Spicy vegetarian pad thai

This dish and recipe are inspired by my latest dining experience at a Thai restaurant by my home. The noodles were spicy and paired with a ginger soda, turned out to be a perfect dinner and ending to a busy work day. I would've liked the ginger less sweet and more gingery. The host tried adding some ginger slivers which fixed the over powering sweetness of the soda.

Here's my version of Pad Thai. Purely vegetarian without the fish sauce. Check out other recipe from swamyskitchen.com.

Use a mix of the following vegetables: Bean, bean sprouts, asparagus, carrot, mushrooms, onions. This recipe will yield 2-3 servings.

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup tamarind extract, thick
1 onion, sliced
7 green beans cut into 3rds
1/2 cup carrot noodles or slivers 1/5 cup bean sprouts

1 cup mushrooms
3 to 4 fresh basil leaves
1 cup spring onions, chopped
2 Tbs. canola or olive oil
2 cups cooked pad thai noodles or rice noodles
1 Tbsps. fresh chives
2 tsps. papria
1 Tbsp. coarse peanuts, unsalted
1/2 cup white vinegar
4 dry red chilies
2 lime wedges
2 eggs, scrambled
Salt to taste

Method
Cook pasta per directions on package. In a skillet, add oil. Let it warm, then add the red chilies. Sauté onions first. Add all vegetables except bean sprouts and sauté until slightly under cooked but not raw.
Mix tamarind paste with vinegar and bring to a simmer. Turn off heat. Use the remaining oil, sauté garlic and add all the vegetables. Toss a few times. Add eggs, scramble until cooked. Add the tamarind paste, paprika and noodles.Stir a couple times to combine. Sprinkle some spring onions on top.

Serve hot garnished with bean sprouts, peanuts, paprika and lime wedges. For additional spice, add fresh ground red chilie flakes.

Warm Eggplant Dip

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Eggplant Dip

Eggplant dips can be made in umpteen different ways. Here's an easy one.

Pointer 1: Long Chinese eggplants have less seeds and are the best for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 slim eggplants
• 6-8 fresh garlic cloves
• 4 green chilies
• 2 medium-sized shallots or 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsps. fresh coriander chopped
• Salt to taste
  

Method:

Slit eggplant lengthwise, place garlic and slip chilies inside them. Coat them with olive oil or any other oil of used for cooking. Bake, wrapped in foil in a 400°F oven, or roast them over stove without the foil. I have tried both. Over stove involves a lot of cleaning after the fact.

For oven baked: This should take about 40 minutes. Remove from oven. and carefully unwrap the foil or just tear off. Mash coarsely but without big chunks. Add salt and lime juice, mix well. Top off with onions and cilantro. Tastes best served warm. Can be serve with nachos, chips, veggies or even crispy crackers.

Over stove: Everything is the same as above, except for this method the skin would need to be removed.