Welcome. to CSNN Mississauga s. Eating healthy has never tasted so good! The spotlight this March is on Tamarind.

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1 Welcome Winter Escape Destination.Thailand to CSNN Mississauga s There s a point midwinter when we d all like a little sun in a tropical destination. Our Thai inspired recipes take you to an exotic destination. right in your own kitchen! Eating healthy has never tasted so good! The recipes take some twists and turns and include deep rich colours and a unique array of the textures and flavours of Thai cuisine. Thai food is typically very spicy, especially to palates not accustomed to such intense heat. Our recipes are tamer but feel free to adjust the level of heat. Get on board as you discover just how easy it is to enjoy the elegant and versatile tastes of Thailand. The spotlight this March is on Tamarind. Curious? Never heard of tamarind? Green Curry Soup You may not be familiar with this tropical fruit but it s an essential ingredient, offering the sour component to Thai dishes. It s easy to find at Asian and Indian grocery stores and often at your local grocery store. It s sold in several forms but we recommend buying the block form. Tamarind trees produces bean-like pods filled with seeds surrounded by a fibrous pulp. As it ripens the juicy pulp becomes pastelike with a sweet-sour taste. Pad Thai with a healthy twist NUTRITIONALLY SPEAKING tamarind has played an important role in traditional medicine. The polyphenols in tamarind have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These may help protect against diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

2 Tamarind is often used in recipes that you might find lemon or lime juice, balancing the sweet, salty and hot flavours. It s worth getting to know Tamarind. It requires no special storage conditions; just keep the block in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Tamarind Green Curry Soup with hints of Thailand Lean back, put your tray tables up and relax This soup is not only rich and creamy it s also a beautiful colour. It s loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Double the recipe and freeze half for another meal, as always. our version of fast-food meals. NUTRITIONALLY SPEAKING fresh herbs don t just enhance the flavour or serve as a garnish but they also provide enormous health benefits too. The Coriander Plant - let s define terms The strongly-scented leaves of the coriander plant are the herb - cilantro. The sweet, nutty seeds of the coriander plant are the spice - coriander. Health benefits include: as we head towards Thailand virtually antioxidants and flavonoids minerals; potassium, calcium, manganese, iron and magnesium vitamins A, C and K, as well as B vitamins proven to have antiseptic, antifungal, antioxidant, disinfectant and antibacterial properties

3 Coriander Studies show that coriander is a classic remedy for stomach troubles. Soothing irritable bowel syndrome, easing chronic constipation, and helping to stop intestinal spasms. Cilantro Cilantro, the leaves of the coriander plant is rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. Research shows that it can help to lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure and support cardiovascular function. Cilantro also helps to rid the body of heavy metals. However, not everyone likes the distinctive taste of cilantro. If necessary, you can substitute flat leaf parsley mixed with a little Thai basil for this Asian dish. Basil Coriander Seed Cilantro Basil is easy to grow. Having it on-hand, ready to pick, means you ll enjoy it more often. Health benefits include; disease-fighting antioxidants anti-inflammatory components helps to fight cancer combating stress by acting as an adaptogen fights depression promotes cardiovascular health Basil is not one but a variety of plants. Thai Basil, sweet basil, holy basil, East Indian basil, purple basil - lots of delicious choices. Fresh basil is wonderful raw but it doesn t take well to cooking because its flavour dissipates easily. Only use fresh basil in the last few minutes of cooking - toss it into the dish at the very end. Don t think of herbs as just a garnish. Basil

4 Put your apron on and lets get started read each recipe first so you know what to do in advance. Thai green curry paste has many of the authentic ingredients in Thai recipes and is easily available. Green/Curry Soup with hints of Thailand Ingredients: 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 onions, coarsely chopped 4 tbsp Thai green curry paste 2 tbsp fresh ginger, grated 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock (homemade is always best) 1 can coconut milk (regular, not light) 4 cups broccoli, coarsely chopped 2 tbsp fish sauce (or tamari sauce if vegetarian) 1 lime grated lime zest 2 tbsp lime juice, freshly squeezed 3 cups spinach leaves 2 cups frozen green peas 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (chop a little extra as a garnish) 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (chop a little extra as a garnish) sea salt added to taste at the very end

5 Method: 1. Heat the coconut oil in a large, heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. 2. Add the curry paste, fresh ginger and garlic. Cook for several minutes but don t let the garlic brown because it will taste bitter stir. 3. Add the chicken stock (or vegetable broth), coconut milk, chopped broccoli, fish sauce (or tamari sauce), lime zest and lime juice. Stir to incorporate. 4. Bring mixture to a slow boil; stir while coming to the boil. 5. Reduce mixture to a low heat and add spinach and peas. Simmer for minutes. 6. Transfer soup to your blender, add the cilantro and basil, leaving some aside to garnish when serving. Working in batches purée until it s velvety smooth. In search of flavour Whizdom: There are lots of ways to unlock the flavour in a dish. Seasoning the dish along the way, as you cook, is important but, give every dish a final taste to see if it needs one more jolt of flavour. You may feel it needs another splash of lime juice or a sprinkling of sea salt (sea salt is a magical ingredient and instantly unlocks the flavour). You ll be surprised how small adjustments like these, made before serving, really take the flavour to the next level. With very little effort you can serve something outstanding. Note: because this dish uses fish sauce or tamari which has salt in it, you need to taste it first before adding extra sea salt. 7. To serve, pour into serving bowls and garnish with cilantro and basil.

6 This sauce is absolutely delicious. It s perfect for this Pad Thai dish but it s also delicious as a dip. In the Virtual Kitchen we often use it in our rice paper spring rolls. A Healthier Twist on Pad Thai Pad Thai has become one of Thailand s national dishes. Our version is mostly raw and absolutely delicious. There s a great mix of texture and colour and the nice thing is you can prepare everything in advance and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bring the sauce to room temperature so it s easier to mix and toss everything in a large bowl until the vegetables are well coated. Let s start with the sauce 1/4 package tamarind (about 2 oz) 3/4 boiling water 1 cup cashews, soaked first 1 medium tomato (vine ripened when possible) 7 Medjool dates (remove any pits) 3 tbsp coconut aminos 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil* (see kitchen whizdom below) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, freshly ground 1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground pinch cayenne pepper (adjust hotness to taste)

7 Method; What to do in advance before starting. 1. Place the tamarind pulp in a small bowl and pour boiling water over it. Stirring and mashing it occasionally with a spoon, let the tamarind soak for about 1 hour, until the pulp separates and dissolves in the water. Rub the tamarind through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down hard with the back of the spoon before discarding the seeds and fibers. You are using the Tamarind infused water. 2. Soak the cashews for 1-2 hours as well. 3. To crush coriander seeds you can use a mortar and pestle or put the seeds into a zip lock baggie and press the bottom edge of a small, heavy bottom pot into the seeds. If you make the sauce in advance, before assembling the dish, let it sit out to room temperature so it blends easier. Add a little at a time, toss with your salad tongs don t use too much sauce, just enough to coat all the ingredients. The sauce should enhance the Pad Thai but not overwhelm it. 4. Once #1, #2 and #3 are done, drain the cashews and throw out the cashew soaking water. You soak these cashews to ensure your sauce becomes silky smooth when blending. 4. Put the tamarind liquid and drained cashews into a high speed blender along with all the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste carefully and adjust seasonings - sea salt, fresh pepper and cayenne. Adjusting the seasoning at the end makes all the difference in the world - takes it from average to sensational! Kitchen Whizdom: Here in the Virtual Kitchen we test and taste many products. Sesame oil is an important flavour enhancer and as such needs to be really good quality - flavourful and fragrant. We tasted several from the grocery store and health food store and they basically had no flavour. The one we used in this recipe is a Toasted Sesame Oil from dellaterra.ca - it s like none you ve ever tasted! You can check Della Terra s web site (they ship) or see if there s a small olive oil/balsamic tasting boutique near where you live. Now that the sauce is made you can quickly get the rest prepared.

8 Ingredients; 4 zucchini 2 cups kelp noodles (soaked for about 15 minutes) 1 head romaine lettuce, shredded 3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips (we use our vegetable peeler) 1 yellow or red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped 1 1/2-2 cups Pad Thai Sauce (use enough to coat well but not overwhelm the vegetables) 1/2 cup cashews, chopped (not soaked) 1/2 cup green onions, chopped small Kitchen Whizdom: Spiralizers... do you need one? No, but they are a fun inexpensive kitchen tool. If you love pasta then making noodles from various vegetables can really satisfy your pasta craving. If you don t have one, then cut your zucchini into thin strips using a vegetable peeler, stack them up and slice thinly so they resemble noodles.

9 Method; What to do in advance before starting. Rinse and soak your kelp noodles in warm water for about 15 minutes before starting. 1. Next, spiralize the zucchini. Cut with kitchen shears so that the noodles are not too long and easier to eat, you ll see what we mean once you finish spiralizing. Sauce Whizdom: be sure you dry everything well - the kelp noodles and all the vegetables before adding them to the bowl. Any excess moisture on the kelp noodles or vegetables will dilute the flavour of the sauce, which also won t cling well to wet ingredients. You can spread your noodles and vegetables out onto a clean dishtowel, roll them up gently, or pat them dry with another dishtowel. 2. Open the bag of kelp noodles and rinse them well. Submerge the noodles in warm water for about 15 minutes. This rinses off the slightly salty liquid they re packaged in and it also softens and separates them. Once soaked and rinsed, drain them and pat dry. Put them into the bowl with the other dried ingredients. Toss everything well to combine. 3. Add a little room temperature Pad Thai Sauce at a time and mix well. Just add enough to coat everything well but don t overdue the amount you use. As noted above, you can keep the left over sauce for dipping or use it in spring rolls. It freezes perfectly in ice cube trays to use later. 4. Divide the Pad Thai into serving dishes (it makes 4-6 servings). 5. Top with the chopped cashews and green onions. Serve & enjoy right away