Yield: 2 salads with leftover dressing (dressing recipe makes 8 servings)For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:
The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes
Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011
Vegan Vegetable-Coconut Milk Rice Pilaf with Vegan Five Spice and Lime Roasted Cashews or Peanuts
Yield: approximately 4 servings
After a beautiful family-style pan-Asian meal at China Grill–much of which I couldn’t eat– over New Year’s weekend in South Beach, I was craving foods inspired by their creations, especially something with their spiced cashews that I picked off of their version of a Caesar salad. Here’s what I came up with and I have found it so satisfying as leftovers all week. Measurements of vegetables are approximate. Use what you have and it will still be wonderful.
Vegetable-Coconut Milk Rice Pilaf:
1 generous tablespoon vegetable oil (you may mix in a little sesame oil)
1 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup baby carrots, halved lengthwise
1/2 of a yellow or red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (shitakes are especially good)
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can (about 1 1/2 cups) coconut milk (I used the “lite” variety)
1 cup Jasmine rice (I recommend not substitute because the fragrance can’t be duplicated)
1 cup of trimmed broccoli florets
optional: coarse kosher or sea salt
Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro and spiced cashews or peanuts (see recipe below)
In a wok or large saute pan over medium-high, heat oil to shimmering. Add green onions and stir fry for a minute to flavor oil. Add baby carrots and stir fry for another minute, followed by bell pepper and mushrooms, stir frying for a minute after each addition. Stir in vegetable stock, coconut milk and rice. Cover (use foil if you don’t have a lid to fit your wok) and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to insure that rice isn’t sticking. Lower heat if necessary. Stir in broccoli, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until rice is tender, most of moisture is absorbed and broccoli is tender but still bright green. Check for salt and add if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and spiced nuts. Serve warm.
Vegan Five Spice and Lime Roasted Cashews or Peanuts:
1 tablespoon olive oil
juice and zest of 1/2 of a lime
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar (start with smaller amount and add more if desired)
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) five spice powder
1/8 teaspoon (or to taste) cayenne pepper
12 ounces lightly salted cashew halves and pieces or peanuts (reserve can)
Line a baking sheet with a brown paper bag, waxed paper or parchment paper. In a wok or large saucepan over medium high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Meanwhile, combine all remaining ingredients except peanuts. Stir into hot oil, being careful not to splatter, followed immediately by peanuts. Roast and stir for about 7 minutes, lowering heat if necessary, or until exterior is caramelized and peanuts taste slightly roasted. Avoid scorching or you will have to throw out the whole batch. Pour immediately onto prepared baking sheet to cool completely. Store in the reserved peanut can.
Vegan Thanksgiving with a Thai Twist–The Menu
This year, we gave thanks with an homage to one of our favorite cuisines: Thai.
The Menu
- Vegan Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Soup
- Vegan Thai Corn Fritters
- Vegan Spring Rolls Stuffed with Five-Spice Scented Cornbread Dressing
- Vegan Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce
- Vegan Pad Thai
- Vegan Pumpkin-Coconut Milk Flan
Vegan Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Soup–A "Souper" Way to Start a Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Feast
Yield: 6-8 Servings
I thought that cucumber sounded like an odd ingredient, but please don’t omit. It adds welcome color, taste and texture to this beautiful soup.
2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2 shallots or 1/3 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small dried chili, whole
6 cups vegetable stock
3 kaffir lime leaves (available in the freezer section of Asian markets)
2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size dice
2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup rich or extra-rich coconut milk
1 medium cucumber, cut into bite size pieces (leave peel on)
Handful of fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil leaves
Heat oil until shimmering in the bottom of a soup pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shallot or onion, garlic and chili. Stir fry for just a few minutes to release fragrance and soften onion and garlic. Add stock and lime leaves and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potato. Reduce heat to medium and allow soup to simmer until the potato is easily pierced with a fork, about 6-8 minutes. While sweet potato is cooking, add the vegan fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. When sweet potato has softened, and the red pepper and the cucumber. Allow to simmer for only 1-2 minutes, as the vegetables should retain their firmness. Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk, stirring to incorporate. Adjust seasoning for balance of salt, sweetness and spice. Stir in basil leaves and allow to wilt. Remove whole chili and serve warm. Soup keeps and reheats well.
Source: Veganized from: http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/pumpkinsoup.htm
Vegan Thai Corn Fritters with Vegan Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce–For Holidays or Any Day
Yield: approximately 20 small fritters
These beautiful fritters flecked with yellow, red and green are perfect for any festive occasion, but easy enough for any night of the week. We served them for Thanksgiving as one of two side dishes. The original recipe called for two eggs which I decided to substitute with blended tofu. I was nervous about my decision, especially because there appeared to be too much tofu and veggies for the amount of liquid. But the batter came together nicely. And when the first mounds of it hit the oil, my fears were completely allayed. They were perfect! Not only did they hold together beautifully, but they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. And they were delicious with me and my sister-in-law, Tina’s, Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce. I suggested some ingredients and she put them all together perfectly. See our (loose) recipe below.
1/2 cup mashed firm tofu
4 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 block firm tofu, cut into small dice
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
4 scallions, sliced thin
1 loose cup chopped fresh coriander
1/2 of a medium red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 kaffir lime leaves (available in the freezer section of Asian markets), stems removed and snipped into slivers (I made a chiffonade by placing one on top of the other, rolling them up, and cutting them into thin slivers with scissors)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour or rice flour (I used all-purpose)
1 teaspoon baking powder
canola oil for frying
Puree together first three ingredients in a blender. Add the next 8 ingredients and stir together. Mix the flour with the baking powder and add to mixture, stirring to blend in completely and form a thick, lumpy batter. Taste and add up to one more tablespoon of vegan fish sauce if not salty enough. Heat about 1-inch of canola oil in skillet over medium high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and sputters. When oil is ready, drop 4-5 heaping tablespoon or small scoops (my preference) of the mixture into the oil, preventing them from touching each other. (Odd shapes are desirable.) Cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are golden on the underside and are set enough to turn. Gently turn them with a spatula or tongs and fry until golden brown on the second side. Remove from oil and allow to drain on an absorbent towel or paper. Keep warm in the oven set on the lowest temperature. Continue frying in this manner until all of the batter has been used. Serve with Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce.
Source: Veganized from http://thaifood.about.com/od/vegetarianthairecipes/r/thacornfritters.htm
Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce:
1 small can of whole cranberry sauce (or about 1 cup of homemade cranberry sauce)
Stir sauce in a small bowl and add some of each of the following to taste:
- Thai Chili Sauce
- Peanut Satay Sauce
- Duck Sauce
- Vegan Fish Sauce
- fresh lime juice
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Source: Betsy and Tina DiJulio
Vegan Spring Rolls Stuffed with Five Spice-Scented Dressing–A Thanksgiving Favorite All Wrapped Up
Yield: approximately 2 dozen appetizers
This is one of those ad libbed recipes that turned out brilliantly. We just made a simple eggless cornbread stuffing using a vegan packaged mix (Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Stuffing) to which we added a little finely diced onion and celery along with some veggie broth and a couple of pinches of Five Spice Powder. We cooked the mixture in the microwave for about 3 minutes before fluffing it with a fork to insure that the onion and celery was soft. It was surprisingly tasty by itself and over-the-top fried up as spring rolls.
approximately 1 1/2 cups of your favorite vegan cornbread dressing
2 pinches Five Spice Powder
1/2 package 6-inch square spring roll wrappers (about 24-25), thawed, and covered with a kitchen towel
halved, whole or sliced water chestnuts
canola oil for frying
Stir Five Spice Powder into cornbread dressing until well combined. Heat about 1-inch of canola oil in skillet over medium high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and sputters. Watch closely. While oil heats, place about 1 heaping tablespoon of filling and one water chestnut (or a half or a slice) into the center of a spring roll wrapper. Fold in sides and then roll up, jellyroll fashion. Moisten edge to seal if necessary. Set onto a plate, and continue with remaining wrappers, filling and water chestnuts. When oil is ready, place as many spring rolls as will fit without touching or over-crowding. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are golden on the underside . Gently turn them with a spatula or tongs and fry until golden brown on the second side. Remove from oil and allow to drain on an absorbent towel or paper. Keep warm in the oven set on the lowest temperature. continue frying in this manner until all of the batter has been used. Serve with Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce.
Thai Cranberry Dipping Sauce:
1 small can of whole cranberry sauce (or about 1 cup of homemade cranberry sauce)
Stir sauce in a small bowl and add some of each of the following to taste:
- Thai Chili Sauce
- Peanut Satay Sauce
- Duck Sauce
- Vegan Fish Sauce
- fresh lime juice
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Source: Betsy and Tina DiJulio
Vegan Chinese Orange-Sesame Chicken with Carrots
Yield: 4 servings
This dish is so rich and flavorful, it is difficult to believe that it is actually good for you. (If you fry the chicken, it is a little more decadent, but worth it to me.) Made from fresh oranges, the sauce cooks down to a thick pulpy melange with a complex balance of tastes: sweet, sour, salty and savory. Serve the chicken and sauce over brown or white rice (I like Jasmine) with a side of steamed broccoli for a dinner that is as nutritious and colorful as it is delicious. If you opt not to serve it with broccoli, you might want to garnish it with an additional sliced green onion for color contrast.
Chicken Mock Stock
2 cups water
¼ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon celery seed
Combine all of the ingredients in a large saucepan and set aside while you make the boneless “chicken” pieces.
Basic Seitan or “Wheat Meat”
1 cup instant vital wheat gluten flour
1 cup water
In a medium bowl, stir together wheat gluten and water until completely combined. Knead for about 3 minutes (many recipes say 5 minutes, but I think the extra minutes toughen the product). Shape the seitan into two short baguette-shapes about 5 inches long and then cut or tear each one into about 16 nice bite-size pieces. Bring stock to a boil. Stretch each piece a little before placing it carefully into stock. Reduce heat to a very slow simmer and cover pot with lid. Let simmer for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes (or whenever you think of it), until broth has almost completely reduced. If it doesn’t, no worries. (Pieces will expand, but shrink back down.) Use immediately or store in the refrigerator (for up to 6 days) or the freezer (for up to 6 months). While the seitan simmers, make the Orange-Sesame sauce.
Source: La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer
When the seitan has finished simmering, you may remove from the pot and toss with the sauce as is. However, for a chewier texture, fry the chicken first according to these directions:
Chinese Fried Chicken
Canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pinch of salt
In a large iron skillet over medium-high, heat 1/4 inch of canola oil. Meanwhile, whisk together remaining ingredients in a small bowl. When oil is hot, but not smoking, dip each piece of chicken into the batter and place it carefully into the hot oil. To avoid overcrowding, you may need to cook the chicken in two batches. Cook each piece on both sides for a couple of minutes or until golden and drain on paper towel before tossing with the sauce.
Orange-Sesame Sauce
2 very large navel oranges, skin removed and flesh separated into sections
1 1/2″ piece ginger, peel removed, and cut into about 4-6 pieces
2 tablespoons mild molasses (not blackstrap, as the flavor is too strong)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon five spice powder
tiny pinch of cayenne pepper
salt to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3-4 green onions, rinsed, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced (I use a garlic press)
3/4 cup carrots, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
zest of half of a large lemon
Garnish: approximately 4 teaspoons of sesame seeds
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place first 11 ingredients and process until smooth, but pulpy. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium-high, heat sesame oil. Add green onions and garlic and stir fry quickly until softened, but not brown. Scrape orange sauce into skillet, add carrots, and cook until sauce reduces slightly and carrots are just tender. Stir in fried seitan and lemon zest and serve over rice. If desired, sprinkl with about 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds per serving.
