Vegetarian Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) (V)

Broth:

6 cups veggie broth
1 cup sliced shallots
1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tblsps crushed garlic
3 tbs. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp thinly sliced fresh ginger
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 small cinnamon stick
1 star anise
6 fresh basil stems for garnishing
6 cilantro stems for garnishing

 Pho:

1 8-oz. pkg. rice noodles
1 8-oz. pkg. Asian-flavor baked tofu, thinly sliced
2 cups soybean sprouts
2 cups watercress
1/4 cup scallions sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges

   1.  To make Broth: Place all ingredients in large pot with 8 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, 1 hour. Strain broth, and return to pot. Discard solids.
   2. To make Pho: Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Divide among 6 large soup bowls. Ladle Broth over noodles, and top with tofu, sprouts, watercress, and scallions. Serve cilantro, basil, and lime wedges on the side to be stirred into soup.

Veggie Tinola: (V)

5- large Portabello mushrooms, cut into strips
1 & 1/2 cups- green papaya, peeled, seeded and cubed
1- small package cellophane noodles, soaked until soft                                                                  1/2 tsp- ginger grated
1 Tblsp-garlic finely chopped
1/4 tsp-Chili garlic paste
1 Tblsp- Chopped capers or Olives*
1cup-fresh cut spinach
2 Tblsp- Olive oil
3 Tblsps- Soy sauce
3 cups-Veggie stock
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
3 tblsps-Chopped scallions

1.  Take a big saute pan. Add oil, garlic& ginger, saute for a sec.  Then add the green papaya, chopped olives and soy sauce.
2.  Once it starts to turn translucent add chopped Portabello.  Saute until it starts to sweat.
3.  Now, add the veggie broth.  Boil for a couple of min. Add the remaining ingredients.  Check for seasonings.
4.  Then add the cut spinach and the noddles.
5.  Cook for a couple of min. , garnish it with chopped scallions and it is ready to be served.

Note: Traditional most of Thai, Vietnamese and Philippino recipes call for Shrimp paste.  So in order to get that tart taste we have this olives or capers as additions.  Most of the meat dishes can be substituted with Portabello mushrooms, potatoes, eggplant and tofu etc...

Stir Fried Vegetables and Tofu, 'Pad Phak Taohu' (V)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons garlic, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons ginger, julienned thinly
4 tablespoons Thai chiles julienned
1/4 cup shallots, sliced thinly
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup snow peas
1/4 cup turnips, sliced thinly
1/4 cup water chestnuts, sliced
1/4 cup green bell peppers, sliced
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup cauliflower florets
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1/4 cup asparagus tips
2 cups fried tofu
4 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons dark sweet soy sauce
1 tablespoon corn starch, dissolved in a little water
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Take two cakes of hard tofu, and cut them in quarters, then divide the squares in half diagonally, then divide each piece in half "height-wise" to yield 32 bite sized pieces. Place a little peanut oil in a hot pan and stir fry the tofu pieces until they turn golden brown. Next sautee the garlic, ginger and chilis in a little oil, and then add the soy sauces and then all the other ingredients except the bean sprouts. Stir fry for about a minute, then add the cornstarch and continue to stir fry for a further minute.

Add the bean sprouts, stir very briefly to warm them, but not cook them, and then serve with jasmine rice.

Portabella tofu Adobo (V)
 
1- pack of extra-firm tofu cut in cubes (Marinated in adobo sauce)*
3- big Portabello mushrooms, cut into strips
1/2 tsp-ginger, minced
3- garlic,minced 
1- med.Onion, diced
1/2 cup- soy sauce
1 cup- vinegar
 2 cups- Veggie stock or  water
1/2 tsp- Garlic chili paste  
3-Bay leaves
4-Tblsps- Olive oil
2 Tblsp-Cornstarch
1/4 tsp- Crushed black pepper
A pinch of sugar
1/2 cup- chopped scallions
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons water

1.  In a big sauce pan or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil then sauté the bay leaves, minced garlic, ginger,salt and crushed pepper and onions and fry well.
2.  Add the Portabello and saute until it starts to sweat.  Now add the chili garlic paste and the veggie stock, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Bring it to a boil.
3. Cook for 15 minutes or until the stock has reduced well
4.  Now in another non-stick pan add some oil and the marinated tofu mixed with the corn starch and water.
5.  Let it cook and look shiny and crispy.*
6.  Add it to the liquid mixture and bring it to a thick consistency.  Add more corn starch mixture if necessary.  Check for seasonings.
7.  Serve this adobo gravy dish over plain rice.
   
Note:
i) * If you like the tofu to remain in the cripsy consistency, Just the reduce the mushroom gravy to reduce really well and incorporated then mix the tofu at the last min.

ii) Adobo is a dish prepared with meat slowly cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, crushed garlic, bay leaf, and black peppercorns, and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterwards to get the desirable crisped edges.