Help with Recipes
 

This is a thread for getting help with our recipes. I like to do a lot of experimental cooking which sometimes turns out great and sometimes turns out terrible. This is a place to share recipes that didn't turn out how you wanted and ask for help and ideas on improving them :hamactor:

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So what made me think of this is a stir-fry I made tonight that came out edible, but not good. I often screw up stir-fries. Here's what I put in tonight:

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veggies: kale, white/green cabbage, yellow and green onions, jalapenos

"meat": tofu (firm)

flavoring: lite coconut milk (from a can), red curry paste, fresh basil

carb/protein: quinoa (added to stir-fry at end after I pre-cooked it)

oil: hot sesame stir-fry oil

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To me, all these ingredients sound delicious! But it ended up being quite bland. I salvaged it by adding a red Thai chili dipping sauce but it still wasn't that good, and also I didn't like adding that because it's not healthy (sugar), and I tend to like to cook as natural and healthy as possible, but it gave it a little bit of sweetness and spiciness that it was lacking. Still, it did not mesh all that well with the coconut milk and curry paste.

So my question is how do you think I could improve this recipe? I should note that I love spicy and am vegetarian.

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Love this topic
 

Great thread....subscribing

For me when im cooking and want to add a bit of heat to it i add crushed red pepper flakes and small bit of chill or cheyenne pepper to it. It will give u a bit ofa kick

I didn't use any flavor for the tofu. I threw it all in a wok. And in fact, it was more like I was boiling everything in a can of lite coconut milk instead of stir-frying.

I will try your suggestions. After all you were the one who finally got me making my own salad dressings and loving it! :)

Jennifer,
My own recipe for stir fry consists of only minced garlic and minced ginger for seasonings. This keeps me away from the salt that I cannot have. It can be mixed with your choice of veggies and meat (tofu). I usually cook my rice separately and serve the veggie/meat mixture over it.
Paul

I usually use peanut oil. It will heat to a higher temperature which is what is needed for stir fry.

may i suggest kimchi adds flavor to several dishs

thanks, ocean. good reminder about kimchi (and to think, I have some in the fridge right now!). a jar of kimchi simply added to tofu and veggies in a wok has made a pretty decent stir-fry for me in the past. I love the spiciness of kimchi. It's one of my favorite foods / flavors.

I use kimchi even to akai rice as well :) or to any meat if u eat meats ~ I am not a big fan of meat at ALL ~ seafood dish's ~ a staple product in my kitchen ~ :) also a small amount goes a long way ~

Here's a recipe I use for making stir fry, given to me by a dear friend from when I was in college. He was a practicing vegetarian and I always loved the meals he would make.

Robert's recipe for Tofu Stir Fry

Ingredients:

a bar of Tofu
Soy Sauce
Teriyaki Sauce
Organic vegetables: Carrots & Kale & Brocolli buds
Raw organic almonds
Yakisoba noodles
Organic coconut oil
Spices: sea salt, cracked pepper, chili pepper flakes and Cardamom (optional)

http://goingvegandotnet.files.wordpr...pg?w=300&h=199

Preparation:

1) Take your bar of tofu and slice it up like you would a loaf of bread. Arrange the tofu in a small pan or dish so you can soak the tofu in Soy sauce.

2) While the tofu is marinating in Soy sauce, wash 2 small sized carrots and half a bunch of kale and the broccoli buds. Next, prepare the carrots using a sliced, Julienne method; then slice up the kale into thin strips, as well. If the almonds you have on hand are whole, slice them as thinly as possible too. The brocolli buds should be fairly small: What I do is take each stem of broccoli and make smaller buds from each one.

3) Use a fairly large caste iron skillet (or a wok, if you have one). Heat your pan first, then add about a tablespoon of coconut oil. Keep a brush handy nearby, because you'll want to re-distribute the oil around the pan before you put the Tofu and vegetables in to fry.

4) Once the pan is ready, retrieve the marinated tofu and slice it up into small squares before you put it into the pan.

5) Now, put the tofu into the pan; then begin to add your prepared vegetables to the mixture too. Use a wooden spoon to stir the elements around the pan, on a fairly consistent rotation. Once the vegetables appear to take on brighter colors, this is your cue to open up your package of Yakisoba noodles and add them the mixture of Tofu and veggies that are frying in the pan. I sometimes have to cut up the noodles into smaller portions; but however you choose to untangle the noodles, be fairly quick because you don't want to leave your tofu and veggies unattended for too long.

6) Once you add the noodles to the mixture in the stir fry pan, begin again to stir all the ingredients so that they are evenly heated. Once I add the noodles, it takes about 5 to ten minutes before everything appears to be cooked to a finished appearance. When this happens, then add a bit of sea salt, crack some pepper over it too; then I like to sprinkle a little bit of chili pepper flakes, a hint of cayenne pepper and then about a sprinkle or two of cardamom. After I add the spices, I stir it all up again, then I add a few swirls of Teriayki sauce to it and re-stir again.

7) Turn off the heat to the pan, your stir fry is done.

*** it takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to put this meal together.


Here's an example of what it should look like when your finished with cooking your stir fry meal:

http://www.melaniecooks.com/wp-conte...ostco-bowl.jpg

Thanks, Katzchen, that looks so good!

PS to all: I found out on closer inspection that I used an oil that was not supposed to be heated for that ill-fated stir-fry I made.

Maybe next time you could do the stir fry part without the coconut milk, just use canola spray or whatever your preference is, and toss it in a bowl and then pour the coconut milk in the wok and make your sauce separately to dump over it. Then you could spice it to taste.

I vote for marinading the tofu too. Maybe a bit of shoyu, garlic and ginger. I like your ingredient list, but I like a bit of crunch in mine, so I'd be adding some nuts or something as well. Pine nuts are yummy in stir fry.

For toss of you who make stuffed cabbage rolls or other dishes with cabbage leaves.

wrap fresh cabbage in plastic wrap and place in freezers overnight. When thawed the leaves will fall off core ready for use in recipe

Stupid gadget. I don't usually spell this bad on my own.... :blink:

supposed to read " For those of you..... :jester:

Another tip from Kitchen Bliss
 

When selecting herbs for a "little of this and that" dish, instead of just tossing herbs willy nilly into your new dish, take a sniff....

that's right, sniff your first choice, pick up another and sniff them together... if you don't like the 2nd, put it down and select another. Do this until you have a combination you enjoy. You can add spices using this same technique, just don't inhale ...... lol

You can combine herbs using your nose, THEN add to your dish. Avoids turning it into fancy dog food... lol

Happy Cooking!!!

Great suggestion Daktari,

Oh lordy YES, be sure to get the organic that smells and tastes like coconut... omg so yummy... is great for your skin also.. melt it in your hands, and rub it all over your body... does NOT stain clothing or sheets.... makes everything kissable... lol heals many skin conditions, and great for kids. Put it on your toast instead of butter, keeps the munchies away cause your body loves it.... my cats and dogs love it also.

Don't buy the louanne brand, it's horrible. Get the good stuff, you are worth every penny!