Doing nutty wonders with vegetables

Simmons has a penchant for strong flavors. When she finds a vivid element that works, she uses it repeatedly, like an artist going through a turquoise period. In this book, she makes liberal use of seasoned nuts, which can bring to life even the drabbest of dishes. One taste of nutty red rice salad with edamame, tamari walnuts, and ginger is enough to convince me that tamari walnuts are in my life to stay. They are also the crowning touch in a stir-fry of broccoli and red onion, which has since become our house-standard way to prepare broccoli. And the dependable but uninspiring green bean gets shaken awake with a crunch, in twice-cooked green beans with curried pecans.

This maximalist approach works like a charm on bland bases such as tofu. There’s a lot going on in stir-fried curried tofu with coconut green rice and cashews, with its hefty dose of cilantro, jalapeno, scallion, lime, red peppers, and nuts. The tofu is really only the messenger for a powerful yet harmonious statement. On the other end of the spectrum is a spare, cold soba noodle salad with snow peas, just right for a midsummer day when you scarcely feel like eating, never mind cooking. Shredded cucumbers and carrots and scallions add that detached, instantly cooling quality that pairs so well with ginger and rice vinegar.