quick-fix desserts & snacks — no. 1

even though i buy and use them fairly often in a variety of ways (mostly in baking or to make smoothie type drinks), bananas have never been on my top 10 list of favourite fruits. i'm not sure why — maybe it has something to do with childhood memories of seeing them blacken in that crystal fruit bowl on the dining room table and emit their ripening smell. my parents regularly bought too many. of course, to counter this problem, i always seemed to find them in my lunch bag. even though i said i don't like them, that damned banana was in my lunch anyway with its oh-so-gross smell that made me gag. if they only knew how many bananas i threw in the garbage can at school! LOL.

for that reason, i can only eat them when they are greenish-yellow or have just turned yellow. i think they are at their best at this stage. to this day, if i see one brown spot or they have started to soften, they are immediately relegated into the "banana bread category". one good thing is that they can be frozen to use later.

an easy and quick dessert for bananas which are in their firm stage is the ubiquitous and very popular asian fried bananas. almost a de rigueur post meal ending in vietnam and thailand, they are also eaten as a snack item. the bananas used are often a small variety but the regular standard large(r) kind work just as well.

there are many recipes for the batter. as fried bananas are served in a variety of asian countries, the ingredients that go into the coating will differ from country to country. some will use rice flour or all purpose wheat flour or a combination thereof. as for the liquids, recipes include one or more of the following: eggs, water, coconut milk, beer. some even add coconut to the batter. the one i use is very basic and simple. you can use that one or look around for different recipes. no harm in testing out a few different versions!

the coating for this particular recipe is eggless and dairy free, making it suitable for people with different dietary followings/restrictions. if you want, you can always whisk one egg and add it as the liquid (mixed with 3 tbsp of water) until you get the desired consistency. it works fine without the egg, just using water to bind the flours.

i cannot give an EXACT measure for the amount of liquid used as it will depend on the type of flours you are using. what is important is the consistency; it should be like that of a thick cream (whipping cream) — one which is thick enough to nicely coat the bananas and stay adhered to them. just remember to err on the side of thicker versus thinner. of course, if it is too thin, you can always just add a bit more flour. you can slice a coin sized piece of banana off and coat and cook it to test the results and adjust as necessary — a good idea for people making this for the first time.

using rice flour is important to achieve a crisp texture. you can use either rice flour from glutinous (sweet) rice or a regular one. if you don't want to buy a whole quantity of it, you can easily grind some to a fine powder in your coffee grinder. make sure to sieve it with a fine strainer as you do not want any granular pieces in it.

frying the bananas can be a bit messy because, as they fry, the bananas soften and slight amounts of liquid are released causing splutters. the best thing to do is to (shallow) fry them in about 3 inches of oil in a pot which has high(er) sides.

that said, don't be deterred from try them. it's just a matter of stirring, dipping and frying :))


easy asian style fried bananas

serves 2

ingredients:

2 firm just ripening bananas*

batter ingredients:

4 tbsp rice flour
3 tbsp AP flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sugar
good pinch of salt

enough water to make a heavy cream consistency. you can also use an egg mixed with 3 tbsp water, again, adding only enough to make correct batter consistency.

honey syrup:

1/4 c honey or brown rice syrup
2 tbsp butter or margarine
(1 tsp lime juice or rum, optional)

*bananas should have just turned yellow. using ones which are too ripe will result in poor results as they are too soft and fragile to use in this recipe.

optional garnishes:

-shredded toasted coconut
-toasted sesame seeds
-powdered sugar
-granola

method:

heat your oil over medium heat as you make the batter and prepare the bananas.

make the batter —

add the dry ingredients in a bowl and blend them together with a whisk.

add enough water (or egg combined with water) to make a heavy cream consistency. set aside.


prepare the bananas —

peel the bananas.

cut each evenly in half. if you want to make them whole, you'll obviously need a larger bowl for the batter and to fry them — use a wok for that purpose.


to fry —

with a spoon, drop a very small amount of batter into the oil to see if it is ready. you will know when to add the bananas when the piece floats to the surface and bubbles. if it falls to the bottom and stays there, it is not ready.

place each half in the batter and turn to coat evenly.

place the bowl near the heated oil. very carefully transfer each half of banana by jabbing it with a fork.

take care to drop the banana in the oil near the surface of the oil and not from a distance. this will prevent the oil from splattering.

fry the bananas until they are golden brown and drain them on paper towel.

serve them with a drizzling of the honey syrup (or plain honey, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, etc) and sesame seeds or granola..

to make the syrup:

place the honey or brown rice syrup in a microwavable bowl or small pan and add the butter or margarine. heat it until it melts and stir to blend. it should be in a liquid state. some people like to add a tsp of rum or a liqueur to it. i often add lime juice to cut the sweetness. you can also just serve them with a dusting of confectioner's sugar.

enjoy!

sweet and spicy

the older i have gotten, the more my eating habits have changed. gone are the days where i ate meat almost everyday of the week like everyone else i knew. i guess i could say i have become a part time meat eater, indulging maybe 2 or 3 times a month, at most. do i miss it? i think the answer to that is .... only when i'm eating it ;) admittedly, trying to come up with decent non-meat dishes to take the place of what i used to eat is sometimes a pain in the assparagus :o — many of the things i make requiring a a fair amount of preparation and cooking time, since most of the foods i exist on do not fall into the "throw pasta in water and boil" plan.

while i enjoy cooking and making things, i HATE all the prep work, especially when it comes to vegetables. as i am standing there busy cutting, trimming, peeling, coring vegetables, i start to understand why people are paying double the price for pre-prepared vegetables at the grocery stores!

the following tofu dish is a very simple dish to make for lunch or dinner which requires little work on your part. it is low in fat and high in protein and very flavourful due to the ingredients used. the best part is there is no vegetable chopping involved except for some ginger and garlic!

if you keep kosher, mitoku sells a variety of kosher asian products. check the links ... and even if you don't, they have a wide variety of interesting products which are both organic and macrobiotic.


sweet and spicy ginger baked tofu

ingredients:

1 lb (454 g) extra firm or firm tofu

2 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
4 tbsp japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
4 tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp honey or brown rice syrup
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes

chopped green onion ('shallots') for garnish


method:

preheat oven to 350 F.

cut tofu into 1/2 inch slices. place them flat in a pyrex.

make marinade — chop garlic and ginger finely and place them in a bowl with the oil.

add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

pour the marinade over the tofu slices.

bake everything for 1 hour.

serve either hot or room temperature with rice.

enjoy!

using up that sauce .....

spicy bean curd salad

this easy-to-make "salad" is one of the things you can throw together with the peanut butter sauce shown in the previous posting. it is best when served right away but can be refrigerated. if you do keep it in the fridge, serve it at room temperature and add a bit more of the sauce to revitalize it. it makes for a good workday high protein salad or side dish.

serves 2 - 4, depending on portion size

ingredients:

1/2 lb extra firm tofu, cubed 1/2" x 1/2"
2 tbsp oil
2 cooked ears of corn (or 2/3 c canned)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped
1 to 3 tsp roasted sesame seeds
leaves of a few stalks of cilantro, chopped finely
1/3 to 1/2 c peanut butter sauce

optional:

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or sliced thinly
chopped green scallions

salt, to taste
extra hot sauce (sriracha)
toasted sesame oil

method:

cube tofu and fry briefly over medium heat in about 2 tbsp oil, stirring often until browned on all sides. it will take about 10 minutes. drain on paper towel. it does not suck up tons of oil, so don't worry about frying it.

discard the oil and brown the corn until slightly caramelized/coloured.

in the same pan, brown the peanuts and sesame seeds (golden brown colour) and place on a plate to cool.

chop onion and set aside. chop the scallion and bell pepper if using. then chop the cilantro last.

mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.

add the sauce and mix again.

taste and add salt if necessary. i also add extra hot sauce sometimes (sriracha). let sit about 10 to 15 minutes for everything to blend.

enjoy!

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!

kohlrabi, two ways

i remember this odd looking, 'alien vegetable' from when i was little. i also seem to remember REFUSING to eat it and fighting with my parents that it was not meant for human consumption. i thought it was disgusting and was fit for martians and therefore definitely not for me. well, things have changed over the years and i now love it.

kohlrabi, brassica oleracea, is a member of the brassica family of vegetables which includes cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. it is very healthy and mild tasting. its texture is crunchy and makes for great crudités and "diet food".

i have been making it two ways for quite some time, both of which are more on the exotic side. each preparation is truly tasty and worth trying.



spicy kohlrabi, kashmiri style

the kohlrabi slices, after cooking, are a beautiful vivid lemon colour, still crisp and altogether taste wonderfully salty, sweet and spicy. eat this cooked salad at room temperature or warm. it's really delicious, even straight from the fridge. don't be dismayed by the amount of red pepper for those who don't like "hot" foods. it is not terribly firey with this amount of flaked red pepper (1/2 tsp).

ingredients:

2 to 3 fist sized kohlrabi, peeled and sliced 1/8"
2 tbsp oil
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 - 1 tsp red pepper flakes
3/4 c water

method:

peel the kohlrabi. cut in half and cut again in 1/8" thick slices.

measure out the salt, sugar, turmeric and red pepper flakes.

in a fry pan, heat the oil and add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. add the kohlrabi and saute it moving it constantly to coat with the oil.

add the turmeric, salt, sugar and red pepper. using a non-porous spatula or spoon [turmeric will stain wood and i have one i use for only indian food], turn the vegetable and stir fry it for about 2 minutes.

add the water and cover.

cook for 15 minutes over medium heat. remove the lid and cook until the water evaporates. you can turn the heat up to medium high to speed it up. turn the kohlrabi now and then. there should be almost no water left.


transfer to a serving dish. eat while warm or room temperature.

* * * * *

crunchy thai kohlrabi salad

this is a very nice asian salad which is absolutely addictive. try it and see for yourself — you won't regret you did.


ingredients:

2 large kohlrabi
1 tsp salt

4 tbsp oil
3 - 4 medium shallots (small onions)

2 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 - 2 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
1/4 c peanuts

2 - 3 tbsp cilantro, chopped

method:

peel and cut kohlrabi into 1/8" slices. stack them and cut into julienne 1/8" slices. you can use a japanese mandoline also. i can't recommend getting one of these enough. watch out though, you can lose parts of your fingers on it, it's just that sharp [comes with a safety guard]. look in asian markets for the best prices.

put the slices into a bowl and add 1 tsp salt. mix into kohlrabi and let sit 20 minutes. you will notice that liquid will be released. this will make the kohlrabi very crunchy.

in the meantime, peel the shallots and slice them finely. put oil in a frying pan and fry the shallots until they are browned and crispy. put them on a paper towel to drain and let them become more crispy.

take the kohlrabi and put it in a strainer that has small holes. rinse it quickly and drain it. squeeze out as much liquid as you can. you can also do this in a tea towel over the sink which is easier.

place this in a bowl.

take the peanuts and put them in a small pan and dry roast them on medium heat. you need to stir them so they don't burn. when they are halfway roasted, add the red chili flakes and keep stirring or moving the pan with the handle. the chilis will adhere to the peanuts because of the oils. be careful not to inhale the fumes or you will choke! put them onto a plate to cool and then crush them with the side of a knife or in a mortar and pestle. don't make paste out of them. there should be small chunks.

chop the cilantro and add all the rest of the ingredients to the bowl, reserving a tablespoon of the peanuts to garnish on top. mix and top with the remaining peanuts.

enjoy!

wasabi peas

photo: fruitsstar

this post is about one of my next intended projects. it is for a recipe i found which tries to reproduce those crunchy, hot and spicy wasabi peas.

ever since i had these [now many] years ago, i have wondered how they were made and what was included to make them taste so good. i also pondered whether they could successfully be made at home or not and if it was even worth trying.

sometimes, it is just easier to buy things.

a recipe to make these addictive peas comes from the san francisco chronicle and is as follows:

spicy wasabi peas

yields 4 cups

ingredients:

2 cups dried whole peas
2 tablespoons olive oil

coating for making wasabi peas :

4 teaspoons wasabi powder
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

method:

preheat oven to 200°.

soak the peas in water to cover overnight. next day, drain peas, then cook according to instructions on package.

mix olive oil with cooked peas until well coated.

oil baking sheet and spread peas evenly across it.

place pan in the oven and bake 5 hours, until peas appear dry and crisp. test to see.

combine wasabi powder, tahini, rice vinegar and mustard in a mixing bowl.

combine wasabi mixture with hot peas making sure all the peas are evenly coated.

using a rubber spatula, spread the peas on the baking sheet. separate as many as you can.

increase oven temperature to 250° and bake the peas for 10 to 15 minutes, until the coating has dried.

i hope this recipe works! i shall post the results when i have them.

spicy "sweet & salty" sesame noodles

this recipe is more of a north american deli-type invention and uses either spaghetti noodles or thin linguine. while not authentically asian due to the type of noodles involved, it is convenient in that many homes always have these on hand. while some pasta salad and noodle recipes typically lose their taste upon sitting for any length of time, the flavour of these noodles is not dulled upon refrigeration or storage — even after several days. hopefully they won't be sitting around that long in your fridge!

notes for this recipe before starting:

* do not use salted water to cook the noodles; enough salt is provided in the soy sauce;
* a dark soy sauce is the one to use; light ones or japanese style do not have the same depth of flavour;
* do not use less oil than called for; it is there for a reason and does not make the noodles "oily";
* the sesame seeds & sesame oil are optional. omit if you do not like the the texture/flavour they add to the noodles;
* orange zest is also optional;

* intensity of chili heat is your choice, anywhere from none to smokin' hot;
* i sometimes make these noodles without the sesame seeds & orange zest and it is just as good. my preference is often for making them plain & simple.

spicy sweet & salty sesame noodles


1/2 small pkg spaghetti or linguine noodles [~ 250 g; 1/2 lb]
1 - 3 tbsp sesame seeds
3 - 4 tbsp vegetable oil
3 - 4 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp red chili flakes or sriracha sauce
4 - 5 tbsp dark soy sauce (not japanese or light soy)
3 - 4 tbsp honey
1/2 - 1 tsp dark [toasted] sesame oil
1 - 2 tsp finely grated orange zest or,
1 tbsp thinly julienned orange peel (no white part)

thinly sliced green onions for garnishing

peel garlic cloves and slice thinly. set aside. grate or julienne orange zest and set aside [cover it so it doesn't dry out].

measure out the noodles and break in half and set aside.

put up water to boil the noodles. while that is happening, place sesame seeds — if using — in a dry fry pan over medium heat and brown them. remove and set aside. in the same pan, add the oil [not the sesame] over medium low heat and add the sliced garlic. cook until softened, not browned. add the chili flakes during the last 30 seconds to cook a bit.

place this in a large mixing bowl and add the orange zest to release some of its oils. add the sesame oil and the seeds along with the soy sauce and honey.

when water is ready, boil the noodles until al dente and strain. drain well, you don't want any water added to the recipe. place the noodles in a large bowl and cover the bowl.

add drained noodles to the sauce ingredients and mix well with tongs. let the noodles absorb the sauce for an hour or two before eating. adjust seasonings to your liking.

these can be successfully refrigerated and enjoyed later. they absorb the flavours nicely.