The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls by Mark Reinfeld, Jennifer Murray

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Strain into a colander and set aside.
    2. Place the soy sauce and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil on a small baking sheet. Slice the tofu into ½-inch cutlets. Slice each cutlet into 2 inch by ½-inch strips and place on the baking sheet. Flip the tofu to ensure even coating. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
    3. Prepare the Pad Thai Sauce by combining all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisking well.
    4. Place 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Lower the heat to low. Add the cooked noodles and Pad Thai Sauce and cook for 3 minutes, gently stirring well. Add the tofu and gently stir well.
    5. Garnish each serving with green onion, cilantro, sprouts, peanuts, and lime wedges.
    The Asian Pantry
    Rice pasta is God’s gift to the gluten intolerant. Check out the Asian section in your supermarket or visit an Asian grocer to discover the selection available to you. Our favorite natural-foodstore brand is Tinkyada, which offers a wide variety of shapes and sizes to choose from.

GREEN CURRY
    Green curry has to be one of Thailand’s greatest contributions to the culinary experience. Served at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, this dish is smooth, comforting, and ohso-pleasing. Prepare the veggies for this dish while you are waiting for the curry paste ingredients to roast. Serve with Green Papaya Salad (page 53) or Thai Summer Rolls (page 59) and finish the meal off with some Sticky Rice and Mango Slice (page 80).
    SERVES 6
     
    GREEN CURRY PASTE
5 to 10 green chiles, halved and seeded, to taste (see Note on page 69)
1½ tablespoons coriander seeds
1½ stalks lemongrass, chopped into ½-inch pieces,
white part only (about 6 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons diced galangal or peeled fresh ginger
½ medium green bell pepper, seeds removed
4 kaffir lime leaves, or 2 teaspoons lime zest
½ cup packed basil leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
     
    GREEN CURRY
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
6 to 8 cups assorted chopped vegetables
(eggplant, onions, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, green beans, bamboo shoots,
oyster mushrooms, baby corn, water chestnuts, etc.)
1 tablespoon soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, or to taste
1 teaspoon agave nectar, or to taste
½ cup minced fresh sweet basil and/or cilantro
    1. Place the chiles in a sauté pan with the coriander seeds, lemongrass, galangal, and green bell pepper. Roast over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until everything looks a little browned, stirring occasionally.
    2. Transfer to a blender, add the kaffir lime leaves, basil, and salt, and blend until a thick paste forms, for 20 to 30 seconds. You may need to add a bit of the coconut milk to the blender to get the ingredients moving and well blended. Start with ¼ cup and work your way up as needed.
    3. In a large sauté pan or pot over medium heat, add the sesame oil and allow it to heat for 30 seconds. Add the curry paste and sauté over medium heat until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cook over medium-low heat, bringing the mixture to a low boil. Add the vegetables, starting with the hardest veggies that will take the longest to cook.
    4. When all of the veggies are just soft, add the soy sauce and agave nectar and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, add the minced basil, and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

Variations
    • Protein lovers can follow the directions on page 227 for adding marinated, roasted tofu or tempeh to this dish.
    • Go even greener by adding 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley to the curry paste and 2 cups kale, collard greens, or Swiss chard cut into strips in step three, a couple of minutes before removing from the heat.
    Note: Many recipes in this chapter call for chile peppers. The quantity of chiles that you use will entirely depend upon the particular