easy multi-purpose asian salad dressing

peanut butter sauces have always been one of my favourites, especially when smothering a plateful of vegetarian pan-fried szechuan dumplings or dressing up a spicy chicken & napa cabbage salad. thankfully, i have no allergies to peanut products like so many people today seem to have. gone are the days when (almost) every kid brought peanut butter sandwiches to school for lunch.

so, if you are in a peanut-friendly house and can safely enjoy sauces and salad dressings like this, it makes for a nice change from the everyday oil and vinegar based kind — especially since this one is considered to be calorie reduced.

tangy 'n spicy peanut butter sauce

this sauce is quite versatile as it can be used as a salad dressing, a sauce for a pasta salad, a dipping sauce for vegetables, a compliment to asian dumplings or whatever else the mind conjures up. quite light, in comparison to other kinds of peanut butter-based sauces, this one is taken from one of the many moosewood cookbooks which, for the most part, always seems to have quite decent recipes. the following version is considered to be a calorie-reduced one as it uses water and tomato instead of introducing any more oil.

makes about 1 cup

ingredients:

4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 - 4 tbsp water (start with 2 T)
1 large clove garlic
1 green chili, seeds removed
2 tbsp rice vinegar or regular type
1 tbsp honey or brown rice syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce (dark or japanese type)
1/4 c diced tomato (don't omit)
1 inch cube fresh ginger
2 tsp lemon or lime juice

method:

coarsely chop (or mince if your blender is not that strong) the ginger, garlic and green chili. decide beforehand how hot you want it -- perhaps start with half the chili, if you don't like things too hot.

place all in a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. add the extra 2 T of water, if needed. taste and adjust. it shouldn't need salt as it comes from the soy sauce (unless you are using low sodium type).

keep in the refrigerator.

enjoy!

a great sauce

this post is a bit late and really should have either been the prelude to, or follow-up for falafel 101, but i guess better late than never ;P

for years i have seen people commenting all over the internet about how they have had difficulties making this sauce. i don't really understand why as it is very straightforward and a breeze to make — it is pretty much fool proof. in conversation one day with someone, it dawned on me one day that part of the problem stemmed from the fact that some people are making the mistake of not incorporating the settled oil and paste together before using it! they simply take the hardened mass of paste to make it. though i've never done this, i imagine this is part of the problem.

the base for this sauce, which is commonly used on falafel, is the slightly bitter paste made from hulled and only lightly roasted sesame seeds. after bottling and settling, a thick cement-like paste will solidify on the bottom of the jar and a layer of sesame oil will float on top. in order to use the paste, it has to be stirred well and shaken to blend it back into one cohesive sauce.

called tahin'ah ("tahini") طحينة in arabic, and techina תחינה in hebrew [both words stemming from the meaning "ground up"], this mixture is also used as a sauce for meat dishes, on roasted or steamed vegetables and for making the middle eastern type of halvah. it can also be used in baking and as a substitute, in some cases, for peanut butter.

sesame seed paste is not only a middle eastern thing; different varieties exist in regional cuisines of china, japan and korea. the asian one is much darker however.

the tehina sauce can be made either completely by hand as i do it or in a food processor or blender. obviously, the latter two methods are quicker and less labour intensive. making it by hand is not much harder and remains my preferred method.


tehina sauce
basic sesame seed sauce

ingredients:

1/2 c "tahini" paste

2- 4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp coarse salt

1/2 c water
juice of 1 lemon

salt & sugar to taste
ground cumin, optional

"by hand" method:

mix the paste into the oil if necessary and then shake very well. repeat a few times until you have a smooth mixture which is pourable. be sure to mix from the bottom of the jar.

peel the garlic cloves and place them in a mortar with the coarse salt. grind them together until you have a paste.

place the garlic in a 2 cup measuring cup that you can pour from. add the lemon juice to it and mix well.

add the water and mix again.

place the tehina in bowl and add 1/3 of the liquid. mix it well. it will become like a thick sauce, almost like peanut butter.

add the next third of the liquid.

once you stir it, you will see it changes colour and becomes pastier and clumpier. this is normal.

add the last third of the liquid. it will form a mass at this point usually.

keep mixing until it is thin and airy. the bubbles will disappear afterwards.

add salt and a bit of sugar (to balance the lemon and salt) and cumin if desired -- i never use it but some people like it.

whip the sauce again for a minute and serve.

the sauce will probably thicken upon refrigeration. just add a bit more lemon juice or water and mix it well with a whisk.

food processor or blender method:

if making in a processor or blender, place the garlic, lemon juice, water and salt together and puree until the garlic is incorporated. you should not have chunks or large pieces; it needs to be smooth.

add the tehina paste to the blender or processor and incorporate both until you have an off-white thin sauce. add more water if you want it thinner.

add salt, a bit of sugar and cumin if desired.

enjoy!

a multipurpose tomato sauce & good health

i generally do not like buying prepared food. for the most part, it is filled with chemicals or excessive amounts of fats and sugars & salt and processed in ways which have been shown to be harmful to our bodies.

finding a good multipurpose tomato sauce which i liked and would eat hasn't been too easy. most always seem to have some sort of cheese in them or vegetables which do not appeal to me or work with what i am making. i therefore always make my own. it is cheaper and can be whipped up in a few minutes without much work on my part.

this one is not long and involved like those that seem to take hours to cook.

according to many a report, cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene and extremely beneficial to our good health.

take a look at the famous san marzano, the type used in premium tomato sauces, and a few other varieties of italian tomatoes like the pachino and casalino.

photo: italian seed company

& more about il pomodoro san marzano here.

fast & flexible tomato sauce

this is a basic pasta sauce which is not only flexible, it is downright simple and can be made quickly and with few ingredients. it can also be used right away or frozen for future use. it is something i always have on hand and know how it will taste each time i use it. i use it as a base for many recipes and can control both the texture and flavour of it — something i cannot do with a bottled sauce.

ingredients:

1 [28 oz] can diced tomatoes
1 [5.5 oz] can tomato paste
1/2 [28 oz] can water
2 - 4 tbsp good quality olive oil
1 - 2 tsp salt
1 - 3 tbsp sugar

1/2 c red [or white] wine*
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder*
1 1/2 tsp onion powder*
1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed red chili pepper [flakes]*
1/2 tsp oregano*
1/4 tsp thyme*

*optional but good to include


method:

combine all ingredients* [see below] in a wide pan [to hasten evaporation & cooking] and bring to a boil over medium heat.

let boil gently for 10 minutes.

cover the pan partially so you do not have a tremendous splattering of tomato sauce everywhere.

lower heat to very low and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until thickened. adjust seasonings to suit your taste and use right away or cool and freeze for future use.

*use a potato masher or process the tomatoes with either a food mill or food processor or blender slightly before adding if you do not want thick chunks of tomatoes [depending on the texture of your canned sauce].

notes:

* you can sauté onions and/or garlic and mushrooms to add to sauce if you like
* precooked ground beef can be put in the sauce or meatballs
* any vegetable cut in small dice can be added to fortify & personalize the sauce
* white wine can be used
* sugar is added to balance the acidity [i do not like acidic and rough sauces]
* olive oil is added to give depth to the sauce, you may omit it
* you can use a can of crushed tomatoes but the sauce will be thicker. add more liquid.

to use this as a pizza sauce, place in either a blender, food mill or processor and purée if you have not done so earlier.

basic marinara sauce

this is the basic, no-frills, tomato sauce which is a staple in any italian kitchen and often used as a building block for many dishes. it is said to have originated in naples [napoli] and was the sauce which was fed to the marinari, or sailors upon their returns. the following recipe is for a marinara in its simplest form.

image: coins

marinara sauce

ingredients:

1/4 c olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 [28 oz] can diced tomatoes
1/2 can water
6 large leaves of basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 - 2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

method:

in a pot, heat oil and cook sliced garlic til very, very lightly browned and oil is fragrant.

carefully add the can of tomatoes and crush them a bit with a spoon or a potato masher. add the water and stir.

rip the basil into shreds and add it along with the seasonings and spices.

cook the sauce, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, stirring on and off until reduced to the texture you prefer.

thoum — aïoli's lebanese cousin

update (2008): i have now posted version II for this recipe. the following is more on the traditional side (eggless). read both posts to decide which you want/like!


[this would have come in helpful for fighting vampires last night ....]

thoum is the unctuous concoction of only a few basic ingredients which are pounded together, or in this case blended, to form a zesty sauce used as a condiment for meats, fish, vegetables or dipping in pita, fries or better yet — coating crispy, oven roasted potato wedges.

many mediterranean cultures have variations of this punchy garlic sauce. different versions include the provençal aïoli, the greek scordalia, and the catalonian allioli. there are also subvariations such as the french aillade.

to make this recipe you must have your mise-en-place ready. it can sometimes be a fussy sauce because of the oil & acid amalgamation. it is not the sort of thing you stop to go and ream your lemon and then measure oil.

in terms of preparation techniques, traditionally the thoum is made in a wooden mortar but it can be made the easier and faster way, in a blender or food processor, with the blender being a better choice. the sauce can be made with just garlic, lemon juice, salt and oil but this is an unstable mixture requiring skill at combining the oil with the garlic — a sometimes difficult procedure, especially for beginners. because of this, people will add a thickener like potato, mayonnaise or soaked bread which has been squeezed dry to bind it. i am showing you the easier way here today and will post the other method some time in the future. i suggest reading the whole recipe first before starting to decide how you want to proceed with it.

updated version *II* here.

thoum

ingredients:


1 head of garlic, separated & peeled
1/8 c lemon juice [up to 1/4 c]
1/2 - 1 tsp kosher salt, not regular small grained
1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 c mild olive oil
1/4 c vegetable oil

thickening agents:

1 very small floury potato OR
mayonnaise (LOTS) OR
bread soaked & squeezed dry


method:

choose a small floury potato [not waxy, this is important], peel it and either microwave it or cook it in a small pot of boiling water. you may cut it in 4 pieces to cook faster. let it cool and set aside for use later.

separate all the cloves of the garlic, peel and place aside. measure out your salt, lemon juice and oil. put the oil in a pyrex type vessel that you can pour from.

in a blender, add the salt and garlic and process until very well ground. add your lemon juice. start with 1/8 c to begin with [if you would like it more sour, add another tablespoon or two at this point]. i add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp sugar to balance the lemon.

with the motor running on low, start to very slowly add the oil in a steady stream.

after about 1/4 c has been added, turn up the speed and continue adding the rest until all has been added. blend for about 20 seconds at high speed.


at this point, the thoum is ready to use. it will most likely be quite thin, especially if you used the 1/4 c of lemon. that is fine, it is a matter of taste and how you will use this. in its thin form, it can be used to roast vegetables, like potatoes, in the oven. if you want the restaurant type version continue with the next step. note that many of the restaurant versions are basically mayonnaise which heavily flavoured with garlic and some lemon juice. so, if that is what you are after, use mayonnaise to thicken the thoum. mostly likely you will need lots of mayonnaise to thicken this amount of garlic, oil & lemon juice so you may want to make only half as much as a trial.

it can be thickened two or three ways —

add half of the small potato and blend well about 30 seconds. test the viscosity. if you want it thicker, add the rest.

the other options are to use soaked and squeezed bread in small amounts or mayonnaise. the way we get it here where i live, it is more of a mayonnaise-y sauce which i don't not like. you choose how you like it. if adding mayonnaise, i suggest doing it carefully so as to prevent separation. you may want to blend it in with the garlic sauce by hand.

remember, it's strong!
enjoy in modest amounts.