Stir Fry - Pineapple Orange

Sweet.

Simple.

Chopsticks!

Adapted from K's Veg Recipes

Sauce: Pineapple juice, orange zest, soy sauce, rice vinegar, corn starch
Veggies: broccoli, carrots, onion, bok choy
Served with brown rice, Orange-Pineapple Setian, and chopsticks

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Multi-Nut Stir Fry (Pine Nuts!)

Here's something really pretty, really tastey, and really easy.  In other words, I could eat this every week and still be happy.  I got some pine nuts for Christmas, (I know, I'm weird), and this is how I broke the pakcage open.   Oh my gosh, this was so good.  The pine nuts and sun flower seeds, neither of  which I had eaten in a stir fyr before, were absolutely fabulous.  Although the ration of noodles to veggies was higher than I would normally do, this has got ot be one of my favourite stir fries that I have made in a long time.  The leftovers were good, too, which was a huge plus.

Triple Nut Stir Fry

Serves 4

Adapted from 101 Vegetarian Cookbooks

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mirin
½ cup tamarind juice
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Chili sauce, to taste

Fine-grain sea salt

2 bundles soba noodles, cooked
12 ounces fried tofu

1 onion, sliced

4 carrots, sliced into thin strips

2 baby bok choy, sliced

Sesame seeds, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds

Mix together the sugar through the sea salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Heat a bit of water in a wok over high heat, and then add the onion. After a minute add in the carrots, and then cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the bok choy and cook until almost tender. Add the tofu, sauce, and noodles. Keep stirring until combined. Serve topped with sesame seeds, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds.

A Tale of Two... Soups

Last semester, we read A Tale of Two Cities in english.  I know that that was several weeks ago, but for some reason that topic just appeals to me right now, and so here's my opinion on Mr. Dickens.  He's way too wordy.  I mean, seriously, just get to the point.  Most of the other people that I have talked to also agree with me.  Sometimes I wonder how Dickens manages to write that much about so little.  The really funny thing is that when I read A Christman Carol, the reading did not at all seem bogged down by wordy discriptions.  But when reading A Tale of Two Cities, that seemed to happen all the time.  I remember I spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out what had happened on a single page.  And this guy was one of the best authors of all times?  Um, ok.  I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to really appreciate the finer points of life.  Because a chef is just such a lowly position in life, and not artsy at all.  Sure.  Whatever. 

I'm jsut really glad ATOTC is over.  And really hope that I will not have to read Dickens much more, because I think I would like to find his grave and punch him in the face for torturing us students with way too many complicated plots and words, with long and winding discriptions.  Meant sarcastically, of course.

One of the soups, which I created after an aweful day, was spectacular.  And the other soup, which I made tonight after a spectacular day, was spectacular.  The first soup was a light concoction, and I got to use my new asian bowl and spoon, which you can see in the pictures.  That was really exciting... And the soup itself was so good and full of flavour.  And it has very few calories for being so full of flavour, which is always a nice bonus.  The egg was, I thought, very creative and original, and something that I would normally never even dream of.  But there you have it. 

The other, more hearty winter stew was rather good too.  When eating it tonight, my eyes were watering for quite some time, because the soup was so hot (not spicy).  And then, when I was making it, the soup nearly did not fit into our kettle, it was that big.  But, oh my gosh, it was really good and filling and full of flavour.

“Mutton” and Coconut Stew

Serves 8-10

Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen


1 onion, roughly chopped
2 cups cauliflower, cut into small flowerets

4 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tbsp grated ginger

1 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes 1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp masaman curry paste, or to taste
3 medium red potatoes, chopped
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with a couple tbsps water
4 cups “mutton”, cut into bite sized pieces
1 ½ cups frozen sweet peas
A few drops coconut extract
More cilantro, to garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and cauliflower, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue sautéing for 5 more minutes or so, until the onion is tender. Add the tomatoes through potatoes, and simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes are almost tender. Add the remaining ingredients, and then serve with additional cilantro and salt and pepper.

Omelet Soup
Serves 6-8
Adapted from Chinese and Thai 400
1 egg for every 2 bowls being served at the time

1/2 tsp peanut oil

7 cups water plus equivalent bullion
4 carrots, chopped
2 baby bok choy, shredded
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with ½ cup water
½ bunch spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped cilantro and green onions, to serve

Beat the eggs lightly with a fork in a small bowl. Heat a small frying pan with the oil, and pour in the egg. Swirl to coat the bottom of the pan, and then let cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the egg is golden. Remove to a cutting board, roll the omelet, and then chop into ribbons. Set aside.
Meanwhile, add the water through bok choy to a pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, and then add the soy sauce, through spinach. Cook until the spinach has wilted, about 5 minutes.
Serve garnished with the egg ribbons and cilantro and cilantro.

Wild Rice, Veggies, and Tofu

I went to a Sur La Table yesterday, and wanted to look at knives.  Actually, the real reason M and I went there was because I had seen some really cool ornaments for out tree.  We ended up getting a carrot, a head of garlic, broccoli, a tomato, and a bunch of bananas.  They are some of the cutest ornaments that I have ever seen... I love them so much. 

M and I both really want new knives.  We got to talk to a person who was at the knife station, and he showed us a brand that I really liked called Global.  Appearently, they are Japanese, and really popular in California.  Go figure.  But I loved them, mostly because they were so light weight.  Now I really, really want a nice new set of knives.

But, dispite that, I still managed to make one of the best stir frys ever tonight.  And I learned a new way to make tofu- broiling it.  That gives the tofu a nice texture- all crusty and firm.  Oh, I loved this dish.  The sauce was nice and thick, and the wild rice was different and quite a nice change.  L-O-V-E it.  Not to mention it was a nice dish to kind of clean up some leftover things in the fridge and pantry.  The cilantro was a nice touch too, I thought.  And this looked so gourmet too, like something you would find in a fancy restaurant.  And I bet this is way healthier that what you would find at any restaurant, too.

Orangey Tofu and Veggies

Serves 4

Adapted from The Book of Yum

19 oz tofu, cut into 4 slabs and pressed

2 tbsp sherry

¼ cup orange sauce

3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp chili garlic paste
1 tbsp corn starch
½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 tsp grated ginger
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4 baby bok choy, chopped

Wild rice, to serve

Preheat the broiler. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray, and put the tofu in a single layer on there.

Meanwhile, mix together the sherry though cilantro in a small bowl.
Broil the tofu for 7-8 minutes on each side, until golden and firm, and keep warm if it finishes before you are ready to serve.

Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms with a bit of water, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, stir those in, and add the green onion. Cook for another couple minutes and add the sauce and bok choy. Continue cooking until the bok choy is tender, about 4 more minutes.

Serve, rice first, then veggies, and finally the tofu.

Traditional Look, Spectacular Taste

It's almost the holiday season.  And I have two weeks of school left.  And I have one week of insaneness until final exams.  That about sums up my life to the T.  I had to write three essays and take two tests on Thursday, and that was quite a pain.  Yesterday, when I was chopping an onion for dinner, my hand started to sieze up because of all the furious writing I had been doing.  I feel like I am so tired - I have almost fell asleep standing up, which is rather pathetic.  I honestly wonder how people pull off all-nighters, because I think 10.30 is my cuttoff point.  But then again, I'm just unusual in that respect.  School is the reason that this blog is getting neglected, and it's getting quite depressing.   I would much rather read and write about food that Louis IXV.  Cooking is much more exciting.

Especially when I stumble across a gem of a stir fry like this one.  It's fantabulous.  Absolutely one of the best stir frys that I have ever made.  No clue why, either, which kind of stinks, but I ended up hogging most of it for myself, and would not let M eat the leftovers, because it was just THAT good.  This is actually pne stir fry I might make again, because I rarely repeat a stir fry.  It will hold a special place in my heart, that is for sure.   It has just the right combination of sauce ingredients and veggies, and is quite warming and will perk up any day.  I wouldn't mind having some right now, and it's seven in the morning.

I say it looks traditional because it really does.  That's the first thing that popped in my head when the plate came in front of my nose at dinner.  I guess that's because it has all these old-school stir fry veggies, and the "beef" only helps that image.  But really, I think that it does not really matter what it looks like, and the taste blowed me out of the water. 

Traditional-Looking Vegetarian Mutton Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Adapted from The Book of Yum

4 carrots, coined
1 tbsp grated ginger
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced

3 cups broccoli florets

2-3 cups green cabbage, shredded
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup-ish edammame
2 large baby bok choy
12 oz fingerling potatoes, cut in half and boiled for 9 minutes, until tender
1 lb. vegetarian mutton, defrosted and cut into bite-sized pieces
Sauce:
3 tbsp agave nectar or honey
2 tbsp chili garlic sauce
¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp Better Than Bullion Vegetarian Beef Bullion
¼ cup soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the carrots, ginger, and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté for another minute. Add the broccoli, and then after a minute add the cabbage and green onions. Sauté for a couple more minutes and add the edammame and bok choy. After another minute add the sauce, potatoes, and mutton. When the sauce has thickened and the stir fry is hot, serve over rice.  Add extra salt and pepper, if desired.

Chop Suey

There's not really much to say tonight.  My testing extravaganza is over, and I did pretty well.  Except in English, but what can I say?...  And barely any homework tonight, which is really nice, to say the least.  So lots of time to cook!  I still can't wait for Thanksgiving, though, because I have such an awesome idea.  Which I really hopes to turn out alright...

I have realized that the ingredients list on my stir frys are getting more and more lengthy, but there're not that complex.  Half of the things are for the sauce, and I have all of them on hand.  It's just kind of intimidating, though.

I L-O-V-E the beef in this stir fry.  Seriously, it's amazing.  M isn't such a fan, so I have it all to myself, pretty much!  Yay!  Again, this is quite quick to pull off, and it's unusually colourful.  I don't really think it resembles chop suey very much, but it still tastes good, and that's what counts, right? 

I agree.

Chop Suey

Serves 4-6

Inspired by Wok

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp yellow bean sauce

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

2 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp Better Than Bullion Beef Flavouring

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, coined
.75 lb shiitake mushrooms, chopped

2-ish cups red cabbage, shredded

1 red bell pepper, chopped
.75 lb snow peas, trimmed
1 package vegetarian beef (about 3 cups), defrosted and cubed
2-3 baby bok choy, chopped
2-3 cups bean sprouts
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cashews, for topping

Mix together the soy sauce through bullion in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a large wok over high heat with a bit of water. Saute the onion and carrots, and after two minutes add the mushrooms. Continue sautéing for three more minutes, and then add the cabbage, bell pepper, and snow peas. After another two minutes or so stir in the beef. When the veggies warm up again add the bok choy, salt and pepper, and sauce. About 30 seconds before it is done cooking stir in the bean sprouts.

Serve over rice or whatever, and top with cashews.

Five Spice Multi-Coloured Chicken Stir Fry

So, today I ran a 5k, the first one that I have ran in a while.  I'm really excited about how well I did.  Yes, I am really avid about excersise, and love running.  I ended up doing the 5k in 27 minutes, 29 seconds, which coverts to an 8:52 mile!!  That's awesome for me... I kind of feel like a whimp, because I know that's really not all that good in the grand scheme of things, but it's a personal best, that's for sure.  That really made my day.  And M reached her goal, too, of 10 minute miles.  So we're both satisfied.  And I beat M.  Heehee.  I also got a free banana, which is always nice.  Plus the T-shirts are really cool.

Now that I got that out of my system, on to the important part.  Here's another stir fry with one of those awesome vegetarian chickens.  I keep forgetting to look on the package to see how much the thing actually weighs, so I'll have to remember to do that one of these days...  I normally don't cook with any bell pepper but red, but the yellow seems to go very nicely with the stir fry.  Kind of a story behind this one- M and I got home at 5.30, and normally if that happens then we have leftovers.  But I knew that was impossible, so we ended up whipping dinner out in an hour- this stif fry, plus our usual two monster salads.  Which was really impressive, if I do say so myself.

And, just another little random thing that made me happy.  I found two pennies on the ground...  Childish joys!

Five Spice Multi-Coloured Chicken Stir Fry

Inspired by Wok

Serves 4-6

1 generous tbsp five spice powder
1 generous tbsp Better Than Bullion Beef Flavouring
4 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp vegetarian stir fry sauce
2 tsp yellow curry paste
1 generous tbsp yellow bean paste
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp corn starch
1 onion, sliced thick
2 carrots, coined
2 portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 small bunch asparagus, trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2-3 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 baby bok choy, chopped into ribbons
1 vegetarian chicken, defrosted chopped into bite sized pieces (about 3 cups-ish)
Cashews, for topping

Mix together the five spice powder through the corn starch.  Set aside.
Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water.  Stir fry the onion and carrots for 2 minutes, and then add the asparagus and the mushrooms.  After two more minutes of stir frying add the cabbage and peppers.  After three more minutes or so add the remaining ingredients except cashews.  Saute until bok choy is wilted and the massive pile of veggies is heated through. 
Serve over rice, topped with cashews.

Sweet and Salty Five-Spice Tofu Stir Fry

There'e nothing to warm the soul like a giant pile of veggies covering a small nest of noodles, and that's exactly what so many of my stir frys turn out to be.  This is just another one of those, only this is my first stir fry with five spice tofu.  It's really good stuff- I love the texture.  Although, for some reason this dish tasted quite salty, and I think the tofu was the culprit.

It all stemmed from an extra bundle of asparagus that was lying around, and really needed to be used up.  I also got an insiration to add edammame, which is something that rarely happens, and the concoction turned out rather tasty.  Not to mention the ingredients were easy to prep. 

Honestly, now I know what sleep deprivation feels like.  I've got two major tests tomorrow, and that's so not cool.  I don't know how so many of my buddies are living off of only a couple hours' sleep every night, but they are.  I suppose it's because they don't cook!

Sweet and Salty Five-Spice Tofu Stir Fry


Serves 4 - 6

Adapted from 101 Vegetarian Cookbooks

Zest and juice of one lime

¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 tbsp miso paste

¼ cup soy sauce
3 tbsp mirin
Chili sauce, to taste

Sea salt, to taste

2 cups cauliflower florets

2 carrots, coined

1 tablespoon ginger, grated
1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 package oyster mushrooms, large pieces chopped
2 cusp red cabbage, shredded
1 cup edammame
2 packs 5 spice tofu, chopped

2-3 heads baby bok choy, cut into ribbons

2 handfuls fresh basil, slivered
Toasted cashews

Mix together the lime through the salt in a small bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the cauliflower and carrots. After 2 minutes add the ginger, asparagus, and garlic. After another 2 minutes or so toss in onions and mushrooms. When that is heated through add the cabbage. When the veggies are almost tender add the edammame, tofu, bok choy, and sauce, and cook until bok choy is wilted. Stir in the basil.
Serve over noodles of some sort… topped with cashews.

Baked Dijon Oyster Mushrooms

This, honestly, is probably one of the weirdest dishes that I have ever made.  Becasue:

1) The original recipe called for anise.  Well, the Asian market did not have any anise, and I was not going to pay a whopping $2.50 for a pathetic looking bulb at the "normal" grocery store.  So, at first I was heading for the leeks, but then THESE caught my eye- giant green onions.  So, of course, they went in instead.  I thought I was going to die of laughter when I was chopping them... (Actually, if you can't find these, I bet normal green onions would be a great substitute.  Or, I would really liked to have anise, and that would really add a unique flavour.)

2) I have never made a "mushroom casserole" dish like this before.

3) Dijon was something that I would never have thought of using.  Which stinks, because I love that taste, and really need to start using it more.
4) I think the mushrooms deflated when they were baking.  Honestly, the dish was overflowing when I shoved it in the oven, and it was half empty when it came out.  That puzzles me.  I can just picture the mushrooms deflating like a bunch of mini balloons.  That's such an odd image...

And with all that, this tasted really good!  A bit heavy on the mushrooms- maybe I would eliminate about 1/3 pound or so and use something else like broccoli or cabbage (that's not a bad idea, actually).  I had it plain, with cashews, and over rice, and all are really good ways to serve it.  The rice was great at soaking up all the sauce, and the dijon mustard was so cool!  I never really use dijon in things like this, but it's a formidable (as the French would say) taste.

Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller

Serves 6-8


Adapted from The Vegetarian Times
2 12-oz. pkg. oyster mushrooms, chopped if they are large

3 tbsp soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1 bunch spinach, washed and stemmed, water still on the leaves

2 baby bok choy, chopped into thin ribbons

1/2 cup fat free mayonnaise

1 package giant green onions, chopped, or 1 fennel bulb chopped
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 400. Coat a large casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Put the mushrooms on the bottom of the casserole dish.

Saute the green onions until they are wilted, about 7 minutes. (Skip if you are using anise.) Place in a small bowl.

Saute the spinach and bok choy, using the water to wilt the leaves.

Meanwhile, mix the green onions with the remaining ingredients in the bowl.

When the spinach mixture is wilted, remove with a slotted spoon and roughly chop. Layer over the mushrooms. On top of that put the mayo-dijon dressing.

Bake for 15 minutes, until it has greatly decreased in size. Broil for a couple minutes to get a nice brown top, and serve.

The Cutest Thing I Have Ever Seen... And a Sweet Stir Fry

I love my cookbook Wok. It is like an Asian food bible- I think it’s pretty authentic, too. So many good looking recipes… So much to eat… so. Much. FOOD! But that’s a good thing for a chef, is it not?

Here’s yet another odd recipe that I gave a whirl last night, when there was really nothing else to cook. I really ended up improving the veggies, and the combination turned out really good. And the sauce was a total impromptu invention, too. But that seemed, as M put it, “to hit the spot” that night. You could barely taste the apricots, but they were there, adding a nice touch of sweetness along with the mirin.

And the chicken… Ok, when I opened the package, I was amazed. Those Asians are weird. No offense if you are Asian- I would love to be Asian, I think that ethnicity produces some of the best people, and best food a person can find. It tasted like the frozen bean curd sheets (aka yuba), and I really love that taste and texture. I have nothing to say about what shape came out of the package though. Just that it was adorable. Super, super, super, cute. And one of the oddest things that I have ever seen in my whole life. Just look at the picture, and I highly recommend getting this exact product, if you can get your hands on it. Just for a good laugh, if nothing else.

Mock Chicken Stir Fry with Sweet Apricot Sauce

Serves 4

Inspired by Wok

1 Veri Soy vegetarian mock chicken, defrosted and chopped

2 baby bok choy, chopped

2 carrots, coined

1 bunch green onions, chopped into 1 inch lengths

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 can straw mushrooms, drained

1 large onion, sliced thick
2 cups broccoli florets
3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 inch piece ginger, grated

Chili sauce, to taste

Juice of 1 lime

5 tbsp sugar free apricot jam

4 tbsp soy sauce

4 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp Better Than Bullion Ham Flavouring

Mix together the chili sauce through the ham flavouring.

Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the onions and carrots. After two minutes add the broccoli, ginger and garlic, and cook for two more minutes. Add the bell pepper and green onions. Mix thoroughly, and add the mushrooms. Cook for another minute or so, and add the chicken, then bok choy, and sauce. Make sure there is enough sauce at the bottom to suite your taste- I had to add a bit more soy sauce, but I think the amount is pretty accurate! Saute until the bok choy is wilted, and the chicken is completely heated through. Serve over rice, noodles, or whatever suits your fancy.

Whoa- Five Spice Tofu!!

Earlier this week, a friend of mine recommended that I try the five spice tofu that the Asian market sells.  I had had my eye on it for quite a while now, and so, I ended up searching up a recipe to use it.  Oddly, I couldn't really find anything using premade tofu except this one that looked remotely appealing to me, so this is what I ended up basing my recipe off of. 

For some reason, lunch stir frys never seem to turn out really good.  This one was certainly the exception to that rule.  Both M and I agreed- we would certainly make this dish again.  The sauce was especially delish and special.  I think it was the yellow bean paste that added the unique flavour that I find so hard to put words to.  The veggies were really nice this time around too, and they seem to fit very well with the sauce.  And the tofu is really different, too.  If you have never tried pressed tofu, I highly recommend it.   It's kind of firm, and feels a little like tofu, only with more substance.  I thought they looked almost like pieces of mushroom, not tofu, because of the colour.  M said it looked like cheese with that plasitc on the outside.  Whatever.  It was so good, and such a nice change from normal tofu.  Now that I think about it, I really haven't been eating much tofu at all recently.  Have I moved beyond tofu?  Impossible!  There's just so much to explore in the vegetarian frozen section of the Asian market, it's incredible. 

Five Spice Tofu and Yellow Bean Paste Sauce Stir Fry

Serves 4

Inspired by Passionate Eater

2 cups green beans, chopped into 1 inch lengths

4 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 tsp yellow bean paste

2 tbsp miso paste

3 tbsp soy sauce

Chili sauce, to taste

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp agave nectar

½ tbsp corn starch

1 package 5 spice tofu, cubed

1 very large carrot, coined

2 baby bok choy, chopped into ribbons

Mix together the bean paste through the corn starch. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the carrot, and cook for a minute. Add the green beans, and after another minute or so add the garlic. When the veggies are almost tender, add the tofu and heat through. Add the sauce, then the bok choy, and cook until all veggies are done to your liking.

On Vegetarian Mutton

When I was looking for the shrimp last week, mutton caught my eye.  Absolutely no reason for that, but it just did.  When picking out recipes for the week, I was leafing through my Wok cookbook, and, what do you know- there were several good looking recipes with lamb!  I was pumped, and got the bag of mutton on the next trip to the Asian market. 

And so, I think I died that night and went to heaven.  Seriously.  Literally.  It.  Was.  So.  Good.

That's all that I have to say.  Perfection in every aspect.  The mutton was actually kind of funny- it was this huge brown block, and had to be microwaved for almost five minutes before M and I could crumble it into the wok.  And then we had to wait for the stuff to heat through, but, hey, it was so worth it.  The combo of veggies was just perfect, and the sauce was excellent.  I can't really remember what meat tastes or feels like, and I never had eaten mutton before I turned vegetarian, but it seemed real enough, and had a subtle and interesting flavour.  Just try it- you'll see what I mean.  And then think you have gone to heaven too.

Blows-Your-Sock-Off Vegetarian Mutton Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Inspired by Wok

1 package vegetarian mutton, defrosted and broken into bits (I think mine was about 3-4 cups)

2 medium-small onions, sliced thick

1 monster carrot, coined
.75 lb shiitake mushrooms, chopped large
.75 lb snap peas, trimmed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 small baby bok choy, cut into strips

3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 inch ginger, chopped
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
6 tbsp soy sauce
6 tbsp rice vinegar
6 tbsp mirin
Chili sauce, to taste
½ tbsp corn starch

Cashews

Mix together the hoisin sauce through corn starch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and carrot, and cook for two minutes. Add the shiitakes, and then after two more minutes add the snap peas and bell pepper. Mix through and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for another minute or so, and then add the bok choy. When that has wilted (and there is room in the wok), add the mutton and sauce, and heat through. Serve over rice, topped with cashews.

Hoisin Udon Stir Fry

I think I have totally and completely fallen in love with hoisin sauce.  It is so sweet and tangy... and... good.  I know for a fact that I like sweet and heavyily flavoured foods, and stir fries are no exception to that.  Not to mention udon noodles have to be some of the best form of starch out there (but, honestly, have you ever met an Asian noodle that you haven't liked?)  There is just something about their thickness and slurp-able-ness that is irrisistable.  And where does all this get a person?  To what I had for dinner last night- this stir fry, based on Vegan Dad's Sweet Setian Stir-fry.  I originally had planned on using setian, but the pieces kind of decinigrated a bit, so tofu knots came to the rescue.  They were certainly just as good, or even better.  The cauliflower was a last minute addition, and I had a green onion crisis- we were all out, so I subbed a regular onion instead.  It still turned out to be one of the better stir fries that have appeared in front of M and I at dinnertime. 

When I first tasted the dish, it was slightly bland, so I added a bit more hoisin sauce to just my serving.  M said it was just fine with her, so it all depends.  I recommend having the sauce at the table, just in case. 

Hoisin Udon Stir Fry with Tofu Knots

Serves 4

Inspired by Vegan Dad

½ recipe beef setian, or 75 grams tofu knots, soaked

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup mirin
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 package snap peas (.75 lb), trimmed
2 cups broccoli
2 carrots, coined
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 baby bok choy, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup hoisin sauce
1 onion, sliced
2 cups cauliflower
1 tbsp grated ginger

1. Mix together the soy sauce, mirin, agave, and hoisin sauce.
2. Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the onion and carrot. After a minute, add the cauliflower. After 2 more minutes add the garlic, broccoli, and ginger. Add the peas and pepper a minute later, and heat through. Add the bok choy and cook until wilted. Add the sauce and tofu or setian, and cook until you are satisfied. Serve over udon noodles.

A Heavy and (Of Course) Delish Stir Fry

Another one of those lovely clean-out-the fridge recipes.  I don't know who doesn't love those... I sure do.  Anyway, I was very pleasently surprised to see how good this one turned out.  So much better than I though it would.  And it took so much less time that I had predicted, too, which is always nice.  I know, this isn't the prettiest stir fry, but who cares when it is something that you just want to gobble up at lightning speed? 

Anyway, I really think straw mushrooms are growing on me.  And the balance of the bean sauce in the sauce (that sounds kind of weird) was perfect, so yay for this recipe.  The tofu knots are always something that both M and I really enjoy, and so are the walnuts, which I have just recently discovered as another nuts possibility for stir fries.  Hehe, I got to use another one of my monster onions in this recipe, too.  I love those babies!  They are awesome, and totally outdo any onions that you could ever find. 

Black Bean Sauce Stir Fry

Serves 4-6

Adapted from CookShareEat.com


• 6 oz soba noodles, or any other kind of noodle, cooked
• Veggie broth, as needed
• 3-4 Tbsp black bean garlic sauce (I just happened to have just over 3, so I usedit up…)
• 3 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• Chili sauce, to taste
• 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 monster onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 3 heads baby bok choy, chopped
• 1 large portabella mushroom, chopped
• 3 cups shiitake mushrooms, cut into large pieces
• 1 can straw mushrooms
• 1 leek, tough green stems removed, chopped
• 1 large carrot
• ½ package dried bean curd knots (75 grams), soaked
• 4 green onions, sliced into ½ inch pieces
• Walnuts


1. In a small bowl, combine black bean sauce, soy sauce, mirin, nectar, chili sauce, and corn starch. Set aside for later.
2. Heat a wok coated with nonstick spray over high heat. Add the onion, and sauté for a minute, then add the carrot and leek, adding broth as needed. Cook for another minute, until heated up again. Then add Portobello and shiitakes, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until almost almost tender. Add the green onions, and cook for another minute. Add the bok choy, cook for another minute, and then add the sauce, bean curd skin, and straw mushrooms. Cook until it’s done to your liking.
3. You can either stir in the noodles, or serve them separately. Top with walnuts.

Bamboo- Fresh!

So, I was adventurous enough to give fresh bamboo shoots a go today.  I actually bought them quite awhile ago, but have never had the chance to make this dish until today for lunch.  The original recipe is from that amazing cookbook called Wok.  The weird thing, though, is that the bamboo shoots in their picture look nothing like the ones I got from the Asian market. 

Oh, it was kind of funny- M and I had no clue what these were when we got them.  I was pretty sure they were bamboo shoots, but there was no lable or anything.  When we were checking out, they rang up as bamboo shoots, and I said "Oh, look.  We guessed right."

So, we ended up with this for lunch.  And I have to say, I almost hesitated when I was cutting up the bamboo shoots because they looked so darn funny!  But they went in, along with the odd assortment of veggies that were lying around.  I do have to say, I think M and I are big fans of hoisin sauce!  That stuff tastes great, and gave this dish a boost in flavour.  I would certainly make this one again, and perhaps serve it over rice.  I think the alfalfa is another really unique thing about this stir fry.  I never would have thought of it, but Wok said to top it off with alfalfa, and so I obeyed.  The sprouts add a pleasant crunch, and M said it made her feel like she was eating a salad.  Which I kind of felt like too.  A darn good salad.  With bamboo... go figure.

Bamboo Shoots and Veggies in Hoisin Sauce

Serves 4-6

Adapted from Wok

1 lb fresh bamboo shoots, cut into halves (I don’t know how many pounds I used, but it was about 3-4 cups, one box at the Asian market)
½ lb shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 cup snap peas, trimmed
2 baby bok choy, chopped
1 tbsp yellow bean sauce
1-2 tbsp rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
Alfalfa sprouts
Parsley

Heat a few tablespoons of water in a wok over medium high heat. Add the bamboo and mushrooms, adding more water as needed throughout. Stir fry for about 2 minutes, then add the celery, pepper, and peas. When the mushrooms are about tender, add the bok choy, yellow bean sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and hoisin sauce. Cook until all veggies are tender, about 4 more minutes. Serve topped with alfalfa and parsley.

Orange Pho Noodles

As I was hunting around for ideas on how to use up some left over pho noodles, I stumbled upon this recipe on Vegan Dad's blog.  I thought I would give it a whirl, and see how things turned out.  I added a few more veggies, as usual, and increased the sauce a bit.  Even with these changes, when I first ate it, the stir fry seemed kind of bland, so I though about it for a minute, and darted back to the kitchen for some hot sauce and five spice powder.  That seemed to lived it up a little bit.  Actually, with those additions it was quite tasty.  I think, though, that this recipe could do with a bit more work, and here I have posted what I think would be the ideal recipe. 

This combination of veggies should work well, and the marmalade always seems to add extra depth to orangey dishes.  Hopfully I can give this version a whirl soon...

Orange Pho Noodles, Tofu, and Veggies

Serves 4

Inspired by Vegan Dad

3.5 oz Pho noodles, cooked in boiling water for a minute or two and soaked for 45 minutes
8 oz tofu, pressed and cubed
1 red pepper, sliced into slivers
2 baby bok choy, chopped
2 1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 ½ cups snap peas
4 cups shiitake mushrooms, chopped
6 green onions, cut into 1"pieces
3 tbsp soy sauce
½ tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp miso paste
1/3 cup orange juice
¼ cup sugar free orange marmalade
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp five spice powder, or to taste
2 tsp chili sauce, or to taste
Peanuts

1. Mix together the soy sauce, corn starch, miso, orange juice, marmalade, agave, five spice powder, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
2. Heat a wok over high heat with a bit of water. Add the broccoli and shiitakes, and sauté for 2 minutes, adding more water as needed. Add the peas and, and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until shiitakes are about ½ way done. Add the bell pepper and onions. After 2 more minutes add the bok choy. When the bok choy has wilted add the sauce and tofu, and heat through. Add the noodles, and stir until hot and everything is coated with the sauce.
3. Serve, topped off with peanuts.

Udon Noodle Stir Fry

Several months ago, I had seen this most amazing picture of a noodle stir fry.  It really must have made an impression on me, because I think I actually dreamed about those noodles several times.  Long, thick, lucious noodles with a slightly sweet and soy-saucy sauce, mixed with some of my favourite veggies in the whole world.  To my dismay, though, I could not find the website again.  I searched, and, finally!  I had rediscovered that website with those noodles that had been haunting me. 

I took the recipe and modified it a bit, adding more veggies and such, and could hardly wait to try it.  The only major change was that M and I could find nothing but fresh udon noodles- none of the big yellow ones that the original called for.  But the stir fry turned out so excellent- the noodles were delicious, the sauce perfect, and the veggies were all among my favourites.  Especially the king oyster mushrooms! 
You can find the udon noodles in the frozen/refrigerated section of the Asian markets.  Mine were part of a soup mix, but I through the seasoning packets away as they contained squid extract.  The noodles were vegetarian, though (obviously).  I have got to do more cooking with udon, now that I know I can buy them.

Udon Noodle Stir Fry

Serves 4

Inspired by Melting Wok

Ingredients
16 oz fresh udon noodles
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, chopped
12 oz king oyster mushrooms (3 small or 2 large)
1 red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups snap peas
2 baby bok choy
5 oz spinach
2 ½ cups red cabbage
1 egg, beaten
½ tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp stir fry sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp agave nectar
2 tbsp mirin
½ tbsp hot sauce
Pepper to taste
Cashews or peanuts for garnish

Mix together the corn starch, stir fry sauce, soy sauce, agave, mirin, and hot sauce in a bowl. Set aside

In a large pot of boiling water, cook the noodles until they begin to separate, just over five minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat a bit of water in a wok over medium high heat. Add the cabbage and mushrooms, and stir fry for a minute or so. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and peas, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the green onion and bok choy, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the spinach, stir until wilted, then create a crater in the middle of the veggies. Pour in the egg, and allow to sit for several minutes, until the egg is almost cooked through. Stir in the egg and add the sauce, and cook until heated through. Serve, topped off with nuts.

Confetti Soba Salad

All that I can really say about the creation of this salad is that I found two really good recipes, and kind of mashed them together, and then ended up throwing a few more ingredients in the sauce to end up with a delicious and satisfying salad.  Another great recipe for a summer's day, but I am sure it could quickly become a fantastic stir fry as well. 

The story begins with, as usual, my hunt for recipes.  I found a website with a post called Cold Noodle Salads for Hot Days on The Kitchn, and was quickly attracted by the lovely pictures and tantelizing ingredients.  I was wavering between two salads, one called Bun Chay and the other Soba Noodles with Wilted Bok Choy, so I decided to combine the ingredients, kind of, and throw in a few ideas of my own. 
The results were fantastic, and M agreed.  This is kind of like the Otsu, but more in look than in taste.  It has more of a darker flavour, and is not quite as springy.  Still, the boatload of veggies make this an excellent dish, and add lots of colour- thus the name.  Enjoy!

Soba Confetti Salad


Serves 6-8

Inspired by Soba Noodles with Wilted Bok Choy and Bun Chay

1 very large or two small carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
3 baby bok choy, stems and leaves separated and both cut into thin slices.
4 oz soba noodles
6 scallions, cut into ½ inch or so slices
1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
1 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 cup bean sprouts
8 oz tofu
2 tbsp agave nectar
3 tbsp mirin
5 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
¾ tsp Chinese hot mustard powder
Fresh herbs like basil
Cashews

Cook the soba noodles according to the package. It should be about 8 minutes, if you can’t read it! Drain, cut the noodles into smaller pieces (this makes life a lot easier, but if you insist on not doing this, then be my guest), and put in a large bowl.
Heat a pot over medium-high heat (I used the same kettle). Add the bok choy leaves and sauté, adding water as needed, for about 3 minutes, until wilted. Remove to the bowl.
Heat the pot one more time, and add the peanut oil and tofu, and fry for 15 minutes or so, until the tofu becomes lightly browned and firm. Add to the bowl as well.
Add the carrots, scallions, cabbage, and bean sprouts to the bowl.
In a separate smaller bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients except the herbs and cashews until the miso is dissolved. Add to the noodle mixture, and stir to coat. Chill (or just leave it out) until ready to serve. Serve at any temperature, topped with herbs and cashews.

Just to say this again, this would probably make a great stir fry too. Just chuck the veggies in a wok!