Steamed Vegetarian Fish with Enoki Mushroom

Ideal for busy people who have little time to spare preparing meal especially during weekday. For this dish, the emphasis is more on the natural food like tomatoes and mushrooms, which is a little different from my earlier version of Steamed Vegetarian Fish. It required very little and simple seasoning. You can opt to sprinkle sesame oil after steaming, if desired.  

Preparation:     7 mins, Cooking time:  8 mins

           

Ingredients (serves 2)

°         1 vegetarian fish slice

°         2 tomatoes, cut into 4 wedges

°         100g enoki mushroom, base trimmed

°         2 thin slices ginger, finely shredded

°         1 teaspoon sesame oil

°         1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

°         1-2 mini dried Chinese mushroom (optional), soaked

°         coriander leaves and chilli/wolfberries, for garnish

Method

1.      Arrange the enoki mushroom, tomatoes, vegetarian fish, ginger shreds, mushroom ion a heatproof serving plate.

2.      Sprinkle salt, oil and steam for 8 minutes.

3.      Garnish with coriander, chilli and serve immediately.

Tofu with Preserved Olive Vegetables

If you do not mind having preserved vegetables with bit of MSG once in a while, this is a perfect easy dish to whip up in few minutes and it really goes well with plain white fragrant rice. All you need is preserved olive vegetables and the ingredients are mustard, plant oil, olive, salt, monosodium glutamate. As this preserved vegetable is rather oily, you will need to drain it well. For me, I would put them into a paper coffee filter bag and squeeze out all the oil. No seasoning is required, as the preserved olive vegetables are tasty enough. By the way, this preserved vegetables is often used as a condiment for congee or porridge.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu (300g), cut into cubes
° 2 tablespoons preserved olive vegetables, drained well in a paper coffee filter bag
° 250ml water
° 1 teaspoon tapioca starch
° ¼ fresh chilli (optional), seeded and chopped
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Combine the preserved olive vegetables with 125ml of water in a bowl. Pour into a wok and bring to a boil.
2. Add in the tofu and cook for 1 minute.
3. Combine the tapioca starch with 125ml of water and mix well. Pour over the tofu, stirring slowly and bring to a boil.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves and chilli.

Shanghai Green

Easy cooking, any one can do it. Just blanch shanghai green, drizzle the sauce over it and it is a delicious dish. This dish goes well with vegetarian “chicken” rice and dry noodle or dry wonton mee.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 2 stalks china shanghai green (bok choy), halved
° 500ml water

Dressing
° 1 teaspoon olive oil or garlic oil or ginger oil
° 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 2 tablespoons hot water
° dash of sesame oil (optional)

Method
1. Bring 500ml water to a boil and blanch shanghai green for 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain well and arrange on a serving plate.
2. Mix the all ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and drizzle over the shanghai green. Serve immediately.

Vegan Pineapple Fried Rice

This is a simplified version of the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice, omitting the egg, onion, meat and fish sauce which is common. Serve rice in pineapple skin shell, if desired.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° 200g frozen mixed vegetables
° 100g pineapple, diced
° 1 vegetarian ham (optional), diced
° ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
° ¾ teaspoon curry powder
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° salt, to taste
° sugar (optional), to taste
° ½ fresh red chilli (optional) , finely sliced or shredded
° 1 tablespoon roasted cashew nut (optional).

Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger and vegetarian ham fry till fragrant.
2. Throw in the cooked rice, mixed vegetables and pineapples. Add the turmeric powder and curry powder. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until rice is heated through and well coated. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry. Season with to taste with light soy sauce, salt and sugar.
3. Garnish with chilli and cashew nut and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Rice for frying must be cooked at least 2 hours in advance or the night before.

Margarine Fried Rice

Quick and extremely simple fried rice with simple ingredients like frozen mixed vegetables and salt as the only seasoning. Dairy free and cholesterol free margarine spread is used, however you may change to olive oil, if prefer. You may even add some unpolished rice to the white rice.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° 100g-150g frozen mixed vegetables
° 1 tablespoon dairy free margarine
° salt and pepper, to taste

Method
1. Heat the margarine in a wok or frying pan, half a minute. Stir in the cooked rice, mixed vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
2. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry. Fry about 2-3 minutes or until rice is heated through. Serve hot.

Tip
1. Rice for frying must be cooked at least 2 hours in advance or the night before.

Simple Eggplant Curry

Tired of steaming, stir frying eggplant (aubergine or brinjal) and at the same time want curry in a hurry. Here is a real simple recipe for you.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 300g egg plant, cut into 1 cm slices
° 1 sprig curry leaves
° 1-1½ tablespoon curry powder
° 1-½ teaspoon chilli powder
° 1- 1½ tablespoons oil
° 160ml water
° salt, to taste
° sugar (optional), to taste
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and cut into section

Method
1. Mix the curry powder and chilli powder with a tad of water to form curry paste and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pot or wok, fry the curry leaves until fragrant. Add in the curry paste and fry over medium heat until fragrant.
3. Throw in the eggplants and stir fry for 1 minute. Stir in the water, salt, sugar and simmer for 3-5 minutes until the gravy is thicken or the eggplants are tender.
4. Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with chilli and serve immediately.

Stir-Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Black Bean and Chilli

Bitter gourd has a strong bitter taste, to moderate this to some extent is by salting and then washing the cut slices before cooking. Besides using salt black bean, soy bean paste with chilli can be used for stir-frying this dish.

Preparation: 5 mins plus 10 mins standing time, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 250g bitter gourd, seeded and thinly sliced
° 1 slice ginger or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
° ¾ tablespoon olive oil
° 1 tablespoon salted black beans
° 1 tablespoon cooking rice wine
° ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
° 2 teaspoons salt

Method
1. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt to the bitter gourd, mix well and leave for 10 minutes for the liquid to drain. Rinse and gently squeeze out as much moisture as you can.
2. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger or garlic and fry till golden brown.
3. Add the salted black bean and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Add the bitter gourd and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of cooking rice wine, sugar and fry for a moment.
4. Finally add the chilli and transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Simple Stir-Fried Okra (Lady’s Finger)

Anyone can cook this dish, it required no cooking experience at all and would not go wrong. If you like crunchy okra, just remember not to stir-fry for too long. Have a bite, to decide for yourself.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 8-10 okra/lady’s fingers, trimmed and diagonally sliced
° 1 slice ginger or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable oil
° salt, to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger or garlic and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the okra and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Stir in ½ tablespoon of cooking rice wine or water if it is too dry. Season to taste with salt.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Spicy Tom Yum Fried Rice

If you like spicy food and rice, this recipe is the combination of both. It is no fuss to cook.

Preparation: 3 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g rice, cooked
° 100g-150g frozen mixed vegetables
° 5 straw mushrooms (optional), halved
° 1 stalk lemongrass, peel off outer layers leaving tender whitish centre, cut out 5cm, bruised

° 2-4 kaffir lime leaves
° 1 tablespoon olive oil
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1½ tablespoon vegetarian tom yum paste
° ½ fresh red chilli (optional) , finely shredded
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, or to taste
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves (optional), for garnish

Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger and lemongrass fry till fragrant. Stir in the tom yum paste and fry for less than ½ minute.
2. Add the lime leaves, cooked rice, mixed vegetables and season with light soy sauce.
3. Sprinkle some water if it is too dry. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until rice is heated through and well coated.
4. Mix in the chilli, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Tip
1. Rice for frying must be cooked at least 2 hours in advance or the night before.

Vegan Oatmeal “Butter Prawn”

Vegan Oatmeal “Butter Prawn”

Vegetarian Prawn (Vegetarian Chai Har) made of mushroom, carrot, beancurd puff, chinese swede & seasoning

Oatmeal Butter Prawn is a popular dish in the restaurants in Singapore. By replacing butter with non-dairy margarine, prawn with mock prawn (made of beancurd skin, carrot and radish strips and mushroom), omitting the milk powder and egg, the vegan version is derived. If you find that deep-frying the mock prawns is not ultra-healthy, just brush some oil and bake it instead.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 6 (150g) vegetarian prawns
° 1 tablespoon non-dairy margarine
° 4-6 sprigs curry leaves, stalk removed
° 2-3 fresh chilli padi or 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced
° 3 tablespoons instant oatmeal
° ½ teaspoon salt
° ½ tablespoon sugar
° pepper (optional), to taste
° oil, for deep-frying

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Place the vegetarian prawns into the hot oil and fry until lightly golden brown. Remove the vegetarian prawns with a slotted spoon. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside. Alternatively, bush some oil on the vegetarian prawns and bake for a healthy choice.
2. Mix the oatmeal, salt, sugar and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Heat the margarine in a wok or frying pan over medium heat. Stir fry the curry leaves and chilli for 1 minute. Add in the oatmeal and stir fry until all the ingredients are crispy and aromatic.
4. Add in the vegetarian pawns and stir fry briskly. Dish up and serve hot.

Creamy Cabbage with Mushroom and Soy Milk

A quick and easy to cook cabbage dish with creamy sauce, using soy milk instead of milk, which is suitable for Vegan.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 200-250g chinese cabbage (wong bak/bok choy), cut into broad strips
° ½ carrot, shredded
° 8-10 can mushrooms, thinly sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger
° 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 200ml unsweetened soy milk
° salt, to taste
° ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
° a pinch sugar (optional)

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the cabbage, mushrooms and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Stir in the soy milk, season to taste with salt, black pepper and sugar. Simmer until the sauce is slightly dry or the vegetables are tender.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Tip
1. If the sauce is too much watery, mix ½ teaspoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir in.
2. Vegetarian ham can be added, if desired.

Stir-Fried Tofu with Oyster Mushroom

Another quick and simple delicious tofu dish, yet it contains simple ingredients and is easy to get. Fresh shiitake mushroom or cardoncello mushroom or shimeiji mushroom can be used or added to this dish, if desired.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu (300g), cut into cubes
° 150g oyster mushroom/abalone mushroom, sliced
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° a stalk spring onion or fresh coriander leaves, cut diagonally

Sauce
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce
° 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
° 1½ teaspoons corn starch
° 6 tablespoons water
° pepper, to taste

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown. Add the mushroom stir-fry for less than a minute. Add in the tofu and stir-fry briskly. Stir in the sauce mixture, spring onion or coriander leaves, chilli and simmer until the sauce is thickened.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice.

Stir-Fried Watercress with Vegetarian Oyster Sauce

This is a quick and easy to cook watercress stir-fried dish using inexpensive ingredients. Watercress is a super food that contains significant amounts of iron, calcium, folic acid, vitamins A and C.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 200g watercress
° 1 slice ginger
° ¾ tablespoon vegetable oil
° 1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok. Add the ginger and fry till golden brown.
2. Add the watercress and stir-fry briskly for a moment. Season to taste with vegetarian oyster sauce.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately.

Steamed Eggplant in Soy Sauce

This quick and easy steamed dish is using eggplant, aubergine or brinjal. Choose eggplant with smooth and unblemished skin. Normally, eggplants are not peeled as the skin preserves their texture, taste and shape.

Preparation: 5 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 1 long slender eggplant, sliced
° 1 thin slice ginger, chopped
° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish
° 1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
° 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce

Method
1. Arrange the eggplant in a heat proof serving plate and steam for 10 minutes or until soft.
2. Garnish steamed eggplant with coriander.
3. Heat the oil in a wok and add ginger, chilli and stir-fry briskly until aromatic. Drizzle over the steamed eggplant.
4. Add light soy sauce before serving.

Tip
1. Peel the skin of eggplant, if desired.

Mashed Eggplants

Mashed Eggplants garnish with spring onion and crispy shallot

This recipe is easy to make, it can be prepared well in advance and when you are ready to eat all you have to do is heat up and add the seasoning.

Preparation: 15 mins, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)

° 2 long slender eggplants

° 750ml water

° 1 thin slice ginger, finely chopped

° 1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

° a small handful fresh coriander leaves or chopped spring onion, for garnish

° 1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil

° 1.5 tablespoons light soy sauce

Method

1. Place the eggplants in a pot or wok of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave eggplant to cool in the cooking water.

2. When it is cool enough to handle, remove and cut each eggplant lengthwise in halves. With a spoon, scoop the flesh out of the skins and put in a serving plate.

3. Mash the scooped-out eggplant flesh well and garnish with coriander leaves.

4. Heat the oil in a wok and add ginger, chilli and stir-fry briskly until aromatic. Drizzle over the eggplant. Season to taste with light soy sauce before serving.

Steamed Cardoncello Mushroom

Photographer: Little JFThis is an easy steamed dish without much work at all. This dish can be used as a substitute for the poached chicken that goes with Hainanese Chicken Rice. Alternatively, just wrap a piece of lettuce leaf around a slice of cardoncello mushroom and dip with chicken rice chilli, to eat.

Preparation: 10 mins, Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 150g cardoncello mushroom/king oyster mushroom, sliced
° 2 thin slices ginger
° 1½ tablespoons sesame oil
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Arrange the ginger and cardoncello mushrooms in a heatproof serving plate. Drizzle sesame oil and light soy sauce over the plate. Steam for 10 minutes.
2. Garnish with coriander and serve immediately.

Steamed Vegetarian Fish

This easy steamed dish without much work and is ideal for busy people who have little time to spare.

Preparation: 7 mins Cooking time: 8 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 2-3 (100-150g) vegetarian fish slices
° 1 tomato, cut into 6 wedges
° 2-3 thin slices ginger, finely shredded
° 1 preserved sour plum (optional)
° ½ fresh red chilli (optional), seeded and finely shredded
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° ½-1 teaspoon light soy sauce
° a small handful fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method
1. Arrange the vegetarian fish in a heatproof serving plate. Drizzle oil, soy sauce and scatter plum, ginger and tomato over the plate. Steam for 8 minutes.
2. Garnish with coriander, chilli and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Thin slices of silken tofu and cooked Chinese dried mushrooms can be scattered before steaming, if desired.

Lady’s Fingers with Soy Sauce

A simple and easy-to-cook dish – tender, green and fresh lady’s finger (okra). Lady’s finger is normally eaten young, as it gets very woody when mature. It is often blanched until tender or simply stir-fried.

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients (serves 2)
° 8-10 lady’s fingers
° 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
° 1 slice ginger
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
° crispy shallot (optional)

Method
1. Trim off the head and tail of each lady’s finger.
2. Bring 700ml of water to boil.
3. Put lady’s fingers into hot water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain immediately.
4. To make ginger oil, heat the ginger slice in vegetable oil until light brown.
5. Arrange lady’s fingers on a serving plate, season with ginger oil, light soy sauce and shallot.

Tip
1. This dish can be served with freshly cut red chilli padi (bird’s eye chilli) in light soy sauce.
2. Lady’s finger can even be eaten raw!

Deep-fried Vegetarian Fish with Ginger

This easy steamed dish without much work and is ideal for busy people who have little time to spare.

Preparation: 5 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 2-3 (100-150g) vegetarian fish slices
° 4-6 thin slices ginger, finely shredded
° 2 cloves garlic (optional), finely chopped
° oil, for deep-frying
° ½-1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Method
1. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or wok. Place the vegetarian fish slices in and then fry until golden brown. Drain well on kitchen paper and set aside.
2. Remove oil from the wok and leave only 1-2 tablespoons oil. Add the ginger, garlic and fry till slightly golden brown. Drizzle ginger, garlic and dark soy sauce over the fish slices. Serve immediately.

Steamed Tofu with Ginger and Spring Onion

This quick and easy steamed tofu is a delicious dish. Using chilled tofu, instead of steaming it to makes a special starter, if desired.

Preparation: 10 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Ingredients (serves 2-3)
° 1 pack silken tofu, cut into quarters
° ¼ fresh red chilli, seeded and finely shredded
° 2 thin slices ginger, finely grated or chopped
° 1 spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish
° 2 teaspoons lightly toasted sesame seeds (optional)
° ½ teaspoon olive oil
° ½ teaspoon sesame oil
° 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Method
1. Place the tofu in a heat proof serving plate and steam for 5 minutes.
2. Garnish steamed tofu with ginger, spring onion, chilli and sprinkle some sesame seeds.
3. Drizzle with oils, light soy sauce and serve immediately.

Tip
1. Heat the oils in a wok, add ginger and stir-fry briskly until aromatic for drizzling, if desired.