The Chinese Vegan Kitchen (18 page)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Let stand a few minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve; whisk again. Add the zucchini and chili peppers, tossing well to combine. Let stand about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Toss again and serve at room temperature. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.

{PER SERVING} Calories 49 • Protein 2g • Total Fat 3g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 6g • Dietary Fiber 2g • Sodium 464mg

Soybean Sprout, Bell Pepper, Cucumber, and Cabbage Salad

Soybean sprouts have more protein and fat than other sprouts, such as the mung bean variety, which can be substituted in the following recipe. In this instance, the initial blanching is not necessary. For best results, serve the salad shortly after preparing—any leftovers are delicious tossed with noodles the next day.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

8 ounces (about 3
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cups) soybean sprouts, rinsed, stringy tails and any bean husks removed

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon plain rice vinegar

2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

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teaspoon Chinese chili paste, or to taste

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teaspoon sugar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 medium cucumber (about 8 ounces), seeded and julienned

1 medium red bell pepper (about 6 ounces), cut into thin strips

2 cups shredded Napa or green cabbage

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

In a medium stockpot, cook the soybean sprouts in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, chili paste, sugar, salt, and black pepper; set aside.

In a wok or large nonstick skillet, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, cabbage, and scallions and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, 30 seconds, or until vegetables are barely softened. Remove from heat and add the warm bean sprouts and dressing, tossing well to combine. Let cool to room temperature before tossing again and serving. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or overnight and serve chilled.

{PER SERVING} Calories 158 • Protein 9g • Total Fat 10g • Sat Fat 2g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 14g • Dietary Fiber 3g • Sodium 318mg

Marinated Thousand-Layer Tofu Salad

In China, frozen tofu is called thousand-layer tofu; through freezing, the large ice crystals that develop within the tofu result in the formation of large cavities that appear to be layered. Frozen tofu has a meatier, chewier texture than regular tofu. Like a sponge, it easily absorbs the flavors of the marinade in this delicious salad.

MAKES 2 MAIN DISH OR 4 SIDE DISH SERVINGS

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1
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tablespoons sweet chili sauce

1
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tablespoons plain rice vinegar

1 tablespoon plus
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teaspoon toasted (dark) sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

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teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 ounces frozen tofu (
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of a 16-ounce package), thawed, drained, gently pressed to dry, cut into 1-inch cubes (see Cook’s Tip, below)

1 cup snow peas, trimmed, cut diagonally in half

1 cup shredded cabbage

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cup shredded carrots

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

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cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper until thoroughly blended. Add tofu, tossing to thoroughly combine. Let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, tossing a few times.

Bring a medium stockpot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath. Add the snow peas to the boiling water and cook until just softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the snow peas and immediately immerse in the ice water bath for 5 minutes. Drain and add to the tofu, along with the cabbage, carrots, scallions, cilantro, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, remaining
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tablespoon sweet chili sauce, remaining
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tablespoon rice vinegar, and remaining
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teaspoon sesame oil. Let stand at room temperature about 15 minutes, tossing a few times. Serve at room temperature. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate 1 to 24 hours and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.

{PER SERVING} Calories 222 • Protein 13g • Total Fat 14g • Sat Fat 2g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 16g • Dietary Fiber 5g • Sodium 632mg

{COOK’S TIP}

To freeze tofu, select a medium-firm tofu for a more porous, spongelike consistency or a firm or extra-firm tofu for a denser, firmer consistency. For best results, soft tofu is not recommended, as it does not hold its shape as well. Drain the tofu. If a denser consistency is desired, place on a deep-sided plate or shallow bowl. Top with a second plate and weight with a heavy can. Let stand for a minimum of 15 minutes (preferably 1 hour). Drain off the excess water. For a more porous consistency, do not weight. Place the weighted or unweighted tofu in a freezer bag and press out any excess air before sealing. Freeze a minimum of 2 days, or up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; drain well. If a drier tofu is desired, press between paper towels before using.

Chinese Short-Grain Brown Rice Salad with Snow Peas and Corn

This wholesome and delicious salad is perfect for a picnic, potluck, or buffet, as it holds up well at room temperature.

MAKES 4 MAIN DISH OR 6 TO 8 SIDE DISH SERVINGS

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cup unseasoned rice vinegar

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil

1 teaspoon sugar

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teaspoon salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups cooked short-grain brown rice, slightly warm or at room temperature (see Cook’s Tip, below)

4 ounces snow peas, trimmed, sliced diagonally into fourths or sixths, depending on length

3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

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cup cooked and cooled fresh or frozen yellow corn kernels

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medium red bell pepper (about 3 ounces), chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

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cup roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, canola oil, sesame oil, sugar, salt, and pepper, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients, tossing well to thoroughly combine. Let stand about 15 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to blend. Toss again and serve at room temperature. Salad can be refrigerated, covered, up to 24 hours before returning to room temperature and serving.

{PER SERVING} Calories 309 • Protein 5g • Total Fat 13g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 45g • Dietary Fiber 5g • Sodium 228mg

{COOK’S TIP}

To cook 4 cups of short-grain brown rice, bring a large stockpot filled halfway with salted water to a boil over high heat. Add about 1
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cups uncooked short-grain brown rice and boil about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until cooled. Drain well. Use as directed in recipe. Long-grain brown rice can be cooked in the same manner; however, unlike the short-grain, glutinous variety, the grains of long-grain brown rice will harden with refrigeration.

Pot Sticker and Fresh Mustard Greens Salad with Hoisin-Lemon Vinaigrette

This simple yet delicious dinner salad is prepared with frozen vegetable pot stickers, available in Asian markets and many well-stocked supermarkets. Any fresh salad green—arugula, dandelion, or spinach are good choices—can replace all or part of the mustard greens, if desired. Though less authentic, chopped pimiento can replace the pickled red chili peppers.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 pound frozen vegetable pot stickers, freshly cooked according to package directions, well drained

4 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil

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cup prepared hoisin sauce or Hoisin Sauce (
page 116
)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

8 cups trimmed and chopped young Chinese mustard greens (gai choy) or stemmed and torn young Western-style mustard greens (about 9 ounces)

2 tablespoons prepared chopped pickled red chili pepper or Pickled Chilies (
page 3
)

In a large bowl, while still warm, toss the pot stickers with 2 teaspoons sesame oil; set aside to cool to slightly warm or room temperature.

In another large bowl, mix together the hoisin sauce, lemon juice, sugar, garlic, and remaining 2 teaspoons of sesame oil. Add mustard greens to bowl and toss well to thoroughly coat. Divide the greens evenly among each of 4 serving plates and top with equal portions of the pot stickers. Garnish evenly with the pickled chili peppers and serve at once.

{PER SERVING} Calories 340 • Protein 12g • Total Fat 7g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 60g • Dietary Fiber 5g • Sodium 361mg

Chinese Lentil and Noodle Salad

This protein-packed noodle salad is ideal for a buffet, as it holds up well at room temperature. For a gluten-free dish, substitute rice noodles for the lo mein variety and use gluten-free tamari in lieu of regular soy sauce, which contains wheat.

4 TO 6 SERVINGS

2 cups water

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed, picked over, and drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger

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cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil

1 to 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

6 ounces lo mein or other thin Chinese noodles, cooked according to package directions until al dente, drained and rinsed under cold running water until cool, drained again

1 medium cucumber (about 10 ounces), peeled, seeded, and julienned

1 cup shredded carrots

4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, bring the water, lentils, and ginger to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until lentils are just tender and still crunchy, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on variety and age, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess liquid and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, both oils, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well to thoroughly combine. Let cool to room temperature, stirring a few times. Add the noodles, tossing well to thoroughly combine. Add the remaining ingredients, tossing well to thoroughly combine. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or up to 1 day and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.

{PER SERVING} Calories 417 • Protein 21g • Total Fat 8g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 68g • Dietary Fiber 18g • Sodium 322mg

Tofu and Noodle Salad with Vegetables, Mandarin Oranges, and Cashews

This is a perfect party salad to prepare in winter when fresh seedless Clementines, the smallest of the Mandarin oranges, are in season. In a pinch, canned mandarin oranges can be substituted. Almonds, peanuts, or walnuts can replace the cashews, if desired.

MAKES 6 MAIN DISH OR 8 TO 10 SIDE DISH SERVINGS

12 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu, drained

6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar

4 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons toasted (dark) sesame oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Chinese chili paste, or to taste