Happy Late Vietnamese/Chinese New Year!
This weekend my family celebrated a low-key version of Chinese New Year where we took Mark and two friends to visit two temples. The temples during these holidays are more like cultural centers where people can celebrate and participate in the festivities. We watched a short dragon dance, had to plug our ears when the firecrackers were set off, and ate some yummy vegetarian goods.
So in honor of cultural foods, I have decided to share my grandma’s original recipe on a Vietnamese Vegan Ragu. Apparently this was my mom’s favorite dish growing up, and now it’s also one of my favorite dishes! Heads up, it’s soupy, tomato-ey, healthy, and oh yeah, magically delicious!
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp vegetable bouillon
- 2 medium russet potatoes (diced)
- 1 15 oz. can lima beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 1-2 cups firm tofu (diced)
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- In a pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and carrots. Stir for about two minutes. Add the potatoes and sautee for another 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, stir and mix well. Add the broth and water to the pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil (leave it over medium heat) and let simmer until the potatoes are soft (about 8 minutes). Add the tofu, lima beans, and vegetable bouillon. Stir and serve hot with rice, noodles, or eat by itself.
I absolutely love the texture of the potatoes and lima beans in this ragu!
I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted, and I’ll try to stay on top of it once this half marathon is over (it’s on Sunday!). Fingers crossed all of this intense training will pay off in the form of a personal record!
Also, with all of the madness going on in the world, especially in the U.S., my attention has drifted to writing about some things I found essential to focus on. You can read my article on how the Immigration Ban Goes Against Our Nation’s Values on Medium.
Happy Tuesday and have a safe, healthy, and happy week! If you have time, try making this ragu! It’s Grandma’s special 🙂
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