Japanese Potato Salad, Potato Totoros, and Vegan Kewpie Mayo

A long time ago, when my host daughter Emiko made Japanese potato salad for us, I was dubious. Unlike the American version, it was extremely simple: potatoes, cooked carrots, peas, mayo, and salt. Then I tasted it, and thought it was genius.


Kewpie mayo is the Japanese standard that everyone uses over there, and the ONLY mayo considered acceptable in potato salad. It's what a lot of our sushi restaurants use on their fancy sushi rolls as well. It's not as tangy and a little sweeter than American mayo, and creamier in texture. It also has a happy yellow tint to it. They use rice vinegar instead of distilled vinegar, which people say is the key to it's popular flavor. It also contains MSG, and I'm thinking that has to do with its addictiveness more than anything.

Kewpie Japanese Mayonnaise, sold in most Asian markets

Homemade Kewpie Mayonnaise, veganized

To "veganize" this, I had quite the challenge. But after a few taste tests from myself and some Kewpie experts, I think I'm on to something. I made use of the natural sweetness of cashews and carrots, so there's no added sugar or sweeteners, and much less added oil. You can reduce the oil by half if you like, but it won't be as shiny and melt-in-your-mouth. There's also no MSG.

This makes much more than the recipe requires, so feel free to jar leftovers and use it for other purposes.

Vegan Kewpie Mayonnaise

(makes about 26 oz.)

Ingredients:

1 C. cashews (unroasted, unsalted)

1 C. water + 1/4 C. water to add later

1 package (12 oz.) Mori Nu Extra Firm Silken Tofu

1/4 C. thinly sliced carrots

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

1/4 C. extra virgin olive oil

Spinz:

Place cashews and 1 cup water into a sauce pan and heat until boiling. Turn off heat and set aside to let cool for about 15 minutes. In a food processor, pour in the cashew-carrot-water mixture and blend until finely chopped. Note: if you want a thicker mayo, drain off about a little of the liquid before blending (you can always add in more if needed). Add all other ingredients, except the 1/4 C. water, and puree until smooth. If it's too thick, add the water a little at a time until you get the right consistency. Blend for a good 5 minutes or more, scraping down the sides every so often- you want it silky smooth without any grittiness from the nuts. Chill in the fridge before using.

Since this is a healthier potato salad challenge, I though I'd include some interesting nutritional comparisons with both regular mayo and the vegan standard:

What's great about making your own, is that you can make adjustments.
If you're worried about sodium, for instance, you can substitute a low
sodium salt, or reduce the overall amount.  Also, vegan mayo is naturally 
cholesterol-free, whereas the Kraft mayo has 5mg of cholesterol per serving.

Kahaku Namasu (literally: Red & White Pickled Salad)

Although the simplicity of this potato salad is genius as mentioned, I thought I'd add another dimension to it, because I just couldn't help myself! To add a little zing and crunch, I decided to make some Kahaku Namasu (carrot & daikon pickled salad). It's the same stuff they use in those incredible Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwiches, so you know what to do with any leftovers!

Make very thin matchstick slices

Kahaku Namasu

Spinz:

After cutting up about 1 cup each of both daikon and carrots (as shown above), place them into a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt (about 1 tsp). Massage the salt into the veggies, then set aside to allow them to release some of their moisture. Mix together the following into a tuperware container:

Dressing:

1 C. rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

1 C. raw sugar

1/4 C. water

Heat for about 1 minute in the microwave to dissolve the sugar, then chill and set in the fridge to cool.

After about 30 minutes, you'll see that the carrots and daikon have released a lot of their water. Wrap them in a towel and squeeze out any excess. Put them into the dressing, and let them marinate for 10-15 minutes. Do not soak too long, because they will get soft and not crunchy. Drain off the dressing, then store them in the fridge until ready to use.

Now you're ready to boil the potatoes. I used about 2 pounds of red boiler potatoes, and put them into a large pot of cold salted water with an inch of cover. Boil them until a fork goes in easily. Drain, and mash while still warm. I decided to leave the skins in, but you can peel them first. Let cool to room temp.

To this I added:

1/2 C. frozen petite peas (thawed)

1/2 C. finely chopped green onions

1 C. of the Kahaku Namasu

Vegan Kewpie Mayo (to desired creaminess)

Mix everything together, and it's ready!

"Ta Daaaa!"

Potato "Totoros"

"Oishii (Delicious)!"

If you haven't seen Totoro before, here's the trailer for it. I fell in love with the Japanese version with subtitiles, and if you can find it, that is the one to watch!








Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

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!

Brown Rice Sushi and Deep Fried Pickles

Yes, this is a strange meal for St. Patty's Day... but I've just never been able to get into this holiday. I've never had Irish stew or corned beef and cabbage (although some of the recent vegan posts do look quite appealing). The only memory I have is of getting pinched in elementary school for not wearing green! Not that I've been scarred or anything (eh-hem!), but aren't those little leprechauns kinda scary, like clowns? Who here was(is) afraid of Ronald McDonald? Well, that's another story...

I do, however enjoy green foods- as long as it's not from an artificial dye #5 or ground up beetles, or some unknown chemical process!

So, here is my contribution- that has nothing to do with St. Patrick, except for the Luck 'o the Irish green. I'm not sure that fried pickles goes with sushi, but hey- it's California and we're crazy like that. I've been told that avocados are not a traditional sushi ingredient, but I can't think a good vegan sushi roll without it! Yay for the California Roll!

I made three variations of sushi. The one shown above is an "inside out roll" with the nori on the inside and the rice and avocado on the outside. The brown rice (actually a mix of 1/3 quinoa and 2/3 brown rice) was made a bit stickier by adding a bit more water in the rice steamer. How much? My guesstimate is about 1/2 cup more than usual. It is filled with a spicy chickpea "tuna" mixture and pea shoots.

NOTE: It helps to have a good sharp, finely serrated knife (which I didn't have)! To help out my lack of tools, clear plastic wrap was my savior both in rolling it and holding the roll together while I cut it... a trick taught to me by my friend who is a sushi chef.

The above picture is my nigiri "seatbelt" sushi, as we call it. This is an easy alternative to those who are sushi-roll challenged. The hard part is making sure that the rice is packed firm so it won't fall apart when picked up. I made this one with short grain white rice. NOTE: Make sure your hands are wet when handling sticky rice... no explanation needed.

To make this, simply make an oblong ball of rice in your hands by holding and shaping the rice in one hand, and compressing the rice with the other hand. Layer seasoned baked tofu (or tofu of choice- I made a teriyaki marinade and sauce) and a thin slice of avocado. Cut roasted nori into 1/2"-1" strips and wrap with the seam side down. I topped mine with some roasted white sesame seeds and also drizzled some home made teriyaki sauce.

Lastly, this was my attempt at a hand roll variation with the spicy chickpea "tuna." I started with half a sheet of roasted nori, and spread a layer of sushi rice and chickpea mixture in one of the lower corners. Then, I just rolled it into a cone shape and topped with a little more of the mixture, some black sesame seeds, and pea shoots. This would be great with cucumber too. These were probably the easiest to make, but a little messy to eat!

And now for the Pickles! If I haven't already mentioned, Mark (my housemate) is originally from England and came over here when he was about 18. He's also owned a couple of restaurants and loves to cook. Needless to say, he makes a mean fish 'n' chips! For these babies, it was a similar batter- very light and crispy, with the use of seltzer water. Mark had picked up this HUGE can of Costco-sized sliced dill pickles, and has been promising to make these for like a year! Finally, dude! Cee said they tasted like good salt and vinegar chips, and we ate these dipped in my creamy cucumber dill sauce. This was a very non-traditional "tempura" to my sushi, but very tasty and my first time trying them! I only ate one, as I don't like to eat too many fried foods, but these can be addictive- be careful!

Here are the recipes:

Sushi Rice Seasoning

• 3 T. rice vinegar
• 2 T. water
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. dark sesame oil

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if you like your sushi rice sweeter (as my husband does). Spread out about 3 cups of room-temp rice on a plate, making sure it's pretty even. Drizzle seasoning lightly over the rice with a spoon (don't use all of it). Mix the rice and taste. Add more seasoning until it's the strength you like.

Baked Teriyaki Tofu & Sauce:

• 1 pkg extra firm tofu
• 1/2 C. soy sauce or tamari
• 1 C. water
  
• brown sugar
• 1 T. mirin (rice wine)
  
• orange rind of one orange
  
• orange juice of one orange
  
• few thin slices of ginger
• 2-3 T. arrowroot & a little water

In a saucepan, mix everything except the arrowroot. Drain the tofu and slice into small rectangles (about 1/2" thick). Gently pat them dry with a towel to remove excess water. Place the rectangles onto a prepared baking sheet and spoon teriyaki mixture over the tops. Flip them over to completely coat, and bake for about 10 min. at 425. Heat the remaining sauce until boiling. In a cup, add a the arrowroot, then add a little water to dissolve. Whisk this slurry into the boiling sauce until thickened to a thin gravy consistency. Take off heat and set aside to cool.

Spicy Chickpea "Tuna":

• 1 15oz. can of chickpeas, drained
• 2-3 T. shredded nori
  
• 2 T. Vegenaise
• Siracha sauce
  
• squeeze of lemon
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika

Roughly mash the chickpeas and mix in the remaining ingredients. Adjust the spicyness by adding more Siracha as needed. I didn't add this, but minced green onions would be good in it.

Fried Pickles:

• @25oz. jar of sandwich sliced dill pickles (more or less)
• 1 C. all purpose flour + small amount to dust pickles with
  
• 1 C. Seltzer water
  
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt & pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Dip pickles in flour until lightly coated, shaking off excess. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk in seltzer water until you get a thin pancake consistency. Dip the pickles in the batter and fry.