Seitan Beef and Boccoli

This is a quick version of Chinese famous dish, Beef, and Broccoli. Here I am using Seitan beef but you can use regular beef or any other protein. With seitan Beef, this dish will come out very quickly since it doesn't need more time to cook.  I can not have just two ingredients that's why I have added more vegetables but it's up to you. Add your family's favorite vegetables and in 10 minutes this dish comes together. Top it off with green onions and sriracha and you are set.





Ingredients : 

4 oz. Seitan Beef, I used half-packet
Few florets of Broccoli
4 Mushrooms sliced
1 small onion sliced
1 Green Capsicum  big chunks
1 green onion chopped
1 tbsp Oil


Sauce :
2 tsp. oil
1 green chili chopped
Ginger chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1/3 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
1 tsp Red pepper flakes or sriracha
1/2 cup tamari sauce for vegan  or light soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp Vinegar

Method :

Take the beef out from the bag and wash it so it becomes separate.

Prepare all your vegetables and keep it aside.

Mix everything for sauce and keep it aside.

Heat the wok, when its heated, add oil, add vegetables and beef and stir fry on high flame for 5 minutes.

Add your sauce mix and keep on stirring since vegetables and beef is coated with sauce and gravy becomes thick.

Turn the flame off and serve it with plain white rice and top it off with green onion and sriracha.

Pecan Pie Ice Cream

I was afraid to make the real ice cream like make the base first with eggs, sugar and add it in cream and follow the rest. Since I knew that I am going to screw up and it will be scrambled eggs in the heavy milk so whenever it's possible I just make it without egg. But this time I was determined to follow thru it and patiently will do it, which is not in my nature. I did it and it was yum, feel like eating ice cream from outside. Now I know how to make the base so come summer and will be ready with the homemade ice cream of my choice. I have used this with my homemade apple pie on Thanksgiving day and later on, I just finished it as it is. You can add rum in it, chocolate chunks in it, make pecan brittle and add it. I just stay to the simple one, will try variation later on.






Ingredients : 

1 cup whole milk
2 cups Heavy cream
1 Large egg york
1/2 cup Brown sugar, adjust according to you sweet buds
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup chopped pecans in big chunks
Few Graham crackers

Method: 

Add the milk to a medium bowl on medium to low heat.

In another bowl, whisk egg york, brown sugar, salt. Mix it till it is nice and creamy.

By the time milk should be warm enough not hot.

Take 1/2 cup hot cream and add it slowly in to york mixture and whisk it, take one 1/2 cup more and mix it. Now add that york mixture in rest of the milk in a pan and cook it on low flame till it become thick when you put your spoon it can coat it on it.

Add pecans in it and mix it.



At this point, you can add rum also.

Take out that custard in your container which will be going into the freezer. Make sure it has a lid on it cause you don't want ice crystal on your ice cream.

Cover the top of the ice cream with plastic and when it comes to room temperature, put it in the freezer. You can have it after 4 hours but if you want overnight is also fine.

When you serve it, crushed some of the Honey Graham crackers for the pie feeling and enjoy.

I had it with my apple pie and with graham crackers too.

If you want to add chocolate, add it after the mixture becomes cold and before you put it in the freezer.

Green Sauce Enchiladas with Vegetables

Give me some spicy, some  Mexican flavors and I am good.  I made this enchilada in green sauce and it was perfect for the weeknight dinner. You can add more quantity as per your requirement but this was enough for two persons.

You can make this with spinach, jalapenos combo or spinach, arugula, and serrano. I made it with spinach and jalapenos.

Luckily I get mangoes in this season so I just use it to top it my casserole. To go along with it, you can have sour cream, pickled jalapenos, guacamole,  salsa and you are set.

there is a difference between green sauce and salsa verde. The green sauce you have to cook it and salsa verde it's raw.


Ingredient for the sauce :

1 5 oz  baby spinach
1 seedless jalapeno
1/4 cup Cilantro leaves
salt, black pepper as per taste
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup vegetable stock

Mix it all in a blender and heat it up in a pan. cook it down so all the extra water is gone and keep it aside and let it come to room temperature.

Ingredients for Stuffing

1 small white onion diced
1 red capsicum diced
4 portabello mushroom
small yam
1 tbsp oil
as per taste taco seasoning
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp paprika powder
1 tbsp cayenne powder
salt as per taste

4 tortilla, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese




Method:

In a pan, add oil, add vegetables and all powder spices and mix it and cook till it tender but not mushy.

Keep it aside and let it cool down.

To assemble : 

Take your casserole, spread some sauce on the bottom so the tortilla doesn't stick on the plate.

warm your tortilla, spread some vegetable filling in the middle, some cheese and fold it and put it fold side down.

Fill the rest tortilla and spread more sauce on top and cheese and bake it in a preheated oven of 350 F for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melty.

Take it out, before serving, top it with guacamole, salsa, pickled jalapenos, some cilantro and dig in.

Puerto Rican Tostones (Fried Plantains)

Tostones are a very famous Latin American and Carribean side dish, It made from raw Plantains which others knowns as raw bananas. tostones are the word derived from the Spanish word that means "to toast:. The term is also used for 50 cent coin in "Honduras". The origin of the dish is quite mystifying as some belief it a dish from Latin American where some take it as a Caribbean dish. Whatever the origins its a double-fried plantain that goes perfectly for any side or snack.

Unlike the yellow ripe bananas that are eaten raw, plantains are made for cooking and can be steamed, boiled, grilled, fried or baked. When green plantains are twice-fried, they are called Tostones, when the sweet plantains are fried only once they are called Maduros. We will share that recipe shortly.

Cooked plantains are nutritionally very similar to a potato, calorie-wise, but contain more of some vitamins and minerals. They are a rich source of fiber, vitamins A, C and B-6, and the minerals magnesium and potassium.

To peel off the skin, first cut the plantains in 1 inches circle and then take out the skin.




Ingredients : 

2 raw Plantains
1/4 cup oil
Sea salt to taste

Chipotle sauce for dipping

Method:

Cut the plantains in 1-inch thickness, take out the skin.







Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.

When the oil is hot, add few plantains and fry till golden brown. Take out on a paper towel.

Finish with all plantains.


Take a wooden spoon, from the back of the spoon, take out plantain and press it and make it flatten.

Fry all the flattened plantains, till its golden.

Take it out and sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy with chipotle sauce.

Mix mayo and chipotle and make a sauce, or with any favorite sauce of yours.