Bambino

Preparation Time: 5-15 min
Cooking Time: 10-15 min
Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients: 2 cups Bambino 3 cups water 1 cup vegetables (depending on taste - peas, beans, carrots, corn etc) 1 Onion, chopped fine 4-5 Garlic slices - grated/paste 1-2 inch Ginger - grated/paste 1/2 tsp Jeera 1/2 tsp rai 1 tblsp Oil

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Method:

1. Shallow fry bambino till it turns light brown. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and rai and let it crackle.
3. Saute onions till transluscent.
4. Add vegetables and cook till soft.
5. Add bambino and mix.
6. Heat water in a separate pan and add it to bambino mixture. Add Ginger and Garlic. Let it boil stirring in between.
7. Serve hot.

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Tips I use frozen mixed vegetables. It saves time in cutting vegetables.

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Thai Red Curry

Cooking Thai is becoming a weekly affair at my home. My husband likes Thai, my daughters love Tofu and I love this nice variation which is also yummy. Cooking Thai is very much like cooking Indian food, the only difference is using Thai curry pastes instead of the Indian spices. It has vegetables in a coconut base with Thai spices that are already added to the pastes. You can either make your own paste or use tore bought ones. The spices used in the paste give it a subtle hot and salty, sweet and sour taste. The consistency of its sauce varies with the amount of coconut milk used. The coconut milk also aids in reducing the spice. So if you like less spicy - add more coconut milk and vice-versa.

Preparation Time: 5-15 min
Cooking Time: 10-15 min
Serves: 4-6

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Ingredients: 1-2 tblsp Thai Red Curry Paste (Brand I use: Thai Kitchen) 3-4 cups mixed vegetables (green, red and yellow bell pepper, broccoli, carrots) Extra firm Tofu (I like baked tofu) 1 onion, chopped in big pieces (I like bigger chunks) 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (its fine without this too) 2-3 tblsp soy sauce 1-2 cans coconut milk - depending on how mild you like your curry, or how much sauce you prefer 2 tblsp oil salt to taste

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Method:

1. Wrap tofu between 2 paper towels and press it firmly using something heavy like a chopping board to drain soaked in water. Leave it like this for about 15-30 min.

2. Chop tofu and bake if you would like.

3. Heat oil in pan and stir fry onions.

4. Add red curry paste and fry on medium heat till fragrant - about 3-4 min. You can add a little water to stop from sticking to pan.

5. Add veggies, tofu and let cook on slow heat till done. Add coconut milk, and bring to a boil.

6. Adjust Thai paste and coconut milk based on how you like it. Boil a few more minutes. If running short on coconut milk, you can add water to increase gravy.

7. Stir in basil leaves.

8. Serve this curry with any rice, or your choice of noodles.

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