Homemade Tofu

Tofu is very easy to make at home. It takes a little time, and a little more hands-on time than Tempeh, but it's worth it. Normally, you need fancy ingredients to coagulate the tofu, but here we have a method using citric acid, which you might have around if you make cheese. Since it does use citric acid, it might be a little more tangy than you're used to. It pairs nicely with soy sauce and garlic. Enjoy!

Homemade Tofu

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• 200 g soy beans
• 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
• water

Cooking Directions

1. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours.
2. In a food processor, grind the soaked soy to a fine paste, like hummus almost. Add water if needed.
3. In a large pot add enough water to the paste to bring it to milk consistency.
4. Bring it to boil then switch to a simmer. Let it simmer on low flame for 15 minutes.
5. Line a sieve with a cloth and filter the milk. The result is soy milk. The byproduct after filtering the milk is called okara. This is rich in protein.
6. Mix citric acid to 1/4 cup water. Add this solution to the soy milk and stir it once. Then let it stay for 5 minutes.
7. The milk will curdle. Filter this through a cloth-lined sieve.
8. Squeeze out the water or keep the filtered tofu on a flat surface and cover it with the cloth on all the sides. Keep some heavy object on top and leave it for 30 minutes or to desired firmness.
9. Remove weight and open the cloth. Cut it into small pieces and use.

Guest Post: Ahi Poke

Today is Guest Post Day! Yay! Thanks to Tom Lee for sharing. Sounds delicious.

Tom Lee is a business development associate for the Santa Barbara Fish Market where you can support local fishermen and buy fresh seafood online or buy fresh fish online.

Ahi Poke

As a college student that is health and budget conscience, I am always looking for something that meets these requirements. The best way to do so, is to make something yourself. One of my favorite dishes is Ahi Poke. Ahi Poke is a dish that is enjoyed by many, but made by few. It consists of fresh raw tuna mixed with a few seasonings. Besides being so tasty for how simple it is, it also is very healthy. 4 ounces of tuna (Yellowfin tuna) itself yields about 27 grams of protein in just 123 calories. It’s a great source of lean protein. While the ingredients are simple, some people are a bit scared of handling raw fish, but it’s really no different then another other meat. In fact, most fishmongers at any fish market or fish department will clean the fish and hand you a perfect fillet that is ready to be used for a meal. The only real important requirement for this dish is to have the freshest tuna possible.

Ingredients:
8oz Fresh Tuna
1 Tablespoon Shallots
½ Tablespoon Green Onions
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1/8 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
¼ Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Siracha Garlic Chili Sauce
¼ Whole Avocado
½ Whole Cucumber

Instructions:
1. Mix sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, shallots, and green onions into a small
bowl

2. Take the ¼’d avocado and take the seed out and peel the skin off. Cut into to small
¼ inch pieces.

3. Cut the cucumber in slices. You want them thin, but still thick enough to carry the
weight of the Ahi Poke that will be served on it.

4. Make sure to keep the tuna cold until being handled. Cut the tuna into ¼ inch
cubes.

5. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and let sit for about 10-15 minutes. It
can be served immediately, but a few extra minutes will let the sauce penetrate a bit
better.

6. Top each cucumber slice with about a spoonful of Ahi Poke, serve, and enjoy!

Tips: What’s great about this recipe is that all the ingredients can be easily adjusted
to taste. If you prefer a spicier sauce, just add more of the garlic chili sauce. Big fan
of avocado? Add more! Cucumber is suggested hear as a lower-calorie alternative,
but Ahi Poke is also great served on top of your favorite crackers or toasted bread.

Barley Mushroom Soup

Barley Mushroom Soup

Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients

• 1 cup pearled barley, rinsed well
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 3 cups white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup white onion, sliced
• 1 cup leeks, sliced
• 1/4 cup carrot, sliced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• optional: 1/4 cup soy sauce
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• pinch thyme

Cooking Directions

1. Bring barley to a gentle boil in stock; cook until soft.
2. Heat olive oil in saute pan. Caramelize onions in oil by cooking slowly on medium heat.
3. Add leeks, mushrooms, celery, sea salt, black pepper, and thyme. Cook until veggies are softened and mushrooms are slightly reduced. Add barley and stock.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Add soy sauce and garnish with carrot.

Bibimbap

Traditionally (I think), Bibimbap was a great way to use up leftovers. Everything was already cooked or prepared and it was all placed neatly over rice and an egg was cracked on top. Add some sesame oil and a hot pepper paste called Gochujang, then everything was mixed up like mad by the happy and hungry diner, and the egg would get cooked that way.

Oh, the egg! That's really what separates this puppy from other leftover dishes around the world. Well that and the red pepper paste. If you're like many, you probably can't easily locate Gochujang, so try sriracha as the next best thing.

This can be a lot of work to make from scratch, but it's a lot of fun. Basically, just use whatever Asian-flavored foods you want, and you'll be golden. If you're weary about the egg, try poaching it. Still yums. Enjoy!

Bibimbap

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

• Cooked rice
• 1 bunch spinach or greens
• 2 small zucchinis
• 5 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 block tofu, cut and pressed
• 1 small carrot
• 4 eggs
• soy sauce
• hot pepper paste (Gochujang) or sriracha
• garlic
• sesame seeds
• sesame oil
• canola oil

Cooking Directions

1. Prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on. Rinse your bean sprouts 3 times and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add 1 tsp of salt and cook for 20 minutes. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic, sesame oil, and a pinch of salt. Put it on the platter.
2. Put your spinach or greens in a pot of boiling water and stir it for a minute. Then rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it lightly. Mix it with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
3. Cut 2 small size zucchinis into thin strips, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt, and then mix them together. A few minutes later, saute them in a pan over high heat. When it's cooked, it will look a little translucent. Put it on the platter.
4. Slice shiitake mushrooms thinly and saute with 1 tsp of canola oil. Add 2 tsp of soy sauce and 1 or 2 tsp of sugar and stir it for 2 minutes. Add some sesame oil, and put it on the platter.
5. On a heated pan, put some oil and the pressed tofu and stir it. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tbs of soy sauce and sesame oil. Put it on the platter.
6. Cut a carrot into strips, saute it for 30 seconds and put it on the platter.
7. Prepare eggs sunny side up.
8. Put your rice in a big bowl, and attractively display all your vegetables and tofu over rice. Place the sunny side up egg on the center.
9. Serve it with sesame oil and hot pepper paste or sriracha.
10. Lastly, mix it up and eat!

Orange Soy Herb Tuna Steak

If you can get the tuna to be just a tad pink right in the center, you'll discover a smoothness that silk wishes it could achieve. The longer the tuna marinates, the better this will be. Try overnight to 24 hours if you've got the time. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 (4 ounce) tuna steaks

Directions

1. In a large non-reactive dish, mix together the orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, oregano, and pepper. Place the tuna steaks in the marinade and turn to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook the tuna steaks for 5 to 6 minutes, then turn and baste with the marinade. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or to desired doneness. Discard any remaining marinade.

Carne Asada

Ingredients

3 pounds flank steak
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, juiced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 white onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled
4 dried New Mexico chile pods
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Lay the flank steak in a large plastic bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, juice of two limes, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then pour over the steak in the dish. Turn over once to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for up to 8 hours.

2. In a small bowl, stir together 1 chopped white onion, cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Set aside to use as a relish for the burrito.

3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toast chile pods in the skillet for a few minutes, then remove to a bowl of water to soak for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

4. Place the tomatoes, 1 onion, jalapenos, and 4 cloves of garlic onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until toasted but not burnt. Place the roasted vegetables, and soaked chile pods into a blender or food processor, along with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

5. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.

6. Warm the tortillas in a skillet for about a minute on each side to make them pliable. Tortillas may also be warmed in a microwave oven. Arrange tortillas on plates, and lay a generous amount of beef over them. Top with a sprinkle of the onion relish and a large spoonful of the pureed salsa. Garnish with lime wedges, and serve.

Tofu Pumpkin Pie

This is by far the second best pumpkin pie I've ever had, ever. Only my mom's pumpkin pie beats it, and though she says it's not that difficult to make, she always spices it just right. This one, however, comes pretty darn close.

I love these kinds of pies. Pies that are full of healthy goodness that won't make you feel like you've committed some kind of sin.

This one is even better because it uses tofu instead of any kind of dairy to perk it up. And you can't taste the tofu whatsoever. No one will ever know. Enjoy!

Juicy Pork Tenderloin

The trick to a juicy pork tenderloin is a good rub and slow cooking.

If you can create a unique rub, such as a wonderful Asian-inspired one of garlic, soy sauce, and ginger, then you're on your way to being in a league of your own. Remember though: slow cooking means low temperatures for a longer time. It'll keep it oh so juicy. Always let your big meat pieces rest for 10-15 minutes to soak back up even more juices.

Asian Sauteed Greens

Got lots of wonderful greens that are just a little too blah to eat raw? Then come on down to Grubby's for some delicious Asian Sauteed Greens. Look, it even comes with a side salad. Any cooked greens will work, but a variety is best. And toss a turnip in for good measure. Enjoy!

Spent Grain Veggie Burger

The same spent grains that were used to make the Liquid Oatmeal Cookie (Oatmeal Stout), the Spent Grain Bread, and the Spent Grain Muffins, are now being used in their greatest concoction yet - Spent Grain Veggie Burgers.

With the help of black beans and the flavors of soy sauce, garlic, and cumin, the most unique homemade veggie burger is born!

The ease with which this recipe comes together is so simple and only adds to the joy of savoring every bite. Enjoy!

Spent Grain Veggie Burger

Yield: 4 burgers
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped onion, divided into two
• 1/2 cup spent grain, wet
• 1 1/2 cups black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cooking Directions

1. Cook half of onion with a dash of salt in a splash of water in a small pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spent grain and cook, covered, over low heat 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in beans and soy sauce.
2. Mash or food process spent grain mixture mixture, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and remaining onion until finely chopped.
3. Form rounded 1/2 cups of mixture into 4 (3 1/2-inch-diameter) patties. Chill at least 10 minutes.
4. Spray oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then cook patties, carefully turning once, about 8 minutes total.

Disney's Smoothies

Served at a popular smoothie shop in Downtown Disney

Orange n' Spice Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup orange juice
1 cup cranberry juice
1 cup peaches
1 cup strawberries
1 cup orange sherbet
1 cup ice
Dash of holiday spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.)

Directions

Blend well, then serve immediately.


Cranberry Craze Smoothie

Ingredients

3/4 cup cranberry juice
2 tablespoon plain yogurt
1/2 cup raspberry sherbet
1 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blueberries
ice cubes

Directions

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy.


Egg Nog Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup lowfat egg nog
1 cup nonfat frozen yogurt
1 dash nutmeg
1 cup crushed ice

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend on low setting.


Mighty Cherry Charger Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup cherry juice
1 cup soy milk
1 cup cherries
1 cup strawberries
1 cup frozen yogurt
1 cup ice

Directions

Blend well, then serve immediately.

Disneyland's Tonkatsu Sauce (Chicken Marinade)

Tonkatsu Sauce (Chicken Marinade)

Bengal Barbecue

Ingredients

1 c. Teriyaki Sauce
1 c. Soy Sauce
1 T. Red Wine Vinegar
1 c. Brown Sugar
½ c. Sherry Cooking Wine
2 Whole Bay Leaves
1 T. Ground Black Pepper
3 T. Grated Fresh Ginger Root
2 T. Fresh Garlic, finely minced

Directions

Mix ingredients and marinate chicken overnight in your refrigerator.

Disneyland's Tahitian Sauce (Chicken Dip)

Tahitian Sauce (Chicken Dip)

Bengal Barbecue

Ingredients

4 Whole Cloves
1 T. Red Wine Vinegar
1 c. Ketchup
½ c. Crushed Pineapple
½ c. Pineapple Juice
½ c. Brown Sugar
½ c. Soy Sauce
¼ c. Orange Juice Concentrate
3 T. Water

Directions

Simmer cloves in vinegar for 5-10 minutes. Strain cloves and add other ingredients.
Bring mixture to slow boil over medium heat.

Disneyland's Spicy Beef Skewers

Spicy Beef Skewers

Bengal Barbecue

Yield: 2 3/4 cups sauce
Servings: 6

Ingredients

1 c. Soy Sauce
1 1/2 c. Water
1 T. Ground Black Pepper
3 T. Sesame Seed Oil
1 t. Ground Red Pepper
1/2 t. Cayenne Pepper
1 T. Granulated Garlic
3 T. Cornstarch
18 1-oz. pieces Sirloin Beef Chunks
6 Skewers

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients above and bring to a boil, adding cornstarch to thicken.

Soak bamboo skewers in water to avoid burning.

Place 3 pieces of beef on each skewer and cook on the grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Brush with sauce and serve.

Disneyland's Korean Sauce (Beef Dip)

Korean Sauce (Beef Dip)

Bengal Barbecue

Ingredients

1 c. Soy Sauce
1½ c. Water
1 T. Ground Black Pepper
3 T. Sesame Seed Oil
1 t. Ground Red Pepper
½ t. Cayenne Pepper
1 T. Fresh Garlic
1 T. Corn Starch

Directions

Mix all ingredients except corn starch.
Bring to a slow boil over medium heat.
Add corn starch to thicken.

Egg Foo Yung

I never had Egg Foo Yung before moving to the northeast. Maybe it's just a thing here, part of the super Americanized Chinese cuisine that a lot of people love.

I personally like more authentic Asian dishes, which is what you're more likely to get out west because I've never seen this dish on a menu in any Chinatown anywhere. But there is something to be said for this sub-genre as well. Americanized dishes do have their place, and they're obviously popular for a reason. Either the native dishes themselves don't have appealing flavors or those ingredients are hard to come by. That's my best guess, at least. Maybe there's some other reason for it - I'd certainly love to find out. Perhaps that's a great idea for another post: how foods become Americanized.

But I digress. This dish is really flavorful. Helped along not just by the savory sauce but by the blend and composition of the Egg Foo Yung itself. For those with nostalgic memories of Chinese egg dishes, this is for you. Enjoy!

Pork Donburi

Donburi is an amazing blend of meat, egg, and veggies (mostly onions). So flavorful, so delicious, you can't ever put the bowl down once it's in your hands. If you've ever had Tonkatsu donburi (fried pork cutlet), this is the healthy version. Absolutely as wonderful, and so so so good! Just like the Oyako Donburi.

A couple notes: you can definitely take out the sugar. We left it in and I'm sure it tastes more authentic like that, but it's not needed. You can cut the oil in half as well without any problems. If you're worried about the sodium content, don't add the salt either because that can always be added on top. The type of rice (Japanese) really does make a difference, but of course, it can be done with any kind of rice.

Pork Donburi

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 pork chops, cut into strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 6 eggs, beaten

Cooking Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute pork strips and onion until the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain off as much liquid as possible.
2. Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrot, and let simmer for a few minutes before stirring in the sugar and soy sauce. Simmer for 3 more minutes.
3. Sprinkle in half of the green onions, stirring gently. Pour beaten eggs over the chicken mixture, and simmer until the eggs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve over brown rice.

Miso Swordfish

Remember the Miso Black Cod? That delicious buttery fish from the gods? Well, now you can enjoy the same taste without the insane price!

Well almost. The swordfish will taste the same, but it won't be as soft or buttery. It's still amazing though. The flavor is so strong that we paired this with plain steamed red potatoes and green beans, which were topped with a sprinkling of fried onions. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Ma Po Tofu

I love that Ma Po Tofu translates to something like "old pock-marked woman tofu." Sounds delicious already, huh?

This is more of a faux Ma Po Tofu. It doesn't incorporate the black bean sauce and such that goes into the real thing. This, however, will taste fairly similar. And it's still so so good. Plus, it's a heck of a lot easier to make than the real thing.

This is also a vegetarian version, making it even simpler to make. It normally would come with a little bit of ground pork, but it's not enough to make a huge taste difference, at least for me.

If you know of a tastier yet simple method for making Ma Po Tofu, I'd like to hear it. Enjoy!

Asian Spiced Turnip and Potato Stuffed Peppers

I think I had the most fun photographing these. I mean look at all the pictures! I haven't posted so many in...well, ever.

I love stuffed peppers, but I really hate when they're stuffed with cheese. It absolutely ruins the whole thing for me. No thank you!

So these are just perfect. Roasted in the oven, slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, filled with an Asian-spiced turnip and potato leftover hash.

Beautiful. Among other things. Enjoy!