Tanzania

If you frequent my blog or just happened to come across it in a google search, you may have noticed the lack of posts over the course of the last two months.  My husband and I quit our jobs and took a road trip across America.  As you can imagine, during this time, we did not cook often.  In less than two weeks, we depart for Tanzania with the Peace Corps.  I hope that I can continue blogging about vegetarianism and provide you with some vegetarian Tanzanian recipes.  I heard that the Peace Corps gives us cook books when we arrive into country.  I am so happy because I hear that it's a predominantly vegetarian country.  I don't know if I will have internet access often, but if I do, I will be continuing to update this blog.  However, it will be infrequent, if at all.  Thanks for your continued interest in my blog and check back every now and then to see if I can get a Tanzanian vegetarian recipe up here and there!

Mujadarrah

This is another one of the recipes that I received from my wedding shower from Erin, my lovely college roommate.  This is a middle-eastern comfort food.  Lentils are always a hit at our home, so we're very excited to eat it!

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• 1 1/3 cups lentils (uncooked)
• 3/4 cup long grain white rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

Method:

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat
2. Cook onions until browned and set aside
3. Place lentils in lightly salted water and cover (bring them to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes)
4. Stir in rice and extra water to cover.  Add salt and pepper.  Cover and simmer until tender (about 25 minutes)
5. Mix in onions and serve with yogurt or sour cream

Butter Tofu Curry

This is a "cheat" recipe.  You see, we buy this butter chicken curry paste out of a box and make it into butter tofu curry by adding tofu, not chicken.  It's cheating because it's out of the box.   My ex-boss told me about this paste and it's such a wonderful taste and so quick to make!

I don't know what the recipe on the back of the box actually tells you to do, but all we do is follow the directions for water and use the ingredient list below:

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter only (about half of the recommended butter)
• 1/2 bag frozen green peas
• 14 oz. extra firm tofu
• rice to serve (about 1.5 cups)
• 2 boxes of the butter chicken curry paste

Method:

1. Begin cooking the rice according to instructions 
2. In a large saucepan, stir together the butter chicken curry paste, recommended water on the back of the box, and butter.  Wait until it boils.
3. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into small pieces (like cubes)
4. Add peas and tofu
5. Cook together for approximately 8-10 minutes
6. Serve over rice

This is what the box looks like: