Coconut Tofu Keema

Coconut Tofu Keema

I made this last night, and it was delicious! A wonderfully delicious curry. There are some good suggestions on the recipe page; the most important one (I think) being to cut the tomato sauce from 6 cups to 3 cups. (one large can). Very easy and delicious recipe.
Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 45 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes

Servings: 10 (these serving sizes always trip me out. I don't know who could get 10 servings out of this, not if it's all your eating anyway. And it does make a complete dinner. We got 5 servings from it.)

"Peas, carrots, and tofu are simmered together in coconut milk with spices, creating a warm, savory Indian favorite, easy to make and exciting to eat. Serve over hot rice, with yogurt on the side, which may be added to taste to cut the heat and add sweetness."

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 medium onions, minced

1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu, diced

1 (16 ounce) can coconut milk

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon curry powder 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon red pepper paste

6 cups tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 1/2 cups chopped carrot



Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, onion, and tofu; cover, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, cumin, curry powder, ginger, salt, and red pepper paste; bring to a simmer. Stir in tomato sauce, peas, and carrots; simmer, covered, about 30 minutes.

Thanksgiving Cake

I'm gearing up for Thanksgiving. I don't normally do a great deal of baking, but i'm going over to my parents house and I thought that I would bring a cake. So, this week i'm trying out a new cake recipe - to see if it's any good before I make one for Thanksgiving. It looks good, at least. And I do love Tiramisu.

Tiramisu Layer Cake
Cook Time: 20 Minutes Ready In: 2 Hours

Servings: 12
"Fancy taste without all the work. This cake is wonderful for a get together or just a special occasion at home. Using a box cake mix as a base it's a real time saver!"

Ingredients:

CAKE:

1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake

mix

1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

1/4 cup coffee

1 tablespoon coffee flavored liqueur



FILLING:

1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur



FROSTING:

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur



GARNISH:

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans.

2. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Divide two thirds of batter between 2 pans. Stir instant coffee into remaining batter; pour into remaining pan.

3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. In a measuring cup, combine brewed coffee and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur; set aside.

4. To make the filling: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

5. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of cream mixture into filling mixture.

6. To assemble the cake: Place one plain cake layer on a serving plate. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake, about 1 inch apart. Pour one third of reserved coffee mixture over cake, then spread with half of the filling mixture. Top with coffee-flavored cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour another third of the coffee mixture over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour remaining coffee mixture on top. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting. Place cocoa in a sieve and lightly dust top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

7. To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the

Bleh, I feel worse

Eh, pizza. I love the taste of pizza, but i've found that I probably shouldn't eat it very often. It's not good for me, and i've noticed that sometimes after I eat it I feel rather bad. Not in a indigestion sort of way, but rather - I feel sickly, or dirty. It isn't surprising I guess. I've become more and more mindful of my health and body of late, through conscious effort.. and to have put something so greasy inside me, I suppose it isn't surprising that I feel a little funky.

But that pizza sure did taste good. ^.^

New Aikido Blog

Well, i've put up a new blog. I will continue posting here ofcourse. I simply noticed that I had begun posting a great deal about aikido in here, and that isn't really what it was originally for. Thusly, i've created a new blog for my thoughts on aikido, budo, and japan in general.

Go forth and behold the wonders of my empty cup! http://emptyteabowl.blogspot.com/

So Far Out There

I wrote a new poem the other day.. it has a dog. o.O

So Far Out There

I saw out there the yellow dog
Which stood on hill so far.
That as I mused on what it minded
It seemed quite as a star.

"Behold! There is a watchful pooch
So far out on the plain.
So far, in fact, that as I walk
I'll never see that dog again."

The wind picked up and weathered me
As I strode across that plain.
I glanced once back from the sinking sun
And there I spied that dog again.

"Closer now, than was before
That dog upon the plain.
The later light ill favors it
I wonder if it has a name?"

Regardless, I am busy.
It is far and so I move again.

As time went on and light grew dim
I found myself frequently
Looking back upon my path
And upon those hills I see -

"That accursed dog, ye' damned pooch!
Closer now, yes I see!
Faster I walk, swifter you pursue
Why do you insist on following me?!"

The dog stood there, it watched and stared
Then drew so close to me.
To my surprise its maw opened wide
And the dog began to speak.

"You wandered long and toiled hard
A world you did not see.
Yet here we are, swiftness for nought
Time still brought you to me."

Spirit tired, so there I rested
And the dog sat with Eternally.

Hiragana

Eh, it's writing right? I'm still endeavoring to learn Japanese. Step by step and brick by brick. Now i'm focusing on learning hiragana, primarily because my japanese book has stopped being in English. That's right, the remainder of the book is written in Hiragana.

Sucks for me, but i'll persevere. I thought my English penmanship was bad but no, my penmanship for japanese is horrenduous. Nevertheless, i've gotta learn to write right? And i'm sure my english penmanship blew when I was six and first learning to write the letter "A".

Shodan?

Been quite some time since i've posted on here. Eh, i've been busy..and haven't had a great deal to say. I'll get things recapped and more up to date in the near future.. but for now - SHODAN!

No, I haven't reached Shodan yet. :-p I've got about four more weeks until my belt test. And, as always - about four weeks before my test one of my sempai finally looked at me practicing my testing materials and went "hm, no that's wrong. Here, let me 180 it for you so you can spend the next several weeks relearning it."

Blah. It's the way of learning I suppose, but I really do wish we had a seperate "Advanced level" class, so that I could find these things out a little earlier. Could be worse, they dropped a bomb like that on me on one technique that I was practicing when I was preparing for my Ikkyu test. Except, they did so about two days before the test. Obviously, I still managed to pass. But still - it's not good for my nerves.

Ofcourse, it's not entirely their fault. We don't have a plethora of black belts and there isn't room in the scheduling for a seperate class - even if sensei had the time for it. Eh, I miss my old training partner - we could meet up outside of the dojo to practice.

Anywho - i'm rambling and being down today. On an upbeat note, FOUR WEEKS!!!.. until Shodan test. *dark vader pose and fist grip* "There will be no one to stop us this time."