One time I bought this really pretty cookbook called Good Food Made Simple Vegetarian.[1] I can’t remember when or where I bought it and never made anything out of it, but what I actually love about this cookbook is that it feels and smells heavenly. It’s very thick and soft-covered. The background of all the pages is pale mint green. There are four, beautiful color photos of each dish — three prep photos and a main dish. And the pages smell like new money that just came out of the ATM. I had fun reading every page of the cookbook and looking at the pictures and, although I only found two things I actually want to cook, I cannot get rid of this book.
Side note: today we got about eight inches of snow, the temperature is going down in the single digits tonight, and I’m in bed with a heated blanket – that’s why I’m not going downstairs to get a picture of the cookbook. When I make the other dish I want to try that has poached eggs, I’ll remember to include a picture!
This is an unrecognizable version of the Tofu Stir-Fry from that book, because I do not buy soy (tofu) or most of the other ingredients in the original recipe. I consider this my Asian fusion – a stir fry with paneer instead of tofu. You can get Indian paneer at the deli area of the grocery store, where they have all of the other blocks of cheeses (or of course at an Indian or Asian market if you have those). Cut it in cubes and fry it in a non-stick pan (it doesn’t melt). You can add or substitute other vegetables (the water chestnuts have been in my pantry for years) such as mushrooms, carrots, baby corn, sprouts, etc. Also, I used napa cabbage since I had some but you can use any kind of leafy greens like bok choy, snow pea shoots, spinach, etc.
Teriyaki Paneer Stir-fry
1/2 lb brown rice pasta, egg noodles, etc.
1 t coconut oil
1 block of Paneer cut in 1” pieces
1 T sesame oil
1 chopped bell pepper
1 can of water chestnuts, chopped
1/4 C low-sodium tamari (soy sauce)
1/4 C white wine
1 T honey
2 crushed cloves garlic
1 t ginger (or 1 T fresh grated)
3-4 C Chinese cabbage or other greens
2 chopped green onions
Prepare the pasta according to directions; mix drained noodles with a drizzle of olive oil to keep from sticking. Meanwhile to make teriyaki sauce, whisk soy sauce, wine, and honey. Mix in garlic and ginger; set aside.
Heat a nonstick skillet with oil over medium. Spread out the paneer and brown both sides (about 5 minutes). Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
Put sesame oil and add all chopped vegetables (except the greens and green onions) in the pan and sauté until softened but still crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the greens and green onions for a minute. Add teriyaki sauce, paneer, and drained noodles, mixing slowly to coat and heat evenly.
[1] “Good Food Made Simple Vegetarian,” Love Food, Parragon Inc., 2013.
