Vegan Bahn Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) with Spicy Cashew Spread

I've always loved these Asian-French fusion sandwiches.  I usually use vegan mayo, but I thought I'd get a little fancy with a jalapeno cashew spread, that has the consistency of hummus.  If you've never tried one of these, they're savory, sweet, sour, and spicy, with a fresh crunch from the veggies.  These disappeared quickly! 


Ingredients:


For the mushrooms:

3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound portabello mushrooms (two large caps)

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Mirin or Sweet Rice Wine

pinch of black pepper

For the spread*:

1 1/3 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup sliced pickled jalapenos (you can use fresh, but may need to up the salt)

2 cloves garlic

2 1/2 Tbsp. Mezzetta Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1/4 cup water (or more)

*This makes much more than you'll need, but you use leftovers to spread on crackers or other things

To finish:

1 cup pickled carrots

1/2 cup torn fresh cilantro

Thinly sliced cucumber (6-10 slices per sandwich)

crusty sweet French bread (enough for two sandwiches)

Spinz:

1.  Soak raw cashews in hot water, set aside for later

2. Clean mushrooms and trim stems as needed, cutting into 1/2" slices

3.  Add the 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a large hot skillet, then saute the mushrooms until tender and golden on the edges.  Make sure not to crowd the pan- do two batches if needed.  Remove mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

4.  To the same pan, turn off heat and add the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and black pepper.  Stir quickly until thick and  bubbly, scraping up any mushroom bits.  

5.  Pour sauce over mushrooms and toss, then set aside to let cool down and let flavors meld.

6.  Tear up the fresh cilantro and slice cucumbers, set aside

7.  Drain the raw cashews (soaked for 20-30 minutes) and put into a food processor.  Add the crushed garlic, 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and water.  Add more water by the tablespoon if needed and puree until creamy and hummus-like.  Add jalapeno peppers and pulse until small chunks are well incorporated into the spread.

8.  Assemble sandwiches:  Split two  6" or so pieces of french bread, leaving one side attached.  Spread the spicy cashew spread onto entire interior of the bread.  Spoon on marinated mushrooms, then layer cucumbers, pickled carrots  and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro.  Close and eat.

Pressed Stuffed Tofu in Spicy Orange Sauce

I've always been lazy when it comes to pressing tofu. I usually try squeezing it like a sponge over the sink, only it ends up crumbling and I inevitably lose a chunk or two and eventually blot the whole mess with paper towels and call it "tofu scramble."

Now, thanks to the generosity of Jenn from Vegan Dance if You Want to Blog, I can press tofu like a pro with my new Tofu Xpress. She sent it all the way from NY... thanks for the hella cool gift, Jenn!
This is a simple gadget that really does the trick, making a block of tofu into a perfectly squished, water-free wonder! It allows for better marinating, better frying, and a meatier texture. Since I was curious as to what it could really do, I pressed the first block of tofu for about 3 hours, and the next block overnight.

The first block flattened to about half it's size, and was perfect for making the stuffed tofu. I cut it into thirds, then cut each rectangle into triangles. Then, I carefully carved out a hole for stuffing (as shown above).

The second block flattened even more and was too thin to make into stuffed tofu, so I cut it into cubes. Both were sprinkled with salt and dredged in a mixture of 1-part cornstarch and 1-part nutritional yeast. Then they were fried in a skillet with a little vegetable oil until just golden (too long and it gets more chewy than crispy). You'll also have to flip to get all sides golden.

Filling:
Minced carrots, green onion, garlic, cilantro, and crumbled tofu (excavated from the triangles). Salt to taste.

Spicy Orange Sauce:
Juice of 2 large oranges
1 T. orange zest
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. fresh minced ginger
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. mirin (Japanese cooking wine)
2 T. vegetarian oyster sauce
3 T. sweet pepper & garlic sauce
1 T. arrowroot powder

Spinz:
Mix all ingredients except ginger and olive oil. Cook ginger in heated olive oil for a minute or so. Add the remaining mixture and whisk and simmer until thickened.

Set sauce aside, covering to keep warm. Heat filling ingredients quickly in a skillet with a little extra virgin olive oil until veggies are slightly wilted. Fry tofu wedges, then spoon in the filling. Drizzle the orange sauce on top.

Vegan Dim Sum Party

This year, Lunar New Year fell on Valentine's Day. So, I got to celebrate "veggie love" and "veggie TIGERS," since 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. This one was made with carrots, olives, and cauliflower.

Many Asian cultures celebrate the Lunar New Year, so I decided to make some of my favorite Asian dishes in the form of dim sum (dumplings are by far my favorite food). This is a rather long post, as there are more than a few dishes, so bear with me!

Vegan Har Gow (Shrimp Bonnet) Dumplings

These tender, chewy dumplings, called Har Gow are typically filled with shrimp and chives. A visit to my local Asian market produced an alternative to the shrimp. I like it better when it's ground up and mixed with stuff.

Frozen Soy Shrimp

...And, a premixed package of dumpling starch for making the skins. You can make your own by using the recipe here. One thing to note: if your dough seems to tear easily, it needs to "cook" a bit more. I put my dough into a bowl with a little water, cover, and microwave for a couple minutes, and then knead when it's cooled down enough.

Har Gow Wrapper Mix

This is a gluten-free wrapper, made with a mixture of starches. I know the package says "wheat flour," but it really means wheat starch, which contains no gluten.

Here is the recipe for the filling:

1 1/2 C. thawed, ground fake shrimp
1 tsp. fresh minced ginger
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C. chopped green onion (or chives)
1 T. ground flax seed, mixed with 1 T. warm water (to mimic an egg)
season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Spinz:
Mix all ingredients for the filling and set aside (I usually just throw everything in the food processor). Add boiling water to the starch mix until a smooth dough forms. Cut a 1" cube and roll into a ball. Flatten the dough ball with hand, then roll out thin with a rolling pin (you may want to oil the surface to prevent excessive sticking). The thinner the wrapper, the more translucent it will be when cooked. Spoon a small amount of filling into the center, then seal the edges by pleating one side and pinching it to the other. To cook, put them into a steamer for about 10 minutes. The dough should be soft and translucent.

Shengjian Bao, are dumplings with leavened dough, and are typically filled with pork and steamed in an oiled pan until the water evaporates and your left with a crispy bottom.

Shengjian Style Dumplings (Bao)

Here's what the bottoms look like...

Another Asian market find, is "vegetarian mutton." Don't ask me why they call it mutton. I don't even know what mutton tastes like, but this is a good substitute for pork (as you can see). Most Asian faux meats come already seasoned, and this one has a slight gingery taste which lends well to the dumplings.

Soy Mutton

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 C. thawed, ground soy mutton
1/2 C. chopped yellow onions
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. vegetarian oyster sauce (or mushroom sauce)
1 T. ground flax seeds mixed with 1 T. warm water (to mimic egg)
salt and pepper to taste

Dough:

1 1/2 tsp. instant dry yeast
3/4 C. lukewarm water
2 T. sugar
2 T. canola oil
3 C. unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt

Spinz:
For the dough, mix the water and sugar in a small bowl and sprinkle the yeast on top. Wait until it gets nice and foamy. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Lightly whisk the canola oil into the yeast mixture, then add the wet to the dry and knead until you get a nice smooth dough that doesn't stick to your hands. Add more water by the tablespoon if the dough is too dry. Set aside, and let rise to double its size (about 30-40 minutes).

For the filling, simply mix all of the ingredients together. It should stick together when pressed. If it's too loose, add a little more flax seed and water.

To wrap, cut a 1-2" cube of dough, roll into a ball and flatten. Roll thin with a rolling pin (about 1/8 -1/4" thick), and place a spoonful of filling in the middle. Start to pleat the edge of the dough in one direction, holding each pleat with your fingers until almost closed. Pull dough up, twist, and pinch closed on the top center of the dumpling. To cook, heat on high heat an oiled skillet (I prefer non-stick), and arrange the dumplings with the flat side down. Immediately add a cup or so of water and cover. Steam until the water is evaporated and allow them to sizzle until they turn golden and crispy on the bottom- keep an eye on them because they can burn easily!

Next, I made Daikon Radish Cakes which are made with rice flour, steamed, sliced, and pan fried. They're crispy on the outside, and tender and slightly sticky on the inside, and just like dumplings, they are dipped in soy sauce and vinegar when eaten. Sometimes, they also have dried shrimp or little bits of meat and/or scallions. I made mine with sauteed mushrooms and green onions, and it was delicious! NOTE: make sure you use rice flour, and not glutinous or sweet rice flour.

Daikon Radish Cakes

Ingredients:

2 C. rice flour
1 C. water
1 1/2 C. daikon radish
1 1/2 C. mushrooms
1 clove garlic
1/2 C. green onions, finely chopped
pinch of white pepper
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Saute the mushrooms whole with the clove of garlic in 1 or 2 T. vegetable oil until slightly tender and browned. In a food processor, put in cubed daikon and process until very fine (grated) consistency. Add in the mushroom, garlic, salt, and white pepper, and pulse until chopped and incorporated with the daikon. Put the rice flour in a bowl, and mix in the daikon mixture. Mix in water- it should be the consistency of oatmeal or pudding. Pour into an oiled loaf pan, and steam for 30-40 minutes or until firm. Let cool, then dump out and slice into 1/2" - 1" slices. Fry in a skillet with a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil until brown and crispy on both sides.

Daikon Radish Cake, Uncooked

Daikon Radish Cake, After Steaming

Kimchi (sometimes spelled Kimchee) is one of my favorite veggie sides. It's a very popular Korean spicy pickled cabbage. Most often, you can find jarred kimchi in Asian markets, and they can vary in flavor, heat, and type. They are usually not vegan, as they will have seafood like shrimp paste or anchovy in it. I don't know about any of you, but I like my kimchi sweet, spicy, a little salty, and a little sour. Most of the jarred kind that I've tried are too salty and sour, and not sweet enough! I took a tip from a Korean lady, and added fruit to mine, and it was so good, I didn't need to wait a few days for it to marinate! The traditional Korean method is to let it ferment for days before eating! You can also add different veggies and fruits: carrots, bok choy, apples, oranges, etc. Try it and let me know what you think...

Sweet Spicy Kimchi

Ingredients:
3/4 -1 C. salt (for soaking)
About 6 liters of water (25 cups or enough to just cover)

1 large head of napa cabbage
1 C. sliced or cubed daikon radish (optional)
Puree:
2 C. fresh pineapple, roughly cut into chunks
1 C. Korean crushed red pepper*
5-8 cloves garlic (I like garlic)
1 tsp. fresh ginger or 1 T. dried ground ginger
1/2 C. sugar (if you don't like your kimchi sweet, add less)
1 T. apple cider vinegar

2 C. chopped green onions (or one bunch)

In a large salad or punch bowl (large enough for all the veggies), mix the salt and water until the salt is dissolved. Cut the stem out of the cabbage and cut into bite sized pieces and put into the bowl along with the cubed daikon (I usually us a big strainer inside the bowl which makes it easier later). Let soak for a couple of hours (sometimes I forget and it soaks for several). Drain the veggies, and taste.  It should be good and salty, but if it's too salty, give it a rinse or two until it's to your taste.

Puree the pineapple, *Korean red pepper (this is a seedless crushed pepper that you can find in Asian markets and is essential to this dish), garlic, ginger, sugar, and vinegar, until smooth. Pour over cabbage and daikon, along with the green onions, and mix until fully combined. Ready to eat now, or store in an air tight container in the fridge.  It lasts a long time, but we usually finish it within 3 weeks.  The flavor will intensify the longer it sits.

And, finally... DESSERT! Thai Coconut Tapioca Pudding. This is not an exact science (yet), but very simple to make. Take a package of tapioca pearls, soak in some water (enough to cover) for an hour. Let it come to a boil, then simmer until translucent. Add a can or two (depending on desired richness) of coconut milk, sugar to desired sweetness, and let thicken to desired consistency. Then top with toasted coconut and almonds after chilling. You can also eat this warm if desired.

Happy Lunar New Year Everyone!

Vegan Taiwanese "Egg" Tarts

I grew up eating egg tarts on special occasions, or when I visited San Francisco's China Town. The most common ones have a very thick, flaky crust with a very "eggy" custard in the middle. These originated in Hong Kong, and became popular in China and Taiwan. The Portuguese also have their version, which incorporates a more creamy custard that is torched on top like a brulee.
This version is one that seems to have been adapted by the Taiwanese. It has a thinner, cookie-like crust. To be honest, I've never tried these before, and only saw photos of them (I've only seen the Chinese versions here in the States).

To make these a bit healthier, I used the low fat pie crust recipe from Bryanna Clark Grogan, making some adjustments and substituting the vegetable oil with coconut oil, hoping to get a nicer texture. They turned out delicious, especially the next day. To make the filling taste "eggy," I used coconut cream, which also makes this rather rich. If you can't find coconut cream (I found it in the Asian market), you can try using coconut milk, but you may need to increase the starch.

Crust Recipe:

1 C. unbleached all purpose flour
1 C. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 C. coconut oil
1/2 C. soy milk with 1 tsp. lemon juice added
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. sugar

Roll it out very thin, and cut out circles to fit in the bottoms of your muffin tins. I used my biscuit cutters.

Spray your pan with non-stick cooking spray before placing the circles into the bottoms. Next, roll out thin strips (about 1 1/2" wide) to line the sides as shown below.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, then pull out to cool.

Coconut Custard Recipe:

1 pkg silken tofu (1 lb.)- the kind sold in the plastic tub with water
1 can coconut cream (14 oz.)
1/4 - 1/2 C. confectioner's sugar to desired sweetness
1 T. cornstarch
pinch of tumeric to desired color (optional)

Taiwanese desserts are typically not very sweet, so you can adjust the sugar to the amount you like. This filling could be a great pudding if you heat it on the stove (until just heated through) and let cool in the fridge.

Pour the custard into each muffin tin to almost the top of the crusts. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until they look set and tops are puffy. Let cool and chill in the fridge. You can eat these at room temp, but like I said, they were better the next day after chilling.

This made about 15 tarts.

Taiwanese Brunch- A Mother's Legacy

It's been difficult observing Mom deteriorate due to her advanced cancer, but despite the somber undertones, we managed to make this year's Mother's Day a true celebration. Unlike previous years, filled with fancy bouquets and humorous cards, this time it was a celebration of Mom's life and history as a first generation Taiwanese-American woman, a celebration through food.
She immigrated here when she was 31 in 1970, bringing with her all the traditions and recipes from her homeland. My older brother, Patrick (his American name), was 3 when she brought them both over to the "Promise Land" to meet Dad, who had already been here alone for a year, due to the immigration laws of that time. They settled here in Davis, and never left the area.

Growing up, Mom made some incredible food- dishes from Taiwan, which of course, I didn't fully appreciate at the time. A lot of the dishes were adapted and simplified, due to the scarcity of certain herbs and spices, but they always reflected the simplicity and depth of flavor of Taiwan cuisine.

The flavors of Taiwan are mainly influenced by Chinese cuisine, and some Japanese and Cantonese as well. Some typical ingredients include, sesame oil, ginger, fermented bean paste, and five spice. There are also a lot of seafood dishes, as well as vegetarian foods (influence of the Taiwanese Buddhists). A lot of dishes are soups and stews, and there are many varieties of pickles eaten.

Although neither of my parents are vegan (like me), they have really taken to my vegan cooking this past year, since I've been making them dinners to help out. Also, they feel an urgency to do all they can to extend Mom's life, and the food I make definitely fits in with the doctor's recommendations for a low sodium, high fiber diet. They've also been reading up on nutrition and healing for cancer, and have reduced their meat intake considerably- although Mom has terrible cravings for In & Out Burgers from time to time! Yes, she's been Americanized!

For Mom's Day, my brother and I made some of her favorite dishes (he made the ones with meat).

"Ma Yu Gey" Drunken Chicken- simmered in a ginger, sesame oil, and Chinese wine broth. Is known for being medicinal and often eaten when people are sick.

Here's my version that I made later with similar seasonings... "Drunken Veggies" LOL!

"Lo Neng" Stewed Eggs- Hard boiled eggs are peeled and simmered in a seasoned soy sauce broth until their whites have been darkened and flavored by the broth. I think this could easily be done with tofu, but the broth should not be too salty!

"Yin Tsai" Chinese Spinach- Simply stir fried with garlic and brown beech mushrooms. This vegetable is also called Edible Amaranth, and has hollow stems.

"Goh Tieh" Potstickers- wouldn't be a celebration for Mom without these! Typically made with ground pork, she actually likes my version with tofu and chives from her garden. You can find my recipe from last year here.

I forget the name for pickles, because my parents call them "pickles." Here are three different kinds. Most common are vegetables pickled in soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and various seasonings. I added caraway seeds to mine.

"Dan Ta" Egg Custard Tarts- I made these vegan with a tofu-coconut filling. The crust is typically made with a puff pastry dough, and originated in Hong Kong. There are now a Portuguese version that's more like a creme brulee, a Chinese version that's more eggy, and these look more like the Taiwanese version with a thinner, less flakey crust. These were really good, and I will post this recipe soon!

I almost forgot the most important thing... RICE (here is my half-eaten bowl). When people in Taiwan say "How are you?" -its literal translation means, "Have you eaten your rice today?"

Mom doesn't cook much anymore, but gives good directions!

"Don't burn the chicken, Pat!" (Just kidding)

Dad's elementary school picture in Taiwan

During the meal, as we have done during many prior meals, we started talking about how things were in the "old country." Both my parents came from large, poor families, living in rural Taiwan during the tail end of World War II. Mom, being the oldest of 7 sisters and 1 brother, often took care of her younger siblings, making sure they had enough to eat and hand-made clothes to wear. Dad remembered going to school without shoes, and trekking across large hills to buy rice and carry it home- stories one would think were exaggerated to keep us kids humble, but were actually true!

Mom was a Dance and P.E. major in college

It's amazing to look at my parents' old photos.

As time seems to grow shorter and shorter, I am feeling more and more indebted to Mom for passing her rich memories and culinary knowledge to me. Little did she know that I would be so involved with food as an adult- a lot to do with her, and her passion for good food. She was never one to discourage little hands helping in the kitchen, and even unrelentingly imparted cooking tips, which of course, my brother and I resisted in our rebellious, ungrateful teenage years. And, as I reflect on the fact that we didn't always get along, I feel the desire to lift that weight and bring all the good times to the foreground... It makes me smile and long for Mom in the kitchen, making some good Taiwanese food.

Pad Thai Remix

Spicy, sweet, tangy, savory rice noodles with non-traditional veggies, i.e. rainbow chard, and marinated pan fried tofu, onions, garlic, ginger, toasted cashews, and a squeeze of lime.

That time of the day never ceases to stump me- "What to make for dinner...?" Others aren't usually much help around here, with replies like, "I dunno. Whatever is fine..." (ugh!) So my usual routine is to stick my head into the fridge and/or pantry and just stare. Sometimes I stare for so long my mind wanders and I forget what I'm staring for!

Luckily, I spotted a package of rice noodles and immediately thought of pad thai. That rich, spicy, flavorful noodle- a one dish wonder. It's nice when inspiration hits you like that! So I looked around for some complimentary ingredients, and found most everything except bean sprouts, which is one of the traditional veggies. I did, however have a lovely bunch of rainbow Swiss chard. If you haven't tried chard before, please do- it's delicious and gives a great vibrant color!

8-10oz. package dry rice stick noodles
1 white onion, sliced into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package extra firm tofu, drained and patted with a towel
sprinkling of nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, white pepper, and salt
1/2 C. raw cashews (or roasted)
1 bunch rainbow Swiss chard, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
3 slices of ginger
soy sauce
vegetarian fish sauce
Asian sweet garlic red chili sauce (it looks like a thick clear sauce with red chili flakes and specks of garlic- not the one in oil or the one that looks completely red)
rice vinegar
lime juice
veg oil for stir frying (about 3 T.)

First, soak your rice noodles until they're pliable (about 15 minutes). Drain noodles and set aside. Next, prepare everything for quick stir frying. Drain the tofu and cut into small chunks- pat dry to remove excess water. Sprinkle with some salt, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and white pepper (set aside). Wash and cut up the chard, onions, garlic, and ginger. The trick here is to quick fry everything separately in a hot wok. I start with a little vegetable oil, and fry the onions until slightly tender, then add the garlic for a couple more minutes- constantly tossing. Remove this into a bowl, and toast the cashews-turning constantly until toasty. Remove and add a little more oil to fry the tofu. Cook on each side until slightly crispy. Remove and add the last batch of oil and add the ginger slices and the chard. Stir fry until wilted, then remove and dispose of the ginger. Remove the chard and start making the sauce by adding about a cup and a half of the sweet garlic chili sauce. Add a splash of vinegar, splash of veg fish sauce, and splash of soy sauce. Taste and adjust. Add soaked and drained noodles, toss and cook for 5 minutes or until just tender. Add all the other ingredients. Squeeze some lime juice over the top, and serve hot.

Garnish with: lime wedges, chopped green onions, and cilantro

Lima Beans in Lechon Sauce

Yes, more ethnic flair today! My husband, Mike is Filipino American, and grew up eating vast amounts of this sauce. The word lechon means pig, so you can imagine what he ate it with. The sauce itself is vegan, and is sweet, spicy, tangy, and garlicy, and can be found in most Asian markets.

To pay homage to all the pigs that were sacrificed for us before we became vegan, I chose to pair this sauce with some giant meaty lima beans. I didn't go to much trouble preparing this dish, although I could've wrapped everything in banana leaves and put on some Filipino karaoke! To everyone's relief, I opted instead to serve it with a glass of ice-cold calamansi (sweet lime) juice, to finish off the theme (because let's face it, nobody wants to hear me sing)... whew!

Ingredients:

2 C. lima beans (soaked overnight and cooked al-dente)
1 C. onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
one bunch of collard greens, stripped from stem and chopped
1 C. tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 C. lechon sauce (I like the spicy version)
1 C. water
1 T. soy sauce
1 T. agave nectar
2 T. nutritional yeast flakes
3-4 bay leaves
cracked black pepper

Spinz:

When you boil your beans, add the collard greens about 5 minutes before the beans are done- they should still have a slight bite to them. Drain, and set aside. Saute the onion in a little vegetable oil on high heat, stiring until it starts to turn brown. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or so. Add the beans and collard greens and stir to combine. Add the remaining ingredients (lechon sauce, water, soy sauce, agave nectar, nutritional yeast flakes, bay leaves, and tomatoes). Let simmer until the beans are nice and soft. Remove the bay leaves, add cracked black pepper to taste, and serve over steamed rice.

Spicy Eggplant & Tofu With Garlic Sauce

I'm fortunate to be living relatively near Asian supermarkets, where I could probably spend all day looking in wonderment at all of the exotic ingredients that remind me of my childhood. As a 2nd-generation Asian, I don't make Asian food all the time, but still crave the flavors pretty often. Today, I made this dish using a black bean & garlic paste that may be found in regular supermarkets on the "Ethnic" isle if you're not close to any Asian markets. It is a blend of soy sauce, black beans, garlic, a little sugar and ginger. This is wonderful over rice, but I opted to put it over a bed of Korean vermicelli, which is a translucent noodle made of sweet potatoes... cool, huh?

1 T. oil
1 C. onions, chopped
3 C. eggplant, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained & cubed
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. black bean paste
1 T. hoisin sauce (should be more common in supermarkets)
1 T. red pepper flakes (adjust amount to your liking)
2 T. sugar
2 C. water + a little more to mix with cornstarch
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
3 green onions, sliced

Spinz:

Mix together the soy sauce, bean paste, hoisin, pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl. Saute the onions in the oil on high heat for a bit until just turning brown. Stir, and if it looks too dry, add a few tablespoons of water to help it along. Add eggplant, garlic, and pre-mixed sauce and stir to coat. Mix in 2 cups of water and let simmer. In a small bowl or cup, put in the cornstarch (first), then add a little water to dissolve. Add this to the mix to thicken it up. Lastly, add the green onions.

Vegan Pot Stickers

A different way to use that leftover seitan...
After making my trial seitan roast, which turned out too chewy and dry, I ground it up in a food processor and mixed in a few ingredients to make a filling for these pot stickers. Being an Asian kid, I learned how to make the skins from my mom. They're soft, chewy, crunchy on the bottom, and a lot better than the store-bought kind! Plus they were always made without eggs.

Pot Sticker Dough

Ingredients:

3 C. all purposed unbleached flour (sorry, wheat flours just don't work in this)
3/4 C. warm water

Spinz:

Put flour in a bowl and mix in the water gradually until the mixture starts to come together. Knead until it forms a smooth elastic dough, adding more water or more flour as needed. Wrap dough ball in plastic and put in the fridge to rest.

Filling

Ingredients:

1/2 C. raw cashews
3/4 C. ground seitan (may substitute TVP, but may need more water to hydrate)
1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. soy sauce
3/4 tsp Bryanna's broth powder
4 T. water
1/4 C. green onions
1/4 C. shredded carrots

Spinz:

In a food processor, blend cashews with a little water to form a thin paste (consistency of Elmer's glue). Put ground seitan in a bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix in cashew paste until combined well.
Cut the dough in half and roll each piece into a rough 1 inch diameter "log" and cut the log into 1" pieces. On a floured surface, press the piece into a round disc and roll thin with a rolling pin. Place about 1 T. of filling into the middle (size may vary according to the size of your wrapper).



Bring opposite edges to the middle and pinch together. Now here's the hard part: one side needs to be pleated, so while pinching the middle with finger tips on one hand, use the other to pleat one side towards the outer edge. Repeat towards opposite edge while holding the middle and form into a crescent shape. If you get frustrated, you can always just pinch them together - just won't be as pretty!

Cooking:

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add about 2 T. veg oil to make a thin layer(non-stick skillet is best). Turn heat to high, and start adding pot stickers- you can fit more if you arrange them in a sunburst pattern. Once they start to sizzle, add enough water to cover them almost to their tops. Cover with lid and steam for about 15 minutes or until you hear them start to sizzle again and no more steam is escaping. Don't walk too far away from these, 'cause they'll burn! Check to see if they're nice and brown on the bottom before removing from pan with a spatula. They're not called "pot stickers" for nothin'- so don't skip the cooking spray! Lift them out with a good spatula. To eat: Dip in soy sauce and rice vinegar.

Tipz:

You can make the dough ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Also, feel free to play around with the filling with herbs and seasonings that you like (ginger, cilantro, five spice, lemongrass, etc.).

Nutrition Info (serving size is 2 fat pot stickers): 306 calories/ 6g total fat/ 1g sat. fat/ 267mg sodium/ 174mg potassium/ 52g tot carb/ 4g fiber/ 2.4g sugar/ 12g protein