boil too much. Other delicious additions are 2 of cups squash, pumpkin, potatoes, or sweet potatoes, if you have a little more time.
QUINOA KITCHARI
Kitchari is considered one of the most healing meals according to the ancient Indian science of ayurveda. It translates as “mixture” and usually refers to a mixture of two grains. On a recent camping trip we discovered an amazing quick and easy kitchari—a one-pot meal that can even be cooked over a fire within thirty minutes. We dubbed it Kalalau Stew or Quinoa Kitchari.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
5 cups water or stock
1 small yellow onion, chopped
8 whole garlic cloves
¼ cup minced fresh herbs such as cilantro, Italian parsley, and dill
Soy sauce
Sea salt and black pepper
1. Place all ingredients except herbs, soy sauce, salt, and pepper, in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat.
2. Cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The consistency should be just slightly liquidy. Add more water if necessary as cooking. Add herbs, soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.
Variations
• The variations are countless. You can add 1½ cups of your favorite vegetables, chopped small, along with the quinoa. Try carrot, celery, zucchini, cabbage, or asparagus.
• Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 tablespoon of ground cumin or Indian Spice Blend (page 277).
• You may enjoy squeezing some fresh lime juice and drizzling a little toasted sesame oil over individual servings of kitchari.
• Add 1 tablespoon of miso paste and 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger or pickled ginger.
JAMAICAN VEGETABLE MEDLEY
Although it would seem that Jamaicans grill a lot, for thirty-minute meals we often prefer broiling for its ease and cleanliness factors. This dish is fabulously accompanied by Baked Plantains (page 186), and Coco Rice (page 195), but some quick quinoa and a side of salad greens are a suitable match as well.
SERVES 4
½ pound extra-firm tofu or tempeh, cut into large cubes (see page 27)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
10 large cremini mushrooms, halved
½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped large
½ green bell pepper, seeded and chopped large
½ yellow onion, chopped large
10 cherry tomatoes
1 recipe Jerk Sauce (recipe follows)
Jerk Sauce
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon molasses
¼ cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1. Preheat the oven to a high broil. Place the tofu cubes in a baking dish or glass storage container (something with a flat bottom) and cover with the soy sauce by gently mixing well with your hands. Allow them to marinate while preparing the other vegetables. Place all of the other vegetables