Spicy Tofu and Spinach in a Mapo Inspired Sauce

A while back I had the oddest craving for tofu. But I was tired of the fried tofu and wanted something spicy and saucy (like me!). It just so happened that I got my Good Food Box that day, which came with a lovely fresh bunch of spinach. It all came together in a snap and I knew what I had to do.


For this recipe you will need:

• 1 package of medium firm tofu (400 grams)
• 1 bunch of spinach, washed
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons black bean paste
• 2 tablespoons chili paste
• 1 tablespoon hot chili pepper flakes
• 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons water

In a small bowl, add in the black bean paste, chili paste, pepper flakes, oyster sauce, wine and oil. Stir to combine. I always add in a splash of water since I like it really saucy. Set aside.

Wash and drain the spinach. Cut the tofu into 1 inch cubes.

Set your wok on medium high heat, add a splash of oil and the minced garlic. Fry until golden brown, then add in the tofu. Cook until heated through.

Add in the bean paste sauce and stir. Cook until the sauce bubbles.


Add in the spinach. Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together the corn starch and water. Once the spinach has wilted, stir in the corn starch mixture. Cook until sauce thickens.



Serve over rice and enjoy!

pictures (c) CityGirlScapes

Fish Stew

First off, we must apologize for our absence and lack of posts lately. We’ve been busy with work and have otherwise been unable to dedicate as much time to this endeavor as we had wanted to.

Every once in a while I get a craving for fish and seafood. And soup. So I decided to recreate a tasty fish stew from a basic base. Best part is, you probably already have a lot of these items in your kitchen and can whip this up for a tasty and filling dinner in no time.



For this recipe you will need:
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb fish (I used wild Pollock fillets)
• 1 bunch green onions chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 4 carrots chopped
• 1 lb potatoes chopped
• 3 tbsp minced parsley
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tbsp salt
• Dash of cayenne, if you like it spicy



Heat a large soup pot on medium high heat, add the oil, garlic, green onions, thyme and chili powder for 2 minutes. Add carrots, potatoes and half the parsley and stir to coat.



In a separate bowl, whisk the stock and milk with the flour then add to the pot. Reduce heat to medium, stir and cover, simmering for 12 minutes.



Cut your fillets into bite size pieces, add to the pot and stir. Cover and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add in the salt, the rest of the parsley and cayenne if you dare.



Serve with crusty bread and enjoy!!


Hint: You can change this up by substituting the green onions for leeks, and or mixed seafood for the fish. You can also use any type of fish in the stew.

pics (c) CityGirlScapes

Stewed Tofu in Tomato Sauce

I used to look forward to the end of summer simply for the excess of tomatoes we’d have at the house. My mom had the greenest thumb and could make just about anything grow. One of the dishes she would make often for me after a fall harvest is her stewed tofu in tomato sauce. I think I’ve gushed about my love for tofu before so I’ll spare you that again.


For this recipe you will need:

• 5 tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 2 green onions
• 1 package fried tofu
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp oil

Dice the tomatoes and set aside in a separate bowl. Cut the onion in half and slice into half moons. Cut the green onions into 2 inch pieces and set aside. In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat, add the oil and sliced onions. Sauté for a few minutes until onion is translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes, sugar and salt. I always add sugar into any tomato sauce to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. Give everything a good stir and cook until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes. Continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated, about another 5 minutes.
Give your sauce a taste, add more salt or sugar if needed. Add in the fried tofu and continue cooking for another 5 minutes to allow the tomatoe-y (is that a word?) goodness to seep into the tofu.

Toss in the cut green onions, give it a good stir. Invite a friend over to impress her with your tofu prowess or just serve it to yourself on a lovely bed of rice. Enjoy!



images (c)CityGirlScapes

Spicy Wok Fried Noodles

Living on my own for the past few months has allowed me to experiment a bit more in the kitchen and I’ve been cooking up a storm. The downside is that I no longer have guinea pigs. I wish I could say this is an original recipe I thought of but alas, no. I had something similar to this at a dim sum restaurant once and fell in love. I love noodles. Any type; rice, egg, wheat, it matters not, my knees go weak at the sight of them.


For this recipe you will need:
• 1 package of fresh rice noodles (found in any Asian supermarket)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 hot pepper (preferably from your own garden), more if you want it spicier
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp water
Cut the noodles into 1 inch pieces and set aside.


Mince the garlic and pepper. Mine was large so I minced half and sliced the other half.


Heat the oil in the wok on medium high. Toss in the minced garlic and pepper, sauté for a few minutes until the garlic is just starting to turn golden.


Turn the heat up to high and throw in the noodles. Stir it around every couple of minutes to prevent sticking. Turn the temp back down to medium high.


Meanwhile in a small bowl stir together the oyster sauce, sugar and water, set aside. Once the noodles are translucent, pour in the sauce mixture and sliced peppers and toss to coat evenly.


Scoop into a bowl and enjoy!

Spicy Lemongrass Tofu

I know it’s been a while since I’ve added anything to Suddenly Ravenous so here goes. Every so often I get a craving for anything tofu. I know, I know. Everyone’s complaint is that tofu is tasteless. But I prefer to think of it as a blank canvas for flavour! And nothing imparts flavour quite like lemongrass. I always keep some handy in the freezer for that very reason.



For this recipe you will need:

• 1 lb chunk of extra firm tofu
• 4 tbsp finely minced lemongrass
• 2 chillies, finely minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Olive oil for frying


Cut the tofu into ½ inch slices and pat dry with paper towel. Take away as much excess water as you can or else it may pop when you’re frying them.



Combine the lemongrass, minced chillies and salt in a bowl then spread about ½ teaspoon on each side of the tofu slice.



Heat a pan on medium-high with a splash of oil. Gently put each slice on the heated, oiled pan and fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.



Place on your favourite plate and enjoy!



images (c)citygirlscapes

Bacon and Sundried Tomato Pasta with Spinach

I confess that my weakness is and always will be pasta; any size, shape or colour. My love affair with the mighty noodle started in childhood when my mom would always put an Asian spin on classic Italian dishes.

As I grew up and started finding my way around the kitchen, I started experimenting with various dishes and adding my own touches and tastes to tried and true recipes. This is a new one. I’ve taken things readily available and made it into something fresh, tasty and best of all, simple.

For this recipe you will need:

• 1 lb of Farfalle
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb of bacon
• ½ cup julienned sundried tomatoes,
packed in oil
• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream, more if needed to thin out the sauce
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp reserved bacon grease
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp chopped oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Don’t forget to salt the water! I love farfalle. It has so many nooks and crannies and crevices for the sauce to cling to. I also just love saying farfalle. Try it, you’ll love saying it too!

Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces and put into a skillet on medium heat.

Cook until most of the fat has rendered (that’s such a funny word, rendered. Yes, I am weird) but not overly crisp.

You want the bacon to still be soft. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess fat. Pour off most of the grease, reserving about 2 tablespoons (those bits stuck to the bottom is going to impart such flavour to the sauce).

On medium heat, add the diced onion and garlic and butter.

Cook until onion is translucent. Don’t forget to add salt and pepper. Next, throw in the sundried tomatoes, once heated through, pour in the cream.

Season the sauce according to your taste. Just a note, some brands of sundried tomatoes are salty so you’ll want to taste before adding in any more salt.

Next, add in the spinach leaves and toss then dump in most of the cooked farfalle, you’ll want to have enough to coat everything.

Now throw in your chopped chives and oregano (I got mine from my garden) and toss.

Do this quickly as you only want the spinach to wilt.

Grab the nearest plate and fork and serve.

Inhale the plate in front of you, repeat.

images (c)citygirlscapes

Suddenly Ravenous - Barn Board

I assure you, this sweet treat is tastier than the name suggests. And the best part is, it’s simple, easy and you probably already have all the ingredients on hand.

Trust me when I say that you won’t regret making this! Special thanks to my friend for introducing this recipe to me!

For this treat you’ll need:

• 1 sleeve graham crackers (plus a few more crackers if any are broken)

• 1 cup butter (NOT margarine)

• 1 cup packed brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

• 2 cups chocolate chips

o1. Preheat oven at 350^o Celcius.

o2. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil (makes clean up a breeze!), lay crackers until the sheet is completely covered, end to end.
o3. In a sauce pan melt the butter, brown sugar and vanilla.

o4. Bring the mixture to a boil and then allow to fully boil for 2 minutes (don’t allow to boil for much longer than the 2 minutes as the caramel will continue to cook in the oven).

o5. Pour and spread the mixture evenly over the crackers.

o6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

o7. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top.

o8. Wait a few minutes for the chips to melt then use an offset spatula to spread it evenly.

o9. Now place the cookie sheet into the freezer for about 2 hours to set. I know, the hardest part is the waiting. But it is worth it, I promise.

1o. Once you take the pan out of the freezer, let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting or breaking to allow the caramel to relax.

I prefer to eat these cold. With a glass of milk. Enjoy!