iEat Green - 11.12.20 - Natalie Flores

Natalie Flores is an urban farmer, mother and community activist that resides in Los Angeles CA, She's spent the 10+years learning the benefits of growing your own food and engaging her surrounding community to do just that. She recently launched NourishLA to help secure healthy food items to folks in need in the midst of a pandemic. With the help of her community she is now feeding 1500 people every single weekend, helped to launch various gardens in Los Angeles and has passed out over 20,000 vegetable starts to encourage more folks to grow food locally. Her goal is to grow community around food and to encourage green spaces throughout urban environments and to help secure a more equitable food system.

Vegan Spicy Coconut Lemongrass Soup

 

Ingredients

For the Marinated Tofu 

• 1 block tofu, pressed and cut into 1/2 inch thick slabs, and then cut on the diagonal 
• 1/4 cup tamari 
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/3 cup water 
• 3 t. minced garlic
• ¼ onion, grated or minced
• 1 tsp minced ginger 
• 1 tsp dark sesame oil 

For the soup: 

• 1 tbsp coconut oil, plus 1 t. oil for mushrooms
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 Tbs minced garlic, plus 1 t. minced garlic
• 1 Tbs. minced ginger, plus 1 t. minced ginger
• 2 scallions, cut on the diagonal
• 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste 
• 2 stalks lemongrass, minced
• 10 cups vegetable broth or water
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• ½ bunch napa cabbage
• ½ bunch broccoli
• 1 cup snow peas, cut on the diagonal
• 2 cups shitake or oyster mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbs. Tamari, plus 1 Tbs
• 1 t. salt
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 limes, juiced 
• 1 package GF Ramen noodles
• 2 Tbs. chopped cilantro, sesame seeds, lime, and green scallions for garnish

 

Instructions

For the marinated tofu: 

1. Combine tamari, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, water, garlic, ginger, onion and dark sesame oil
2. Marinate the tofu slices in the marinade for 1 hour 
3. Sauté the tofu slices in oil until golden brown on both side. Pour some of the marinade over the tofu while cooking to add extra flavor. 

To make the soup:

1. Cook noodles according to directions. When finished, run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside
2. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the white parts of the scallions, the ginger and garlic, celery, and the lemongrass, and cook for a few minutes. 
3. Add the red curry paste and 3 Tbs. water to help the paste dissolve. Cook the curry paste for a few minutes to deepen flavor. Add the broth and bring water a boil. Lower heat and add coconut milk, and 2 Tbs. Tamari.
4. Meanwhile, in a cast iron pan, sauté the mushrooms in a little oil with 1 t. minced garlic, and 1 t. minced ginger, until golden. Then add 1 Tbs. Tamari and 1 Tbs. Aji Mirin and cook until caramelized.  Set aside
5. Add the broccoli to the soup for 1 minute, then add the napa cabbage and snow peas. 
6. Squeeze the juice of the limes into the soup. Taste the soup and add more salt, Tamari, lime, or red curry paste if desired.

 

Assemble the Soup

1. Put 1 cup noodles in bottom of bowl. Laddle soup on top.
2. Top with 2 tofu triangles, sesame seeds, cilantro, green scallions and sautéed mushrooms.