BUDDHA BOWL

                                               HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

The great Gautama Buddha.....who is the embodiment of tranquility, serenity  and peace......what does he say???
"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment" says He.
His best quote is "In the end only three things matter.....how much you loved, how gently you lived and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you".......
and how can I leave his superb quote, which everybody should try to follow, though it is very difficult....."The thought manifests as the word; the word manifests as the deed; the deed develops into habit; and habit hardens into character. So, watch the thought and its ways with care, and let it spring from love, born out of concern for all beings"...isn't it simply amazing???
So, keeping in mind all his wonderful quotes, here comes a great, soothing recipe, (by my d-i-l), a comfort bowl, and I wish all my Blog Readers again a very very Happy New Year....may you all make this recipe and may this bowl  give comfort to you all.
My daughter's comfort bowl is  Mexican Gumbo.....
D-i-l's comfort bowl is this........she also told me, this is her secret dressing recipe, which she has never shared so far with any one........she was graceful  enough to allow me to share this great recipe with you all , in my blog...
Simple Malpat's comfort bowls are Vegetable khichdi ,  Panch prayag khichdi and Ven Pongal.....

Ingredients

Quinoa - 1 cup, cooked

Sweet potatoes - 2, chopped

Carrots - 3, chopped

Snap peas - 2 cups, broken 

Cucumber - 1, chopped

Tofu - 1 pack, chopped

Frozen edamame - 2 cups

Chard greens - 2 cups, washed and chopped

Garlic powder - 2 tsps

Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsps

Salt to taste

For the Carrot-ginger dressing

Wet Ingredients

Rice wine vinegar - 2/3 cup

Miso paste - 2 tbsp

Mirin (rice wine) - 2 tbsps

Agave - 1/2 cup

Water - 2 cups

Other things

Sesame seeds - 1 cup

Garlic - 5 pods, chopped

Ginger - 2 tsps, chopped

Carrots - 1 cup, chopped

Onion - 1 cup, chopped

Sesame oil - 1 tbsp

Chilli flakes - 2 tbsp

Avocado - 1, sliced

Marinade for the tofu

Corn starch - 2 tbsps

Olive oil - 1 1/2 tbsps

Sriracha or red chilli sauce - 2 tsps

Soy sauce - 1 1/2 tbsp

Recipe Cuisine: International; Category: Lunch/Dinner

Prep time: 20 mts; Cooking / baking time: 30 mts

Serves 4-5

All getting ready for the carrot-ginger dressing; Carrots, onions, sesame seeds, garlic ,  ginger and chilli flakes getting sauteed in 1 tsp olive oil; All wet ingredients mentioned above, loaded into the blender-jar; then the sauteed carrot mixture also loaded; all ground into a smooth dressing

Picture below shows the cooked quinoa. 1 cup quinoa:2 cups water.

Chard greens, washed, chopped fine, then sauteed along with a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Sweet potato pieces getting roasted in 2 tsps olive oil, along with chilli, garlic and cumin powders plus salt

Ingredients mentioned above as marinade for tofu getting ready, and mixed well

Tofu pieces liberally coated with this paste, and baked at 400 degrees F( 230 degrees C) for 30 minutes till they turn golden and crunchy

The chopped veggies and the grilled tofu  enter the Buddha bowl

Then the cooked quinoa and the chard

Then the roasted sweet potatoes

Now, drizzle the aromatic Carrot-ginger dressing as needed

Mix well

Serve with avocado slices

Let me end with a nice quote of Buddha...." Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be!"

This post first appeared in www.malpatskitchen.com

Notes

* Brown rice/broken wheat/millets anything can be used in the place of quinoa.

*If you do not like raw , uncooked veggies, you can give them a quick saute in a teaspoon of cooking oil and add.

* Miso paste is the elegant term for Japanese fermented soy bean paste. Skip it, if it not available. 

* If you need more spice in your Buddha bowl, add few slit green chillies and pepper powder, while sauteeing the spinach or your veggies.

*Buddha bowl is the in thing, wherein, one grain, vegetables and beans of our choice are added. So, worry not, if edamame isn't available...add some black eyed chickpeas, or red kidney beans or kabuli channa. 

*Buddha bowl can be made the Indian way too, by adding some veggies sauteed in tomato puree, with some chilli, coriander and cumin powders, to brown or white rice, sprinkle some coriander leaves or spring onion greens, sprinkle some roasted and crushed papad....and lo!!! here is your Indian version of Buddha bowl!!!

Categories: Family contributions, Healthy Cooking, International cuisine, Millet Recipes, Rice Varieties