The Chinese Vegan Kitchen (43 page)

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

1 pint green tea soy ice cream

¹
⁄
₂
cup Sweet Red Bean Paste, below, or prepared canned sweet red bean paste

Chopped crystallized ginger, for garnish (optional)

Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Place
¹
⁄
₂
cup soy ice cream in each of 4 small serving bowls. Top with 2 tablespoons Sweet Red Bean Paste. Sprinkle with the optional garnishes, if using. Serve at once.

{PER SERVING} Calories 203 • Protein 5g • Total Fat 4g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 38g • Dietary Fiber 2g • Sodium 63mg

SWEET RED BEAN PASTE

Use this recipe wherever sweet red bean paste is called for in this book. Though optional, the peanut oil lends it a smoother consistency
and glossier sheen. For a less sweet paste, reduce the sugar by up to one-half.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

1 cup dried red beans (adzuki), picked over, rinsed, and drained

6 cups water, plus additional, as needed

1 cup granulated sugar, or less, to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil (optional)

Pinch salt

Place the beans in a medium stockpot and cover with water; bring to a boil over high heat. Drain in a colander, discarding the water. Rinse, drain again, and return the beans to the pot; add the 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the beans are soft and tender and most of the water has been absorbed, 1 to 1
¹
⁄
₂
hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to prevent scorching.

Reduce the heat to low and add the sugar, peanut oil (if using), and salt. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened and glossy, with both whole and half-crushed beans, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before using as directed in the recipe. Completely cooled paste can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 week.

{PER SERVING} (per about 2 tablespoons, or
¹
⁄
₁₆
of recipe, without oil) Calories 89 • Protein 3g • Total Fat 0g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 20g • Dietary Fiber 2g • Sodium 1mg

Litchi and Fresh Fruit Salad with Orange

Canned litchis make quick work of this easy yet elegant salad, a light and refreshing conclusion to a special meal. While you can vary the fresh fruits according to the season—for instance, strawberries can replace the cherries—try to include kiwifruit, the national fruit of China, to where it is native. Chinese marmalade, typically made from kumquats, is available in Asian markets.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons orange juice, preferably freshly squeezed

2 tablespoons orange marmalade, preferably a Chinese variety, at room temperature

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur, or brandy (optional)

¹
⁄
₂
tablespoon light brown sugar

1 (10-ounce) can whole peeled seedless litchis, drained

2 cups fresh cubed pineapple

2 kiwifruit, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup pitted Queen Anne cherries or white cherries, halved (optional)

In a large bowl, combine the orange juice, marmalade, liqueur (if using), and sugar, stirring until marmalade is dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients, tossing gently yet thoroughly to combine. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate a minimum of 1 to 24 hours, and serve chilled.

{PER SERVING} Calories 155 • Protein 1g • Total Fat 1g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 40g • Dietary Fiber 3g • Sodium 10mg

Steamed Peaches in Syrup

This refreshing summertime dessert is ideal for relaxed entertaining, as it can be prepared a day ahead of serving.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

4 medium ripe yet firm peaches (about 6 ounces each), halved and pitted

1 cup water

3 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Chopped fresh mint, for garnish (optional)

Place the peaches in a steaming basket set over about 2 inches of water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and steam about 10 minutes, or until fork-tender but not mushy. Peel and cut each in half again. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool to room temperature.

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugars to a brisk simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer until the mixture is reduced to about
³
⁄
₄
cup, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Pour the syrup over the peaches and toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature, garnished with the mint, if desired. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours or up to 1 day and serve chilled, or return to room temperature.

{PER SERVING} Calories 105 • Protein 1g • Total Fat 0g • Sat Fat 0g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 27g • Dietary Fiber 3g • Sodium 1mg

Persimmon Cakes

These tasty little treats are sold throughout Xi’an’s popular Muslim market. The softer, sweeter pulp from the fully ripened, acorn-shaped Hachiya variety of persimmon is required here—you will probably need about 2 large persimmons. If unavailable, substitute with canned pumpkin puree and see the Variation, below. Dried jasmine or chamomile flowers (or any other dried flower commonly used in herbal teas) can replace the sweet-scented osmanthus flowers, available in Chinese herbal medicine stores and Asian markets. Make sure you use glutinous rice flour, also known as sweet rice flour, and not regular rice flour; the former is made from short-grain sticky rice, which creates the essential chewiness of the cakes. Though not traditional, powdered sugar lends a festive touch.

MAKES 20 PIECES

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups glutinous rice flour, plus additional, if necessary

¹
⁄
₃
cup all-purpose flour

¹
⁄
₄
cup sugar

³
⁄
₄
cup persimmon pulp

1 tablespoon dried osmanthus flowers

6 to 8 tablespoons hot water, plus additional, if necessary

Peanut oil, for frying

Confectioner’s sugar (optional)

Line a large baking sheet with several layers of paper towels and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the rice flour, wheat flour, and sugar until well combined. Add the persimmon pulp and osmanthus, mixing until thoroughly blended (mixture will resemble coarse meal). Add hot water a few tablespoons at a
time, kneading after each addition (add an extra tablespoon, or more, of hot water if dough seems too dry; this will depend largely on how much moisture is in the persimmon pulp; alternatively, add a bit more rice flour if mixture is too moist). Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Form dough into a ball and return to bowl; cover with a damp kitchen towel and let rest 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half. Form each half into 10 balls about 1
¹
⁄
₂
inches in diameter, for a total of 20 balls. Flatten each ball with your palm into a tiny cake about 2 inches in diameter and
¹
⁄
₂
inch in thickness. (At this point, cakes can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 24 hours before continuing with the recipe.)

In a small heavy-bottomed, deep-sided skillet, heat about
¹
⁄
₂
inch of oil over medium heat. When a small piece of dough can sizzle (after about 5 minutes of preheating), reduce the heat to medium-low and add 4 or 5 cakes. Cook until golden and swollen, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to prepared baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve at once, sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar, if using.

{PER SERVING} (per 1 cake, or 1/20 of recipe) Calories 90 • Protein 1g • Total Fat 3g • Sat Fat 1g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 15g • Dietary Fiber 1g • Sodium 0mg

{VARIATIONS}

To make Pumpkin Cakes, replace the persimmon pulp with
³
⁄
₄
cup canned pumpkin puree and increase the sugar by 2 tablespoons. Omit the osmanthus flowers and proceed as otherwise directed in the recipe.

Black Glutinous Rice Pudding

Black rice comes in both long-grain and glutinous form. Make sure you select the latter for this exotic, luxurious rice pudding. Pandan leaves are available in Asian markets; if you can’t locate them, omit from the recipe and stir in
¹
⁄
₁₆
teaspoon of pandan essence or pure vanilla extract just before adding the cooked rice.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

1 cup black glutinous (sticky) rice

1
¹
⁄
₃
cups water

²
⁄
₃
cup sugar

1 pandan leaf, tied in a knot

1 cup regular coconut milk

1 cup light coconut milk

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt

Bring a large stockpot filled halfway with salted water to a boil over high heat; add the rice and reduce the heat slightly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Drain well in a colander (do not rinse).

In a large saucepan, bring the water, sugar, and pandan leaf to a boil over medium-high heat Add coconut milks and salt and let come to a brisk simmer; reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, 8 to 12 minutes, or until reduced by about half. Remove the pandan leaf. Add the rice and reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, stirring, until heated through and thickened, about 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, completely cooled pudding can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days and served chilled, or returned to room temperature.

{PER SERVING} Calories 306 • Protein 4g • Total Fat 10g • Sat Fat 9g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 52g • Dietary Fiber 1g • Sodium 118mg

Coconut-Pumpkin Sticky Rice Pudding

Pumpkin appears frequently in desserts throughout China. This scrumptious rice pudding firms as it cools.

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS

1 cup sticky (glutinous) rice

2 cups water

1
¹
⁄
₂
cups canned light coconut milk

¹
⁄
₂
cup canned pumpkin puree

¹
⁄
₂
cup sugar

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon ground cinnamon

¹
⁄
₄
teaspoon salt

¹
⁄
₈
teaspoon ground ginger

Rinse the rice in cold water twice; drain. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and soupy, about 8 minutes. Add the coconut milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool about 15 minutes, stirring a few times. Serve warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate completely cooled pudding up to 3 days and serve chilled.

{PER SERVING} Calories 246 • Protein 4g • Total Fat 5g • Sat Fat 4g • Cholesterol 0mg • Carbohydrate 47g • Dietary Fiber 2 g • Sodium 116mg

Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice Cake

Known as ba bao fan, this gluten-free Chinese New Year favorite can be enjoyed any time of the year. Feel free to experiment with your favorite dried fruits, so long as the number, when included with the red bean paste, equals the fortuitous 8. For a festive red-hued cake, use about
¹
⁄
₂
cup chopped dried scarlet pink dragon fruit in lieu of one of the other chopped fruits—its red pigment acts as a natural food coloring, while its tiny black seeds resemble sprinkles.

MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS

1
¹
⁄
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cups glutinous rice

¹
⁄
₄
cup chopped dried apricots, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

¹
⁄
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cup chopped dried pears, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

¹
⁄
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cup chopped dried mango, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

¹
⁄
₄
cup chopped dried pineapple, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

¹
⁄
₄
cup chopped dried peaches, soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well

¹
⁄
₄
cup chopped dried pitted red dates (jujubes), soaked in warm water to cover 20 minutes, or until softened, drained well