How To Make Soymilk

Once in a while, I get into these "I-want-to-eat-freshly-made-food" moods. I've baked my own croissants and Vietnamese baguettes for my upcoming cookbook, "Banh Mi: 75 Authentic and Delicious Vietnamese Sandwich Recipes", which by the way is already available for pre-order. In the past few months, I've also made pasta, ravioli, wonton dough and of course there's my usual ritual of making fruit preserves.

I realized I haven't made soymilk at home in a long time. This weekend, I got the girls involved and we made our own. The process is ultra easy even though it's labor intensive. But the result is well worth it. The amber color is slightly darker than the one you get at the store and the velvety, almost buttery texture is very satisfying. We made many gallons of freshly made soymilk and used much of it in other dishes. I'll share those recipes soon.

Masala Burger Recipe

Here's a new take on the American burger classic! Spice up your traditional barbecue menu by adding flavors from India.

Masala burgers would make a perfect addition to your spread this Memorial Day weekend. They're a welcome change from regular beef burgers. I've made fusion burgers in the past, including keema burgers made with Indian-style ground beef. This time, I flavored hamburger patties with garam masala, ginger garlic paste, turmeric and red chili powder. I also changed the condiments; I substituted kachumbar (Indian salsa), my own concoction of raita (Indian yogurt sauce) and tamarind sauce for the ordinary ketchup, mayo, mustard and pickle relish.

Mattar Tofu Paneer (Indian Tofu Recipe)

Mattar paneer is a dish made with peas and Indian cheese. This time, I decided to make the same flavorful dish, but with fewer calories. To accomplish this, I substituted firm tofu in place of traditional paneer cheese.

I fried cubes of tofu the same way as I would paneer, then simmered them in a delectable, creamy onion and tomato curry sauce with green peas. If you’re looking to make a foray into veganism, this is the perfect way to start (see tips).

Of course, if - like my father-in-law - you feel cheated by the absence of golden chunks of fried cheese, you can always try the traditional mattar paneer recipe. I won’t tell!

Harissa Recipe Provided by Chef Pawan Pinisetti

This recipe was provided by Chef Pawan Pinisetti. To learn more about the life of a chef in Vegas, check out his interview (click on the link to view):

"Here's a recipe of one of my favorite accompaniments when I'm eating Mediterranean food. This is a recipe I learned when I was in school (Culinary Institute of America, New York) and I've held onto it ever since. Hope you try it out and enjoy it as well.

Harissa, a spicy red chili paste, popular throughout the Maghreb, was created long after Islam occupied the Iberian Peninsula. Not until the 16^th century and well after the discovery of the New World, did the rest of the Mediterranean accept the pepper as an edible and flavorful ingredient."

How To Make Vietnamese Yogurt (Homemade Yogurt Recipe)

The weather is getting so much warmer in the Bay Area that I thought we all could use a cool treat. Of course, I pulled out the ice cream machine, but since we’ve been exercising lately, I decided a healthy alternative was in order. So that’s why I pulled out my yogurt jars and made our family's favorite: Vietnamese yogurt. In Vietnamese, it's called sữa chua, which literally translates to "sour milk". It's also often referred to as da ua, which is the pidgin French term for "yaourt" (Vietnamese language swallows the consonant sounds from the French term).

Making Vietnamese yogurt is very easy and doesn’t even require a yogurt maker. The main ingredient is of course milk (sữa bò); to this are added condensed milk (hộp sữa đặc), warm water (nước sôi) and a ready-made-made yogurt (starter) to start the fermentation. You can find this starter, called hủ da ua cái, in Asian stores for $1.50 to $2.00 a jar.

Vietnamese yogurt is soft and tastes sour, sweet and a little tart. Once you try it, you'll be just as addicted as my family is!