Dinner Soon

Cha Soba, Concombre et Tofu

- 225g (8 ounces) cha soba (green tea buckwheat noodles)
- 2 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Japanese rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tbsp sesame butter, a.k.a. sesame paste, tahini, or neri-goma
- 300g (10 ounces) firm tofu, diced
- 1 large cucumber, deseeded and diced
- Sesame seeds, toasted

Serves 2 to 3.

Cook the soba according to package instruction. Plunge in ice water to stop the cooking, and leave in a colander to drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and sesame butter. Add the soba and coat well. Fold in the tofu and cucumber, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve.

Dinner

Meal for tomorrow or the next day. To serve with a Champagne.

ingredients
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups basmati rice (about 13 ounces), well rinsed, drained
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted
preparation
Combine 2 cups water, coconut milk, sugar, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to simmer, then stir in rice. Cover, leaving slight opening for steam to escape. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 12 minutes. Cover tightly, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes. Transfer rice to bowl; sprinkle with toasted coconut.


ingredients
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk,* whisked to blend
1 1/4 teaspoons Thai curry paste*
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/3-inch-wide strips
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound chicken tenders, cut crosswise in half
1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)*
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
preparation
Bring 1/4 cup coconut milk and curry paste to boil in large skillet over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Add bell pepper and onion; saut
 5 minutes. Stir in chicken, remaining coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce. Cook until chicken is cooked through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 3 ingredients and simmer 1 minute. Season with salt.

*Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets nationwide.