Tag Archives: asian

8 Ingredient Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

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tofu mushroom lettuce wrapI can’t believe I haven’t blogged a vegetarian lettuce wrap recipe up until now! Its one of my go to quick and easy dishes. And now that the weather is getting warmer, I crave these light, crisp lettuce “boats” filled with a zesty tofu mushroom filling. And did I mention this is just an 8 ingredient recipe? Thats right, only 8 ingredients (not counting the oil, because everyone already has oil, right?)! And you probably already have all the ingredients for these lettuce wraps in your pantry!
ingredients for vegetarian lettuce wrapcubed tofusoy sauce suteed tofu for lettuce wrap

The dipping sauce for this recipe is simple. If you want it spicier add some sriracha or wasabi. For a creamier dipping sauce add a spoon or two of peanut butter to the recipe below.

You can easily make the tofu mushroom filling ahead of time and re-heat it when you are ready to eat. Cut the tofu and the mushrooms the same size so it looks pretty!

sauteed tofu and mushrooms for lettuce wrapTips
- Make sure you get the freshest romaine lettuce hearts you can find. (A romaine heart is the entire lettuce, with the leaves attached to the core). Keep in mind, the inner leaves are usually more fresh and crisp compared to the outer ones. If your romaine heart is looking a little limp on the outside, peel away the outer leaves and chances are, you will find the inner leaves are still fresh.
- I like using dried, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms for this recipe. If you don’t have dried shiitakes, use button mushrooms instead. But they will tend to release liquid while cooking. If button mushrooms release liquid while cooking, increase heat to high and let the liquid evaporate.
- If you are using shiitakes, you can soak and squeeze them ahead of time and store the rehydrated mushrooms in the fridge.
- I like thin, light dipping sauces for lettuce wraps. But if you like yours thicker or richer, add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter to my dipping sauce recipe below.

8 Ingredient Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

serves 3-4 as an appetizer
Ingredients
8 dried Shiitake mushrooms. Substitute with 12 button mushrooms
1 lb drained extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Sriracha, or according to taste
zest of half a lime, optional
12 crisp Romaine leaves

For the dipping sauce
4 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
2 tablespoon water
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

Method
1. Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut the tofu length wise into 4. Then carefully turn the block over on its side and cut into 4 again. You will now have 16 strips. Cut the strips into 1/4th inch cubes.

2. If using dried mushrooms, rehydrate them according to package directions. When the mushrooms are soft, drain them (save the liquid for soups!), squeeze the excess liquid, and chop them about the same size as the tofu cubes. If using button mushrooms, chop them the same size as the tofu cubes.

3. In a cup, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, sriracha and lime juice or vinegar. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large wok or large skillet. Throw in the tofu cubes. Try to keep them in a single layer. If all the tofu doesn’t fit in a single layer, cook them in batches. If the tofu cubes are too crowded they will stew instead of browning.

4. Cook the tofu undisturbed on medium-high heat till the bottom side is golden brown. Carefully flip the tofu cubes over using a spatula, and cook undisturbed till the other side is golden brown.

5. When all the tofu is browned, add the onion and mushrooms to the skillet. Saute on high heat till the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. If you are using button mushrooms and they let out liquid, just keep cooking on high heat till all the liquid evaporates.

6. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. Cook till all the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle lime zest, if using, on top.

8. To make the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients together till the sugar dissolves.

9. To serve, cut each romaine leaf into half. Place one half on top of the other to form a cup. Repeat with all lettuce leaves. Serve the tofu mushroom saute in a bowl, along with the dipping sauce.

Stupidly Easy Peanut Noodles

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Can you cook pasta? Do you know how to chop garlic? Yes? Then you’re in business! This peanut noodles recipe is easy and fool proof! You can make it ahead of time and it will keep well in the fridge for up to two days. Plus, it tastes great warm or cold. This easy peanut noodles recipe is perfect for a quick dinner, packed lunch or picnic.

Broccoli is easy to chop, and cooks very quickly, so its perfect in this easy, fuss free recipe. But If you want to add other vegetables to this noodle dish, here are some suggestions. Just make sure the total amount of vegetables is about 3 cups.

- Shredded raw cabbage
- Shredded carrots
- Chopped cucumber
- Red peppers cut into strips
- Bean sprouts
- Wilted kale
- Baby corn
- Fried tofu cubes

Easy Peanut Noodles Recipe

serves about 3

Ingredients
2 cups broccoli florets
8 oz linguine or spaghetti

for the sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3/4 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil. Substitute with canola oil.
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
Crushed red chili flakes, as much as you like

2 tablespoons chopped green onion or cilantro or parsley for garnish

Method
1. In a large pot, bring plenty of salted water to a boil.

2. While water is coming to a boil, work on the sauce. Place all sauce ingredients (peanut butter through red chili flakes) in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of water, and whisk everything together till a sauce forms. Set aside.

3. When the water boils, add the broccoli florets and continue boiling till the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove the broccoli from the water and place in a wok.

4. Bring the same water back to a boil. Then add pasta to the water and cook according to package instructions. Make sure you dont over cook the pasta. Drain well.

5. Add the drained pasta to the wok with broccoli.

6. Pour the peanut sauce all over the pasta and toss well. Taste the pasta, if it needs more salt, add soy sauce half a tablespoon at a time, tossing and tasting as you go.

7. Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro or parsley. Serve warm or cold.

Singapore Rice Noodles Recipe

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I love Singapore rice noodles – pan fried thin rice vermicelli with curry powder and turmeric. But most the ones you get at restaurants have fish sauce and or meat. So I make my own vegetarian Singapore rice noodles. Funnily, this dish is not Singaporean –  you won’t find it in Singapore. It is most likely an invention of Hong Kong chefs. Irrespective of its origins, this is a great vegetarian noodle dish!

I use S&B Oriental Curry powder for this recipe. For more about curry powders, read this post.

And the mushroom flavored soy sauce I use is Healthy Boy brand. If you cant find it, substitute with regular soy sauce.

Tips for perfect Singapore rice noodles

  • Don’t over soak the noodles. Read package instructions and make sure the noodles aren’t sitting in water longer than needed. Drain the noodles well. If you land up over-soaking the noodles, try to rescue them by spreading the drained noodles on a large platter and placing them under a fan, this should dry them out a bit.
  • Don’t over cook the vegetables, they will get soggy.
  • Use medium-high heat, this will ensure that the vegetables and noodles don’t get soggy.
  • Work quickly. Have all the ingredients prepped before hand, and then work quickly. Don’t let the vegetables or the noodles sit in the wok for too long. When you add the noodles and sauce to the wok, if you feel you are taking too long (over 2 minutes) to mix everything well, take the wok off the heat, and mix the noodles. You can then re-heat the noodles before serving.
  • Remember that every curry powder is different. Some are spicier/hotter than others. You may have to use more or less depending on the curry powder you use. Taste the noodles at the end, and add more curry powder and soy sauce if needed, then re-heat.
  • The taste of Singapore rice noodles develops over time (because of the curry powder), so it tastes even better the next day!

Singapore Rice Noodles Recipe

serves about 4


Ingredients
6 oz rice sticks, also called rice vermicelli or rice noodles
For the sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder, I recommend S&B Oriental curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
Crushed dry red pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar, optional
½ teaspoon vinegar, optional
1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce (available in Asian markets), substitute with soy sauce

For the noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 heaping teaspoon garlic paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane)
1 heaping teaspoon ginger paste (use a mortar and pestle or grate in a microplane), optional
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup cubed fried tofu, available in Asian markets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 heaping cup beansprouts
3 scallions, chopped
4 lemon or lime wedges
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

  1. Soak the rice noodles according to package instructions. (This usually involves soaking them in warm or cold water for 2-5 minutes).Drain well and set aside in the colander.
  2. Whisk together all ingredients for sauce, along with 3 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a large wok, that is atleast 12 inches wide. Add the ginger and garlic and let them sizzle on medium heat, till fragrant and lightly browned.
  4. Pour in half of the sauce. Work quickly, and mix everything together, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Cook till the sauce starts to bubble, about 20 seconds.
  5. Throw in red peppers, carrot, cabbage, and tofu.
  6. Crank up the heat to medium-high and sauté till the vegetables just start to wilt, about 2 minutes. Don’t over cook the vegetables.
  7. Add the soaked, drained rice stick noodles to the vegetables. Also add the remaining sauce. Working quickly, and using two spoons or tongs, toss and combine everything till the noodles are well coated in the sauce.
  8. Turn off heat and add sesame oil, bean sprouts and scallions. Toss well.
  9. Serve immediately garnished with chopped cilantro and lemon or lime wedges on the side to squeeze over the noodles.

Egg Fried Rice. Yummier than take out!

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So many of you wrote in, facebooked and tweeted me to ask where I am and why I havent blogged in a while. I am so touched that so many of you care about this blog and I’m happy to say I’m back! Ive been travelling and just got back from a fantastic trip to India, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia (more about that in future posts!). I havent posted while traveling because I had zero drafts when I left..hows that for pre planning?! Now heres a fried rice recipe for you thats yummier than take out!

Make sure you use jasmine rice for this recipe, it will make your fried rice very fragrant. Also dont skip the maggi seasoning sauce, it adds depth and a lovely umami flavor to the fried rice. If you cant find maggi seasoning sauce, use mushroom flavored soy sauce.

Egg Fried Rice using Jasmine Rice: Recipe

serves about 3-4

2 cups Jasmine rice, uncooked
3 1/2 cups water
2 large eggs (for an eggless vegan version, use 1/2 cup fried or scrambled tofu)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red chili slit lengthwise, optional
2 cups mixed vegetables, diced (I used carrots, beans, red pepper and sweet corn)
3 tablespoons light soy sace
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce (you may need to use more depending on how dark/strong the brand you are using is)
1/2 teaspoon maggi seasoning
1/4 teaspoon scant white pepper

Cook the 2 cups jasmine rice with 3 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker. When the rice is done, spread it out on a platter or large plate and let it cool completely (if im in a hurry, I put the rice in the fridge to cool). While the rice is cooling, scramble the eggs in a large wok and set the scrambled eggs aside and wipe the wok. Heat the same wok to high, add oil and the red chili if using. Add the mixed vegtables and cook sritting, on high heat, about 4 minutes. Now add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce and cook another minute. Add the scrambled eggs, cooled rice, remaining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, maggie seasoning and white pepper. Cook on high heat for about 3 minutes. Garnish with chopped green onions.

Tender Coconut and Lychee Pudding. No cooking required!

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tender coconut lychee pudding

I’m at my parents place in India. There is such an abundance of fresh tender coconuts here that I absolutely had to use it as the star of this no-cook dessert. I added some lychees to the pudding and it worked really well.

coconut tree

A coconut tree in my parents’ garden

Note: If you cant get fresh tender coconut, just use frozen coconut juice/coconut water available in Asian stores. If the coconut juice is sweetened you should less than whats called for in this recipe. But whatever you do, please do not use the canned coconut juice!

IMG_1877

Tender Coconut/Coconut Water/Coconut Juice/Elaneer and Lychee Pudding Recipe

serves about 6

1 cup + 1/4 cup milk
6 teaspoons quick set gelatin* (see note below)
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup tender coconut water/coconut juice/elaneer
3/4 cup tender coconut meat, chopped
3/4 cup canned lychees, strained (about 6 pieces), chopped

*I usually use agar agar to set desserts, but this time gelatin is all I had on hand. (See this post on how to use agar agar). The gelatin I used was a quick set variety. Your pudding may set differently depending on what gelatin you use.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except the 1/4 cup milk and the gelatin.

Warm 1/4 cup milk and dissolve gelatin in it. Add this to the bowl with all other ingredients. Stir everything well. Pour in individual serving dishes and refrigerate till the pudding sets; about 2 hours.

Sticky Orange Tofu Thins

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I used the orange, ginger, green tea marmalade I made last month for this recipe. Store bought orange marmalade will work well too. The sugar forms a delicious sticky glaze. You’ll be scraping the gooey goodness from your pan! I do every time!
Tofu - one 18 oz box/package
Oil – 1 tbsp or non-stick spray
Soy sauce – 4 tbsp
Orange Marmalade – 4 tbsp
Lemon juice – 1 1/2 tbsp
Chili sauce – 1 tbsp, I use sriracha. Use less if you dont like it spicy
Chopped cilantro or green onion for garnish
To prepare the tofu, first drain and squeeze out excess water. Wrap the tofu in several layers of paper towel.
Then wrap the tofu with paper towels tightly in an absorbent cloth. Place the tofu on a flat surface, put a plate on top of it and put 3-4 cans (canned tomatoes, beans etc) on top of the plate. Let the tofu weigh down and compress for atleast 2 hours.
Then, remove the cloth and paper towels and slice the tofu. Slice it thin, using a sharp chef’s knife.
Heat a large, flat nonstick pan. Add the oil. Or use non stick spray for more even coverage. Place the tofu in a single layer on the pan and fry on medium heat. Dont move the tofu around.
When the tofu is golden, turn the pieces over and cook the other side till golden. This will take about 6 minutes.
Press the tops of the tofu slices to squeeze out any remaining water.
Whisk together the soy sauce, marmalade, lemon juice and sriracha.
Reduce the pan to low and pour the marmalade mixture over the tofu. Make sure all the tofu is evenly coated. Cook on low heat for about 1 minute, turning once.
Make sure the heat is on low, otherwise the sugar in the marmalade will burn!
The tofu will quickly absorb all the sauce and will be coated with a nice sticky glaze. To serve, garnish with cilantro or green onion.
Some Tasty Variations
 
Try adding a tsp each of minced ginger and garlic to the sauce
Instead of cutting the tofu thin, cube it and shallow fry in oil till all sides are golden
Saute the tofu with some peppers and onions and toss the whole thing in the sticky sauce!
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Enoki Mushrooms, Snow Peas and Crispy Seitan in Sesame Honey Sauce

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Ive walked past boxes of snowy white Enoki Mushrooms at the Asian store. I’d stop to admire these floral looking clusters, but never bought them because I wasn’t quite sure what to do with them. But this time I picked up a box, telling myself if they were so pretty to look at I’m sure they’ll taste good.

Enokis are a delicate, slightly sweet mushroom. They hardly need any cooking. Infact, you could use them raw in this recipe if you wish.

Crispy SeitanSeitan – about 5 large pieces. I use white wave seitan.
Rice or plain flour – 6 tbsp
Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garlic Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Mix the flour, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Dredge the seitan pieces in the flour mixture. Heat one tbsp of oil in a pan, and pan fry the seitan till golden brown on both sides.

Now place the seitan on a cutting board and let it cool. Once cooled, cut into strips.

Enoki Mushrooms and Snow PeasEnoki Mushrooms – one 7 oz box
Snow Peas – about 25
Sesame Seeds – 2 tbsp

Cut off the end one third of the enoki cluster. You should now be able to separate the mushrooms into individual stems.

Saute the mushrooms in a pan with some oil on medium heat for about 1 minute.

You could also use the mushrooms raw.

Trim the ends of the snow peas. Boil water in a pot and add snow peas. Boil for 1 minute. Drain snow peas and place them in an ice bath. Drain before using.

Sesame Honey SauceSoy Sauce – 4 tbsp
Sesame Oil – 4 tbsp
Honey – 1 tbsp

Whisk all ingredients together.
Combine the mushrooms, snow peas and seitan in a bowl. Pour the sesame honey sauce over the vegetables. Toss carefully.

Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

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Stir Fried Soy Curls with Spicy Sesame Sprout Slaw

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For a week I’d waited impatiently. Then I came home this evening and there it was outside my front door! My 6 bag shipment of Butler Soy Curls! All the way from Grand Ronde, Oregon. I knew exactly what my very first recipe using soy curls was going to be.
A stir fry with soy curls and broccoli is on the menu today. I also used sprouts and red cabbage to make a colorful, spicy slaw.

Coating stuff in flour before stir frying is one of my favorite cooking methods. It creates a nice crispy crust. Here, I coat soy curls in rice flour and saute till brown. Then I toss them in a sauce.

A note on soy curls: Make sure you soak them in hot water for a good 20 minutes. Not only does this hydrate them properly, it also gets rid of the mild wheaty flavor. I added soy sauce, lemon juice, cooking wine and ginger in the soaking liquid for added flavor.

Stir Fried Soy Curls

Soy Curls - 2 oz dry
Rice Flour – 1 tbsp. Corn flour or All Purpose can also be used. I love rice flour here, it makes things delicately crispy.
Broccoli – 8 florets
Ginger Paste – 1 tsp
Garlic Paste – 1 tsp

For the sauce:
Soy sauce – 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice – 1 1/2 tbsp
Sugar – 1-2 tbsp depending on how sweet you like it
Sesame Oil – 1 tbsp
Chili Paste – 1 tsp, optional

Soak soy curls in hot water for 20 minutes. See note above for additional flavoring. Squeeze out all the liquid. Toss soy curls in flour and some salt, toss to coat.

Heat a work, add a tsp of canola oil or spray with Pam. Add the soy curls and stir fry on medium high till they are golden brown. Remove from wok and set aside.

Add a little more oil or Pam to the work, ginger garlic paste and broccoli and stir fry on high till the broccoli is tender but crunchy. Now return the soy curls to the wok. Add all ingredients for the sauce and cook on medium high till sauce is absorbed.

Garnish with sesame seeds, chopped cilantro and scallions. Serve with rice or noodles and Spicy Sesame Sprout Slaw (recipe below).

Spicy Sesame Sprout Slaw

Its not regular sesame seeds that make this Asian slaw special. Rather, its my secret non-asian ingredient….Tahini! It adds the ‘sesameness‘, and also a satisfying creamy consistency to the dressing.

For a lighter version, use my Piquant Plum Sauce as dressing for this slaw.

Red Cabbage – 1/4 head, finely shredded
Bean Sprouts – 1/4 pound

For dressing:
Tahini – 2 tbsp
Soy Sauce – 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice – 2 tbsp
Sesame oil – 1 tbsp
Garlic – 1 tsp minced
Chili Paste – 1 tbsp or according to taste. I like lots of it!
Mint – about 6 leaves chopped.
You could use cilantro too. I used both today.

Whisk together all dressing ingredients. If its too thick for you, add a little water to thin it out.

Toss the cabbage and sprouts with the dressing.

More Slaw suggestions: try using shredded carrots or jicama!

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