A Meal of Firsts

I know it's been a while since I've actually written something food related and that's because it's really hard to make anything of substance when there are boxes on your kitchen cupboards, and you can't find the salt shaker, or the right knife to cut vegetables. It's been a little over a week in my new place and finally have gotten the kitchen unpacked, and workable. Last night I made my first real meal (meaning I wasn't eating misc tidbits out of the pantry) on my new-to-me, but-old in-general, gas stove.

It was a night of firsts...1st stove top meal for me in my new place with my gas stove, 1st experimentation with pan frying tofu w/sea salt- and I liked it, and 1st time making some sort of Indian-like dish. Let's start with the tofu. My husband said he only likes it in miso soup, but this he ate. "Not bad," was his remark, as he cleaned his dinner bowl. I was surprised by how much I liked the tofu fried. Just olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, and cook until golden brown on all sides. I had the tofu and thought if it turned out well I would throw it in to the stir fry I was making to make it even more substantial, and that's what I did.

I chopped up all the fresh produce I had: bell peppers, 3 different types of squash, and some onion, added in shrimp, the tofu, and a new gluten free sauce packet- Tikka Masala from Passage Foods, and served it over brown rice. I've only had Indian/Mediterranean food a small handful of times in my life, and for this packet being labeled as mild, I was surprised. I found it it to be a medium heat for my pallet, but that's just my pallet. While it was a little spicy, (my nose started running) and my tongue tingled, I really enjoyed it, and my husband said "mmmmmmmh."