Cooking with beer

Yes, that is right. Beer can be, and is used in a lot of dishes. If you think that is strange, read this. Apart from what you will read on that page, let me tell you that beer adds a very distinct flavor to your food that is unlike anything you might have tasted before.

We will call this particular recipe squash and tofu in thai(?) peanut sauce and serve it on top of egg noodles.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1. 2 nests egg noodles


2. 4 medium sized yellow squash


3. 1 cup diced tofu (preferably tofu patties that you get in the Asian store)


4. 2/3 cup bitter-ish lager


5. 5-6 cloves garlic


6. 1 large onion


7. 1/2 cup peanut butter


8. 1 can coconut milk


9. 1 tsp fish sauce


10. 1/2 tsp chili garlic paste


11. 1 and half tsp curry powder


12. 1 lemon


13. salt to taste

• One thing I learned about cooking tofu is that you must marinate tofu in advance if you want it to soak all the flavors. Mix 1/3 cup beer (we used bitterish lager) with the juice of 1 lemon, crushed garlic from about 3-4 cloves, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp of curry powder (important ingredient!). Marinate diced yellow squash and diced tofu in this mixture for 2 hours or more in the refrigerator. Preserve this marinate for later use. Do not discard.

• In a pan, add finely chopped onions, and saute till they are translucent. Add crushed garlic from 1-2 cloves and saute for a minute. Add 1/2 tsp of curry powder and saute for a couple of more minutes.

• In a large bowl, mix a can of coconut milk, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/3 cup beer, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1 tsp fish sauce (you can find this at your nearby Asian store. substitute by soy sauce if you can't find it). Add the leftover marinate.

• Add this mixture to the pan with onions. Add salt to taste, and 1/2 tsp chili garlic paste. Cook till the gravy attains the desired consistency. Serve on top of egg noodles.