Halal Cart Flavored Cauliflower and Turmeric Brown Rice

I had Halal Cart Chicken twice when I was in New York City recently.  This is a vegan take on this my favorite New York cart food using cauliflower instead of chicken.  The Halal Cart chicken or cauliflower is not complete without the fragrant delicious Turmeric Rice.  I opted to use brown rice instead of the traditional basmati or extra long-grain rice to make this must-have accompaniment to the halal court inspired vegan version.  

When this is served in the styrofoam containers by the cart vendors, a side of lettuce with tomatoes, doused with white sauce or hot sauce, (which was over the chicken and rice also) goes with the order.  For the white sauce I used Ranch dressing which I have a vegan version of in this blog.  You can add sriracha to the dressing to make it a bit spicy but not quite as hot as the hot sauce they pour over the chicken.  

The list of ingredients for this vegan recipe which I obtained from the one for Halal Cart Chicken, copy cat version, featured in this site is short but still gives that bold spicy flavor.  The list of ingredients for the turmeric rice is also short but full of the characteristic flavor identified with this popular accompaniment to the Halal meats.   

Halal Cart Flavored Cauliflower

Adapted from this site

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 whole head of cauliflower, cut into chunks including stem and leaves
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water (optional)

Heat the oil at medium heat in a saute pan and then add the coriander powder and oregano.  Heat the spices till they shimmer.  Add the garlic and continue to heat till the garlic is cooked.  Add the cauliflower and lemon juice and continue to cook with stirring till the vegetable is cooked but still crispy.  Add vegetable broth or water if necessary.

Turmeric Brown Rice

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
• 4 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan and add the spices.  Heat the spices with stirring till they shimmer and give off their aroma.  Add the rice and stir until they are coated with the oil mixture.  Heat for about 4 to 5 minutes till the rice is toasted or lightly brown.  Add the broth and allow the mixture to boil and then cover the sauce pan and simmer for about 45 minutes till the brown rice is cooked.

Assembly

Place the rice on a plate and top it with the cauliflower.  Serve with a side of lettuce with tomatoes salad doused with Ranch dressing (vegan version recipe is here).  You may add sriracha if you want to the dressing. Top the cauliflower and rice with the dressing also.

Spinach Sweet Potato Brown Rice Soup

This is another take on the popular Filipino dish, Arroz Caldo which I have posted the slow cooker approach to preparing it in the past.  I have also posted a Quick and Easy Plant Based Arroz Caldo in the past since I have switched into this approach of eating since September of last year.

In this blog post, I have developed another version of this iconic Filipino dish which is one of the most pinned posts in this blog.  I stepped up the plant based or vegan version by adding two super foods, spinach and sweet potatoes.  The spinach is added to the soup towards the last minute while the sweet potatoes take the place of the marinated tofu that is used as one of the traditional garnishes in arroz caldo.  The result is this amazing vegan soup that is flavorful and filling despite the absence of chicken or tofu.  The marinated sweet potato pieces and its marinade give the soup its zing similar to the original and earlier vegan version of the soup.  The spinach gives it added texture. The green onion slices for me always complete whatever version you are using.   If you have a carnivore in your family you can always add chicken pieces to the resulting soup to make them happy.

Spinach Sweet Potato Brown Rice Soup

• 1 cup brown rice uncooked
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp dry onion flakes
• 1/2 tbsp dry garlic powder
• 1/2 tbsp ginger powder
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
• 1 cooked large sweet potatoes cubed and in its marinade (see recipe below)
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced
• lemon slices, optional

Marinate the cubed cooked sweet potatoes in the marinade the recipe of which is shown below and set aside, 

Place all the ingredients in a soup pot and bring to a boil and continue boiling gently with cover on till the brown rice absorbs the broth and softens.  At the last minute of cooking, add the spinach and cook till wilted. Ladle the soup into 4 individual bowls and garnish with marinated sweet potatoes and green onions. You can add the marinade if you like. You can also serve the soup with lemon slices.

Marinade for sweet potatoes

• 1 tsp dry onion flakes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.  Add the cubed cooked sweet potatoes.  Set aside till needed for the soup.

Brown Rice Biryani

One of the bright spots in Monroeville PA is the Udipi Indian Restaurant. It is a strictly vegetarian place frequented by people from neighboring places in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.

One of my favorite things to eat at this place (second to what I call pregnant bread) is shown below. It is their take on biryani rice. I have been buying prepackaged ones at the Patel grocery store which I sometimes finish in one seating. I felt it is time for me to make my own. 

Here is the recipe I came up with using ordinary brown rice instead of the traditional jasmine variety. I used my rice cooker to prepare the dish for convenience and also to satisfy my curiousity if it would work. I made this without oil to make it healthier and plant based. This is pretty close to what I have been eating straight from the package. 

Brown Rice Biryani

• 2 cups brown rice
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/8 tsp tumeric
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/8 tsp cardamom powder
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp dry garlic flakes
• 1/2 tbsp dry onion flakes
• Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in rice cooker bowl. Cook in rice cooker using brown rice setting. 

Thai Tofu Rice Bowl

This dish definitely has the Thai flavors that one craves for once in a while and maybe all the time.  When you have to have that fix, here is a simple recipe.  I made this pretty close to being plant based except for the fish sauce which you can easily substitute tamari or soy sauce with.  The secret to attaining the Thai flavors is the trio of fish sauce (or soy sauce), lime and sugar.

This recipe was inspired by the one on the awesome Closet Cooking website which utilized ground beef instead of tofu.  I wanted a plant based recipe so I dared to substitute silken tofu for the beef.   You can also use firm tofu instead.

I love the overall result which is pretty close to the Thai flavors of the Pad Thai that I love to devour.  I could have eaten the whole recipe.  So good.  You can serve this over brown rice or with rice noodles and come up with Pad Thai easily.

Thai Tofu Rice Bowl

• 1 block (8 - 12 oz) silken tofu (or firm tofu)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green or red pepper, diced
• 2 dry red chilies, crushed
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce or tamari to be plant based)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 1/2 cup basil
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and julienned

Saute the onion and garlic. Add the tofu, green or red pepper, crushed red chilies, fish sauce, sugar. lime zest and juice and basil.  Mix till the mixture is heated through.  

Serve garnished with green onions and carrots. You can provide more fresh basil and whole dry red chilies for the strong hearted if desired.  You can also garnish with peanuts if you like.  

Deconstructed Brown Rice Edemame Sushi with Wasabi Hoisin Dressing

I wanted to make Vegan Onigiri which is a triangular shaped sushi but I could not make the brown rice stick together to form the triangle.  I still wanted the taste of sushi particularly the one I buy at the Giant Eagle Grocery Store that is covered with French Fried Onion from a can.  Yes the one you use for your favorite holiday Green Bean Casserole dish.

I decided to make a deconstructed one.  To recreate the sushi taste, I resorted to mixing the wasabi paste I bought in a tube at the Asian Store in Monroeville PA with the Hoisin Sauce.  I wanted a simple preparation that mimics the taste of the sushi without resorting to the use of a mayonnaise based sauce.  I follow the plant based approach in eating which as much as possible avoid even plant oils.

I gave exact measurements of the ratio of wasabi paste to the Hoisin Sauce since the first time I prepared it I did not measure anything and just squeeze an amount of this and that.  My nose really what would you say got overstimulated to put it mildly.  This is a simple rice bowl with a sushi flavor and very versatile.  You can add nuts and other vegetables but the recipe below gives you an idea how to come up with a sushi deconstructed for your convenience.  I highly recommend the edemame.  It gives the rice bowl texture and complements the spiciness of the dressing.  The French Fried Onion gives it an interesting note not found in most rice bowls.

Deconstructed Brown Rice Edemame Sushi with Wasabi Hoisin Dressing

1 serving

• 3/4 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup edemame
• 1/4 cup French Fried Onions (from a can)
• 1/4 cup tofu, cubed
• 1 tbsp dried cherries
• cilantro 
• Wasabi Hoisin Dressing (recipe below)

Place the rice in a bowl and top with the edemame, French Fried Onions, tofu and dried cherries.  Garnish with cilantro and serve with the wasabi and hoisin dressing.

Wasabi Hoisin Dressing (Note 1)

• 1/8 tsp wasabi paste
• 2 tsp hoisin sauce

Mix the wasabi paste and hoisin sauce in a small bowl and mix it with the rice bowl.

Notes:

1.  You can double or triple the amounts but do follow the proportions given or else your nostrils will cry and yes clear up.