Vegetarian Asian Recipes - Cookie and Kate

Seaweed Salad

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 18:57:43 +0000

This seaweed salad is colorful, delicious, and boldly flavored with sesame dressing. If you enjoy seaweed salads at Japanese restaurants, try this fun twist on the concept. Many prepared seaweed salads are colored with food dyes, but this one obtains its lively color from veggies.

If you’re relatively new to seaweed, like I am, this salad offers a great introduction. It calls for arame, which has a more mild and sweet flavor compared to other seaweed varieties. The crisp textures of cabbage and bell pepper, combined with soy sauce and ginger, contrast beautifully with the seaweed.

This salad is the perfect way to incorporate nutritious seaweed into your diet. Seaweed’s nutritional benefits vary depending on the specific variety, but they are often a good source of fiber, iodine, potassium and magnesium, among others. I try to consume a wide variety of whole foods, so seaweed is a welcome addition.

Seaweed Salad Ingredients

Arame

Arame seaweed, or sea vegetable, is a brown algae. It grows off the shores of the Ise-Shima National Park in Japan, and has been part of Japenese cuisine for centuries. I ordered EDEN brand arame online through Amazon, which seems to be sold out at the moment. Look for it in well-stocked grocery stores or Asian supermarkets.

Cabbage

Crisp strands of cabbage offer lots of colorful texture. I used green and purple varieties to make this recipe as bright as possible for photos, but either option will work well at home.

Bell Pepper

Sweet bell pepper is the perfect addition to this seaweed salad. Choose red, orange or yellow for this salad.

Cilantro and Green Onion

These herbs offer more fresh flavor. If you don’t like cilantro, you can skip it.

Avocado

Creamy avocado is the perfect counterpoint to the crisp textures. Wait to add avocado until you’re ready to serve each bowl.

Sesame Dressing

This homemade sesame dressing brings it all together! It’s made with tamari (soy sauce), toasted sesame oil, and fresh lime juice.

How to Make Seaweed Salad

Seaweed salad is surprisingly easy to make, and you’ll find the full recipe below. Arame requires a 5-to-10-minute soak in cool water. During that time, you can whisk together the dressing and chop the vegetables.

Drain the arame, then squeeze out any excess water. Return it to the bowl, add the prepared vegetables, pour in the full batch of dressing, and stir it all together. How’s that for easy?

Reserve the avocado until just before serving since it browns over time. The recipe keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Watch How to Make Seaweed Salad

How to Serve Seaweed Salad

This seaweed salad is a fun and nutritious side salad. Serve it with Japanese cuisine and beyond at any time of year.

You can turn this salad into a complete meal by topping it with Crispy Baked Tofu or prepared fish or shrimp, perhaps on a bed of brown rice. You could even skip the sesame dressing and serve it in place of the kale in my Build-Your-Own Buddha Bowls.

Here are a few more complementary serving options:

Leftover cabbage?

This recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of cabbage, less than one full head. Leftover cabbage will keep well in the refrigerator, wrapped, for up to one week.

Here are a few ways to use the remaining cabbage:

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope you enjoy this salad.

Seaweed Salad

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4 from 1 review

This seaweed salad recipe is colorful, delicious and boldly flavored with sesame dressing. The arame needs to soak for 5 to 10 minutes before using, so you can prepare the vegetables and dressing during that time. Recipe yields 4 servings (1 ½ cups per serving for 6 cups total).

Ingredients

1 ounce arame sea vegetables (about 1 ½ cups dried)
1 ½ cups thinly sliced purple or green cabbage, roughly chopped into pieces no longer than 3 inches
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
½ cup thinly sliced green onion, sliced on the diagonal
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 batch Sesame Dressing
1 ripe avocado, diced

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Instructions

Rinse the arame well in a fine sieve, then place it in a generously sized bowl. Fill the bowl with cool water and let it soak for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely pliable. Drain the arame in the sieve, and gently squeeze out any excess water. Transfer the arame back to your empty bowl, which we will use as a mixing bowl.
Add the cabbage, bell pepper, green onion and cilantro. Whisk the dressing once more, and pour it all over the salad. Gently toss until the salad is evenly coated in the dressing.
When it’s time to serve, divide the seaweed into bowls and top with diced avocado. The salad will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days (add the avocado just before serving).

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Veggie Sushi Bowls

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 21:25:22 +0000

Somewhere, in the deep recesses of my kitchen drawers, lies a sushi rolling mat. I have used it once, perhaps five years ago, during my first and last attempt at rolling sushi at home. I made some lumpy rolls that day. Sushi is an art form, and it’s not a picture I can paint.

Homemade sushi bowls are the answer to my sushi-at-home conundrum. There’s no rolling involved, which means they’re much easier to make. You can get quite creative with your ingredients, too, since we’re simply piling them on top rather than rolling them up. Best of all, these fresh but hearty bowls keep me fueled for hours.

These sushi bowls start off with rice, of course, mixed with toasted, crumbled nori (the green seaweed casing for sushi rolls) and some vinegar, soy sauce and sweetener. I opted for brown rice rather than white, which offers more fiber and some lightly nutty flavor. Then, I topped the rice with edamame for protein, creamy avocado slices, short cucumber matchsticks and carrot ribbons, made with my vegetable peeler.

The real kicker is the spicy mayo sauce drizzled on top, made simply with sriracha stirred into mayonnaise. It transforms the bowl from “tasty health bowl” to, “I want to eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I don’t see why not?” territory.

If you appreciate sushi at restaurants and would like to try a loose variation at home, give this one a a try. I love it and hope you do, too!

Watch How to Make Veggie Sushi Bowls

More Fresh Bowls to Make

If you enjoy these sushi bowls, try these recipes on Cookie and Kate:

Please let me know how your sushi bowls turn out in the comments. I love hearing from you.

Veggie Sushi Bowls

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 57 reviews

This recipe tastes like vegetarian sushi rolls, but in simplified bowl form! The spicy mayo sauce really takes it to another level. Feel free to play with the toppings to make this bowl taste like your favorite roll. There are a few steps involved, but each one is super simple. Recipe yields 4 sushi bowls, which keep well for leftovers (for best results, slice the avocado just before serving).

Ingredients

Rice and seasonings

2 cups short-grain brown rice, rinsed well
1 sheet dried nori (about 8″ square)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar or agave nectar
½ teaspoon salt

Spicy mayo sauce

⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, to taste

Everything else

2 cups frozen edamame
2 large carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 avocado, sliced into long strips
1 small cucumber
Recommended garnishes: sesame seeds (preferably black) and pickled ginger

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Instructions

To cook the rice: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water is boiling, pour in the rinsed rice and give it a stir. Boil the rice for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and drain the rice. Return the rice to the pot and cover the pot. Let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork.
To prepare the rice seasoning: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, tamari, sugar and salt. Warm the mixture, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and toss with rice once it’s done steaming.
To toast the nori: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the sheet of nori until it’s become crisp enough to crumble easily, flipping halfway, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and tear it into quarters. Crumble each piece into very small pieces in your hands over the rice and drop it into the pot. Stir the nori into the rice and set the rice aside to cool.
To cook the edamame: Bring a pot of water to boil, then add the frozen edamame and simmer just until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
To prepare the spicy mayo sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl until well blended. Add more sriracha if you’d like a spicier sauce.
To prepare the cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then slice the halves into 2-inch long pieces and slice them into matchsticks.
Divide the rice between four bowls. Top with edamame, carrots, avocado and cucumber. Drizzle chili-mayo sauce on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with pickled ginger on the side.

Notes

Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari is typically gluten free, but check the label to be sure).

Nutrition

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Colorful Veggie Sesame Noodles

Kathryne Taylor — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 08:58:01 +0000

These sesame noodles are colorful and completely irresistible! I’m always excited when I find sesame noodles amongst a plethora of dishes at a gathering. As a solo dish, I crave noodles with a little more color, perhaps, and more texture and flavor. Must be the “maximalist vegetarian” in me. Always more veggies!

This riff on sesame noodles is exactly what I’ve wished for. This recipe features tender noodles and green onions, of course. I replaced some of the noodles with tons of crisp raw veggies, plus I added tiny sesame seeds, toasted to bring out their best.

The bold but simple seasonings include soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh ginger and garlic, and a generous sprinkling of fresh cilantro (omit it if you don’t like it). I added some chili flakes for extra heat, which you can scale up or down to suit your preferences.

From what I’ve read, sesame noodles likely originated in the Sichuan province of China (please let me know if you know more). These noodles are not authentic, but they are tasty. I can’t stop going back for more.

Bring these noodles to a gathering or serve them as a side dish. They are nice at room temperature or chilled. Or, turn this recipe into a light meal by adding shelled edamame, crispy baked tofu or a fried egg or two. This recipe keeps well for several days in the fridge, and packs well for lunch.

Watch How to Make Colorful Veggie Sesame Noodles

This recipe is an updated and improved version of a very old recipe on my blog called “Soba Noodles with Vegetables.” Way back in 2011, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the seasonings, but I wasn’t sure how to fix them. I’ve revisited the recipe and tweaked it to yield exactly the flavor I’ve been craving all this time.

If you’re a fan of the old recipe, view the original recipe as a PDF here.

Craving more noodles?

Try these related recipes:

You might also enjoy my Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce, Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad, and the Fresh Sesame Soba Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce in Love Real Food (page 98).

Please let me know how your sesame noodles turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Veggie Sesame Noodles

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 6
Diet: Vegan

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 104 reviews

This riff on sesame noodles features tons of colorful vegetables. This recipe is healthy and easy to prepare—perfect for bringing to get-togethers! It’s vegetarian/vegan and easily gluten free. Recipe yields 6 side servings.

Ingredients

8 ounces soba noodles or spaghetti noodles of choice*
¼ cup raw sesame seeds
⅓ cup reduced sodium tamari (or soy sauce, just be sure it’s reduced sodium or it will taste too salty)
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 medium lime)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste (scale back or omit if sensitive to spice)
2 ½ cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 10 ounces or ¼th medium cabbage)
3 whole carrots, peeled and then sliced into ribbons with vegetable peeler (about 1 ½ cups)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
1 bunch green onions, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
Optional: 2 cups shelled edamame, steamed

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Instructions

Cook the soba noodles according to the package directions. Once they’re done cooking, drain them in a colander and rinse them well under cool water. Transfer the drained noodles to a large serving bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring often (keep an eye on them, as they can burn quickly). Once they’re fragrant and turning golden, transfer them to a small bowl so they don’t burn. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the tamari, sesame oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
To assemble, add the cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, cilantro and optional edamame to your bowl with the noodles. Drizzle in the dressing. Add all of the sesame seeds, and use tongs to toss until the mixture is fully combined. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for later. This salad is best consumed within a couple of days, but it will keep for up to 5 days.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Last Minute Sesame Noodles on Aggie’s Kitchen, originally from Eatingwell.com

*Make it gluten free: If you are sensitive to gluten, seek out 100% buckwheat soba noodles (I like Eden Foods’ brand) or substitute your favorite sturdy gluten-free spaghetti.

Change it up: Try adding a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to the dressing. Or, play around with the vegetables used here—you’ll just need about 5 cups total. For additional protein, include the optional edamame or serve with crispy baked tofu on top, or add a fried egg or scrambled eggs.

Nutrition

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Veggie Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Noodles

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 18:56:34 +0000

As promised! This is the made-from-scratch version of the teriyaki stir-fry that my husband whipped up with our leftover veggies. He’s so good at improvising meals with what we have on hand.

I loved it, and decided to come up with my own homemade teriyaki sauce to replace the jarred kind. This dish is inauthentic (maybe we can call it Asian fusion), but definitely delicious and healthier than take-out.

This stir-fry has a lot going for it. It’s simple to make, especially if your sauce is ready to go. It’s loaded with fresh vegetables—in fact, it’s made with more veggies than noodles. Lastly, it packs great for lunch.

You can change up this recipe however you see fit. You could substitute leftover brown rice for the noodles. Add crispy baked tofu, steamed edamame, scrambled eggs or a crispy fried egg for extra protein. How about a stir-fry for dinner tonight?

Love noodles? Here are a few more of my favorite noodle recipes:

Please let me know how your stir-fry turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Veggie Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Noodles

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 41 reviews

Make this quick and delicious vegetarian stir-fry with noodles for dinner tonight! It’s a healthier spin on take-out that is easily made vegan and/or gluten free (see notes). Recipe yields 4 main dish servings.

Ingredients

4 ounces soba noodles, brown rice noodles, spaghetti or long noodle of choice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
1 medium red or white onion, halved and thinly sliced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
6 cups thinly sliced mixed vegetables*
½ cup teriyaki sauce, or more as needed
1 to 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, to taste
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion, for garnish

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Instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse well to remove any excess starch. Set aside.
Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, onion and salt. Cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the remaining vegetables and cook until they are tender and caramelizing on the edges, stirring every minute or two. Given the volume of vegetables, this will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Once the vegetables are done, add the noodles and ½ cup teriyaki sauce to the pan. Stir to combine, and cook just until the ingredients are all warmed through, about 1 minute. Feel free to add more teriyaki sauce if you like your noodles extra-saucy.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Add toasted sesame oil, to taste (a little goes a long way/toss with tongs if you need help mixing the noodles into the veggies). Add the sesame seeds.
Serve the noodles in bowls with sliced green onion and a little sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Leftovers keep well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Notes

*Vegetable suggestions: Aim to slice your veggies into ¼-inch wide strips for even cooking. Use any combination of portobello or baby bella mushrooms, bell pepper, snap peas (halved vertically), cabbage, carrot (cut thin on the diagonal), or kale.

Make it vegan: Make or buy vegan teriyaki sauce. My teriyaki sauce recipe has a vegan option (simply use maple syrup instead of honey).

Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free teriyaki sauce (most aren’t gluten free, but my recipe has a gluten-free option). Also choose gluten-free noodles, such as brown rice noodles (available at Whole Foods) or spaghetti noodles (I’d probably use a corn and quinoa blend because they tend to retain their shape better than others).

Nutrition

The post Veggie Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Noodles appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Bold Teriyaki Sauce

Kathryne Taylor — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 18:26:03 +0000

I’m going to go ahead and say it: This isn’t authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce. It’s the American version of teriyaki sauce, with loads of ginger and garlic. It tastes way better than the store-bought varieties, without the additives. It’s also naturally sweetened and easily made gluten free!

I came up with this recipe because I wanted a homemade alternative to store-bought teriyaki sauces. My husband made a great stir-fry with the jarred kind the other day. I set out to recreate it, starting with the teriyaki sauce. I’ll share the stir-fry later this week.

This homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet, salty and thick. It makes a great glaze for grilled or roasted ingredients, or a flavorful addition to a basic stir-fry. Stir or brush it on near the end of cooking, not the beginning, or it could burn.

I love this sauce with veggies and crispy baked tofu, over rice or noodles. It will also liven up your hodge-podge weeknight fried rice. When it comes to veggies, teriyaki sauce goes particularly well with cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, bell peppers, and snow peas.

Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Americanized version of teriyaki sauce. I based the ingredients on the labels of store-bought teriyaki sauces, and you can find all of these ingredients in a regular grocery store. Keep in mind that traditional teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine) and Sake.

Reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari

Most recipes call for regular, but I prefer to use reduced-sodium for more control over the salt content. Even then, this sauce is plenty salty. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it away.

Tamari is a wheat-free Japanese variety of soy sauce, and you’ll find it by the soy sauce in well-stocked grocery stores. Use a certified gluten-free tamari if you want to make gluten-free teriyaki sauce (soy sauce typically contains gluten).

Honey or maple syrup

Typically, you’ll find a combination of honey and brown sugar in teriyaki recipes. I wanted this recipe to be entirely naturally sweetened, so I used all honey instead.

If you want teriyaki sauce without honey, simply use maple syrup. It’s great, too!

Rice vinegar

Add a splash of rice vinegar to liven up the flavor and cut the sweetness of the honey.

Fresh ginger and garlic

Fresh ginger and garlic make this sauce taste so bold. Fresh ginger and garlic are common in American teriyaki stir fries, so they taste “right” to me. Authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce is made without these ingredients, with the addition of sake or mirin.

Cornstarch or arrowroot starch

Starch helps thicken the sauce. Without it, the sauce would be quite watery. If you want to make your teriyaki sauce without cornstarch, arrowroot is the perfect substitute.

We’ll mix the starch with an equal amount of water to make a slurry. We make a slurry so we can liquify the starch and work out any lumps before pouring it into the simmering sauce.

How to Prep Your Fresh Ingredients

This sauce is very easy to make. Preparing the ginger and garlic is the only semi-tedious step.

To grate ginger: You don’t have to peel your ginger first if you’re using a fine grater (a Microplane is best). Here’s my favorite tool for the task (affiliate link).

To peel and mince garlic: You can use a garlic press or mince it by hand. I’m all for the garlic press.

Garlic and ginger shortcuts: Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any that work. I don’t ever recommend using store-bought minced garlic. It isn’t the same. I also tried this sauce with ginger and garlic powder instead of fresh (1 teaspoon ground ginger and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground garlic), and it wasn’t nearly as good. In fact, it bordered on gross. Fresh is best!

Please let me know how your teriyaki sauce turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Craving more? Here are a few of my favorite recipes with Asian influences:

Bold Teriyaki Sauce

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 1 1/4 cups

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 45 reviews

Make delicious teriyaki sauce with this simple recipe! Unlike store-bought teriyaki sauce, this recipe is naturally sweetened and easily gluten free. Recipe yields about 1 ¼ cups sauce.

Ingredients

Teriyaki Sauce

½ cup reduced-sodium tamari, shoyu or soy sauce*
½ cup water
⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Slurry (to thicken sauce)

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 tablespoon water

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Instructions

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, water, honey, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overflow.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth (we’re creating a slurry, which will thicken the sauce). Set aside.
Once the sauce is simmering, whisk the slurry once more and pour it all into the sauce. Continue cooking, while stirring continuously, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds.
Remove the sauce from the heat and use as desired. To store for later, let it cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating. Teriyaki sauce tastes best when it’s fresh, but will keep for 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Notes

*Make it gluten free: Standard soy sauces contain gluten, so choose certified gluten-free tamari instead (I used San-J brand).

Make it vegan: Choose maple syrup instead of honey.

Serving suggestions: Use up leftover teriyaki sauce on a simple veggie stir-fry. Just cook up your leftover vegetables with some olive oil or avocado oil. Once they’re tender and caramelized on the edges, pour in some teriyaki sauce, stir a few times, and remove the skillet from the heat.

Nutrition

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Blistered Shishito Peppers

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 18:59:52 +0000

Are you acquainted with shishito peppers? They are thin-skinned little green peppers that you can cook up in a skillet in ten minutes. Once they have a little char on them, they’re so irresistible.

Nine out of ten shishitos are quite mild, but then you’ll come across one that makes your eyes water! That’s part of the fun.

I’ve been craving blistered shishitos since we returned from Spain, where we found the shishito’s cousins cooked the same way. So, I’ve been scooping them up at Whole Foods, and tossing them in a skillet at home.

It took me a few tries to get my technique down. Most recipes will tell you to cook the peppers over high heat, but that will fill your kitchen with smoke. I’ve dialed down the heat and figured out how to make consistently great blistered shishitos. Ready for the easiest appetizer recipe ever?

How to Cook Shishito Peppers

Blistered shishito peppers are so easy to cook that you’ll know this recipe by heart after your first try. I offer exact amounts of peppers and oil below, but you really just need enough peppers to cover the base of your skillet and enough oil to lightly coat the peppers.

Here are a few tips:

Wash and pat the peppers dry before starting. You don’t want any splatters when you add them to the pan.
Toss the peppers in oil before cooking, rather than heating oil in the skillet. Shishitos are irregularly shaped, so there’s no way the oil will get into all the crevices otherwise.
This trick also reduces the amount of oil on the pan at any given time, which means there’s less oil to overheat. Props to this YouTube video for the suggestion.
Warm your skillet over medium until it’s so hot that a drop of water sizzles and quickly evaporates. Most recipes will tell you to cook the peppers over high heat, but that’s too hot for olive oil (especially in cast iron).
Then, add the oiled peppers. Let them rest for a minute at a time before stirring, so they get a chance to char. Stir every minute until the peppers are tender and blistered in spots. Popping sounds are good! This will take about ten minutes.

That’s it! Transfer them all to a serving dish, and finish them off with a spritz of lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of salt. I’ve tried other flavorings, but shishitos are really best when they’re simply dressed.

Watch How to Cook Shishitos

Pepper Options

Meet shishito’s cousins, which you can cook up the same way. Shishitos are easier to find in the States, so that’s why they’re featured in the title of this post.

Shishito Peppers

Shishito peppers hale from East Asia, and I’ve ordered them as an appetizer from sushi menus. They are small green peppers that look like wrinkled, thin-skinned jalapeños. Don’t worry, they aren’t nearly as spicy (well, 90 percent are not).

Where to buy shishito peppers: You can generally find shishitos for sale at Whole Foods, by the jalapeños, and Trader Joe’s, packaged in the refrigerated produce section.

Padron Peppers

We found Padrón peppers in Barcelona when we visited Ali and Barclay. Padróns are a little thicker than shishitos, but very closely related. Apparently you’re more likely to come across a spicy Padrón (one in five, vs. one in ten).

Guindilla Peppers

We found guindilla peppers in San Sebastián in Northern Spain. They’re skinnier than shishitos, and my favorite variety. You’ll also find them pickled in vinegar, and they taste like spicy, firm pepperoncini peppers.

The first time we ordered blistered guindillas, my husband assumed we couldn’t possibly finish off the full bowl and offered them to our neighbors for a taste. I admired his generosity while I reached for another, and another, and before you knew it, I polished them off myself.

Guindillas are a Basque specialty, and I’ve never seen them elsewhere. I love them so much I’ve found seeds to plant next year.

What to Serve with Shishito Peppers

Shishitos are a light and healthy snack on their own. They would be welcome with almost any meal, and they’re an easy way to round out an appetizer spread of cheese and olives.

If you want to take a cue from Spanish tapas, serve them with any of the following Mediterranean appetizers:

Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Easy Romesco Sauce with raw or grilled veggies
Best Hummus
Epic Baba Ganoush
Baked Goat Cheese with Tomato Sauce

Please let me know how your peppers turn out in the comments! They really are so fun to make and eat.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 72 reviews

Blistered shishitos are easy to make and totally irresistible! You’ll just need shishitos, olive oil, a skillet, and this simple recipe. Recipe yields 4 appetizer servings; you can double the recipe in a large skillet.

Ingredients

8 ounces (3 heaping cups) shishito peppers
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
Lemon wedge, optional
Salt, preferably flaky sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

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Instructions

Rinse and pat the peppers dry on a clean tea towel. Transfer the peppers to a medium bowl, drizzle in the oil, and toss until the peppers are evenly coated. Set aside.
Preheat a medium skillet over medium heat until it’s hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly on contact. Add the peppers and let them cook, stirring every minute or so (not too often), until they are tender with charred spots, about 8 to 12 minutes.
Transfer the peppers to a serving plate. Spritz with a lemon wedge, if desired. Sprinkle with salt, to taste (don’t skimp). Serve with a little bowl on the side for the pepper stems.

Notes

Pepper options: This recipe will also work with Padrón peppers and guindilla peppers.

Nutrition

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Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 18:59:39 +0000

My now-husband asked me out for spring rolls and beer for our first date. I vividly remember walking into the nearby Thai restaurant to meet him. Our waitress had to come back three times to get our order, since we could not be bothered to look at the menu.

We were too busy connecting over our love for our dogs (we each have one), coming from families of three kids (I’m the oldest; he’s the youngest), our shared love of food and travel, a million other little things…

He finally ordered us a double batch of his favorite spring rolls. I was too nervous and full from a day of recipe testing to eat much. The waitress kicked us out because the restaurant was closing. I came home and danced around in the living room with Cookie. He asked me out again.

A couple of months later, I confessed that I didn’t share his level of appreciation for those spring rolls. “Too much noodles, not enough veggies. The carrots taste like chlorine. The peanut sauce could be more bold.” He dared me to come up with something better, and I finally have.

These are the fresh, veggie-packed spring rolls I want to order at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. I can’t say they’re 100 percent authentic, but they’re pretty close.

Of course, I came up with an irresistible peanut dipping sauce to go with them. Invite some friends over and make it a spring roll party! Ready for the recipe?

Fresh Spring Roll Ingredients

These spring rolls are refreshing, colorful and fun to make. I left out tofu (you really can’t pack enough into the rolls to make it worthwhile) and shrimp, since I don’t eat shrimp.

These filling ingredients are flexible. You can use more carrot instead of cucumber, or extra cabbage in place of the lettuce. Here’s my favorite filling combination:

Thin rice noodles
Butter lettuce
Red cabbage (or green cabbage)
Carrot
Cucumber
Jalapeño (skip if you’re very sensitive to spice)
Green onion, cilantro and mint

You’ll need basic pantry ingredients to make the peanut sauce: peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, toasted sesame oil and fresh garlic.

How to Wrap Spring Rolls

Spring rolls can seem intimidating, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly, I promise. If you have folded a burrito before, you can definitely make spring rolls! Don’t stress if your spring rolls aren’t totally perfect. A few tips:

1) Make the base

Start by placing a few pieces of lettuce about one-third from the bottom of the circular wrapper. The width of your fillings will determine the width of the spring roll. You want to leave a couple inches open on the two sides for wrapping purposes.

2) Pile on the ingredients

Then, add the remaining ingredients. The exact order doesn’t matter much. Just pile them on top, making sure to take up the proper width. It’s ok if the fillings spill upward. I try to leave the top one-third of the wrapper open for wrapping.

3) Roll the filling

Gently pull the bottom of the wrapper up and over the lower portion of the filling. Try to keep the fillings compact as you roll upwards, just until the fillings are enveloped.

4) Envelope the sides and roll it up

Pull each side over to enclose the filling. Continue wrapping upward until your spring roll is fully wrapped!

Watch How to Make Spring Rolls

Please let me know how your spring rolls turn out in the comments. I hope they’re a big hit.

Craving more peanut sauce? Me, too. You’re going to love these:

You’ll also enjoy the fresh sesame soba spring rolls in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 98).

Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 spring rolls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 203 reviews

These Vietnamese spring rolls are fresh, not fried! They’re the perfect party appetizer or light meal. The peanut sauce sends them over the top. Recipe yields 8 spring rolls.

Ingredients

Spring Rolls

2 ounces rice vermicelli or maifun brown rice noodles*
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup torn butter lettuce, ribs removed
1 cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler
2 Persian (mini) cucumbers or 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler
2 medium jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
8 sheets rice paper (spring roll wrappers)

Peanut Sauce

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed

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Instructions

To make the spring rolls: Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles just until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, rinse them under cool water, and return them to the pot. Off the heat, toss the noodles with the sesame oil and salt, and set aside.
Fill a shallow pan (a pie pan or 9″ round cake pan works great) with an inch of water. Fold a lint-free tea towel in half and place it next to the dish. Make sure your prepared fillings are within reach. Combine the green onion, cilantro and mint in a small bowl, and stir.
Place one rice paper in the water and let it rest for about 20 seconds, give or take. You’ll learn to go by feel here—wait until the sheet is pliable but not super floppy. Carefully lay it flat on the towel.
Leaving about 1 inch of open rice paper around the edges, cover the lower third of the paper with a few pieces of butter lettuce, followed by a small handful of rice noodles, some cabbage, and a few strips of carrot, cucumber and jalapeño. Sprinkle generously with the herb mix.
Fold the lower edge up over the fillings, rolling upward just until the filling is compactly enclosed. Fold over the short sides like you would to make a burrito. Lastly, roll it up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
To make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari, honey, sesame oil, and garlic. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to make a super creamy but dip-able sauce.
Serve the spring rolls with peanut sauce on the side. You can serve them whole, or sliced in half on the diagonal with a sharp chef’s knife.

Notes

*Noodle note: I always opt for whole grains when I can, so I used Annie Chun’s brand of maifun brown rice noodles. I found them with the Asian ingredients at Whole Foods.

Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten free noodles and tamari (not soy sauce, which typically contains gluten).

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Make it peanut free: Substitute almond butter (if not avoiding nuts altogether) or sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter.

Prepare in advance: You can definitely mix together the peanut sauce in advance. You can also prepare the veggies several hours or up to 1 day in advance, and store them in an air-tight container (they will lose freshness with time). The spring roll wrappers tend to dry out with time or once chilled, so spring rolls are best assembled shortly before serving. If you’d like to keep them fresh for an hour or two, store them under a lightly damp, lint-free tea towel at room temperature (the skin tends to harden in the refrigerator).

Nutrition

The post Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Mango “Burrito” Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 13:12:41 +0000

Think of these sunny mango bowls as a Thai spin on your favorite burrito bowl. They’re refreshing and hearty, sweet and savory, and my new favorite summertime dinner.

These bowls were inspired by my Thai mango cabbage wraps, which are such a fun appetizer. I’ve added rice and shredded the cabbage to turn them into a more hefty dinner.

These bowls feature perfectly cooked brown rice and shredded cabbage topped with crispy baked tofu, fresh mango salsa and peanut sauce. None of the components are difficult to prepare, and the combination is irresistible.

You could make these bowls on a relaxed weeknight, or save them for the weekend. Invite friends over, or keep your leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. You can’t lose with this one.

How to Make Mango Burrito Bowls

Here’s the gist:

The first step is to preheat the oven, bring a pot of water to boil for the rice, and prepare the tofu. You’ll need to drain off some excess water before baking so it crisps up nicely. Plan to do this while you’re emptying the dishwasher, etc.
Then, you’ll toss the tofu with a few basic ingredients and bake it. While it’s baking, you’ll cook the rice on the stovetop. They take about the same amount of time to cook, which is convenient.
In the meantime, you can prepare the mango salsa and peanut sauce. Then, slice your cabbage and chop some peanuts for garnish.
Once all your components are ready, assemble and enjoy!

Fresh Mango Tips

Sweet, ripe mango is the key ingredient in this recipe (if you can’t find good mango, substitute fresh pineapple). Some tips:

When you’re shopping, look for mangos that yield lightly to a gentle squeeze, like a peach or avocado. Most varieties (like the kind I used here) will turn reddish in areas as they ripen.
If you come home with perfectly ripe mangos, store them in the refrigerator until you make this recipe.
If you need your mangos to hurry up and ripen, store them in a paper bag at room temperature.

Not sure how to dice mango? Here’s a great tutorial from Sonja and Alex.

Loving these fresh flavors? You’ll also enjoy these recipes:

Please let me know how these mango bowls turn out for you in the comments, and share a snap on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate!

Mango “Burrito” Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 4 bowls

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 173 reviews

Think of these mango bowls as a Thai spin on your favorite burrito bowl. This recipe features brown rice, fresh mango, tofu and peanut sauce. You will have time to prepare the produce while the tofu and rice cook, so get started on those elements first. Recipe yields 4 bowls.

Ingredients

Crispy baked tofu and rice

1 block (12 to 15 ounces) organic extra-firm tofu
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
1 ¼ cups brown basmati rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed

Peanut sauce

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari* or soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to taste
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if sensitive to spice)

Mango salsa and cabbage

2 large ripe mangos, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup (about 4) thinly sliced green onions
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 medium jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage
Handful of chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the tofu from sticking.
To prepare the tofu: Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds lengthwise so you have 3 even slabs. Stack the slabs on top of each other and slice through them lengthwise to make 3 even columns, then slice across to make 5 even rows.
Line a cutting board with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels, then arrange the tofu in an even layer on the towel(s). Fold the towel(s) over the cubed tofu, then place something heavy on top (like another cutting board, topped with a cast iron pan or large cans of tomatoes) to help the tofu drain. Let the tofu rest for at least 10 minutes (preferably more like 30 minutes, if you have the time).
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rice and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain off the remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Cover the pot and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Transfer the pressed tofu to the lined baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil and tamari. Toss to combine. Sprinkle the starch over the tofu, and toss the tofu until the starch is evenly coated, so there are no powdery spots remaining.
Arrange the tofu in an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing the tofu halfway, until the tofu is deeply golden on the edges. Set aside.
Meanwhile, prepare the peanut sauce by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Taste, and if it’s too bold, add another teaspoon of honey to tame it. Set aside.
Then, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the diced mango, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, jalapeño, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine, and set aside.
To assemble your bowls, start with a big scoop of cooked rice. Top with a handful (½ cup) shredded cabbage, then a big scoop of mango salsa, a handful of baked tofu, a hefty drizzle of peanut sauce, and a little sprinkle of chopped peanuts. Leftover bowls will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days.

Notes

*Make it gluten free: This dish is gluten free as long as you use gluten-free tamari, which is a variety of soy sauce that is usually (but not always, check the label) gluten free. I always use tamari instead of soy sauce because I prefer the flavor of it! Look for tamari next to the soy sauce in the Asian aisle of the grocery store.

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Change it up: If you can’t find good mangos, diced fresh pineapple would be delicious. You’ll need about 2 cups.

Nutrition

The post Mango “Burrito” Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 29 May 2019 13:56:10 +0000

Repeat after me: No more mushy rice! No more mushy rice! I’ve been using this brown rice cooking technique for years, and it never fails.

A few reasons to love this recipe:

You don’t need a rice cooker or any special equipment (just a pot with a lid, and a kitchen stove).
You can use this technique on any type of brown rice (long, medium or short grain, as long as it’s not a quick-cooking variety).
It’s so easy to remember, you’ll never need to look up how to cook brown rice again.

For this technique, you’ll boil your rice in an abundance of water for 30 minutes. Drain off the excess water, return the rice to the pot, cover, and let the rice steam for 10 minutes. Ta da! Perfect brown rice, every time.

I originally found this technique on Saveur, and I’m so thankful I did. Their recipe calls for 12 cups of water (that’s a lot) per cup of rice, and I’ve learned that it really only needs 6 cups.

However, you don’t actually have to measure the water as long as you’re using a large enough pot. If too much water evaporates during the cooking process, just add more and return the water to a boil. Your rice will still turn out perfectly!

Watch How to Cook Brown Rice

How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes (plus 10 minutes for steaming)
Yield: 3 cups

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 258 reviews

Once you try this easy technique, you’ll never want to cook brown rice any other way. You can scale this recipe up or down as needed. The basic ratio is 1 part brown rice to 6 parts water, which yields 3 parts cooked rice. As written below, the recipe yields 3 cups cooked rice.

Ingredients

1 cup brown rice (short, medium or long grain brown rice will work, as long as it’s not a quick-cooking variety)
6 cups water
Salt, soy sauce or other desired seasonings, to taste

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to boil, using at least 6 cups water per 1 cup rice. Rinse* the rice in a fine mesh colander under running water to remove excess starch.
Add the rice to the boiling water. Reduce the temperature as necessary to prevent overflow, but maintain a steady boil. Boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Drain off the remaining cooking water and return the rice to the pot. Cover the pot and let the rice rest, off the heat, for 10 minutes. Fluff, season as desired, and serve.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Saveur.

*Note on rinsing: I’ve forgotten to rinse my rice before, and the rice turned out almost as good. The cooked grains are a little more starchy—you can see a thin layer of gluey starch at the bottom of the pot after steaming. If you’re in a hurry, skip the rinse.

Make it gluten free: Rice is gluten free, so just be mindful of your additions. Soy sauce, for example, is not gluten free (substitute certified gluten-free tamari instead).

Wild rice option: For wild rice, use 8 cups water and boil for 40 to 55 minutes, until tender but pleasantly chewy.

Nutrition

5 Recipes Featuring Brown Rice

The following recipes feature this brown rice cooking technique. I have many more brown rice recipes here. You’ll find brown rice risottos, paella, mujaddara and more.

1) Thai Red Curry with Vegetables

Gluten free and vegan

“Made this yesterday following the recipe quite faithfully. Hubby said it tastes exactly like the red curry at our favorite Thai restaurant! This is a winner and will be bookmarked and made often! The details provided in the recipe such as time to cook at each step ensure that you can’t go wrong with the recipe. And so I would feel confident making this recipe for company too.” – Poornima

2) Kale, Black Bean & Avocado Burrito Bowl

Gluten free and vegan

“I’ve made this twice now and love it! The lime juice-marinated kale totally converted me to eating raw kale! This is a perfect recipe to make for weekday lunches in the office because it’s easy to pack and reheat and leftovers taste just as great. Thanks!” – Lauren

3) Extra Vegetable Fried Rice

Gluten free and easily vegan

“I made this last weekend and love love loved it so I’m making it again this weekend! My husband really liked it too, and it’s a tall order to get him to eat a lot of vegetables so this will be entered into our regular rotation for sure. So glad I found this blog, I’ve email subscribed and have just purchased your cookbook! Thanks Kate!!” – Julia

4) Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Crispy Baked Tofu with Honey-Sesame Glaze

Gluten free and vegan

“Another amazing recipe, perfect combination of sweet and spicy. I pitched this to my meat loving boyfriend as vegetarian general tso’s, and it worked! Every recipe I cook from this blog is so delicious – all I want to know is when is the Cookie and Kate cookbook release date! Thank you, Kate, your recipes have renewed my love of cooking and make breaking bread with loved ones even more special.” – Ailla

5) Anything-Goes Kale Salad with Green Tahini Dressing

Gluten free and vegan

“Thank you so much for this lovely salad, beautiful and delicious! The dressing is such a nice combination. Just the thing after a weekend of not-so-healthful eating.” – Wendy

More resources you might appreciate: 23 make-ahead breakfast recipes, 45 recipes that pack well for lunch and 20 simple weeknight dinners. You can shop my essential kitchen equipment here. Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest for a steady stream of recipe inspiration!

The post How to Cook Perfect Brown Rice appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Thai Panang Curry with Vegetables

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 23:50:31 +0000

Have you had panang curry yet? Panang curry is rich and creamy, spicy yet balanced, with underlying notes of peanut and coconut.

I make my panang curry with lots of bell peppers and carrots, and optional tofu for extra protein. It’s a perfectly satisfying weeknight meal for cold days.

Panang is one of my favorite Thai curries, right up there with red curry and green curry. If you haven’t ordered it at your favorite Thai restaurant yet, you’ve been missing out!

Watch How to Make Panang Curry

Panang Curry Paste Notes

When it comes to Thai curries, the curry paste represents a big portion of the final flavor. You’ll need panang curry paste to make panang curry!

What’s in panang curry paste?

Panang curry pastes vary somewhat from brand to brand, but they typically include dried chili peppers, galangal, ginger, lemongrass, kaffir lime zest, kaffir lime leaves, coriander root, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. You could make your own curry paste if you have those ingredients at home, but I’m betting that you don’t.

Special diet considerations

If you are vegetarian (holler), vegan or have shellfish allergies, you’ll want to find a panang curry paste that doesn’t contain shrimp or fish sauce. I’ve found a couple of great vegan options on Amazon, made by A Taste of Thai and Maesri (those are affiliate links). If I had to pick a favorite, it would be A Taste of Thai.

Where to buy it

Panang curry paste is a little more difficult to find than standard red or green Thai curries. You might get lucky and find it in the international section of your grocery store, somewhere near the soy sauce. You would definitely find it at an Asian grocery store. You can also buy it online, like I did.

Panang Curry Notes

I’ll be the first to point out that this recipe isn’t quite traditional. I made some changes to suit my vegetarian diet, and tried to use ingredients that are easy to find in the States. Here’s how my recipe differs from authentic curries:

I used vegan curry paste (many contain shrimp).
I didn’t add kaffir lime leaves, which are typically simmered in the coconut milk for extra flavor. I couldn’t find them. Fortunately, the curry pastes I’ve recommended actually contain this ingredient.
I used tofu instead of other proteins (often shrimp or chicken).
I used soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Actually, I used tamari, which is a Japanese soy sauce that is typically gluten free (most soy sauces are not). I simply prefer the flavor of tamari over soy sauce.
I garnished the dish with regular basil because I couldn’t find Thai basil. I thought it was great that way, but if you can find Thai basil, you might like that even more.

Before You Get Started

If you want to serve tofu with your curry, I’d recommend making that first. You can start on the curry once the tofu is in the oven. Here’s the recipe.

If you want to serve rice with your curry, I typed up suggested quantities and how to cook it within the recipe below. (I always cook with brown rice, but you could use another rice if you cook it according to the package’s directions.) You might also enjoy the curry with cooked noodles or on its own.

How to Make Panang Curry

This curry recipe comes together quickly once you’ve chopped your veggies.

First, you’ll first sauté the onions, peppers and carrots, then add the garlic and curry paste and cook those briefly to enhance their flavors.
Then add regular coconut milk (from a can) and some water (so it’s not overwhelmingly rich).
At the end of cooking, you’ll stir in some final seasonings: peanut butter (typically found in panang curries), tamari or soy sauce, and a little sugar and lime juice. The interplay of these ingredients create balance and make your final curry taste super delicious.
I generally add a little pinch of salt at the end to bring out the curry’s best. That’s it! Garnish with basil (Thai basil if you can find it), and serve it over rice or noodles, if desired.

Please let me know how your curry turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Craving more fresh Thai recipes? Here are a few favorites:

Thai Panang Curry with Vegetables

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 113 reviews

This Thai panang curry recipe is so easy to make at home and tastes better than take-out! This recipe is full of veggies and fresh flavor, and the tofu is optional. Recipe yields 4 servings.

Ingredients

Optional: 1 batch crispy baked tofu
Optional: 1 ¼ cups brown jasmine rice or long-grain brown rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
Pinch of salt, more to taste
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin (¼” wide) strips
1 yellow, orange or green bell pepper, sliced into thin (¼” wide) strips
3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¼” thick rounds (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 to 2 tablespoons panang curry paste* (use 1 for mild or 2 for spicy)
1 can (14 ounces) regular coconut milk
½ cup water
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce**
1 ½ teaspoons coconut sugar or brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice, to taste
Optional garnishes: fresh Thai basil or regular basil, sriracha or chili garlic sauce for extra spice

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Instructions

If you’d like to serve rice with your curry (optional): Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rinsed rice and continue boiling for 30 minutes, reducing heat as necessary to prevent overflow. Remove from heat, drain the rice and return the rice to pot. Cover and let the rice rest for 10 minutes or longer, until you’re ready to serve. Just before serving, season the rice to taste with salt and fluff it with a fork.
To make the curry, warm a large skillet with deep sides over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. Add the onion and a sprinkle of salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the bell peppers and carrots. Cook until the bell peppers are easily pierced through by a fork, 3 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and curry paste and cook, while stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk and water, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the peppers and carrots have softened to your liking, about 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you’re adding crispy tofu, stir it in now.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter, tamari, sugar and lime juice. Add salt, to taste (I usually add a pinch or two). If the curry needs a little more punch, add ½ teaspoon more tamari, or for more acidity, add ½ teaspoon more lime juice.
Divide rice and curry into bowls and garnish with fresh basil, if using. If you love spicy curries, serve with sriracha or chili garlic sauce on the side.

Notes

*Panang curry paste: You might find it in the Asian section of the grocery store. You will definitely find it at Asian grocery stores or you can buy it online like I did. Two brands I like are A Taste of Thai and Maesri, which are both vegan/vegetarian. Not all brands are (they can contain fish sauce and/or shrimp paste).
**Make it gluten free: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari instead of regular soy sauce. Double-check your curry paste to make sure it’s gluten free, too.

Make it vegan: Make sure your curry paste is free of shellfish and fish sauce. See recommendations provided above.

Make it nut free: Omit the peanut butter, and verify that your curry paste is nut free.

Nutrition

The post Thai Panang Curry with Vegetables appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Vegetarian Asian Recipes - Cookie and Kate

Seaweed Salad

Seaweed Salad Ingredients

Arame

Cabbage

Bell Pepper

Cilantro and Green Onion

Avocado

Sesame Dressing

How to Make Seaweed Salad

Watch How to Make Seaweed Salad

How to Serve Seaweed Salad

Leftover cabbage?

Seaweed Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

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Veggie Sushi Bowls

Watch How to Make Veggie Sushi Bowls

More Fresh Bowls to Make

Veggie Sushi Bowls

Ingredients

Rice and seasonings

Spicy mayo sauce

Everything else

Instructions

Notes

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Colorful Veggie Sesame Noodles

Watch How to Make Colorful Veggie Sesame Noodles

Craving more noodles?

Veggie Sesame Noodles

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Veggie Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Noodles

Veggie Teriyaki Stir-Fry with Noodles

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Bold Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients

Reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari

Honey or maple syrup

Rice vinegar

Fresh ginger and garlic

Cornstarch or arrowroot starch

How to Prep Your Fresh Ingredients

Bold Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients

Teriyaki Sauce

Slurry (to thicken sauce)

Instructions

Notes

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Blistered Shishito Peppers

How to Cook Shishito Peppers

Watch How to Cook Shishitos

Pepper Options

Shishito Peppers

Padron Peppers

Guindilla Peppers

What to Serve with Shishito Peppers

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Fresh Spring Roll Ingredients

How to Wrap Spring Rolls

1) Make the base

2) Pile on the ingredients

3) Roll the filling

4) Envelope the sides and roll it up

Watch How to Make Spring Rolls

Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition

Nutrition