Tag: vegetarian

Stuffed Eggplants

This is another traditional Maharashtrian recipe. There are a lot of variations, but this is the one my mother always made. It never fails to take me back to the times when I came home from school and found this waiting. It tastes amazing when it’s just cooked, but the flavors are more complex the next day. So make a lot!!

Doesn’t it look delicious?

The eggplants used in this are small Indian eggplants. Grocery stores in US don’t usually carry these. Berkeley bowl in Berkeley, CA was an exception. We buy them from the Indian store when they’re fresh. They need to be used fast since they’ll rot sooner than other veggies ( Accor to my observations). This recipe is also completely vegan!

Servings: 2, Prep time: 20 minutes, Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Small Indian Eggplants 5-6
  • Yellow onion 1 medium
  • Garlic cloves 3-4
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Chili powder 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1.5 tsp
  • Garam masala 1 tsp
  • Jaggery crumbles 2 tbsp
  • Lemon juice 1/2 lemon’s worth
  • Salt to taste
  • Canola oil 3 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Finely chop onion and garlic, add to a bowl and set aside
  2. Remove stems of the eggplant. Slice into the eggplant from the cut side, about 3/4 of the way in. Make 2 cuts, so you have four quadrants. DO NOT cut all the way through!
  3. Add all the spices, lemon juice, salt and jaggery to the onion and garlic. Mix well
  4. Stuff this mixture into the eggplants.
  5. Heat the oil in a deep pan, then add the prepared eggplants and any leftover stuffing.
  6. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom. That’s it!

Tips

  • Make sure the eggplants are fresh. They will take forever to cook if they have been in your fridge for a while and they might taste bitter
  • Make sure you don’t cut the eggplants all the way into four pieces. If you do, it will still taste great, but won’t be stuffed anymore. 😂
  • This needs a little more oil than other recipes, but do not skimp on it! It will not taste as great.

I hope you will love this recipe as much as I do! As always, let me know in the comments if you made this.. 😬💜

Asparagus Lemon Orzo

I’m posting after forever! I’ve been very busy with school and I post more often on my Instagram channel now. Here’s a barcode for that! Follow me if you want! 😊💜

Instagram barcode

So today I’m gonna share a super fast and easy pasta recipe. This can be eaten cold, but the butter in it taste best when warm 😉. It is also completely vegan! I make this when I don’t have much time or I have loads of asparagus to finish.

A bowl of deliciousness 🤤

Servings: 2, Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Dry Orzo pasta 3 oz
  • Asparagus 1 lb
  • Vegan butter 1 tbsp
  • Lemon juice 2-3 tbsp
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Nutritional yeast (optional) 1 tbsp
  • Garlic powder 1 tbsp
  • Onion powder 1 tbsp
  • Pepper 1/2 tsp
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  2. Trim the asparagus from the bottom to remove the woody and chewy parts.
  3. Arrange asparagus on a baking tray, then sprinkle oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and bake for 10 minutes
  4. Remove to a chopping board and dice into bite size pieces
  5. In the meantime, boil the orzo pasta according to package directions. In heavily salted water
  6. Drain the pasta. Mix in butter, asparagus, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and more salt if needed. That’s it!

Tips

  • I trim off the ends of asparagus, but you can peel the outer layers to make the parts tender. It’s still too chewy for me, but I’ve seen friends being fine with it
  • When I say heavily salt the water, I mean HEAVILY! Ideally the pasta should absorb enough salt so we don’t need to add more at the end
  • The nutritional yeast is optional, but it gives a nice umami and cheese flavor to the pasta
  • You can skip the butter if you plan to serve this cold. It tastes good that way too.
  • The lemon juice measurement is entirely according to taste. I dislike extremely sour things, so I add half a teaspoon extra to my husband’s bowl!

This is a recipe that makes me enjoy asparagus, which doesn’t happen often. 😅 It is also super easy to make and very delicious! I hope you’ll make this one, and as always let me know what you thought in the comments. 😊

Paneer Puffs

Look how pretty!

I used to eat a lot of these when I was younger. They were sold at almost every corner shop in India. These treats have a spicy paneer filling inside a shell of crispy puff pastry. Since it’s so easy to get puff pastry sheets in the US, I make them all the time. 😊

Now, I know paneer is dairy. I’d still like to mention that Pepperidge puff pastry sheets are vegan. So if you replace the paneer with tofu or a spicy veggie filling, or even some fake meat crumbles, these puffs will become vegan!

Crispy and delicious..

Servings: 6, Prep time: 25 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Paneer 8oz
  • Onion 1/2
  • Green chili 2-3
  • Garlic 3-4 cloves
  • Tomato 1 medium
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala 1/2 tsp
  • Kitchen king masala 1 tbsp
  • Pepperidge puff pastry 1 sheet
  • Canola oil 1 tbsp
  • Salt as needed
  • Flour for dusting

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the onion, garlic, green chili and tomatoes.
  2. Dice the paneer into small pieces. Remember these need to be small enough to fit in a pastry
  3. In a pan, heat the oil. Then add onions and cook for 3-4 minutes till translucent
  4. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the chili and sauté for 1-2 minutes
  5. Add the tomatoes and cook till the mixture releases oil along the sides.
  6. Add in all the spices and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  7. Mix in the paneer, then set aside to cool
  8. While the filling cools, preheat your oven to 400 F.
  9. Dust a surface with enough flour, then roll out the puff pastry sheet a gently.
  10. Cut the sheet into 6 parts, add the filling on one side and seal the pastries by folding in half and crimping the edges
  11. Refrigerate for 10 mins, then bake for 25-30 minutes or until crisp and golden!

Tips

  • Make sure your puff pastry is thawed before rolling it out. The thawing instructions are always on the package
  • If you like making puff pastry from scratch, you can do that! Make a batch and freeze it.
  • As mentioned before, the filling can be replaced with whatever you want! Just make sure the filling is dry and cool before adding to the pastry
  • These also freeze really well. You can double or triple the recipe and freeze them for a quick snack. Kids will love that!

I always get nostalgic when I eat these. I hope they will bring joy to you as well! As always, let me know in the comments if you tried these. 😬

Green Beans Sabzi

This is a taste of home!

It’s hard to find traditional Maharashtrian dishes in the US. Most restaurants sell typical North Indian food like heavy curries, or South Indian food. I’ve also seen plenty of Gujarati places, but I’ve only found one restaurant for Mahatashtrian food. This came as a shock to me considering almost every family I know has a satellite family in the US. Slowly things which I didn’t like earlier became luxury dishes which required effort on my end to make. Gradually, I started loving most of these dishes. Green beans sabzi is one such dish. 😊

While this dish is made with French beans, the green beans found in supermarkets across the US work just fine. Of course, if you find French beans in an Indian market use those!

Perfect mix of flavors and textures

Servings: 4, Prep time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Green beans OR French beans 1 lb
  • Raw coconut (do not use dry coconut) 1/2 cup
  • Garlic cloves 6
  • Jaggery 3 tbsp OR Sugar 2 tbsp
  • Lime juice 1/2 lime
  • Salt as required
  • Canola oil 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds 1 tsp
  • Asaphoetida OR Hing a pinch
  • Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
  • Chili powder 1/2 tsp
  • Water 2 tbsp

Instructions

  1. Chop green beans into 1/2 inch pieces
  2. Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves
  3. Heat the oil in a pan till smoking
  4. Add the mustard seeds and pop them
  5. Add the rest of the spices. Make sure they do not burn.
  6. Immediately add in the garlic, green beans, water and salt. Cover and cook till beans are tender. Add more water if sabzi is burning and beans are not cooked yet
  7. Add the coconut, jaggery and lime juice. Mix and sauté for 2-3 minutes. That’s it!

Tips

  • It is really easy to burn spices in hot oil. Remove the pan from heat for a few minutes to reduce the oil temperature after popping mustard seeds if needed. This will make sure the oil temperature isn’t too high for the spices
  • Sometimes the sabzi will stick to the bottom and start burning before the beans are cooked. Green beans shouldn’t take more than 10-12 minutes, but they’re temperamental. Add water 2 tbsp at a time till the beans are cooked if this happens
  • Although jaggery and sugar are both sweeteners, jaggery is so much healthier for you. Additionally, it gives an earthier flavor to the dish.
  • If you don’t have lime juice, use about 2 tsp vinegar. It gives almost the same acidity
  • The coconut used here is raw wet coconut. This can be found in the frozen section at any Indian grocery store. Do not use dry coconut here, it will not taste the same.

This is just one of the many traditional Maharashrian dishes I’ve started cooking at home. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia, and also ensures that I learn my own culture and respect it. This has also made me realize just how many things are lost with people. My grandma used to make the best Satori (a stuffed sweet roti), but nobody in my family really knows how to make them anymore. Everyone tries, but it’s just different. I want to learn as much as I can from the people around me so I can remember them every time I make these dishes.

So I hope you try this out, and it inspires you to start making dishes from your family as well! As always, let me know how it goes in the comments. 😬

Stir Fried Gochujang Noodles

Doesn’t it look great?

I’m obsessed with Gochujang. I add it to anything and everything. My husband loves it just as much as I do, if not more. So it was obvious I’d add it to stir fried noodles. It just took longer since I always have chili oil on hand. Now that I’ve added it to noodles once, I can never go back.

This recipe is pretty adaptable, in the sense that you can add any vegetables you have on hand. The only required things are the condiments. Gochujang can be hard to find if you live in a smaller town or in a country where such things are not easily available. Fear not, Amazon carries everything. However, definitely buy from your local Asian grocery store if you have one! Did I mention this recipe is completely vegan? 😬

Look how glossy 😍

Servings: 2, Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Dry udon noodles 4 oz
  • Green onions 4
  • Garlic cloves 4-5
  • Ginger 1 1/2 inch piece
  • Mushrooms 8 oz
  • Cabbage 1/4 head
  • Carrot 1 medium or 3/4 cup matchstick carrots
  • Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
  • Dark soy sauce 1 tsp
  • Gochujang 3 tbsp
  • Sesame seeds 1 tbsp (optional for garnishing)

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the green onions and garlic. Peel and grate the ginger
  2. Shred the cabbage and slice the mushrooms. If using a carrot, julienne it. I prefer matchstick carrots since they’re ready kind of julienned.
  3. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to remove extra starch.
  4. Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Sauté the white part of green onions, ginger and garlic for 1-2 minutes
  5. Add mushrooms and cook till all the water evaporates
  6. Add in the cabbage and cook for 3-4 minutes.
  7. Add in the carrots and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The vegetables should still have a bite to them
  8. Add in the soy sauces and Gochujang. Mix and sauté for another minute.
  9. Add the cooked noodles and mix well.
  10. Sprinkle the green part of the green onions and sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!

Tips

  • You might have noticed the recipe is missing salt. That’s because all the condiments we are using are quite salty. However, you can add some in after tasting at the end if you feel it needs more.
  • I used the vegetables specified here, but you can use any vegetable. Eg: Broccoli and zucchini would taste great here.
  • I prefer udon noodles for this recipe, but use any noodles you want. Ramen noodles would go well as well!

This has quickly become one of our favorite weeknight meals. It’s not hard and gets done pretty fast. The cooking time seems high, but that’s due to the noodles. If you use noodles that cook fast, it’ll be shorter! Also, feel free to use pre chopped vegetables or frozen veggies to reduce cooking time.. As always, let me know how it went in the comments! 😊

Vegan Potstickers

They’re delicious!! 😊💜

I absolutely love wontons, dumplings, potstickers of any kind. When we decided to go vegan, I wanted to try a protein rich vegan filling. Although I don’t tolerate tofu well, there’s not too much tofu in one serving. So it works out fine.

This recipe was adapted from foodie takes flight. She has amazing vegan recipes on her website! Go check it out if you haven’t seen it yet. 😬

Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 minutes, Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Dumpling or wonton wrappers (about 50)
  • Super firm Tofu 8 oz
  • Carrot 1 medium
  • Onion 1/2 medium
  • Mushrooms 8 oz
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Ginger 1 inch piece
  • Soy sauce 1 tbsp
  • Salt 1/2 tsp
  • Ground pepper 1/2 tsp
  • Oil 3 tbsp
  • Water 1/2 cup

Instructions

  • Finely chop carrots, garlic and onion. Peel and grate the ginger. Dice the mushrooms
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for 1-2 minutes
  • Add mushrooms and cook till water evaporates
  • Add the carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes
  • Crumble in the tofu and mix well.
  • Add the soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Cool completely
  • Wet the edges of the dumpling wrapper. Place about 1 tbsp filling in the center and fold in your favorite way!
  • Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and place dumplings in the oil.
  • Once the bottom has a good sear, add in the water. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or till the potstickers are cooked through and the water has evaporated.
  • Enjoy with you favorite dipping sauce!

Tips

  • Folding wontons or dumplings can be hard. I love Marion Grasby’s way of folding them. So easy! Here’s a link: https://youtu.be/tEMvPKTlgHs
  • I freeze half of the dumplings I wrap, so we just need to cook them the next time I crave some
  • These will taste good with any dipping sauce, but the best sauce is a mix of soy sauce and chili oil. That’s all you need!
  • Here, I’ve made potstickers. However, you can cook these any way you want. Boil then, steam them or fry them!
  • You can also customize the filling. Eg: add some green onions! Make sure to cook the veggies so there’s very little moisture in the filling.

These are great as appetizers, for adding to a soup or on noodles and just as a full meal by themselves. These are also completely vegan! As always, let me know how it went in the comments.. 😊

Cauliflower and Potato Dry Curry (Sabzi)

Every once in a while I crave simple Indian food. There is no rival when it comes to cauliflower sabzi. I bought a small head of cauliflower this time, and it was starting to go bad. So my husband decided to cook it up with some potatoes for an easy lunch. We ate it with some frozen rotis from the Indian store. We always have a couple of these in the freezer for when we don’t feel like making fresh ones. Always buy Haldiram frozen rotis… The rest aren’t as good. 😬

This sabzi is a favorite among caterers, and anyone packing their own lunchbox. It’s super easy to make a. Plus, it freezes really well! It is also completely vegan! To be honest, most Indian curries are vegan, at least the ones we make at home daily. Only the rich curries served in restaurants aren’t vegan.. Anyway, here’s our recipe for potato and cauliflower sabzi!

Servings: 2, Prep time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • Potatoes 2 medium
  • Cauliflower 1 medium head
  • Canola oil 2 tbsp
  • Mustard seeds (black) 1 tsp
  • Asaphoetida powder 1/4 tsp
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Chili powder 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala 2 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Salt as per taste
  • Water as needed

Instructions

  1. Cut the cauliflower head into 1/2 inch pieces. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/4 inch pieces as well
  2. In a pan, heat the oil till smoking. Then add the mustard seeds and let them pop
  3. Add the asaphoetida and watch it bubble for about half a minute
  4. Add the chopped veggies, cover and cook for 2 mins
  5. Add all the spices and salt. Stir well, then add a splash of water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.
  6. That’s it! Serve and enjoy..

Tips

  • The asaphoetida I have is from an excellent source and it is very strong. So, I only add a punch if it. The asaphoetida we get in Indian stores in the US isn’t all that great. Add 1/4 tsp if you have the US version.
  • I cut the veggies in different sized pieces so I can cook them all together. If you want the sabzi to look very pretty, cut all veggies in the same size and add the cauliflower to the pan after the potatoes have cooked for about 5 minutes so the cauliflower doesn’t over cook.
  • Eat this with any bread on hand! You can also stuff this inside a sandwich, or mix into rice and dal. I have also made Indian style burritos out of this sabzi.. Basically, you can eat this as you like. It’ll taste good with everything
  • Do not change the proportion of garam masala and other spices. This is a garam masala forward recipe, and that is what you should mostly taste

Once we start eating this sabzi, we know we’ll end up finishing it. I always try making enough for two meals. It never makes it past the first meal. 🤣 This dish is only as good as the quality of your produce, so make sure it’s top notch. I hope you guys give this a try, and as always let me now how it goes in the comments… 😬

Pasta in White Sauce

I know that’s a super vague title. I first ate pasta as a teenager at a fancy restaurant in India. Back then, there wasn’t much distinction amongst pasta dishes, except to call them white, red and pink. White sauce was always passed off as Alfredo. Then I moved to the US, met new people, and ate new food. I quickly realized what I always thought was Alfredo was actually a Mornay. 🥲

Now, I add my pasta to a Bechamel sauce. I love the creaminess and the taste of it, and this is what I grew up eating (without the cheese). It is so fascinating how dishes get taken from around the world, and modified to suit the local palate. I’ve seen this happen to virtually every cuisine in India. Here in the US, spices in dishes are toned down to match the palate here. I’ve been asked many times what I think of restaurants adapting Indian food to match what people will eat. I always give the same answer. It doesn’t matter what you cook, it should taste good… 😊 Of course, I wouldn’t call it authentic, but that doesn’t make the dish any less Indian.

So here’s my recipe for a Bechamel, with a bunch of veggies and pasta in it!

Add that cheese on top!!! At least this way, I feel less guilty and still eat cheese… 😅

Servings: 2, Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • Garlic cloves 2-4
  • Yellow onion 1/2
  • Mushrooms 5-6
  • Cabbage 1/4 head
  • Dry pasta 4 oz
  • Oil 2 tbsp
  • Butter 2 tbsp
  • All purpose flour 3 tbsp
  • Milk ( I used oat milk) 2 cups
  • Salt 1 tsp
  • Ground black pepper 1 tsp
  • Italian seasoning 2 tsp

Instructions

  1. Finely chop the garlic cloves. Dice the onion, and slice the mushrooms and cabbage!
  2. In the meantime, boil water in a kettle. Then add the water to a pan and salt it generously. Cook the pasta till it’s done to your liking, then drain. Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  3. Return the pan to the stove and heat 1 tbsp oil in it. Add the garlic and onion. Sauté till fragrant, then add the mushrooms and cabbage. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
  4. Remove the veggies to a plate, then add the remaining oil and butter to the same pan.
  5. Add the flour, then cook till the flour is turns light brown. Slowly add in the milk, and stir vigorously. Make sure there’s no lumps!
  6. Add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to the sauce. Mix well.
  7. Add the veggies and cooked pasta in the sauce and combine well. At this point, taste and add more salt if needed.
  8. Serve up a portion, sprinkle some cheese if you want. Enjoy!

Tips

  • I always use shell pasta, because it’s shape is perfect for the sauce to cling. This just makes the pasta extra special!
  • I added mushrooms, cabbage and onion here. However, you can use any vegetable that needs to be finished. Make sure you do not overcook the veggies. Cooking time will also depend on the size you cut your veggies. Eg: If you’re using small diced zucchini, only cook it for about 2 minutes. It can get soggy super fast!!
  • You can also add a bit of grated nutmeg and some paprika to the sauce. This will add depth of flavor.
  • Make sure you reserve a bit of the pasta water. This is the best way to make the sauce thinner.

While I was writing this, I was watching Friends (again). It was that one episode where Ben likes a Barbie. Ross’s reaction to this has not aged well. I can’t believe I was okay with this when I was younger. 😞

There was a lot of reminiscing and just random stuff in this post, but make this pasta!! If you don’t want pasta, just make the sauce. It’s great for dipping, salad dressing etc.. As always, let me know how it goes!!

Pearl Onion Curry

Pearl onion curry is a delectable dish, originally from the state of Rajasthan in India. It wasn’t something which was made often in my house. I’ve only recently discovered just how easy and delicious this recipe is. One day my mom sent me a picture and I was hooked. I thought of this every time I walked through the onion isle at the grocery store. The pearl onions were calling to me. So one day I got them and then they stayed in my pantry for a good while. Thankfully I got around to cooking them!

This recipe is adapted from bharatzkitchen. He has the whole video on YouTube. However, not all of us have the ingredients he used on hand. So I made a bunch of them optional, but it still tasted amazing! This is especially good to make if you have yogurt lying around which is about to expire.. 😂

Servings: 4, Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • Pearl onions 10-12
  • Chili pepper 1
  • Tomatoes 2 medium
  • Ginger root 1 inch piece
  • Canola oil 2 tbsp
  • Cumin seeds 1 tsp
  • Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp (optional)
  • Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
  • Coriander powder 1 tsp
  • Chili powder 1 tsp
  • Garam masala 1 tsp
  • Kasuri methi 1 tsp (optional)
  • Chickpea flour 1 tbsp
  • Asaphoetida (Hing) a pinch (optional)
  • Yogurt 1/4 cup
  • Water 1/2 cup
  • Salt according to taste

Instructions

  1. Peel the onions and remove the ends. Make sure the onions remain whole. Carefully make cuts into the onions at right angles to each other on the cut side. The cut should only go about 3/4 into the onion’s thickness. The onions should not get quartered! They should remain whole
  2. Blend the tomatoes, ginger and chili pepper into a smooth paste
  3. Heat the canola oil in a pan. Once smoking, add the mustard seeds and wait till they pop.
  4. Remove the pan from heat and let it cool down for 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds.
  5. Add the chickpea flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  6. Add the blended paste to the pan. Cover partially and cook till oil separates, stirring occasionally. This can take up to 20 minutes. To hasten the process, use more oil or cook on high heat stirring continuously.
  7. Add all the spices and salt. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  8. Reduce the heat to low and add the yogurt while mixing continuously. Add the water and mix
  9. Add the pearl onions, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the onions are cooked
  10. Add the kasuri methi. Serve hot!

The only real threat with this recipe is that the yogurt can curdle. To prevent this, make sure the heat is low when adding yogurt. As long as you remember this, the dish is super easy to make. It also goes well with any Indian bread, or even rice. I’ve also tried this with scallion pancakes and it tasted amazing! The recipe for scallion pancakes is available on this link: https://everything-nothing.home.blog/2021/04/28/scallion-pancakes/ I hope you give this a try and as always let me know how it goes!! 😬

Cold Noodles with Peanut Dressing

Austin gets pretty hot and humid in summer. I’d become used to pleasant weather, so Austin summers hit me pretty hard. This was the first time I actively looked for cold dishes. Cold noodles are one of my favorites. They’re more satisfying than a salad, but also cool down your system. This dish is also perfect to finish off any leftover veggies. To make it even better, the dish is completely vegan! 😬

Servings: 2, Prep time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • Rice noodles 8 oz
  • Carrot 1 medium
  • Cucumber 1/2 medium
  • Button Mushrooms 10-12
  • Unsweetened Peanut butter 1/4 cup
  • Soy sauce 2 tbsp
  • Vinegar 1 tbsp
  • Sugar 2 tsp
  • Roasted sesame oil 1 tsp
  • Water 3 tbsp
  • Salt as required
  • Toasted sesame seeds 2 tsp
  • Cilantro for garnishing

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, vinegar, water and sugar. Taste and add salt if needed. The dressing should be a salty since this is the only source of seasoning for the dish. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill
  2. Slice the mushrooms thickly and sauté till all the water has evaporated. Set aside to cool
  3. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain and toss with a little bit of sesame oil to prevent sticking.
  4. Julienne the carrot and cucumber.
  5. In a bowl, add the noodles, the dressing and the vegetables. Toss thoroughly so that the noodles are well coated.
  6. Serve in a bowl and too with chopped cilantro!

Tips

  • The dressing needs a small amount of water for everything to dissolve and become homogeneous. The quantity of water will depend on the peanut butter used. I prefer using all natural thick peanut butter and therefore it needs more water to work here. If your peanut butter is runny, add water 1 tsp at a time until the required consistency is reached
  • Unsweetened peanut butter is the best kind of peanut butter. I always make sure the ingredients listed are just peanuts. However, if you use a sweetened peanut butter, do not add any sugar to the dressing
  • The dressing can be made 24 hours in advance. Just cook the noodles and toss when you are ready to eat
  • I like to run cold water through my noodles after they’re done cooking and massage them a bit. This helps to release any extra starch on the noodles!
  • Do not toss the noodles with the dressing until you are ready to eat. They will become soggy. To pack these in a lunch box, give the dressing separately in a small container
  • I’ve used carrots, mushrooms and cucumbers here, but you can really add any vegetable you want. The only required vegetable is cucumber.
  • The recipe can also be made gluten free. Just find gluten free versions on soy sauce etc…

This is one of our favorite dishes to eat for lunch. It’s light and refreshing. We can both go back to work even after consuming humongous smiths if cold noodles!😄 I hope you give this a try and as always let me know how it goes… 😊