#105 - Fast food (but not)

It's amazing how fast time flies.  I finally managed to catch up with a girlfriend whom I haven't seen in over 6 months - and got to meet her son for the first time.

Persian food
Such a treat - I got to taste my first Persian food after a lovely fig and manchego salad with a really nice walnut oil dressing.

They threw an elegant dinner party while getting their little son to bed and entertaining company.

 
There was a lamb stew made with dried limes, basmati rice (and the yummy crunchy bottom layer - centre photo), a Shirazhi salad (tomatoes and cucumbers), then a really nice dessert.  CT wasn't happy with her dessert but I finished the whole thing, a record for me since I'm not huge on desserts.  The stewed plums were particularly good with the heavy cream.  What is is about cream which makes dessert so delicious?

(Almost) Vegetarian but delicious
Both CT and KN are huge foodies so they were a bit horrified when I told them I occasionally make 2-minute noodles.  A chest infection sent me home for a few days on antibiotics which you have to take with food - but cooking when you're sick isn't that much fun.  CT, as horrified as she was by my 2-minute noodles, wasn't too horrified by my 4-minute noodles (that's how long it takes the noodles to cook).  Lest ye all be completely against vegetarian dishes, this had fresh tofu in the soup rather than meat.  Easier on the stomach and the fresh herbs really pick up the flavours.

I was torn between being completely vegetarian and the old remedy of chicken soup - compromise by using chicken stock but vegetarian ingredients.  It was a variation of the chicken long rice broth from a few weeks ago:

Ingredients
500ml (2 cups) chicken stock (use vegetable stock for vegetarians);
a few pieces of tofu;
2 - 4 leaves of bok choy;
1/2 zucchini, sliced;
1-in piece of ginger, grated;
1 garlic clove, grated;
sliced spring onions (green onions if you live in the US);
a few leaves of coriander (cilantro) for garnish.

Method
Bring stock, ginger, garlic to a simmer.  Add tofu and simmer another 5 minutes (until warm).  Add bok choy and simmer for 4 more minutes.

Pour over steamed rice and sprinkle with spring onions and coriander to serve.

Perfect for a cold night when you need a little soup.

Happy eating!