Geetha's Kitchen

Lettuce Wrap with Tofu Filling is wonderful for casual family/company dining as well as a lovely starter.   Use the smaller inner leaves from the lettuces; Belgian endives and green or purple cabbage leaves work well too.  Instead of the shiitake mushrooms, other mushrooms maybe used. Hoisin sauce (~1/4 cup) maybe used instead of the coconut aminos and tamari in the sauce given below; but it usually contains wheat so I don't use it. INGREDIENTS TOFU FILLING 1 tsp sesame oil 14 - 16 oz Firm/extra firm Tofu 3 oz fresh Shiitake/Other mushrooms, diced 1 Carrot, shredded 2-3 Tbsp fresh grated ginger 2-4 cloves Garlic, minced 1-2 Shallots thinly sliced Red Pepper flakes (optional) 1-2 heads Belgian Endive/Butter/Romaine lettuce SAUCE 1 1/2Tbsp Each Coconut Aminos & Tamari (Soy sauce GF) 1 Tbsp rice vinegar GARNISHES 4-5 scallions thinly sliced 3-4 Tbsp roasted Peanuts, chopped 2-3 Tbsp toasted Sesame seeds INSTRUCTIONS Wash lettuce, drain...

Delicious, savory Sriracha Tofu is fabulous as is but makes a wonderful addition of flavorful protein to soups, wraps and sandwiches, stir-frys, etc - think luscious rice noodle filled pho, banh-mi type of sandwiches, filling for sushi, salads, and grain and veggie bowls. Srirach Tofu also makes a lovely starter (sprinkled with a few sliced green onions if you like) served with other starters and snacks. Sriracha Tofu It is well worth the small amount of effort to prepare - you get at least double the amount for less than the price of the ready-made and lots more flavor! Be warned though - Sriracha Tofu is so yummy, it is easy to eat the whole batch! Extra Firm Tofu works the best but firm is acceptable. For extra umami, mix in a little tamari when marinating/cooking the tofu. Tamari and coconut aminos  are gluten-reee sauces prepared without wheat. For best results, cook the tofu slowly and long over low heat. A little pinch of salt maybe added if desired. 5 S...

Happy Pongal everyone! Join in the celebration of this festival which is similar to Thanksgiving; giving thanks for the Earth, Sun, and all the bounty of the harvest. This Pongal is very similar to Basic Pongal , a wonderful comfort food, quite simple and delicious. Trying to incorporate healthy ingredients while yet keeping food tasty is quiet a challenge; Multigrain Pongal/Risotto more than rises to it! Although similar to the  barley pongal , this one is prepared without any added fat! Paired with a delicious curry of your choice, it makes an awesome meal; the complex carbohydrates, abundant fiber, and proteins from the grains and dal make it filling and satisfying. This pongal may be made soft or fluffy depending on the amount of water used. Other dals like red lentils, toor dal, or chana dal and grains such as steel cut oats, quinoa, coarse cornmeal/polenta, millet or buckwheat may also be used to make pongal. Since pongal is very mild, spicy and saucy dishes go w...

Idli With Kadapa Idlis rank highly in the South Indian breakfast repertoire; and well they should! - they are very wholesome with nary an empty calorie in them. The combination of cereal (rice) and legume (urad dal) produces an abundance of protein resulting in extremely nourishing food. Idlis also make wonderful picnic/journey food as they are delicious at room temperature. Amma often packaged them for our lunches during our school/college days and almost all of us enjoyed them except for one who chucked them out the school bus window when she was young - very nervy for one so young, don't you think? Rice and skinless (decorticated) Urad dal are soaked and ground into a thick batter and fermented by leaving the batter at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Once the batter is prepared, steaming the idlis takes just minutes. Although it is nice to have a traditional idli mold, idlis can be made using custard cups, an egg poacher, cake pans, or any contain...