Vegawesome!: June 2012

Monday, 18 June 2012

DUMPLINGS!

Pre-steamed beauties

Post-steamed tasties

Yes the title gets capitals, that is because THESE ARE THE TASTIEST THINGS YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR FACEHOLE!

Seriously, these are crack dumplings and I've been known to trade them for goods and services :)

About 18 months ago when friends and I got home from a Melbourne trip, we were bummed about not being able to access dumplings easily in Brisbane.

We decided to make some and I took a few different recipes I found online and combined the best parts to make this recipe.

Surprisingly, it worked.

Not only worked but was like, wow.

SO this is another dish that is for weekends only as it takes me 45mins to finely chop all the filling ingredients and another hour or so to fold 60 dumplings and steam.

DUMPLINGS

Ingredients;

• Approx 60 dumpling wrappers (Gow Gee)

• 3 cups shitake mushrooms, chopped finely (I use button mushrooms when I'm not as cashed up, shitake are expensive but taste better)

• 1 cup pak choy or Chinese broccoli leaves, finely shredded

• 1 cup firm tofu, finely chopped

• Thumb size piece of ginger, finely grated

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 shallot stalks, finely sliced

• 1 cup coriander, finely chopped

• 1/4 tsp white pepper

• 3 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs sesame oil

• 1 tsp chilli sauce/sambal oelek/chilli powder

• 1/2 tsp veggie stock powder

Method;

• Mix in a large bowl

• Spoon into wrappers, fold (Youtube dumpling folding videos! It takes practice)

• Steam

• Faceplant

Serving suggestions;

• Dipping sauce - most part soy sauce, dash of white wine vinegar, few drops of sesame oil

• Chilli sauce/sambal oelek

• Wok tossed Chinese greens with garlic

• Steamed rice

Dal Kofta.

This dal kofta is one of my faaaavourite dishes to make (if you haven't already noticed, Veggie Num Num is my go to guide for delicious winners!).

It's SO tasty and makes about six serves.

The catch?

It takes a long time to make.

I make it my Sunday dinner so I have two hours prep time.

It's SO worth the wait, seriously.

The kofta balls are crunchy and packed full of flavour and the curry they float in is really rich and creamy.

I forgot to take a picture of it plated up as I faceplanted very quickly.

I serve it on brown rice and top with LOT'S of fresh lime juice, chopped cucumber and a huge handful of fresh coriander leaves.

P.S This pic was taken just before I added the coconut milk, it gets a LOT creamier :)

Sunday, 3 June 2012

Laksa.

Even though I've been dining out a looooooot since I moved to Melbourne, I have still been cooking (this is proof right!)

It's REALLY hard to find a vegan laksa paste by the way, most have shrimp in them.

This Osha brand is the only one I've ever found/used and it's delicious (luckily).

Here is the recipe but I kind of make it by feel so nothing is exact...

Ingredients; (See pic)

• Noodles, prepared as per packet instructions and set aside (I like chow mein)

• Laksa paste

• Tofu puffs (available in Asian grocers)

• 400ml coconut milk

• Fried onion/shallots (available in Asian grocers)

• Handful of snow peas

• 2 shallot stalks, sliced

• 2 cups button mushrooms, quartered

• A few handfuls of Asian greens (I used baby bok choy)

• 1 long red chilli

• 1 lime

• A handful of bean sprouts

• Bunch of coriander, chopped

• Handful of nuts (I used cashews)

Method;

1.) Cook the jar of paste with a tin of coconut milk and about 1L of water for a few minutes (back of laksa paste jar will be more specific with liquid quantities).

2.) Prepare noodles then set them aside.

3.) Add mushrooms and tofu puffs to the soup and simmer for about 10 mins.

4.) Add snow peas to the soup and some coriander stalks. Cook for another 5 mins to soften the peas then turn off heat.

Now for the assembling;

1.) Add noodles to bowl

2.) Add raw Asian greens, the hot soup will cook these

3.) Add soup

4.) Top with lime juice, bean sprouts, fresh sliced shallots, fresh sliced chilli, coriander, fried onions and nuts

5.) FACEPLANT