Caramelized Kimchi Anyone..

Caramelized Kimchi Fries

The most amazing combination, happen when you pair these unlikely ingredients! 

This is my Veganized version of Chef Aaron Sanchez' famous late night snack

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2. Ingredients
3. 1/4 cup sugar
4. 1 oz.  distilled white vinegar ( 1/8 cup )
5. 1 tsp. olive oil
6. 1 large clove garlic, minced
7. 1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
8. 2 tablespoons Korean chile paste (gochujang)
9. 2 tablespoons soy sauce
10. 1 1/2 cup kimchi
11. 1/4 cup veganaise
12. 1 1/2 Tbsp. Sriracha
13. 3 potatoes, sliced into fries and baked with salt and pepper in the oven at 425 for 25 minutes, flipped and baked another 10 minutes.
14. Shredded vegan cheddar cheese,  chopped white onion, sliced scallions, cilantro, for serving 
15.  In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, chile paste and soy sauce. Add the kimchi and toss to coat. Heat the skillet with the tsp. of oil and cook the ginger and  garlic for a minute or so. turn up the heat until very hot. Add the kimchi and cook over high heat until the liquid is thick and the kimchi is caramelized in spots, about 10 minutes. If there seems to be too much liquid, dump some out in order for the kimchi to caramelize.
16. In a small container whisk the veganaise with the sriracha.
17. Divide the fries into to plates, top with the Kimchi., sprinkle with the vegan cheese, both onions and cilantro. Top with some Sriracha mayo and additional Sriracha, if you want an extra kick!
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Bao Heaven

Black Pepper & Ginger Crusted Tofu BAO 

with pickled vegetables

Serves 4- Four buns each

16 Bao buns- recipe in previous post

Pickled Vegetable

1 cup water

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup agave

1/2 tsp salt.

2 cups daikon, julienned

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

1 carrot, julienned ( optional )

1 habanero, or 2 jalapeno's  minced

For the Tofu

4 green scallions,  julienned 

2 tsp. Very coarse black pepper

2 tablespoons tapioca starch

2 teaspoons  sea salt

1 (16-ounce) firm tofu, pressed overnight

Coconut oil for frying

2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced

1/4 tsp chili powder

1-inch fresh ginger, peeled, and finely sliced lengthwise into thin matchsticks 

2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

In a small bowl or tray, mix the starch, salt, chili powder, and black pepper. Mix to combine.

Slice the block of tofu in half, then cut eat half into 8 pieces. Coat each piece in the pepper mixture and press into it, so it's coated well

In a large pan over high heat, heat the oil until hot. Start adding the coated tofu blocks. Turn down the heat to medium so they don't burn. Top with ginger and scallions. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the tofu blocks are slightly browned, add the garlic and stir fry another minute or so.  Work in batches if necessary.

Fill buns with a piece of tofu, pickled vegetable, and top with cilantro.

Savory Rice Porridge

CONGEE

with sauteed mustard greens, caramelized onion relish, hot pickled red onions, and chili oil

Congee

2 cups leftover cooked brown rice

4-5 cups of water

salt to tasteBring 4 cups of water to boil, and add the brown rice, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until rice breaks apart and turns into a pap-like consistency can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours.

Season with salt to taste

Serve with savory condiments ( pickled red onions, caramelized onion relish, and greens recipes are all listed on this blog )

Drizzle with hot chili oil and serve

Oodles of Noodles

Shiitake & Baby Bok Choy, Brown rice Noodle Bowl

4 cups, washed and thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

8 baby  bok choy, divided in to 4 lengthwise pieces each

5  Tbsp soy sauce, divided

2 Tbsp water

1 small onion, diced

2-3 tsp agave or 1/4 cup of mirin

1 tsp earth balance

1 tsp olive oil

2  Tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 medium cloves of garlic, crushed

1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tsp Sambal oelek 

Brown rice noodles for one, cooked according to package

Prepare mushrooms, sauce and bok choy.

–  In a large non stick pan heat earth balance and olive oil and cook onion for about 3-4 minutes. Add the   4 tablespoons soy sauce and add mushrooms.  Give a quick stir to coat and then cook on high heat for 6 minutes then give them another stir and cook an additional two minutes.  The should be brown, slightly crispy and a little caramelized, remove from pan and set aside

In the same pan, add the  agave or mirin, garlic, ginger, water, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and sambal oelek, cook until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the noodles,  bok choy and mushrooms.  Cook over medium high heat until bok choy is wilted.  Serve immediately.

Dimsum Heaven!

Daikon & Shiitake Bao

Bao Ingredients

2 packages or 4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups slightly warmed water

4 1/4 cups bread flour

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 rounded 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup Earth balance

Makes about 40

Combine the yeast and water in the bowl and mix well until dissolved.

Add the flour, sugar,  salt, baking powder, and earth balance and combine with your hands. Knead the dough ( about 10 minutes ) until it's a smooth ball. Lightly oil a large bowl, put the dough in it, and cover the bowl with a dry kitchen towel. Set aside in a arm placed until the dough doubles, about and hour and 15.

While the dough is rising, cut out two parchment squares for each bao.  ( I only use about 12 at a time, the rest I freeze for a later date. I'll explain when to do this later in the recipe)

Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a clean work surface. Fivide the dough in half, then divide each half into 5 equal pieces. Roll the pieces into logs, then cut each log into pieces.  I weighed out each ball at about 30 grams. Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the balls with plastic wrap and allow them to rise for 30 minutes.

 Flatten one ball with the palm of your hand, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a 4-inch-long oval.  Fold the oval in half, placing a piece of parchment in between the fold, to keep it from sticking together, them place in on a piece of parchment and place it back under the plastic 

At this point, I do 12 buns, and freeze the remaining balls for later use. 

 Let the 12 buns, rise for another 45 minutes.

Then place the buns in a steamer. Don't overlap or crowd them. Work in batches if necessary. Steam the buns on the parchment squares for 10 minutes. Let them cool, then stuff and eat!

Ingredients for Filling

• 1 piece of daikon  about 2-inches wide, and 6 inches long, peeled
• 1/2 cup white wine or sake
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons agave
• 1/2 cup water,
• 1 small piece kombu
• 12 fresh shiitake mushroom caps
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• Kosher salt
• Cut daikon into twelve 1/2-inch slices. Combine wine, mirin, soy, agave,water, and kombu  in a medium saucepan. Add daikon slices and shiitake. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook, turning and rotating daikon occasionally until daikon is completely tender and colored all the way through, about 30 minutes. Transfer daikon and mushrooms to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Return remaining liquid to a gently boil over medium heat and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. . 
• Fill the buns with filling and any other condiments you may enjoy. I used pickled daikon & cucumbers, scallions, cilantro and a vegan sriracha aoli.

Filling Recipe adapted from Serious eats

Onions galore !

Caramelized Onion Relish

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 large onion, sliced thin

2 tsp agave

6 Tbsp raspberry vinegar

2 Tbsp water

1/4 tsp sea salt

In a medium pan, over low heat, combine the oil, and salt and cook, stirring often until nicely brown and caramelized. ( The smell is intoxicating )  Stir in the agave, vinegar and water. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer until the liquid thickens. Adjust salt to taste.

Recipe adapted from The Inspired Vegan

Amazing Condiments

Hot Pickled Red Onions

I came across this little recipe, and being the lover of condiments, that I am,  I figured I'd give it a try, with a few twists of my own...and It's delicious!

2 cups Diced red onions

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup white vinegar

2 Tbsp agave

1 small habanero, diced fine

pinch of sea salt

1-2  tsp or coarse ground pepper

In a medium sized pan, over low heat, combine the vinegars, agave, salt and pepper, and hot pepper.

Stir well and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Add the onions and raise the heat, bringing to a boil. Once you reach the boil, remove it from the heat and cool  before transferring the contents to a pint sized jar. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

Adapted from The Inspired Vegan

Amazing Grilled Corn

Sriracha, Lime, and Sweet Chili Grilled Corn with Cilantro

1 Tbsp Black soy sauce

1-2 Tbsp. Sriracha depending on how you like it

2 limes squeezed or 1 large lemon

1-2 Tbsp Sweet Chili Sauce depending on how sweet you like it

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

 Combine all ingredients and coat corn in it.

Grill & Enjoy!

Potato Verde

Sometimes you just stumble on a ridiculously simple, and  delicious dish, such as this one.
I was in the mood for some salsa Verde...and while whipping up a batch, I realized  I had nothing to eat it with... so I threw on  some boiled potatoes and whoa-la ... Potato Verde is what you get!

2-3 organic butter potatoes per person
1/4 avocado per person

1 pound tomatillos
2 habaneros peppers
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1/2 an onion, quartered
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup water
juice of 1 lime
kosher or sea salt, to taste
1-2 tsp agave, optional

Boil the potatoes in salt water and cook until tender but not soft

Make Salsa
Roast tomatillos over an open flame ( I did mine on my gas stove) with a pair of tongs, and roast the skin until blistered and somewhat charred.
Place a flat top on the stove and heat to med-high heat. Mist with spritz of olive oil, then wipe off.
Roast garlic, onions and hot peppers until somewhat charred.

Let veggies cool off silghty, then place all of them into the blender except for two of the tomatillos and 1/2 of the onion, which you need to dice fine ( if you like it chunky)
Add the cilantro, lime juice, water, salt and agave if using and blend until the smoothness of your liking. Add the diced tomatillos and onion and add to the salsa and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Spoon the salsa verde over the warm potatoes and serve with sliced avocados!

Summer Spring Rolls

Summer Spring Rolls with  a Citrus & Cilantro dipping Sauce

Ingredients

Rice paper wrappers

Sliced fresh veggies... I used

yellow peppers, scallions, red cabbage- shredded, sprouts, basil leaves, sliced avocados, and fresh spinach leaves.

Cilantro Citrus Dipping Sauce

2 Tbsp cilantro, minced

2 lemons or 3 limes squeezed, seeds removed

3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1-2 tsp of agave

dash of salt and pepper

1/8 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapenos

Soak each wrapper in water for 20 seconds or so, until it's  soft and pliable. Remove from water and place on a dry kitchen towel. Place your sliced veggies in the center, and wrap paper around the veggies, fold in the sides, and continue rolling until you have a tight cylinder.

Combine all dipping Sauce ingredients and mix well, and get busy dipping!