Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day(2008)
From 101lifeStyle.com

Valentine's Day Recipes:

Valentine's Day Dinner Recipes:

Valentine’s Day Menus:

Thai:
Menu 2 (Vegetarian):
1.Vegetable Tofu Satay:
Ingredients:
7 ounces smoked tofu (cut into bite size); 1 garlic clove (crushed); 2 tsp sesame oil; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 8 to 12 bay leaves; 1 yellow bell pepper (cut into squares); 1 red bell pepper (cut into squares); oil for brushing; about 8 to 12 satay or bamboo sticks;
Satay Sauce:
2 scallions (chopped fine); 2 garlic cloves (crushed); a few drops of hot chili sauce (optional - omit if you don't like heat); 1 tsp sugar; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter;
Method:
Place cut tofu cubes into a large bowl. Add sesame oil, light soy sauce and crushed garlic. Mix well, cover then set aside for at least 20 mins. In another bowl, add all the ingredients for peanut sauce; Mix together well with a spoon. Drain the tofu from the marinade and thread the cubes. Alternate the tofu cubes between the bay leaves, yellow and red bell pepper squares. Brush satay with oil and cook over hot grill till they become slightly brown and crisp. Serve with the peanut sauce.

2.Thai Carrot Soup With Ginger And Lemongrass(serves 4):
Ingredients:
1 small cooking onion; 3 cloves garlic; 1-2 thumb-size pieces galangal OR ginger; 4 cups vegetable broth; 1 fresh red chilli, minced (omit if you prefer a milder soup) OR 1-2 tsp. chilli sauce; 1/4 cup Thai jasmine rice (or any type of white or brown rice - note that brown will take longer to cook); 1 Tbsp. ground cumin; 1 + 1/2 tsp. cardamon; 1/4 tsp. nutmeg; 1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced OR 2 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass; 7 medium carrots, sliced (they can be thick slices, as the soup will be pureed later); 1 can coconut milk; 1-3 Tbsp. vegetarian fish sauce (start with 1 and add more if needed, depending on how salty your broth is); 1 Tbsp. soy sauce; handful fresh coriander; handful fresh basil; juice of 1/2 lime; oil for stir-frying;
Method:
Pour 2 Tbsp. oil into the bottom of a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and fresh chili (or chili sauce). Stir-fry until fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the broth and rice. Bring to a boil. Add the carrots plus the spices (cumin, cardamom, nutmeg). Reduce heat to medium, cover, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, or until carrots and rice are soft (brown rice will take longer to cook, and will absorb more liquid, so you may need to add a little more broth). Add the coconut milk and stir. Puree the soup in batches in your blender. Return soup to the soup pot. Re-warm soup over medium heat. Add the vegetarian fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Taste-test for salt, adding more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce) instead of salt, as needed. (If your soup turns out too salty, add more lime juice.) Add more fresh chili or chili sauce if not spicy enough. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh coriander and basil.

3.Spicy Vegetable Curry:
Ingredients:
4 " cube of Bean curd cut in small cubes; 100 grams of String beans (thinly sliced); 2 carrots in thin strips; 3 table spoon of coconut milk; 2 hot chilli peppers; 50 grams of bean sprouts; 1/4 crunchy lettuce; 1 table spoon of chopped fresh Basil leaves; 3 teaspoon of grated ginger; 1 onion; 1 clove of garlic; 10 pcs of lemon leaves; 1 lemon grass (crush the stem slightly for more flavour); 1 table spoon of vegetable oil; salt to taste;
Method:
In hot and steamy oil fry bean curd until it browns. Add onion, garlic and chopped chilies and stir for 25 secs. Add sliced string beans and stir until it colors. Then add all the ingredients except bean sprouts and lettuce. Let it simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Then add chopped lettuce and bean sprouts. Cut the heat off and stir well. Put the lid on for 1 minute. Amount of chilli peppers and coconut milk may vary according to ones own taste.

4.Pad Thai:
Ingredients:
1 16 oz pkg (about 4 cups) dried rice noodles, soaked 3 minutes; 1 pc bean curd (tofu), diced; 9 oz (250 grams) bean sprout; 2 oz (50 grams) Chinese chives (or substitute scallions); 1 tbsp chopped shallot; 1 tbsp chopped garlic; 3 tbsp chopped salted Chinese radish; 1 tsp chili powder; 1/2 cup ground roasted peanuts; 4 tbsp coconut palm sugar; 3 tbsp vegetarian fish sauce; 4 tbsp tamarind water or vinegar; 1/4 cup water; 8 tbsp cooking oil; Fresh vegetables: bean sprouts and lime wedges for garnish;
Method:
Fry shallot and garlic in 3 Tbsp of oil over medium heat until fragrant. Add noodles and water, stir until tender. Season with sugar, fish sauce and tamarind juice. Stir well, then push the noodles to the side of the wok. Add 3 tbsp of oil to the same wok, add pork, salted radish, bean curd and chili powder. Saute until the pork is done, toss well with the fried noodles, then push the mixture back to the side of the wok again. Put 2 tbsp of oil in the wok, break the eggs in and stir until done. Toss again with the noodles, add the bean spouts and Chinese chives if using. Stir until everything is done. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle roasted peanuts on top. Serve with fresh vegetables.

5.Thai Iced Tea:
Ingredients:
2/3 cup Thai tea leaves; 1 2/3 cup Water; 1/2 cup Sugar; 1 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (12oz can);
Equipment Needed:
Big pot for boiling water; Big, fine strainer or seive, or a traditional tea sock, if you can find one at the asian market; Heat-resistant pitcher; Stirring implement (long spoon, piece of rebar, etc.);
Method:
Bring your water to a boil in a pot with some head space. You'll need room for the tea leaves, you'll be using a lot. When the water begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat to stop the boiling, and then add the tea leaves to the pot, stirring to moisten them. Don't try to use a tea bag, or tea ball, or anything, we are using a LOT of tea, and we need it to steep fully. Don't boil the tea! It will be bitter! Just let it sit in the hot water. Set your timer for 4 minutes, and wait. When your timer goes off, carefully strain the tea into your heat resistant pitcher through a sieve or tea sock. Pour slowly, letting the sieve catch most of the tea leaves. As the sieve clogs up, stop pouring, let the sieve drip for a minute, and then knock the tea leaves out of it into the compost. When the tea is in the pitcher, add your sweetener, and stir to dissolve. You have to add the sweetener when the tea is hot, otherwise you'll never get it to dissolve fully. Put the tea in the fridge for a few hours to cool it down. If you must have tea soon, you can use the ice to help cool it down, but it won't be as strong. This sweetened tea will save for a week or more in the fridge.
Serving: To serve the tea, fill a tall glass with ice, and pour the tea over the ice, leaving about 1/4 of the glass empty at the top. Open a can of evaporated whole milk (NOT sweetened condensed milk), and top the glass off with it. Pour slowly, so that the layers stay distinct. Serve with a straw or long spoon for mixing!

Back To Recipe Index

Valentine's Day Romantic Menu Ideas For Two