Asparagus and Zucchini Tofu Recipe

This tofu stir fry dish is a staple in our home and I make it at least one a month. It's quick to prepare, flavorful and packed with fresh green vegetables. 

The preparation is always more or less the same. In this version, pan-seared tofu pieces (or leftover cooked chicken breasts) are tossed with previously cooked zucchini and baby asparagus in maple syrup, chipotle garlic sauce and soy sauce. At the end, I added onions wedges and turned the heat off; the residual heat in the dish finished cooking the onions while keeping them juicy, sweet and crunchy.

Bo Hanh Huong Recipe (Vietnamese Beef Rolls)

Vietnamese beef rolls, called bò hành hương, are typically considered a festive dish. We had a lot of guests over last week and I decided to serve this Vietnamese beef specialty as the main course for my buffet party menu. The name translates to "onion scented beef", and that is an apt description. The authentic version would use green onions, but I didn't have any, so I substituted thin wedges of regular onions for the filling. It didn't alter the main flavor of the dish.

And since people eat with their eyes first, I made sure the presentation of the rolls was inviting. I served them on a bed of lettuce with slices of citrus from our garden.

Cauliflower Tofu Stir Fry Recipe

Our favorite tofu company, Vinh Khang Tofu, has just opened a new location in San Jose, close to King road in Sunset plaza. We visited the shop and stocked up on loads of freshly pressed tofu for the week.

I used some of it to make this crispy yet still fluffy tofu with cauliflower. I've prepared tofu so many times over the years that I bet I could prepare a tofu stir fry dish with my eyes closed. I must admit though, that I've never tried it with cauliflower, and I have to say that I really like how it turned out. The cauliflower softened nicely and provided a nice contrast to the crispiness of the tofu. Definitely worth a try!

Mushroom Tofu Stir Fry Recipe

My husband Lulu's niece and nephew spent the afternoon with us. It was so nice having so many children in the house. Of course, our daughter Aria was the center of attention and she loved it! While they were playing with the baby, I prepared dinner. I cooked some brown rice (Lulu's request since the beginning of the new year) and made mushroom tofu stir fry.

The stir fry is composed of combined shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and enoki mushrooms, Japanese eggplant, sugar snap peas and tofu, of course!

Ca Kho Gung Recipe (Catfish Recipe)

Cá bông lau, "catfish" in English, is a very common fish in Vietnamese cooking. There are numerous preparations, and I've shared some in the past. Today, I prepared a caramelized sauce made of ginger and kaffir lime leaves called cá kho gừng to go with the catfish. It gives the fish a lovely light brown color.

The addition of kaffir lime leaves and red chiles gives a special zing to this seafood dish. And as usual a bowl of freshly made white jasmine rice makes a superb pairing!