Smashed Cucumbers with Sesame, Chile, and Garlic

In case you missed my last post, I've got a bit of an obsession with a certain new restaurant in NYC.  

It's really not feasible (or cost-effective) to eat there all the time, so I was struck one evening with the idea to attempt to recreate some of their dishes at home.

Spicy Stir Fried Spring Onions and Peppers

Ever since we ate there in San Francisco last summer, I've been in love with Mission Chinese.  I'll spare you the glowing praise that pretty much every single review has bestowed upon it, but they really do make outstanding food.  Even better, there are so many vegetarian options, nearly every single one of which is delicious.  And the new branch in Manhattan, to which we've already been several times, is just as good.

I don't think it's reasonable to eat there once a week (although I think there are plenty of people in this city who eat out on such a regular basis that doing so wouldn't be considered out of the ordinary), so last weekend, when I was craving their fiery, fantastic, food, I decided to make a dent in our CSA share and make some Mission Chinese-inspired dishes at home.

Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

I’ve been promising my mom that I would post this recipe and, after many weeks, here it is.

If I could eat only one cuisine for the rest of my life, I’m pretty sure it would be Thai food. The salty-tart-spicy-sweet flavors are so satisfying and there are so many vegetarian options that I would never get bored. Recently, instead of going out for Thai, I’ve been making it at home and with great success – it often comes out better than what you can get at most Thai restaurants (not including the amazing Sripraphai).

Kabocha Squash (Pumpkin) Cheesecake with Graham-Lime-Walnut Crust

Pumpkin pie: people either love it or hate it. I, as a lover of all things pumpkin, obviously don’t hate it, but I am very picky about it. Most of them have a bad crust and the filling is usually too sweet and cinnamony (I really don’t like cinnamon). But if it’s made well, it’s oh so good.

A number of years ago, I very briefly worked at a fancy Chinese restaurant at which Pichet Ong was the pastry chef. I absolutely loved, and to this day, still do love, his Asian-inspired desserts. About a year after that, the New York Times printed a wonderful recipe of his a few weeks before Thanksgiving for a twist on the classic pumpkin pie: a Kabocha squash pie. Kabocha squash is among the sweetest varieties of squash (see this NYT article if you don’t believe me), so it lends itself perfectly to dessert. My favorite thing about it is its vibrant orange color - it's very Day-Glo-esqsue. Pichet's pie's filling contains the standard pumpkin pie spices, but is heavier on the ginger than the standard. The crust is perhaps the best part – it’s a graham cracker crust that’s perked up with ginger, lime, and walnuts. The addition of nuts make the crust rich and almost candy-like, and the flavor is just outstanding. Overall, it's a nice little Thai twist.

Bánh Mì Chay - Vegetarian Vietnamese Sandwich

One of my favorite places in NYC is Nicky’s Vietnamese Sandwiches. It’s a tiny storefront in the East Village and they only serve bánh mì, which are awesomely delicious Vietnamese sandwiches. Banh mi are traditionally made with pate and pork, but Nicky’s makes a few other versions using different meats, including a vegetarian version with marinated portobello mushrooms. I used to get one about once a month, sometimes eating it in the tiny store at one of the two small tables, sometimes taking it home with me to my apartment just a few blocks (and later, a few subway stops) away. They were so simple, but so so so so good – the combination of a crunchy baguette, pickled carrots, cilantro, and magically marinated mushrooms was divine.

Sadly, I haven’t had one in the year and a half I’ve lived in Baltimore – it isn’t quite the culinary mecca that NYC is (although I recently learned that Red Emma’s, which is just a block away from my building, has a vegetarian version made with lemongrass-marinated tofu).

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a Soy-Sriracha Dressing and Spiced Puffed Rice

I always serve roasted Brussels sprouts at Thanksgiving, and this year I wanted to change them up from my usual treatment of toasted walnuts and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. I decided to stick with the vaguely Asian theme I had going, so I dressed them up with a spicy and savory Asian dressing, fresh herbs, and toasted puffed rice for crunch instead of nuts. My family loved them (or so they told me!).

Ginger-Soy Noodles with Tofu and Red Peppers

I’m leaving for a 10-day vacation to the UK on Thursday, so I’m in the process of clearing out my fridge. Which means that my dinners have consisted of random food items that I have unearthed from my pantry and fridge (nachos, pita chips, and pizza bagels, anyone?). I don’t have the audacity to pretend like any of those things are worthy of this space, so I'm putting up a few things that I made a while back but never got around to posting. 

This one is for my friend Meg - I made this for her one afternoon when we were having a marathon viewing session of The Wire. It’s incredibly easy to make and is way better than cold takeout sesame noodles.

Ginger-Soy Noodles with Tofu and Red Peppers
(serves 2)

7-8 oz. firm tofu
2 tablespoons ginger-soy sauce (I really like Whole Foods’ 365 Organic brand)

4 oz lo mein noodles or thin spaghetti

1/3 cup water
1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter (I prefer chunky or natural for their texture)
3 tablespoons ginger-soy sauce
¼ - ½ teaspoon sriracha sauce (depending on how spicy you like your food)

½ large red pepper (cut in half lengthwise)
2-3 large scallions
1 small or ½ large cucumber

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)

***************

Cut the tofu into approximately ¾” cubes. Toss with 2 tablespoons of sauce and microwave on high power for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, cut the pepper half into ¼” by 1 ½” strips, chop the scallion, and peel, seed, and chop the cucumber into ½” chunks.

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and run under cold running water, then return them to the pot.

Add the tofu to the noodles in the pot. In the bowl in which you cooked the tofu, add the water and peanut butter, stir to combine, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Stir well, then add the ginger-soy and sriracha sauces. Add the sauce and sliced vegetables to the pot, and toss well to combine.

Top with cilantro and serve warm or at room temperature.

Marinated Tofu and Cucumber Skewers

These were also on the menu at my cocktail party last week. I stole the idea and flavors for these from the macadamia-crusted marinated tofu and coconut-coriander rice I made a while back. They require prior planning, but doesn't any good cocktail party require planning? They’re really easy to make, and, to my surprise, were devoured by everyone – carnivores and tofu-haters included.

Pomatcha Cupcakes

I’m not 100% sure from where the idea for this one came. I think it might have been the result of my recent obsession with Pom’s Pomegranate Green Tea, because when I decided to make green tea cupcakes, I didn’t have to even think to top them off with a pomegranate frosting. The flavors work great together – the sweet tartness of the pomegranate and the mellowness of the green tea complement each other beautifully.

Baked Corn Fritters with Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

I've been buying lots of corn at the market lately – it’s so sweet and tender this time of year but I’ve grown tired of grilling it and slathering it with butter, cilantro, lime juice, and cayenne pepper. Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious that way, but it gets tiresome after a while. This summer, I’ve run across a few recipes for corn fritters, but they all involve frying, which 1) I really do not enjoy doing (because hot oil + corn = spatters that cause burns, and also because it fills my tiny apartment with the not-so-nice smell of hot oil), and 2) is not particularly healthy.