Homemade Edamame Falafel Pita Bread

Pita is a pocket, flatbread from the Middle East. Tear and  dip in hummus, make a pocket and stuff it, or flatten it for a pizza base. It is popular street food, originated in Egypt. 

Add an Asian vegetable, gluten free edamame soybeans, which is full of vitamins and minerals.  Then top with the sauce below, and people would want seconds. 

Pita was first mentioned in English in 1936, from the Modern Green word πίτα /pita, "bread cake, pie". The ancient Green work passed to Latin as picta "pizza". 

P.S. You can buy (gluten-free) pita bead. But what fun is that, when you can make your own.

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.

falafel:

3 cups (390 g) frozen, organic shelled edamame*, thawed

1 cup (130 g) chopped parsley

2 chopped organic garlic

1/2 cup (65 g) chopped organic red onion

3 Tbs. (45 g) (gluten free) flour

2 Tbs. (30 ml) organic lemon juice

2 tsp. (4 g) each, cumin and coriander

1/4 tsp. (1,5 g) baking [powder 

~Egyptian Arabic~

وا َحـ /waahid/ ١ 1. Add the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth.

إتنين /‘itneen/ ٢ 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

تـَلا َتـَة /talaata/ ٣ 3. Use an ice cream scoop to make balls or roll small handful to make about 12 falafels.

أربـَعـَة /‘arbaAa/ ٤ 4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake another 15 minutes.

sauce:

about 1 cup tightly packed, soft organic tofu (200 g), press out the water

1/4 cup (30 g) tahini (is GF and DF)

chopped mint

organic lemon zest

paprika

خـَمسـَة /kamsa/ ٥ 5. Blend all together.

filling:

each sliced organic: cucumber, tomatoes, organic lettuce or spinach

Serve:

سـِتّـَة /sitta/ ٦ 6. Cut the pitas open but not all the way through.

سـَبعـَة /sabAa/ ٧ 7. Stuff with falafels and fillings.

تـَما َنيـَة /tamanya/ ٨ 8. Drizzle with the sauce.

If you enjoy Middle Eastern cuisines, try some of these dishes:

* With the leftovers, enjoy a Japanese Edamame Snack

Read More

Soba Noodle Soup with Vegetables

Soba (そば or 蕎麦 "buckwheat") are thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour, usually gluten-free, but look for "100% buckwheat noodles" (十割そば /jūwari soba) [brands like: Eden Foods, King Soba, or Lotus Foods]

The noodles are eaten in cold salads (ざるサラダ zaru soba) or hot soups with mushrooms (きのこそば kinoko soba), meat (肉そば niku soba), or vegetables...

野菜そば

/yasai soba/

Severs 2

1 Tbs. (15 ml) soy sauce, gluten-free liquid aminos or tamari 

1 Tbs. (15 ml) sesame oil

3 Tbs. (18 g) chopped organic garlic

2 Tbs. (12 g) organic chopped ginger 

1/2 tsp. (1 g) dried red pepper flakes

4 sliced organic shiitake mushrooms

organic bok choy with leaves, chopped

4 cups (960 ml) organic vegetable stock

7 ounces (175 g) soba noodles, cooked and rinsed

1 organic baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into 6 pieces

diced organic onion

1/2 cup (65 g) organic green onions

3/4 cup (95 g) sliced diagonally organic carrots 

1/2 organic lime

1 tsp. (5 ml) rice vinegar or mirin

toasted sesame seeds

1 piece kelp (昆布 kombu) 10 g, 4x4 inches/10x10 cm soak in 3 cups (720 ml) of water for at least 30 minutes

i /long e/

一 /ichi/ 1. Place the sheet kelp and water into a saucepan. Bring to boil, remove the kelp.

二 /ni/ 2. In a soup pot on low heat, add the sesame oil and sauté the garlic, onions, and ginger about 2 minutes.

三 /san/ 3. Add the red pepper flakes and sauté for at least 3 minutes.

四 /shi/ 4. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes.

五 /go/ 5. Stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable stock.

六 /roku/ 6. Add the tamari/soy sauce/liquid amino and simmer for a few minutes.

 七 /shichi/ 7. Add rest of the stock and the vegetables. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 8 minutes.

 八 /hachi/ 8. In two bowls, add the noodles, vegetables, and kelp. 

 九 /kyuu/ 9. When the soup is warmed, pour into the bowls and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

 十 /juu/ 10.

We have a lot of soup recipes for you to try: https://veggiefernandezs.blogspot.com/search/label/soups

Read More

Hawaiian Tofu Bowl

 Hawaiian islands have many ethnic cuisines. We are substituting seafood "poke" with tofu. 

Kīʻaha tofu (Hawaiian)

Serves 4

1 package of organic super-firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into cubes

1 tsp. (5 g) cornstarch

3 Tbs. (45 ml) (gluten-free) liquid aminos or soy sauce

1/4 cup (60 ml) water

1 tsp. (4 g) organic brown sugar

1 cup (130 g) organic red cabbage, shredded

1 Tbs. (15 ml) white balsamic or organic rice vinegar

1/4 cup (30 g) (dairy-free) mayonnaise

grated organic ginger

1 tsp. (5 ml) sesame oil

2 Tbs. (30 ml) peanut oil

minced organic garlic

cooked organic edamame

cooked organic rice

sliced organic scallions

optional sautéed organic:

• quartered onions
• sliced bell pepper
• sliced zucchini
• cashew nuts
• Asian vegetables
• coconut strips

ʻekahi 1. Whisk together; cornstarch, soy sauce/liquid aminos, sugar, and water.

ʻelua 2. Toss the cabbage with vinegar in another bowl.

ʻekolu 3. In a third bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, ginger, sesame oil, and 2 tsp. (10 ml) of water.

ʻehā 4. Heat the peanut oil in a wok or nonstick pan over medium heat.

ʻelima 5. Sauté the tofu until brown on both sides.

ʻeono 6. Remove the tofu and stir-fry the ginger for 1/2 minute.

ʻehiku 7. Sauté any optional items. (Add more soy sauce if needed.)

ʻewalu 8. Add the soy mixture and tofu. Stir.

ʻeiwa 9. Add rice to bowls, top with the stir-fry mixture, then edamame.

ʻumi 10.  Drizzle with the sauce and top with scallions and cabbage.

Hele mai ai! (proper)

Come eat!

Mai ai! (common)

Come food!

Read More