Vegan Iron Chef 2015

        

                  Last week, I participated in SF Vegan Iron Chef 2015 held in San Francisco by Karine Brighten events. The experience was amazing, and I learned a lot out of it. The theme this year was handheld foods and the competition was between home chefs and professional chefs. I reached the final round after winning the first round against pro Chef Maria. 

                In the first round, we were suppose to make Tacos. So, I decided to do my favorite, a fusion Taco. Both Indian and Mexican cuisines are so varied and rich in flavors. And the spices used in both cuisines are similar to each other. So I can say fusion of these cuisines is like a heaven for a spice enthusiast like myself. 

                 For the final round, we had 20 minutes to make the fresh raw spring rolls using Jicama, Hodo Soy Yuba noodles and Mango. That was a nerve wracking and stressful round, especially because I had never used many of the ingredients nor made raw spring rolls. Although, I must say it was a great experience and was happy I could come up with fresh and flavorful spring rolls.  The spring rolls made by my competitor, chef Kevin, were stunning. Unfortunately I didn't get to try them, but they looked amazing.

Here are some of the pics from the event. Pictures by Colleen Holland, cofounder of VegNews, who was also one of the judges for the event.

 

I will post the recipes for the tacos as well as the spring rolls soon.

Vegetable Momos

                    Momos are steamed dumplings originating from the Nepal-Tibet region. Traditionally, they are made with meat filling in the mountains. The vegetarian version is made with veggies and tofu. Here is one of the vegetarian versions.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Refined flour (Maida)
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/4 cup grated Carrots
• 1/4 cup grated Cauliflower
• 1/4 cup grated Cabbage
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Bell Peppers
• 2 finely chopped Green chilies
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Cilantro
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste
• Water

Instructions:

• Sieve the flour
• Add 2 tsp Oil, salt and water to make a smooth semi-soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and keep it aside
• In a separate bowl, mix the grated carrot, cauliflower, bell peppers and cabbage
• Now add the green chilies and cilantro and mix well
• Then add salt and pepper and mix it well and keep it aside.

• Now, to make momos, knead the flour properly and divide into smaller portions.
• Roll out each portion into a thin disc.
• Put about 1 tbsp stuffing mixture in the center and fold towards the center from all 4 sides and press to seal.

• Now steam these dumplings in a steamer spaced properly for about 10-12 minutes

• Serve hot with some Thai chili sauce.

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

           Pad Kee Mao or as it is more commonly known, Drunken noodles, is one of the popular noodle dishes served in Thai restaurants in the US. This is the dish that I order most frequently and absolutely love. So, I decided to try it at home today with a bit of my twist on it. It was a big risk because my husband is not a fan of this dish but, thankfully, he loved it.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz flat, wide rice noodles (I got the fresh pre-cut)
• 1 Onion, cubed
• 1 Bell Pepper cubed
• 1 cup Broccoli florets
• 1 cup Tomatoes, cubed 
• 3-4 Garlic cloves
• 2 Thai chillies
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Chili-Garlic sauce
• 1.5 cup cubes of Firm Tofu
• 8-10 fresh Basil leaves
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions: 

• Take a pan, add little oil to it and fry the tofu until golden brown and keep it aside.

• Take the garlic cloves and Thai chillies and pound to a rough paste and keep it aside.
• Chop all the vegetables and keep it ready

• Heat some oil in a wok or a pan over high heat, and add the chilli-garlic mixture to it
• Stir for a couple of minutes till the garlic starts to turn golden brown.
• Now, add the onions, peppers and broccoli and toss them.
• Saute for another 2-3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and fried tofu and mix it well.
• Add the Soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, salt and pepper and toss it again.
• Then add noodles and let the noodles spread apart and mix well
• Let the noodles be in the pan for about 2-3 minutes and absorb the sauce, make sure to flip it once or twice
• When the liquid is all absorbed, take it from the heat and add the basil leaves and mix well
• Serve hot

Pad Thai

         I am back with a new recipe today after almost 2 weeks of vacation to the paradise of Hawaii. While  we were there, we missed Thai food a lot. Being vegetarians, it is somewhat difficult to find a good Thai place that serves pure vegetarian dishes since most of the dishes have fish sauce or anchovies - especially in Hawaii. But we both love Thai food, so that motivated me to try it at home.

         Pad Thai is one of the most popular dishes from Thailand, at least in USA. Whenever you visit any Thai restaurant, you will always find this in the menu. If you are new to Thai cuisine, Pad Thai will definitely be a a safe option to try. It is basically Thai version of Noodles.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Thai Rice Noodles
• 2 cloves crushed Garlic
• 2 Green Onions chopped
• 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Hot Sauce/Chili Sauce
• 2 tsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup Crushed Peanuts
• 1.5 cup cubes of Firm Tofu
• 2 tbsp Oil 
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro for Garnish

Instructions:

• Cook the rice noodles as per the direction on the package.
• Drain in cold water and keep them aside
• Take a pan, add little oil to it and fry the tofu till golden brown and keep it aside.

• Heat some oil in a wok or a pan, add garlic to it
• Saute it for a min and then add the onions and half of green onions 
• Saute it for 2-3 mins or till onions turns translucent.

• Now add the sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, crushed peanuts, hot sauce and mix it well.
• Then add the fried tofu to it
• Now reduce the heat to low and add the cooked noodles to this sauce and toss it properly so that it is mixed completely. 
• Make sure you stir it continuously so that noodles don't stick to the pan or get burnt.
• Since Soy Sauce has a good amount of salt in it, add additional salt only if needed
• Garnish it with cilantro and remaining green onions and serve it hot with a wedge of lime/lemon