Thai style vegetables in Red curry and Saffron Rice

In contrast to week days, Weekends I cook some elaborate meals. This weekend I made this Thai style vegetables in Red curry and Saffron Rice.

For the curryI made everything from scratch right from coconut milk.

I used the recipe for the Red Curry paste from Sanjeevkapoor. This spicy Thai style vegetables in Red Curry we had with Saffron Rice. I used lime leaves from our garden to flavour the curry .

I followed this recipe for Saffron Rice, Except that I made it in the Rice cooker and with our regular long grained white rice-no jasmine rice.

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Thai style vegetables in Red Curry recipe

For about 4-5 servings

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For the Red curry paste

8 Red chillies whole

2-3 Lemon grass stalk (I have used dried sticks)

1 tsp Coriander seeds/powder

1 tsp Cumin seeds

8-9 Peppercorns

2 medium sized Onions (chopped)

4-5 cloves Garlic (chopped)

Salt to taste  

For the Vegetables in gravy

200 gms tofu cubed

7-8 button mushrooms, thoroughly washed and sliced

6-7 Babycorns slit lengthwise

1 large Yellow capsicum julienned

~ 2 cups cabbage diced

3/4 cup thin coconut milk

~ ½ cup Mung sprouts

A handful of roasted peanuts (crushed)

1 tsp Lemon juice

4-5 lime leaves torn with hand

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste 

To make Coconut milk

Take about ½ cup fresh , grated coconut in a blender along with ~ ½ cup lukewarm water. Blend till the coconut becomes creamy. Sieve through a fine mesh (like a cheesecloth)to get the coconut milk. Repeat this procedure with the coconut ‘flesh’ and less water one or two times more till most of the milk comes out.  

To make the Red curry

Blend all the ingredients of the Red curry paste together to a smooth paste. 

To make the Vegetables in gravy

Heat oil in a pan.

Add the mushrooms and sauté till all the water dries up.

Add the babycorns and the Mung sprouts. Add about ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the cabbage. Cook for few minutes more.

Then add the tofu and capsicum. Cook for few more minutes.

Add the red curry paste. Mix nicely and heat on high flame for few minutes.

Stir in lime juice and salt and mix nicely.

Add the coconut milk , simmer for 2 minutes.

Add the lime leaves and crushed peanuts.

Serve hot with Saffron Rice.

Oat Patties

This has been quite an ‘Oaty’ month in my house. I could lay my hands on some Quick cooking oats and Oat Bran and I have tried to utilize their goodness to the fullest. I have been adding Oats to many dishes including some Bhel!

I wish we would get some more varieties of Oats here- old fashioned, steel cut etc. The search is on….

In addition to their health benefits Oats have also introduced that ‘Feel Good’ factor in our daily lives. Just the thought that we are eating something so nutritious is making us feel nice.

Oat Patties, I can say, is one of my most successful experiments with this ‘wonder-grain’. If you are a person like me ,who cannot start her day with a sweet breakfast this is something you are gonna truly like.

Its spicy, its delicious, it masks the nutty flavour of Oats very well (if you don’t like it) and its quite simple to make.

I have thrown in the ingredients I had in my fridge to cook up this wholesome breakfast.

Nutritious Oat Patties for WBB#13 –Oats

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Oat Patties recipe

Makes~ 7-8 patties

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½ cup Quick cooking Oats

½ cup Oat Bran

½ cup button mushrooms chopped

½ cup grated/mashed tofu

½ cup French beans boiled and finely chopped (or veggie of your choice)

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1 small onion finely chopped (you can add spring onion with the greens)

4-5 sprigs fresh coriander leaves

3 tsp Red chilli flakes (or green chilli paste)

½ tsp cumene seeds

2 tsp Soy Sauce

Salt to taste

Olive Oil for shallow frying 

Toast the Quick cooking Oats in a pan till they turn to a light brown colour. (You will get the smell similar to when you are roasting Rava or Poha) Keep them aside.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in the same pan.

Add the cumene seeds and the ginger garlic paste. Fry for a second and then add the chopped onions and fry till they turn translucent.

Add the chopped mushrooms and fry for 1-2 minutes. The mushrooms will ooze out some water. Cook till the water evaporates. Remove from heat and cool in a bowl in which you can mix the other ingredients.

Mix together the toasted Quick cooking Oats, sautéed mushroom, grated tofu, beans, chopped coriander leaves, Red chili flakes, Soy sauce and salt.

Knead the mixture to mix all the ingredients nicely.

The moisture from the veggies and tofu is enough to hold together the mixture. If you feel it is a a bit dry and difficult to hold together dip your hand in water and knead the mixture with the same hand.

Make lemon sized balls of this mixture and press to make them into round discs.

Brush a non stick pan with little olive oil and fry the patties on both sides till brown and crisp. Alternatively grill the patties.

Serve immediately with some ketchup or chutney of your choice. (They tend to get a little soggy/ sticky if kept for a very long time) 

To serve: For a wholesome filling breakfast- slice a whole wheat Bun or burger bun. Add a slice of cucumber, tomato. Spread some tomato ketchup and keep an Oat Patty and grill in the oven for 2-3 minutes.Serve immediately.