Sukiyaki

I first cooked sukiyaki in the early 1970's. Of course, back then as a serious carnivore, I started with slicing beef. I think the recipe was originally one of Craig Claiborne's in The New York Times Cookbook, but I have changed it over the years. A fan of quick cooking meals, my son still phones me from a grocery store to ask me what ingredients to buy to cook sukiyaki.

Today's recipe is a healthier version of sukiyaki with vegetable broth and tofu instead of meat. Without the meat and meat flavored broth, the taste of the fresh vegetables shines through. A one-pot stew served over either noodles or rice, this is a fast and easy meal to prepare. I served it over half a package of soba noodles, thin Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour. The recipe with a whole package of noodles is supposed to serve 4 people, but 2 of us ate it all.

Sukiyaki

8 ounce package of soba noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced in rings
1 bunch scallions, cut on the diagonal into 3-inch pieces
8 large white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 can sliced bamboo shoots, drained and rinsed
½ cup Tamari or soy sauce
½ cup Mirin
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (optional)
1 large bunch fresh spinach, well-washed and thick stems removed
1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and cut into 3/8 inch slices

Boil water in a large pot to use to cook the soba noodles. The noodles will take only about 6-8 minutes to cook, so during the time you are cooking the vegetables, you will put the noodles into the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. After the noodles are cooked, you will drain them and set them aside until the stew has finished cooking.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion slices in the oil until they begin to soften. Add the scallions, mushrooms and bamboo shoots and continue to cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the Tamari and mirin. Layer the spinach on top. If you would like more broth, you can add 1/2 cup vegetable stock. Cover the skillet and cook about 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Place tofu on top and cook covered until the tofu is warm.

Serve over the cooked noodles.

Groundnut stew

I had my doubts about this meal, but it turned out to be fabulous. It was spicy, rich and delicious. Even Jerry, who sometimes is not pleased with stews, returned for a second helping. I began with a recipe in "Vegan Planet" by Robin Robertson and made some changes. One important change was reducing the fat content. Although this is not fat-free, the only significant fat is that naturally occurring in the peanuts. The Publix near us grinds their own peanut butter every day and they add nothing to it. If you can find a source near you, you will be amazed at the difference between the fresh ground peanuts-only and the commercial peanut butter.

Groundnut Stew

1/4 cup water

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth (use in 2 portions)
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh ground peanut butter
2 cups cooked jasmine rice
1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the onion in the water until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and garlic, cover and cook until softened, about another 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, cumin, cinnamon and as much cayenne as you like heat. Add the sweet potatoes and stir to coat with the spices. Stir in the tomatoes and 1 cup of stock and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are soft, about 25-30 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and simmer for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl combine the peanut butter with the remaining 1/4 cup of broth, stirring until smooth. Stir it into the stew being careful not to excessively mush the sweet potatoes.

Place a serving of rice in each plate and spoon a serving of stew over the rice. Top with a sprinkling of the chopped peanuts. Serves 3-4.