Italy a go go - Fava Bean Puree

I have been cooking stir fries with rice noodles for 3 years. I have used soysauce in almost every meal I have made since I can remember. We ran out of soy sauce the other day and I immediately went to the library and got and Italian cook book. Biba's Italy is my new latest and greatest. Despite the fact that I still shop at the Asian supermarket in china town for all my fresh and dirt cheap veggies, I am leaving the Asain fusion stirfry on the back burner. I even crossed the street to Kensington market the other day and bought myself some fava beans for one of Biba's first recipes. I have never used them before, nor bought any bitter greens (bok choy, 29 cents, that's all there is) but that's what it's all about - new ingredients and getting out of the stirfry rut. In the end, this is a great little appetizer and the fava bean puree is my new fav substitute for mashed potatoes or anything white and pureed.


Fava Bean puree with Bitter Greens inspired by Biba Caggiano.

Due to intolerance's I am substituting cauliflower for potatoes and rice patties for bread. Biba says as follows:

1. Soak the beans over night, peel them and cook in boiling water for one to two minutes.
2. Place beans and cauliflower in a pot just covering them with water. boil till soft and season with salt.
3. Blend beans and cauliflower together with a half a tbs of oil and season to taste. NOTE: my roommates said some extra flavor could be added - oregano? basil? whatever you like
4. Boil bitter greens (baby mustard leaves in this case) until tender the toss lightly with olive oil and salt

Biba says to serve the above with lightly toasted bread rubbed in garlic but - no bread in this kitchen. Substitute -

Brown rice pattie.

Using well down brown rice, crush using the back of a spoon and flatten in to a pattie. Lightly fry with garlic and oil cause seriously, who needs bread any way?

Wants and Needs - Lentils Two Ways

Want: To use my awesome new food processor all the time.
Need: To make something delicious out of all the ingredients in my house.

The ingredients in my house last week were as follows - lentils, onion, tofu. Plus the 20 kg bag of brown rice but it's always there. In it's enormity.

To combine my wants with my needs I decided to blend some lentils. Not once, but twice because I like to eat just that much. Even though I ate these meals on separate days two meals in one post gives me that good old "I'm a huge vegan fatty" vibe and I like it.

First off was the easiest lentil meal anyone could ever make because as long as you don't undercook the lentils, it will be delicious - lentil soup. My favorite lentil soup is Wolfgang Pucks 4 dollars a can organic lentil soup. There is noway I could reproduce that can of overpriced deliciousness at the moment because as stated above, I only have 3 ingredients in my fridge. My entire fridge contents probably cost me 3 dollars and I've been living off it for half a week. I may not be Wolfgang Puck but I am the inventor of Broke Cooking, the newest craze in life below the poverty line aka. being a university student.

Broke Cooking Presents: Blended Lentils and Onions OR Lentil Soup!


Need - Dry lentils, onions, spice cabinet, food processor

1. Cook lentils until tender - approx. 15-20 mins.
2. While lentils are boiling away, saute a quarter to half an onion in oil with a touch of salt.
3. Add onion and any available herbs from your spice cabinet to the lentils about 7 mins before the lentils are done. PLEASE NOTE: the herbs I choose are usually basil, oregano, thyme and of course, S'n'P. I say any avaible because on the Broke Cooking budget you never now how full or empty your spice kit may be. Sage would also be nice and rosemary if your feeling woodsy.
4. Once lentils are done and the delicious aroma of lentils, onions and random herbs is wafting through your kitchen, put half the lentils in the food processor with any remaining water from cooking them. Vegetable stock would make this soup even better but is no where to be had in my house at the moment. Add water/stock till your preferred soup consistency is met. Add to the other half of whole lentils and voila, lentil soup.

I happen to have sprouted my own mung beans the other day (2 dollars for a package of these organic beauties) and threw them on top as a garnish. Noms noms noms.

The second dish is my last foray in to anything remotely Asian inspired for a while (minus when I'm cooking 5 days a week at a Japanese restaurant). My upcoming post will explain why I have made this choice and the next culinary direction I will be traveling in. That said -

Broke Cooking Presents - Asian Lentils and Tofu!


This may sound very unappealing but trust me, it's another delicious 25 cent meal. The financial break down: Lentils - 2.35 for 100g Tofu - .99 cents for a block Miso paste - 2 dollars for a package. If we did the math - portioned bulk used per meal, times by per portion pricing etc this meal is probably less then 25 cents. Broke Cooking Strikes again!

The tofu used in this meal is the miso tofu I did the other day from Vegan Yum Yum. Get that started before the lentils.

Asian lentils - Hong Kongs next big thing.

1. Cook lentils till tender (15-20 mins)
2. Place lentils in food processor. Here comes the Asian influence. Add 1 tbs each of lemon juice and soy sauce. Half a tbs of sesame oil and the same or to taste of ginger. S'n'P those lentils and blend. You know have Asian lentil puree.

The lentils should still be fairly warm from just being cooked but reheat them if necessary. Place your miso tofu on top of the lentils and you have an Asian fusion protein palooza.