Char Kway Teow

Another delight from the magical brain of Shannon Martinez. So fucking quick and easy.  I added miso to the egg mix and it took a little longer to scramble, but the whole thing was still fucking delicious. Also added some kale chips

Recipe https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/vegan-recipes/vegan-penang-char-kway-teow/.

Penang Char Kway Teow is a Malaysian street-food recipe that is typically made from noodles, shrimp, bloody cockles, Chinese lap cheong (sausage), eggs, bean sprouts, and chives in sweet soy sauce.

However, unlike the traditional Malaysian dish, this vegan Penang Char Kway Teow recipe swaps out the animal ingredients for plants.

In place of seafood, you will use your favourite mushrooms in this recipe. King oyster mushrooms work particularly well as a seafood alternative thanks to their scallop-like texture.

This vegan Penang Char Kway Teow recipe is a flavour explosion thanks to the rich dark soy sauce blend. Made with kecap manis, it’s sweet, salty and pairs perfectly with the fresh ingredients.

Enoki mushrooms are also a great addition thanks to their spaghetti-like shape that allows them to blend seamlessly with the other ingredients in the recipe.

Once you’ve cooked your veggies and noodles in a wok, you’ll cook the egg mixture in the base of the pan and combine it with the rest of the ingredients to make a satisfying and healthy vegan dinner.

Ingredients

(Servings: 4)

• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 100 g mushrooms (whatever is your favourite)
• 5 garlic shoots, cut into 3 cm (11⁄4 in) lengths
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Asian chilli paste
• 75 g shredded Chinese cabbage (wombok)
• 3 spring onions (scallions), cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
• 500 g wide rice noodles, prepared according to the packet instructions
• 100 g bean sprouts
• For the vegan egg mix:
• 150 g ) silken or soft tofu
• 1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 Tbsp oat or soy milk
• pinch of ground turmeric
• pinch of black salt
• For the sauce:
• 3 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp Maggi seasoning sauce or light soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp kecap manis
• 1 Tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp vegetarian fish sauce
• 2 tsp caster (superfine) sugar

Method

• To make the vegan egg mix, place all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• For the sauce, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
• Heat a wok over a high heat – you want it to be smoking hot when you start cooking.
• Add the oil, throw in the mushrooms and garlic shoots and quickly stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the minced garlic and chilli paste and toss to combine, then add the cabbage and spring onion and cook, tossing, until the cabbage begins to wilt.
• Scatter over the noodles and toss, then add the bean sprouts. Toss again to combine and cook for 30 seconds.
• Push the noodle mixture to one side of the wok, then, working in two batches, pour the egg mix into the base of the wok and scramble with a spatula. Mix the first batch into the noodles, then repeat with the second batch. Once all the egg mix is cooked, toss with the noodles to combine.
• Pour the sauce mixture over the noodles and toss through. Cook for a final 30 seconds, then serve

Creamy tofu noodles

 

Insanely perfect.  Only thing I did was add miso to the tofu sauce instead of salt.  Creamy and utterly delicious. Hope you're well, I am thriving.

via https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021508-creamy-vegan-tofu-noodles

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 4 servings

For the Noodles

• ¾teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 12ounces thick Chinese wheat noodles
• 1(14-ounce) package firm tofu, broken into pieces
• 2garlic cloves, sliced
• ½teaspoon granulated sugar
• ½teaspoon five-spice powder
• ½cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus a few sprigs for serving
• 2teaspoons sesame oil
• Toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish

For the Topping

• 2tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (black vinegar), or a combination of 4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1tablespoon soy sauce
• 1tablespoon chile oil or chile crisp, such as Chiu Chow chile oil
• 1scallion, finely chopped
• 1(½-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

Ingredient Substitution Guide

PREPARATION

1. Step 1

   Prepare the noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package instructions until the noodles are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain well again.

2. Step 2

   As noodles cook, prepare the topping: Add vinegar, soy sauce, chile oil, scallion, ginger and 1 tablespoon water to a small bowl and stir to combine.

3. Step 3

   Place the tofu, garlic, sugar, five-spice and ¾ teaspoon salt into a blender or food processor and blend, adding about 6 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is completely smooth and creamy. (You may need up to 12 tablespoons of water, depending on your tofu.)

4. Step 4

   Place the noodles in a large bowl and pour the tofu sauce on top. Add the cilantro and sesame oil, and toss until coated.

5. Step 5

   To serve, divide the noodles among bowls. Top with the spicy soy-vinegar sauce, sesame seeds and cilantro sprigs.

Mushroom mapo tofu

 

Absolute heaven on earth Monday night fare.  Couldn't find chili bean sauce so substituted with a mix of miso paste and crunchy chili oil.  Simmered for about 10 minutes to reduce the stock at the end.  Didn't have the fermented black beans, didn't give a fuck.

Recipe here: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2018/oct/27/mushroom-mapo-tofu-recipe-meera-sodha

1½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1.5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
200g fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
1 large leek (about 400g), cut into thin rounds
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp chilli bean sauce – I like Lee Kum Kee
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp salted fermented black beans, rinsed and chopped – I like the ZF brand (optional)
400g firm tofu, cut into 1.5cm x 1.5cm cubes – I like Tofoo
500ml vegetable stock (suitable for vegans)
1½ tbsp cornflour, mixed with 1½ tbsp water

Grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar until very well ground. Take a sniff and revel in their strange and wonderful grapefruit smell.

Heat the oil in large frying pan on a medium flame and, once hot, add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for two minutes. Add the mushrooms, cook for six minutes, then add the leeks and stir-fry for a further two minutes, until they soften and unravel. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl.

Put the sesame oil, ground Sichuan peppercorns, chilli bean sauce, soy sauce and black beans in the same pan, and fry for a couple of minutes, until the oil separates. Add the tofu, stir to coat, then return the vegetables to the pan. Pour over the stock, bring to a boil, then stir in the cornflour paste and heat until the sauce thickens. Take off the heat and serve with plain white rice.

Mushroom Spinach Pie

 

So I made this the other night (no maple syrup, it was definitely sweet enough) and added sauteed silverbeet instead of spinach.  To be honest I think it would work better as a kind of stroganoff on rice or noodles, or even with mushrooms/mashed potatoes?  It was a delicious pie filling though.  Happy 2023. x

https://www.thebuddhistchef.com/recipe/vegan-mushroom-pie/

Ingredients

2 tablespoons + 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided (30 mL + 45 mL, divided)

2 onions, chopped

4 cups white mushrooms (700 g)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (2.5 mL)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (30 mL)

1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup (30 mL)

2 tablespoons tomato paste (30 mL)

1 can (14 oz./398 mL) coconut milk (full fat, do not use light)

Salt and pepper to taste

4 sheets phyllo pastry

4 cups baby spinach (110 g)

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C).

2

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) oil. Brown mushrooms and onions for 5 to 10 minutes.

3

Add garlic, allspice, soy sauce, maple syrup, and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 2 minutes.

4

Stir in coconut milk, mix well and COOK UNTIL THE SAUCE THICKENS , about 10 to 15 minutes.

5

On a lightly floured surface, using 3 tablespoons (45 mL) oil, lightly brush one sheet of phyllo with oil. Cover with a second sheet and brush lightly with oil again. Repeat for all 4 layers of phyllo.

6

Place prepared phyllo sheets in 9X5 in. (23X13 cm) bread pan, making sure one side overlaps (allowing you to fold it over once mixture has been added).

7

Pour mushroom mixture over phyllo and garnish with spinach leaves.

8

Fold phyllo dough over and lightly brush with oil.

9

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

10

Note: Canned coconut milk should contain only coconut or sometimes a thickening agent like guar gum but no sugar ao anything else added.

Stovetop cheese sauce

 

Our blender's broken, but I was craving my favourite comfort meal (for the record: cheesy pasta with seitan chicken, broccoli and kale chips, you're welcome).  I messaged Michael from Where's The Beef for urgent help.  He delivered. 

For the record, I added some dijon.  Otherwise it's perfect.  5 stars no notes.

Trailwalker macaroni
(a recipe from VeganYumYum, archived here)

500g macaroni
1/3 cup margarine
1/4 cup plain flour
2 1/2 tablespoons tamari
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/4 cups soy milk
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the macaroni until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce, making sure that you have all the ingredients ready on hand. Start by melting the margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When it's completely liquid, whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste. One at a time, stir in the tamari, lemon juice, miso, tahini and tomato paste - the mixture will be thick. Gradually whisk in the soy milk, just a half cup at a time, trying to maintain a smooth sauce. Stir in the yeast flakes until well combined. Keep the sauce on low heat, stirring regularly, until the pasta is ready.

When the macaroni is cooked, drain it and transfer it back to the large saucepan. Pour in the sauce and stir well. Serve immediately. We usually eat this with roasted broccoli and carrots - it's pictured above with parsley, roasted broccoli, cauliflower and kale.

Sauteed shiitakes

 

Simple, glorious.  I made these and added them to pho but they'd be great with any noodle dish.

https://www.acouplecooks.com/shiitake-mushroom-recipe/

Ingredients

• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce (or other hot sauce)
• 2 dashes toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil (standard, not toasted)
• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Slice the larger mushroom caps in half and keep smaller mushrooms whole. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, lime juice, Sriracha and toasted sesame oil. 
2. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a few pinches of kosher salt while cooking.
3. Once browned on all sides, carefully pour in the bowl of sauce and continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes until dark brown and glossy. Serve immediately. 

Dan Dan noodles

hey, it's been a while - I've still been cooking lots, just relying on old favourites and never loving a new one enough to add it to this esteemed collection.  BUT THAT ALL CHANGED LAST NIGHT, thank you dear Hetty McKinnon!

Only thing I changed was using 100gm shiitake along with 200g button mushrooms and a splash of soy in the mushrooms, because...well.  Cooked them a little longer too.

That's all, I love you, life is great here thanks. x

Recipe: here

Ingredients

Noodles:

Vegetable or peanut oil

2 stalks celery, finely diced

300g swiss brown or button mushrooms, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

150g Chinese broccoli (gai larn), trimmed at the base or cut into 5cm pieces

450g fresh noodles, such as hokkien or rice noodles, or egg noodles (for non-vegan version)

1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Handful of coriander leaves

3-2 spring onions, finely chopped

Sea salt

White pepper

Szechuan or regular chilli oil, to serve

Dan dan sauce:

20g fresh ginger, about 5cm, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

3 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce

2 Tbsp Szechuan or regular chilli oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1/3 cup (80ml) tahini, or peanut butter as a substitute

3 tsp sugar

Pinch sea salt

Method

1. 1.In a small bowl, add the ingredients for the sauce and whisk to combine.
2. 2.Bring a big pot of salted water to the boil. Add the noodles and cook according to packet instructions until al dente, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
3. 3.In a large pan or wok over medium-high heat, drizzle about one tablespoon of oil, add the celery and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, season with a big pinch of sea salt, a small pinch of white pepper, and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are golden and starting to caramelise. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. 4.Heat the same wok/pan, and when hot, add small drizzle of oil and toss in the Chinese broccoli. Toss for 1 minute or so, until the broccoli is bright green. Remove from pan immediately so they don't discolour.
5. 5.Place the noodles in a large bowl and add the mushroom mixture and sauce. Toss to combine, making sure the noodles are well coated. To serve, top with the Chinese broccoli, and scatter with sesame seeds, coriander and spring onions. If you like it spicy, drizzle with more chilli oil.