The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls (19 page)

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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. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Place in a colander, rinse and drain well, and place in a large bowl.
2. Meanwhile, place the sesame oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chile pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tempeh, and liquid smoke if using, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently and adding water as necessary to prevent sticking. Remove from the heat.
3. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Pour half of the sauce onto the pasta and mix well. Pour the remaining half onto the tempeh and stir well. To serve, place the noodles on each plate, top with hot chile oil, if using, and the Szechuan pepper, if using, and then top with the tempeh.
Variation
• Replace the tempeh with tofu or seitan.
Chefs’ Tips and Tricks
Try adding 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (Pimento de la Vera), if you can find it, instead of the liquid smoke in this recipe and others that call for liquid smoke. It can be ordered at the Spanish Table,
www.spanishtable.com/
.
SZECHUAN TEMPEH AND VEGGIES
As we mentioned earlier, Szechuan is generally hot hot hot. Feel free to adjust the spiciness to your liking. This dish creates a Szechuan sauce in which the tempeh and veggies are simmered. Serve with Chinese Fried Rice (page 105) and a bowl of Creamy Corn Soup (page 94).
SERVES 4
 
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 to 5 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon seeded and diced hot chile,
or more to taste
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
8 ounces tempeh
1¼ cups water
2 tablespoons mirin or cooking sherry
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon agave nectar, organic brown sugar,
or sweetener of choice
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
dissolved in ¼ cup cold water
¼ teaspoon sea salt or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground Szechuan pepper or
a few drops of Szechuan oil, or to taste
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to taste
2 cups assorted chopped mixed vegetables
(try onions, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms,
bok choy, or your favorite green veggie)
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
1. Place the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chile, and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Cut the tempeh into ½-inch cubes and add to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
2. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the remaining water, mirin, soy sauce, and agave, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the arrowroot mixture and stir until the sauce thickens. Add the salt, pepper, and cayenne and stir well.
3. Add the chopped veggies and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with green onion before serving.
Variations
• Replace the tempeh with tofu or seitan.
• Replace the tempeh with an additional 2 to 3 cups of chopped mixed vegetables.
Chefs’ Tips and Tricks
If you want a thicker sauce, dissolve an additional teaspoon of arrowroot in 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into the pan.
PEKING SEITAN, A.K.A. DAFFY’S RELIEF
We will spare you the details of what goes into creating Peking Duck. For our version, we are using seitan, hence the relief of our favorite duck. Use a convection oven if you have access to one to achieve a crispier, more authentic texture. Serve with Chinese Fried Rice (page 105), Bok Choy with Five-Spice Cashews (page 107), or Garlic Lover’s Eggplant (page 106).
SERVES 6
 
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 cup diced yellow onion
2 (8-ounce) packages seitan, chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup, agave nectar, or sweetener of choice
2 tablespoons mirin or cooking sherry
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1½ tablespoons arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 cup cold water
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add the sesame oil to a large sauté pan or wok over high heat. Add the ginger and onion, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the seitan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and adding a small amount of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
2. Add the remaining ingredients except the green onion and mix well. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes. Top with green onion before serving.
Variation
• Replace the seitan with 14 ounces of extra-firm tofu, cubed. Sauté for an additional 15 minutes with the remaining ingredients instead of baking in the casserole dish.
MANGO CUSTARD PUDDING
This custard is simple, fast, and alluring. Though it needs extra time to cool and set, the reward for your patience is generous. You can also use soymilk or soy creamer to make this dish, but you may wish to add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract for the missing flavor. You can check your mango measurement by adding it alone to the blender and whizzing it up to see if it meets the required amount. If you find that your mangoes are a little tart, omit the lemon juice.
SERVES 6
 
3 medium mangoes, skins and core removed (2¼ cups pureed)
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup agave nectar or organic sugar
¾ cup coconut milk
¼ cup arrowroot powder
1. Blend the mango and check to see that you have the proper measurement. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and agave nectar in a blender on high speed for 20 seconds or until thoroughly blended. Add the coconut milk and arrowroot and blend again for 10 seconds.
2. Transfer the mixture to a pot and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently with a whisk. When the mixture boils and starts to thicken, whisk constantly for about 5 minutes or until it begins pulling away from the sides of the pot.
3. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes or until completely cold. Chilling in the freezer will speed up the process.
LIME MINT LYCHEE SORBET
Sublime and simply lovely, this sorbet is a rewarding end to any day. Thanks to our good friend Ali for this killer recipe. You’re making Martha proud Ali-cat. For optimal results, an ice cream maker is needed for this recipe. Or, if you’re a go-getter like Ali, you can whip up a granita by simply sticking this concoction in the freezer and stirring it up with a fork every 15 to 20 minutes for a few hours! This may seem like a lot of effort but the fanfare is well worth it.
SERVES 4 TO 6
 
2 (14-ounce) cans lychees in syrup
½ cup less one tablespoon organic sugar
8 fresh mint leaves
¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
lemon juice
1. Drain the lychee syrup into a small pot and stir in the sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half (about 1¼ cups). Remove from the heat, tear the mint leaves and stir them into the hot syrup.
2. Puree the lychees in a blender or food processor on high speed for 20 seconds. Add the syrup mixture and lime and lemon juices, and pulse until well combined.
Variations
• For Lemon Lychee Sorbet (our nephew’s favorite variation!), omit the mint, replace the lime juice with 1 cup of lemon juice, and replace the tablespoon of lemon juice with lime juice.
• For a Lychee Colada, follow the Lemon Lychee Sorbet recipe and add ¾ cup of coconut milk along with the other ingredients in step 2.
• Try an unexpectedly lovely Tart Apple Lychee Sorbet by omitting the mint and lime juice and slicing two Granny Smith (or other tart firm apples). Add the apple slices to the syrup mixture in step 1 while the mixture is boiling. Blend the apples, syrup, and lychee together in step 2 along with the lemon juice.
Chefs’ Tips and Tricks
Sugar and fat are what make ice cream so smooth and creamy rather than icy. With sorbets, you lose the creamy effect due to the significant reduction in fat. The sugar is essentially what prohibits sorbets from becoming sweet ice cubes. You can also get a little extra help from alcohol and salt, which lower the freezing point and prevent ice crystals from forming. For the following recipe you could try adding ½ cup of Japanese sake and a couple pinches of salt. Otherwise, you could try adding ½ teaspoon of guar gum as a binding, gelling agent.
Photo courtesy Jennifer Murray and Mark Reinfeld.
PART FOUR
The Cuisine of Japan
T
he land of majestic Mount Fuji, sculpture gardens and temples, and snow monkeys in misty mountain hot springs has made an immense contribution to the culinary scene (especially considering its relatively small size).
There has been a proliferation of Japanese sushi restaurants in the West over the past 20 years. Tempura, teriyaki, and miso soup are becoming household words. Some of the modern chef’s favorite ingredients—such as shiitake mushrooms, sea vegetables, and miso paste—originated in the Land of the Rising Sun.
It is a delight to provide you with some of our favorite recipes from Japan. We share light salads such as Wakame and Cucumber, Daikon Carrot Salad, and Oshitashi (Spinach Sesame).
Step out of the box with unique dishes like Sesame Tofu with Wasabi Cream Sauce or Roasted Eggplant with Black Sesame Sauce. We also share popular sauce recipes like Teriyaki and Ponzu, which can serve a multitude of flavorful uses. Create your own fan base by hosting a dinner party with Tempura Vegetables and Nori Rolls. Be sure to finish off your meal with light innovative desserts such as Peach Kanten or Mochi Treats. And the chocolate lovers among us will be delighted by the Green Tea Chocolate Bon Bons with Crystallized Ginger.

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