The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls (18 page)

Read The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls Online

Authors: Mark Reinfeld,Jennifer Murray

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BOOK: The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls
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1. Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the five-spice powder, cumin, green bell pepper, and seitan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Place the black beans in a mixing bowl and mash with a fork until a paste is formed. It’s okay if there are some larger pieces of bean in the mixture. Add to the pan along with the remaining ingredients, lower the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes before serving.
Chefs’ Tips and Tricks
If you are unable to purchase chicken-style seitan, have no fear. Place ¼ cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon dehydrated onions or 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons paprika, ½ teaspoon celery seed, and 1 cup of water in a mixing bowl and whisk well. Add an 8-ounce package of seitan and mix well. Allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes, but ideally an hour or longer, before using in the recipes.
BBQ TOFU WITH SNOW PEAS
Chinese BBQ sauces typically rely on hoisin sauce as their base, instead of the tomato that is used in American-style BBQ sauce. Hoisin sauce in turn is traditionally made with fermented black beans (which are black soybeans). If you are unable to find fermented black beans, tahini makes a tasty replacement. Serve with Vegetable Lo Mein (page 122) or Chinese Fried Rice (page 105).
SERVES 4
 
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons peeled and
minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
½ pound snow peas, ends trimmed
(2 cups)
BBQ SAUCE
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon sesame oil or
toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ cup water
2 tablespoons fermented black beans
(see page 90) or 3 tablespoons tahini
Few drops liquid smoke
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1. Place the sesame oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and five-spice powder and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Slice the tofu in half lengthwise, forming two cutlets. Make three slices lengthwise and three slices widthwise. This yields thirty-two semi-large tofu cubes. (You can make smaller cubes by cutting the block into three cutlets instead of two.) Add to the sauté pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 3 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Add the snow peas and gently stir well.
3. Combine the BBQ sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well. Add to the sauté pan and gently mix. Lower the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
Variations
• Replace the tofu with tempeh or seitan.
• Replace the tofu with 4 cups chopped vegetables of your choosing, such as broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, or eggplant.
CHOW MEIN
Chow mein
means “fried noodles.” Generally an egg noodle is used, but many other varieties will work perfectly. Rice and wheat-flour noodles are the most common substitutes. Linguini and fettuccini work if you want a thicker noodle. Rice noodles and bean thread noodles (or vermicelli) are best when you want a thinner noodle. Be sure not to overcook the noodles or they will fall apart when you stir-fry them.
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
12 ounces noodles
(linguini, fettuccini, angel hair,
spaghetti, or other pasta)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
¼ cup peeled and minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup sliced snow peas
½ medium red or green bell pepper,
thinly sliced
2½ cups sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon agave nectar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or
fresh minced chile pepper, optional
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1 cup mung bean sprouts, optional
1. Prepare the noodles according to the package’s instructions.
2. In a large sauté pan, wok, or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil with the garlic, ginger, and salt over medium heat for 2 minutes or until the garlic and ginger start to brown. Add the onion, celery, snow peas, and bell pepper and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms. Allow the vegetables to cook until they are just soft.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the agave nectar, 1 tablespoon of the rice vinegar, and the crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring to ensure even flavoring, then transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan with the noodles and the remaining soy sauce, agave, and rice vinegar. Stir-fry the noodles until they are evenly coated and to your desired taste. Transfer them to the bowl with the vegetables.
5. Top with green onions and mung bean sprouts, if using, and toss the whole mixture well. Serve hot.
ORANGE-GLAZED TOFU
This is a version of the Hunan-style Orange Chicken, minus the chicken. It’s a sweet and savory dish wherein the sauce cooks with the tofu in the same baking dish. There are many different marmalades you can experiment with. Try peach, mango, or apricot. Serve with Green Onion Hotcakes (page 112), Lotus Root Salad (page 95), or Sesame Asparagus (page 109).
MAKES 8 SMALL CUTLETS
 
1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon peeled and
minced fresh ginger
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 (10-ounce) jar orange marmalade,
preferably no sugar added
1 tablespoon arrowroot dissolved in
½ cup cold water
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the tofu into quarters widthwise, cut the quarters in half to make eight cutlets, and place them in a casserole dish. Add the soy sauce and flip the cutlets to make sure they are evenly coated. Add the remaining ingredients except the green onion and stir well.
2. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven, and top with the green onions before serving.
Variations
• Replace the tofu with seitan or grilled tempeh (see page 127).
• Replace the tofu with portobello mushrooms or 4 cups of your favorite assorted chopped vegetables, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, bell peppers, and/or zucchini. Cook until the thickest vegetable is just soft.
• To tone down the sweetness, you may omit the orange juice.
East Meets West: Tai Chi and Qi Gung
Tai chi and qi gung are Chinese martial art forms that uplift both body and soul. They are types of moving mediations that bring health benefits, promote mental clarity, and reduce stress. There are classes available at gyms, hospitals, and even senior homes. (Mark’s Grandma Mollie practiced tai chi at her senior home.) Whereas tai chi has been practiced since the twelfth century, qi gong is a more recent development.
Qi
or
chi
represents life force;
gong
is “working with”; thus it is a practice that enhances life force. Check out the recommended reading section in Appendix C for more on tai chi and qi gong.
VEGETABLE LO MEIN
Whereas
chow mein
means “fried noodles,”
lo mein
literally means “tossed noodles.” Egg noodles are the traditional choice, but rice and wheat-flour noodles are commonly substituted. Linguini and fettuccini are great if you want a thicker noodle. Rice noodles and bean thread noodles (or vermicelli) work best when you desire a thinner noodle. As with Chow Mein (page 120), be sure not to overcook the noodles or they will fall apart when you stir-fry them with the vegetables.
SERVES 6
 
8 ounces noodles (linguini, spaghetti, angel hair,
vermicelli, or rice noodles)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
¼ cup peeled and minced fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into quarter moons
4 cups assorted chopped vegetables
(carrots, mushrooms, red bell peppers, green beans)
3 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
2 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup water, if necessary
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
Mung bean sprouts, optional
1. Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or wok over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes and stir frequently for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic starts to brown. Add the onion and stir again for 2 minutes, until they begin to turn translucent.
3. Add the chopped vegetables and stir well. Add the mirin and soy sauce, stir well, and cover for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just soft. Add the cabbage and mix well to coat with the juices. You may have to add some water during stir-frying to keep the veggies from sticking to the pan.
4. Add the cooked noodles and stir well, adding water if necessary to keep the noodles from sticking to the pan. When the noodles are evenly coated, remove from the heat, sprinkle with green onions and mung bean sprouts, if using, and serve hot.
KUNG PAO TEMPEH
Originating in the Sichuan province, this dish packs a spicy punch. It’s best if you can find the dried red chiles, otherwise, any hot chile pepper will do. The flavors of this dish wonderfully complement Szechuan Green Beans (page 130), Sesame Asparagus (page 109), or Bok Choy with Five-Spice Cashews (page 107).
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
MARINATED TEMPEH
2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ cup water
 
SAUTÉ
1 tablespoon sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
½ cup roasted, unsalted peanuts or cashews
4 or more dried red chiles, or 1 tablespoon seeded and
diced chile pepper, or to taste
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large head bok choy, chopped (6 cups)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons agave nectar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ tablespoons arrowroot dissolved in 1 cup cold water
Ground Szechuan peppers to taste or
a few drops Szechuan oil, optional
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the marinade ingredients in a casserole dish and mix well. Add the cubed tempeh, flipping to coat all sides. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, place the sesame oil in a large sauté pan or wok over low heat. Add the peanuts, chiles, and red bell pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. When the tempeh is done cooking, add the contents of the casserole dish to the sauté pan and gently mix well.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the bok choy, and gently stir well. Add the remaining ingredients except the green onion and cook until sauce thickens, approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent sticking. Top with green onion and additional peanuts if you wish before serving.
Variations
• Replace the tempeh with tofu or seitan.
• You can also replace the tempeh with 6 cups assorted chopped mixed vegetables such as onions, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower.
East Meets West: Confucius says
Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and thinker born in 551 BC. His teachings were highly influential and provided a framework for Chinese political thought for 2,000 years. He shared many wise sayings, such as the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
SEITAN AND BROCCOLI
This is our version of the ubiquitous cow-based broccoli dish. Look for a marinated brand of seitan for the best flavor (or see page 227 to flavor seitan appropriately). Serve over basmati rice with a side of Szechuan Green Beans (page 110) or Sesame Garlic Stir-Fry Snow Peas (page 113).
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 yellow onion, sliced (1½ cups)
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
3 cups small broccoli flowerets
1½ cups water
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 (8-ounce) package seitan
¼ cup soy sauce
½ to ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mirin, optional
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder dissolved in
½ cup cold water
1. Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and five-spice powder and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the broccoli, ½ cup water, bell pepper, and seitan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the soy sauce, remaining cup of water, red pepper flakes, and mirin, if using, and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the arrowroot mixture and stir constantly until sauce thickens. Be careful not to overcook. Serve hot.
Variations
• Add ½ cup roasted cashews at the end of cooking.
• Use chicken-style seitan (page 118).
• Replace the seitan with tofu or tempeh.
DAN DAN NOODLES WITH TEMPEH
There are many ways to prepare this spicy hot dish from the Sichuan province. Our version uses tempeh because that’s how we roll. Serve with Lotus Root Salad (page 95), Sesame Asparagus (page 109), or Garlic Lover’s Eggplant (page 106).
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
14 ounces fettuccini or linguini brown rice
pasta or noodle of your choosing
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 tablespoons peeled and
minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon hot chile, seeded and diced,
or to taste
8 ounces tempeh, chopped small
Few drops liquid smoke or 1 teaspoon
smoked paprika (see Box below), optional
Szechuan oil or other hot chile oil,
to taste, optional
Ground Szechuan pepper,
to taste, optional
 
DAN DAN SAUCE
¼ cup water
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1½ tablespoons agave nectar or
sweetener of choice
1¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

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