scallions – Indian Culinary Center, NYC

This was dinner last night – simple, quick, healthy and most importantly, delicious.

The vegetables you use is entirely up to you – what you like or what you have laying about.

I cut up two zucchini and sauteed them in a Tbs. of mustard oil.
You can of course use olive, peanut, coconut or an oil of your choice.

Next I added mushrooms cut into fours and sweet red and orange peppers. Also, a diced onion – I like to add the onion at this late stage because I want it to remain crunchy.
I would also add fresh sliced ginger – which I happened not to have.

This is one philosophy of cooking that I would like to impart – please don’t not cook something if you don’t happen to have one ingredient. Improvise, substitute or just leave it out – the key is that you cook something.

Next I added extra firm tofu cut into large pieces. (You can use any other protein you like such as chicken, pork or even slices of beef).

Douse this mixture with a generous amount of soy sauce, hot sauce of your choice (sriracha is nice), and vinegar.
Stir gently, so as not to break up the tofu.

Add 1/2 cup of water and a heaping Tbs. of miso paste if you have it. This adds a unique umami to the dish and contributes to the depth in flavor.
Let this simmer on low heat for a few minutes.

In the meantime, I cooked up some soba noodles (use pasta of your choice, even rice will do nicely).

Add the noodles to the tofu and vegetables – stir and dish into bowls.

Drizzle a few drops of toasted sesame oil and garnish with cilantro and scallions.

You just made a quick, delicious meal.

I hope you try it.

Until I cook again!

Day 2: Quick dinner theme.

I love Asian flavors and often cook with them.

Here I have a simple miso broth made with miso paste with soba noodles and salmon.

If you stock your pantry with basic Asian sauces – you can whip up a meal in no time.

I made a miso broth – while that was coming up to a boil – sear the salmon (or any protein you would like to use such as chicken, beef, pork or tofu).

Cook the soba noodles in the miso broth – just as the noodles are going to be cooked, add peas, carrots and I like to drop an egg into the broth. Stir and you will get beautiful strands of egg in the broth which makes it looks richer.