2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 medium Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick half-moons
Sea salt
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1⁄4 cup Thai green curry paste
1 tablespoon fresh ginger matchsticks
1 cup water
7 ounces extra-firm tofu, cubed (raw, baked, or fried—I like to use store-bought fried tofu) 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and sliced
4 ounces snow peas
2 Fresno chiles or 4 Thai chiles, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
Tamari, to taste, optional
Thai basil or fresh cilantro, for garnish
Cooked rice, for serving
Heat the coconut oil in a medium skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the eggplant and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Return the pan to medium heat and add 1⁄4 cup of the coconut milk, the curry paste, and ginger. Sizzle for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the curry paste mostly dries out. Add the remaining coconut milk and the water and stir to combine.
Add the tofu, red pepper, snow peas, sautéed eggplant, and half the chiles and stir to combine. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the snow peas are tender.
Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. Season to taste, adding the sugar and tamari, if desired.
Garnish with the remaining chiles and herbs and serve with rice.
Serves 4
Saturday January 10, 2026
Ukrainian Borscht Recipe
Ingredients
12 cups low sodium beef broth or beef bones + cold water (see notes)
5 cups green or red cabbage thinly sliced
1 large onion chopped
3 medium carrots chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large beets peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 large potatoes peeled and cubed
6 ounces can tomato paste low sodium
2 teaspoons salt
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Pinch of sugar or maple syrup
3 large garlic cloves grated
Ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup dill or parsley finely chopped
Yogurt, sour cream and rye bread for serving
Instructions
In a large pot (I use 6 quart Dutch oven), add beef broth, bay leaves and bring to a boil. Or you can make beef broth with bones and meat first, please see notes. Meanwhile, wash, peel and cut vegetables.
Once beef broth is boiling, add cabbage, cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat large skillet on medium heat and swirl 1 tablespoon of oil to coat. Add onion, carrots and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beets, remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Transfer sauteed veggies to a pot along with potatoes, tomato paste and salt. Cover, bring to a boil and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
Turn off heat. Add vinegar, sugar, garlic and pepper. Stir and let borscht sit for 10 minutes to allow flavours to marry each other. Add dill, stir and adjust any seasonings to taste.
Serve hot with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream, bread and garlic clove on the side (this is not for everyone).
