Chef Susie Milosevich

As autumn snuggles in, it’s not just the colors of the leaves that change – the hues on the dinner plate turn warmer as well. Gone are the green shades of summer, replaced by the golden tones of fall: oranges, russets and the burning yellow of the sleepy sun. With the cooling temperatures come deeper flavors and warming dishes to keep the October chill at bay.

Ditch the traditional stews and pot roasts this season and give your taste buds a worldly experience. Chef Susie Milosevich brings us her piquant Tofu Curry dish, which is currently spicing up the Level Dining Lounge menu. If tofu gives you the heebie-jeebies, this recipe will shake off the soy jitters. Chef Susie dusts her tofu with flour and then pan-fries it to create a crispy texture, which, along with the crunch of veggies and the intense flavor of Indian spices, makes for a toothsome and healthy meal.

When following the recipe, do not skip the rinsing of the rice. According to Chef Susie, this process gets rid of the starch that coats the rice and drastically cuts down the stickiness of the grains. When a chef takes these little extra steps, it packs a subtle wallop on the plate.

Garam masala is a spice mix common to Northern Indian cuisine that will fill your kitchen with the seductive aroma of timeless spice markets in distant lands. Locally, the spice is not easy to find on supermarket shelves, but common in spice shops. Chef Susie is particularly fond of the exotic tin of the blend sold at Taste of India located in the North Market. A recent addition to the Level menu, the Tofu Curry is proving popular not only among vegans, but also diners looking for a dish to warm up to on cool autumn nights.

Tofu Curry

Serves 4

Curry

Pour vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven, and place over medium-high heat. While oil is heating, put flour and 1/2 tbs. salt in bowl and mix. Dredge tofu cubes in flour and shake off any excess. When oil is hot, carefully put tofu in and fry. With tongs, turn carefully to ensure even crispiness. Once tofu becomes crispy and evenly browned, remove with tongs and place on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

Turn heat down to medium-low and, using the same pot, add asparagus, onions, carrots, garbanzos, tomatoes and garlic. Sauté vegetables until tender. Add the garam masala, curry powder and remaining salt. Simmer spices with vegetables for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add coconut milk, mixing well, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes.

Rice

In a bowl, cover basmati rice with cold water. Agitate rice gently by hand to rinse starches off. Pour out water and repeat until water is clear. Fill bowl with rice and cold water again, and let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Drain rice.

In a saucepot, boil 2 1/2 cups water and then add basmati rice along with one tbs. oil. Bring water back up to boiling, then turn heat down to low and cover tightly. Let cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice sit until tender. Fluff with a fork.

To serve

Once you are ready to serve, toss fried tofu gently into vegetables and sauce. Spoon rice into four bowls and ladle tofu curry on top. Dust each serving with paprika or cayenne, to suit your palate.

*If you would like to substitute meat, Chef Susie recommends chicken or lamb.

Meet the Chef

Susie Milosevich is a daddy’s girl; not in the pink princess sense, but in the sweaty sous chef sense. Growing up playing in the kitchen of her chef-dad, the young Milosevich was kicked out so many times, that her dad finally threw his hands up and decided to make her his culinary co-pilot. “I used to play with food all the time,” she laughed, “Then, when I was 13, he’d sit me down with a bin of cantaloupes and I’d cut them up for two or three hours.” Such drudgery underscored her dad’s admonition to never get into the cooking industry. Lucky for diners, his reverse psychology didn’t work – Milosevich went on to flourish in Columbus State’s culinary program, leading her to her current position as Level’s executive chef. Nowadays, proud papa Milosevich keeps an autographed copy of Chef Susie’s first Level menu with him at all times.

Working in the restaurant world runs in the veins of the Milosevich family. Chef Susie’s great-grandparents came from Ellis Island to Steubenville with two dollars to their name and went on to open the LaBelle Grill. Her father worked at the legendary Pheasant on the Lane before wrapping up his kitchen career at the Clintonville Women’s Club, where Chef Susie found herself whipping up her own prom dinner. “The first real recipe I put together with my dad was cranberry relish,” she recalled. “All the little old ladies loved it and they loved my dad – he’s a teddy bear.”

Today, Chef Susie’s father is proud that she took to the industry. He is now in a nursing home and his daughter is a frequent visitor. “He likes that we can sit and shoot the sh** and he gives me advice,” she said. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, the elder Milosevich has passed on his classical knowledge to the younger. “It’s nice to compare then to now,” she explained. “I like my food to be the perfect combination of classic and modern.”