Tau Hu Chung: Vietnamese Vegetarian Pate Recipe

Tàu hũ chưng is one of the many vegetarian equivalents you can find to Vietnamese meat dishes. As I mentioned last week, Tết is coming soon (January 23rd), and you're supposed to eat vegetarian for the days just before and after the Asian New Year. Usually, I would make mắm chưng thịt (Vietnamese-style meatloaf). This dish is similar, using ingredients such as mushrooms, bean thread noodles and cilantro, but paired with mashed tofu.

The mixture is first steamed, then baked for a few minutes in the oven so the top is slightly golden and dried out. It's almost like a tofu pâté that can be enjoyed with rice and a bowl of canh (soup) on the side.

Pinquito Beans (+Giveaway)

I'm hooked on pinquito beans. They're much more refined than the more ordinary pinto or black beans, and like all beans, they are a great source of protein. They're perfect as a side dish to a good ol' steak or  as a main course for vegetarians. 



I received Susie Q Brand's Red Gadget Box which includes her most popular products. It makes a handy gift for the holidays, ideal for toting around your favorite kitchen tools. I used Maria Valley Style Seasoning for grilling steaks and glazed them with Suzie Q's sherry citrus rib glaze. I cooked the pinquito beans included in the package the same manner that my husband's late grandma Baji taught me. I prepared them in a masala curry gravy with Indian spices. I finished the bean dish by adding a smoky flavor using a few California red oak grilling chips. There is also a jar of salsa inside the Red Gadget Box; just serve it as a starter along with tortilla chips.

Susie Q’s Brand is the original maker of artisan foods capturing the flavors of Santa Maria Style Barbeque. Even though it's winter time, you could cook everything indoors and experiment with grilling and barbeque skills. I had fun discovering the flavors and ingredients of the Santa Maria Valley, and if you want a chance to experience them yourself, just enter today's installment of the 25 Days of Giveaways for a chance to win. Susie Q's has also kindly extended a special offer to Pham Fatale readers - if you'd like to get a Susie Q product for yourself or to give as a gift, use promo code FATALE10 at www.susieqbrand.com for a 10% discount (valid till Christmas).

Make sure you're a fan of PhamFatale Facebook fan page and Susie Q Brand, or follow @Phamfatalecom and tweet about this giveaway. To make it easy, you can just copy and paste this tweet if you’d like: "Red Gadget Box #Giveaway from @Phamfatalecom and @susieqseasoning: http://bit.ly/sp4V7y".

King Mushrooms in Pineapple Sauce

King mushrooms braised in pineapple sauce makes a quick and easy side dish. The beautiful part of this dish is that it works both as a vegetable side dish and a meat substitute. King mushrooms have a chewier, more meaty texture than Portobello mushrooms, which is very pleasant if you're looking for a filling meal without a ton of calories.

The mushrooms are sliced, then braised in crushed pineapple and soy sauce. If you’re a true carnivore though, you could always replace the mushrooms with chicken breast.

Lamb Kebab Recipe

These lamb kebabs are called kofta kebabs. Unlike Greek lamb gyros, the patties are pan-fried instead of grilled. I mixed the lamb with garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chiles, ground almonds and bread, which gives the kebabs a denser texture. The finished dish is very refreshing, served with roasted vegetable couscous or pita bread and hummus.

As I think I've told you, lamb is probably one of my favorite meats, but I don't cook it very often because of the high cholesterol. If you're serving lamb for a party, I would advise you to season the meat well with lots of spices to cover the strong, distinct smell that some people might not like.

Loquat Apricot Chutney Recipe

Loquat and apricot may not make the most traditional chutney, but it is delicious. I’ve wanted to use the fresh loquats I got from my aunt to make a dish that really highlights the ingredient, and fruit chutney seemed like an obvious choice.

Since I made so much, I canned the chutney and stored it for future use. I let it rest for a week and opened our first jar today. The flavor was amazing. There were still some chunks of loquats in it, and the hint of spices from the red chili powder and mustard provided a mild, lingering heat that follows closely behind the sweetness of the fruit.

There are many ways to use the chutney, but I opted to pair it with roasted chicken breast wrapped in smoked turkey slices. A-ma-zing!