Edamame Clementine Quinoa Salad 毛豆橘子藜麥沙律

It is a light and refreshing salad that can be a main or a side dish.  We love the juicy clementine, but you can also use mango or pomegranate.  You can also use bulgur or couscous instead of quinoa.

INGREDIENTS:

10 Clementines, peeled and segmented

2 cups Edamame, frozen

1 cup Quinoa

1 Red Bell Pepper, deseeded and cut into cubes

1/2 Small White Onion, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 cup Dried Fruit (I used figs and raisins)

1/3 cup Almond, toasted

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Sunflower Seed Oil (or substitute to olive oil)

材料：

10 隻 橘子，去皮，分成小塊

2 杯  毛豆，急凍

1 杯  藜麥

1 個  紅橙籠椒，去籽，切小粒

1/2 個  洋蔥，去皮，切小粒

1 杯  乾果 (這兒用上毛花果和葡萄乾)

1/3 杯  果仁，烤過

2 湯匙  橄欖油

1 湯匙  葵花籽油 (或用橄欖油)

DIRECTION 做法:

1. To cook the quinoa, rinse the quinoa with a few changes of water to get rid of the bitter taste; drain.  Set it in a pot.  Add 1.5 cups of water and a pinch of salt; bring it to a boil over high heat.  Once the water starts a rolling boil, turn the heat to low.  With the lid on, cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool.

1. 藜麥過水約三次以去除苦味。把其倒入鍋中，加入1.5杯水和少撮鹽。用大火燒滾。當水滾後，把火調低至最低火，蓋上鍋蓋，繼續煮約15分鐘；關火。用叉輕輕拌鬆藜麥並任其放涼。

2. Boil another pot of water.  Add edamame and boil over high heat until it is cooked; about 10 minutes.  Drain well and let it cool.

2. 燒熱另一鍋水，下毛豆。用大火煮至熟；約10分鐘。濾水，放涼。

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together.  Gently mix until well combined.  Serve in room temperature.

3. 在一只大碗內，加入所有材料。輕輕拌勻便可食用。

Vegan Chinese Turnip Cake (Lo Bak Go) 純素蘿蔔糕

Turnip Cake is a savoury celebrated food we eat at Chinese New Year.  Traditionally, it is made of fresh turnip and lots of preserved meat.  However, I don't digest meat well.  So I made this vegan version, and I would say it tastes as wonderful as the traditional one.

This recipe relies on the strong flavour of the water reserved from the rehydration of the shiitake mushrooms and daylily.  So please do not substitute it with fresh water.  Otherwise, the flavour of the cake will be compromised. Also, the mushroom stems are edible although they are usually harder in texture.  Try to soak the mushrooms overnight to help soften the stem before using them.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Chinese Turnip, peeled and grated (about about 4 cups after grated)

15 Dried Shiitake Mushrooms

1 cup Dried Daylily

2 cups Dried Wood Ears

1 cup Preserved Radish

5 stalks Green onion, thinly sliced

1 head Garlic, peeled and minced

2 inches long Ginger, peeled and minced

2.5 cups Tsai Lai Rice Flour

1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

SEASONING:

5 tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

3 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Shaoxing Wine

1 tablespoon White Pepper Powder

1 tablespoon Roasted Sesame Oil

1 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Sugar

材料：

1 條  白蘿蔔 (刨絲後約4杯)

15 朵  乾冬菇

1 杯  金針

2 杯  乾木耳

1 杯  菜脯

5 棵  蔥

1 頭  蒜頭，去皮，磨蓉

2 吋長  薑，去皮，磨蓉

2.5  杯  在來米粉

1/4 杯  菜油

調味料：

5 湯匙  豉油

3 湯匙  紹興酒

1 湯匙  白胡椒粉

1 湯匙  麻油

1 茶匙  鹽

3 湯匙  糖

DIRECTION 做法:

Prior to cooking 預備功夫...

1. Soak shiitake mushrooms in water until they are rehydrated.  Then, wash off the sand on the mushrooms using the water they are soaking in (not fresh water).  Squeeze the water from the mushrooms and dice them.  Reserve the soaking liquid.

1. 乾冬菇浸水至軟身。在浸過冬菇的水中把沙粒從冬菇洗出，擠乾水份，留起浸過的水。把冬菇切幼粒。

2. Add the dried daylily in the preserved soaking liquid to rehydrate until they are soft.  Squeeze out and preserve the liquid again for later use.  Rinse the daylily under running water.  Cut off and discard the hard ends, and cut the daylily into small pieces.  Set aside.

2. 把金針放到浸過冬菇的水中浸至軟身；擠乾水份，浸過的水留起備用。金針過水洗淨，切去尾部較硬的部份，再把金針切成小段。

3. Meanwhile, soak the dried wood ear in warm water until they are rehydrated.  Discard the water.  Rinse off the sand from the wood ear under running water.  Cut and discard the hard stem of each wood ear and chop it into small pieces.  Set aside.

3. 同時間，木耳在另一只碗水用暖水浸軟。把水倒掉，木耳用水洗淨。把木耳切成小粒。

4. In a large bowl, filer the preserved liquid through a piece of kitchen paper.  

4. 在一只大碗中放上一塊廚紙，慢慢倒入浸過冬菇和金針的水，讓廚紙濾去水中的雜質。

5. 把在來米粉加入濾過的水；拌勻至幼滑。

5. Combine Tsai Lai rice flour and the liquid; mix well.  The mixture should be runny.

6. Brush a layer of vegetable oil on the steamed mold.

6. 在焗模上掃上一層菜油。

Cooking 煮法...

7. In a large non-stick pan, heat up vegetable oil over high heat.  Add mushrooms, daylily, wood ears, ginger and garlic.  Stir fry until they are fragrant and soft; about 10 minutes.  Add all the seasoning.  Continue to stir fry until it is well mixed and the sauce is absorbed.  

7. 在一只易潔鍋中，用大火燒熱菜油。加入冬菇、金針、木耳、薑和蒜。炒至香氣四溢和軟身；約10分鐘。下調味料；繼續炒至汁收乾。

8. 把冬菇料倒入一只碗中，加入蔥備用。

8. Transfer the vegetable mixture into a bowl.  Add the green onion in the bowl.

9. In the same pan, add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  Add grated radish.  Cook until the radish is totally soft and releases its liquid; about 10 minutes.

9. 在同一只鍋中，下2湯匙菜油。下蘿蔔絲，炒至其軟身和出水；約10分鐘。

10. Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Add the cooked vegetable mixture along with the green onion back to the pan; mix well.

10. 火調低至中低火。冬菇料回鍋，與蘿蔔絲拌勻。

11. Stir in Tsai Lai rice flour mixture.  Cook until the mixture is thick and paste-like; stirring consistently.  Remove the pan from the heat.

11. 倒入粉漿；繼續拌至呈漿糊狀; 離火。

12. Pour the mixture evenly into the muffin tin (or a tin tray).  Cover the tray with foil and place the tray on top of another bigger tray.  Fill the bottom tray with a thin layer of water.  Place it into the pre-heated oven.

12. 將粉漿平均倒入焗模，蓋上錫紙。把焗模放到另一只焗盤內，再倒入少許水。焗盤放進已預熱至360F的焗爐內。

13. Steam the lo bak go at 360F for about 25 minutes and they are ready.

13. 焗約25分鐘便完成。

Kung Hei Fat Choy!  Happy Chinese New Year!

新年快樂！

Pan Fried Crispy Soy Skin with Lemon Sauce 自製西檸素鴨

It is a super simple recipe requiring basically tofu skins and a lemon.  The dash of turmeric is to create the bright yellow look; omit it if you don't have it on hand.  Since the tofu skins don't have a lot of flavour, the sauce is really the key here.  Try to use a real lemon instead of commercial juice, and add a generous amount of the sauce to soak through the tofu skins before serving.  Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Large Soy Skins, frozen (thawed)

2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil 

SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 Lemon of zest and juice

1 tablespoon White Vinegar

4 tablespoons Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch

3 tablespoons Water

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric

材料：

2 張  急凍腐皮，解凍

2 湯匙  菜油

汁料：

1 個  檸檬，皮和汁

1 湯匙  白醋

4 湯匙  糖

1/2 茶匙  粟粉

3 湯匙   水

1/4 茶匙  黃薑粉

DIRECTION 做法：

1. fold the tofu skin in half.

1. 腐皮對摺。

2. Fold left and right side toward centre to create an envelope shape.

2. 左邊和右邊向內對摺成信封狀。

3. From the bottom, fold the tofu skin into the centre.  The fold should be about 4 cm in height.

3. 將底部向中間對摺；摺疊部份應若4厘米高。

4. Turn the tofu skin up-side-down.  Fold the bottom part in half.

4. 將腐皮倒轉；將底部向中間對摺。

5. Fold it inward again.

5. 再對摺。

6. Stuff the bottom part into the "pocket" of the top part.

6. 將底部小心塞入上半部份的"袋"中。

7. Heat up oil over medium heat.  Add tofu skin roll.  Fried both side until crispy; about 2 minutes each side.  Be careful, it burns very quickly. Cut it into equal pieces and transfer them to a serving plate.

7. 油以中火燒熱。下素鴨；煎至兩邊金黃香脆做可；若2分鐘。把素鴨切件；上碟備用。

8. In a small pot, combine all the sauce ingredients; mix well.  Cook it over medium heat until the consistency thickens; stirring it constantly.  Pour it directly over the tofu skin once it is done.

8. 在一只小鍋內加入所有汁料；拌勻。用中火煮至濃稠；期間要不斷攪拌。完成後便可淋上素鴨。

Maple Glazed Acorn Squash ｜ 香焗楓糖橡實瓜

A few years back when I first brought this maple glazed acorn squash to a thanksgiving dinner, everyone loved it.  Since then, it's become one of the signature dishes I would bring to the family, both on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This gorgeous looking dish is very easy to make and it doesn't require many ingredients.  You can substitute the cranberries for any another types of dried fruit, like raisins or apricots.  In the past, I'd used almonds and walnuts in this dish, but this year I used hazelnuts and I found it was the best pairing among all.

I hope you will give this recipe a try.  Thanks for stopping by.

INGREDIENTS:

3 Acorn Squash

1/2 cup Hazelnut

1/2 cup Cranberry, dried

1/3 cup Butter, melted

1/4 cup Maple Syrup (the real one)

1/4 cup Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

DIRECTION:

1. Cut the acorn squash lengthwise.  Scoop out and discard the seeds.

2. Cut the acorn squash into 1 cm pieces.  Set them aside.

3. In a bowl, combine butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and salt; stir well.

4. Dip each squash piece into the butter mixture (brush it if needed).  Make sure the squash are well coated with butter.  Save the remaining butter mixture.

5. Lay the squash on a foiled tray without overlapping them.

6. Roast them in the pre-heated oven at 420F for about 10 minutes.  Take the tray out.  Flip the squash pieces over with tongs, and continuously roast them for another 10 minutes.

7. The acorn squash should be caramelized and the skin should be really soft.  Gently remove them from the tray onto the serving dish.  Reduce the oven temperature to 360F.

8. In a small bowl, mix the remaining butter mixture with the hazelnuts.

9. Pour the mixture onto the foil tray.  Then, roast the hazelnuts in the oven until they are fragrant and crispy; about 15 minutes.

10. Scatter the hazelnuts onto the acorn squash, followed by the cranberry.  They will be a wonderful side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Braised Bitter Melon with Black Bean and Garlic 豉蒜炒涼瓜

I would say this is a staple dish I constantly have in the fridge.  I usually cook a large portion, enough to last for the week's lunch and dinner.  It is a dish I can eat everyday.  Whenever I reheat this at work, the fragrance of the black bean sauce makes my colleagues' and my mouth water.  So last week, I made some for them to share.  The bitter melon lovers loved them, but the others, who didn't like bitter food, didn't like these melons unfortunately.

The seeds are edible so you do not need to remove them.  Actually after the stir-fry process, the seeds feel rather crunchy and taste really good.  Sometimes I find the seeds taste even better than the melons themselves.

The preserved black beans can be found in most Asian stores.  They need to be rinsed a few times to get rid of the extra salt or grit before use.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Chinese Bitter Melon

3 tablespoons Chinese Preserved Black Bean, rinsed

1 head of Garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Wine

2 tablespoons Sugar

1/4 teaspoon Salt

3 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

DIRECTION:

1. Combine garlic and black beans on a cutting board. Chop them until fine.  Add the bean mixture and the oil in the pan; fry it over low heat until fragrant.  It is about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut the melons lengthwise and then cut it into about 1 cm slices.  Leave out the seeds if prefered.

3. Turn up the heat to the highest.  Add the melons in the pan and fry until they are bright green; about 10 minutes.  Add cooking wine and allow it to evaporate.

4. Add about 1/3 cup water, sugar and salt. Cover the lid, cook the melons on medium for about 10 minutes and the sauce has thickened.  Best served with steamed rice.

Hong Kong Style Seitan Bites 港式甜酸齋和咖哩齋

These orange and yellow seitan bites are a signature dish in many vegan restaurants in Hong Kong.  The orange ones are sweet and sour while the bright yellow ones are curry.  Don't think making seitan from scratch is difficult.  You will be surprised how few ingredients are required and how simple the process is.

My dad is not a vegan, but he loves these sweet and sour goodies and he would often buy them to bring home.  However, where I live now it's hard to find pre-cooked seitan with a lack of preservative and colourant.  They are also quite expensive.  So it is really worth it to make my own.  If you are also interested in making your own healthy seitan, you are welcome to try and share the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups Bread Flour

2 cups Water

1 teaspoon Salt

6杯 高筋麵粉
2杯 水
1 茶匙 鹽

DIRECTION 做法：

1. Mix the ingredients together until it forms into a dough and is slightly elastic.  Submerge the dough in water for about 15 minutes.

1．揉合麵糰至筋性後，把麵糰浸於水中若十五分鐘。

2. Wash the dough in water and drain, repeating several times until the water is clear.  The process is similar to doing laundry by hand.  You will find the dough becoming smaller and firmer.  The dense mass that is left is the seitan.

2．用手反覆把麵糰在水中搓擦（像洗衣服般），直至水便淸。期間要不段換水。麵糰會變得越來越實和小，剩下的便是麵筋。

3. Squeeze out the excessive water inside the seitan; the more water that is squeezed out, the firmer the seitan will be.  Allow it to rest for 30 minutes over a strainer and then squeeze out the water again. 

4. Divide the dough into four large portions. Wrap them tightly and refrigerate them for two days.

3．把麵筋搾乾水，越乾麵筋便越實。靜置若三十分鐘再搾水。把其分成四大份，包好靜置於雪櫃內兩天。切麵筋成小塊。

5. Boil a pot of water over medium-high heat.  Add seitan and cook them for about 10 minutes; drain.

6. To make sweet and sour seitan - combine ketchup, sugar, salt, white vinegar, Chinese cooking rice wine, and water with the cooked seitan.

To make curry seitan - combine curry powder, salt, Chinese cooking rice wine, water, and seitan.

7. Boil all the ingredients over medium-low heat until most of the liquid is evaporated and the sauce has thickened.  Serve immediately.

4. 燒熱一鍋水，下麵筋，用中大火煮若10分鐘；撈起。

5. 甜酸齋一一混入茄汁、糖、鹽、白醋、米酒、水
咖哩齋一一混入咖哩粉、鹽、米酒

6. 用中小火煮至汁收乾便成。

Hoemade Seitan Steak (with bread flour) 麵筋純素牛扒

Seitan is a high gluten wheat product that is packed with protein.  When people want to go vegan for various reasons but they crave for something "meaty", or want a protein boost, seitan is the source.  You can find seitan in many Asian supermarkets in different forms and sizes, but making your own is also not difficult.  Honestly, the homemade seitan here has a denser texture which I like more than the store bought ones.

When it comes to homemade seitan, you may have read many recipes that mention "vital wheat gluten flour" or "gluten flour".  They are a one-step-ahead product that is ready to use and removes the need to rinse the dough.  Although these two types of flour are handy, they are more expensive.  So I stick to my bread flour and do my own "dough laundry".  Any one?

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups Bread Flour

2 cups Water

1 teaspoon Salt

材料：

6杯 高筋麵粉
2杯 水
1 茶匙 鹽

DIRECTION 做法:

1. Mix the ingredients together until it forms into a dough and is slightly elastic.  Submerge the dough in water for about 15 minutes.

1．揉合麵糰至筋性後，把麵糰浸於水中若十五分鐘。

2. Repeatedly wash the dough in water with a few changes of water, until the water becomes clean.  The process is similar to doing laundry by hand.  You will find the dough becoming smaller and firmer.  The dense mass that is left is the seitan.

2．用手反覆把麵糰在水中搓擦（像洗衣服般），直至水便淸。期間要不段換水。麵糰會變得越來越實和小，剩下的便是麵筋。

3. Squeeze out the excessive water inside the seitan; the more water that is squeezed out, the firmer the seitan it will be.

3．把麵筋搾乾水，越乾麵筋便越實。

4. Allow the seitan to sit in a strainer over a bowl for about 30 minutes.  Then squeeze the water again.  Mould the seitan into the shape of steak.  Fry it with oil over medium heat.  Brush a generous layer of steak sauce.  Serve immediately.

4. 靜置若三十分鐘再搾水。把其揉成牛排狀，用中火煮好，擦上牛排汁便成。

The Fluffiest Vegan Pancake

Vegan pancakes don't have to be tasteless and hard.  These pancakes are super fluffy, and even fluffier than the non-vegan ones.  The key is in the small amount of vinegar and Flaxseed "egg whites".  Try to make your own version by playing around with the seasoning.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 cup All Purpose Flour

1.5 tablespoon Baking Powder

1.5 cups Almond Milk

1/4 cup Coconut Nut Oil (Odourless), melted

4 tablespoons Flaxseed "Egg White" (1 tablespoon Flaxseed + 4 tablespoons Hot Water)

1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 teaspoon Apple Cider (or White Vinegar)
1/3 cup Raisin (optional)

1/3 teaspoon Salt

Maple Syrup (to serve)

DIRECTION:

1. Mix 1 tablespoon Flaxseed and 4 tablespoons Hot Water together to create "Egg whites"; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk all wet ingredients together.  Add all dry ingredients into the wet mixture; mix it to combine as batter.  Leave it for about 10 minutes before use.

3. Heat up a non-stick skillet over medium heat.  Add a large spoonful of batter.  Patiently wait until the surface of the batter starts to bubble and slightly firm up.  Flip the pancake over and cook for another 2 minutes.  Turn down the heat if the pancakes brown too fast.

4. Repeat this process until all the batter is finished.  Serve them with maple syrup.