Vegetarian Jerky Fried Rice With Mock Floss

Finally, here the recipe ...

Preparation:     5 mins, Cooking time:  8 mins 

Ingredients (serves 2)

°         200g rice, cooked

°         25g-50g (1-2 slices) vegetarian jerky or Bak Gua, cut into small square

°         25g carrot, cut into small dices

°         1½-2 tablespoons olive oil

°         salt and pepper, to taste

°         2 tablespoons mock floss

°         6-8 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

Method

1.      Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat and stir fry the vegetarian jerky till fragrant.

2.      Throw in the carrot and stir  in the cooked rice and season salt and pepper.

3.      Add in the kaffir lime leaves and fry about 2 minutes or until rice is heated through. Sprinkle with some water if it is too dry.

4.      Top with mock floss and garnish with kaffir lime leaves, vegetarian jerky and serve hot.

Creamy Winter Melon and Carrot Soup

Quite a fun and easy way to serves creamy soup if you do not really like clear soup and want some texture in it. For a light orange color or more creamy colour soup, reduce the amount of carrot (few slices) used and increase the winter melon portion. Have fun, it is all based on individual preferences.

Preparation:     10 mins, Cooking time:  25 mins

           

Ingredients (serves 2)

°         350g winter melon (weight after peeling), cut into small chunks

°         75g carrot, cut into mall chunks

°         50g shiitake mushroom, sliced 

°         350ml water or vegetable stock

°         1 piece (25g) vegetarian ham, sliced thinly

°         salt and pepper to taste

°         granulated mushroom bouillon (optional), to taste

°         some coriander,  for garnish

Method

1.      Place the winter melon, carrot and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-8 minutes or until winter melon and carrot are tender.  

2.      Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

3.      Place the mushrooms, vegetarian ham and soup  puree in a pot and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and granulated mushroom bouillon.

4.      Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

Red Bean NianGao with Grated Coconut ...

This is the Red Bean NianGao from Lingzhi Vegetarian Restaurant that I was talking about in my other blog post - Red Bean NianGao and Turnips NianGao

And I followed the tip given by their waitress - Add a pinch of salt to the grated coconut and steamed. Next place the steamed niangao with the grated coconut ... Lovely, I like the new twist to the Traditional NianGao ... 

Quick Pumpkin 'N' Mushroom Soup II

Using almost the same ingredients from the previous post - Quick Pumpkin 'N' Mushroom Soup. It is thicker, as I make use of the  left over radish and carrot (for the vegetable stock), to make it into a puree and omit the corn starch.  Pumpkin and Winter Melon puree will give a different texture consistency.

Quick Pumpkin 'N' Mushroom Soup

GONG XI FA CAI - Toast to a year of Prosperity, Health and Good Fortune! 

We had a delectable CNY Set meal @ Whole Earth Vegetarian Restaruant, early this month. They have a delectable Doubleboilded Golden Pumpkin Sharksfin Soup (Photo of Whole Earth's Golden Pumpkin Sharkfin) which my young man loves it so much. As this is special sharkfin soup in the restaurant that comes with the CNY Set, I can't just order this dish alone, I guess.

So, I cooked this simplified version for my young man. The taste is not exactly the same as I omit lots of other ingredients which the restaurant used, are rather expensive during Chinese New Year period, like the Vegetarian Shark Fin cost $12.50 instead of $8.50 few months back. And I don't really want to keep so much ingredients in my already pack refrigerator, therefore, simplified it. Add in more ingredients, if desired, just ensure ingredients balanced well.

Preparation:     10 mins, Cooking time:  25 mins 

           

Ingredients (serves 2)

°         200g pumpkin (weight after peeling), small chunks

°         50g shitake mushroom, sliced

°         50g enoki mushroom, base trimmed

°         500ml water or vegetable stock

°         1 piece (25g) vegetarian ham, sliced thinly

°         salt and pepper to taste

°         granulated mushroom bouillon (optional), to taste

°         1½ teaspoon corn starch, mix with 1 tablespoon water

°         some coriander,  for garnish

Method

1.      Place the pumpkin in a steamer and steam for 5-10 minutes or until tender.

2.      Transfer to a blender or food processor and add in water or vegetable stock. Blend until smooth and creamy.

3.      Place the mushrooms, vegetarian ham and pumpkin puree in a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, granulated mushroom bouillon and thicken with corn starch.

4.      Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

To my Dearest Readers ...

Dearest Readers

Whether you are vegetarian or semi-vegetarian or non-vegetarian or just one time visitor or returning visitors from all over the world (as far as Russia, Bahrain, South Africa, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Mexico etc), thank you very much for visiting my blog.

Sometime, I received emails from non-vegetarians asking for permission to have a particular photograph on my blog for their web (which could be totally unrelated to vegetarianism - gardening on lily bud), ebook etc, it really make me really happy that you like my photo.  Of course, it is not a problem at all.

In May 2009, a reader asked me for the photo of Sterculia Seeds but I find my previous photograph wasn't that nice and happened to find some sterculia seeds at home and have some time on hand. So, I soaked and took some photo and send to her.  In the process, not to waste those soaked sterculia seeds, it triggered some new recipes with sterculia as an ingredient - http://crystalbyblog.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html

Today, I find another email from Tịnh Tâm in Vietnam (below) in my "In Box" to use the recipes. Yes, it is not an issue at all, ALL ARE WELCOME (vegetarian or non-vegetarian) to take any recipes or photographs you like or of any use.  


It is Free and for Sharing - Free Photograph, Free Recipes, if you like, maybe just have a tiny acknowledgment of my blog otherwise, it is fine with me.

As all my recipes are quite "raw" due to time constraint (also some typo errors), please feel free to modify them and I am sure you will be able to generate something great and unique. I need to thank Tịnh Tâm for this in her email -" The more i searching your site, the more i found alot of interesting ".

While playing with the recipe even under time-constraints and skipping lots of stuff -  I discover this - The Universe of Vegetarian Cuisine is so vast and yet undiscovered …  So, I believe more others would be able to bring out the beautiful of Vegetarian Cuisine, just as any other cuisine where everyone on earth can enjoy not just for vegetarian ...

Tịnh Tâm, thank you very much for taking the effort in translating the recipes into Vietnamese, it definitely make more sense than using the "translation" tool on the web. When I chance upon my blog link in Taiwanese website, the translation via a tool, make the whole message funny.

As I am going to be very busy, I will only share more recipes which time permits : )

Have a lovely day.

Cheers crystal

Email from my blog reader - Tịnh Tâm :-

"

Hi Sister,

When i first found your site two weeks ago, i translated some into Vietnamese as a gift for my mom, help her have more ideas in cooking vegetarian/vegan food. While doing that, i posted some on the blog to share with some friends can't understand English.

The more i searching your site, the more i found alot of interesting ideas. So i would like to ask your permission if i can translate your recipes into Vietnamese and post on the http://anchaythoidaimoi.blogspot.com/ to share with Vietnanese community for those can't read or understand English?

With the vegetarian/vegan trend nowadays in order to help environment, decrease the hunger, and so on, i hope more people eating vegetaian woud be very ideal. Thank you a million times for your time preparing food, energy, and love.

anchaythoidaimoi "

Mee Suah in Thunder Tea Rice Broth

Happy Lunar New Year!

 May All be well, happy and prosperous ...

January gone! and it is now February 2010, getting near to Chinese New Year which is on 14 February! I still have not started working on any of my to-do list.  Busy and will be very very busy, as I fallen in love with -  Doing Nothing at all and trying too enjoy the Sound of Silence ...

What I had for lunch yesterday was just a bowl of Simple Mee Suah in Thunder Tea Rice Broth! I got the handmade Mee Suah (product of malaysia) from someone quite awhile ago and still have not finished the pack.  Just throw the mee suah in boiling water to cook it for a minutes or two and then transfer to the piping hot Thunder Tea Rice Broth, garnish with some coriander leaf and chilli if desired.

Too plain? Add something to it - blanched shimeji mushroom maybe! Or some veggies!

Simple Willow Mushroom 'N' Solomon's Seal Soup

In 2010, most likely I will be very busy and posting very few recipes. I still have 10-20 veg*n dishes on my recipe to-do list which I guess when time permit then I will post and share with all. Really appreciate the lovely comments, the encouraging emails etc that I received regarding this blog.  Here is an herbal soup recipe which I done last year to share.

Spot some fresh willow mushroom (tea tree mushroom) - 150g @ $$2.55, at the supermarket last year and could not resist buying this unique mushroom. And use it to whip up this quick and simple soup. The willow mushroom imparts a unique flavour to this soup. Add some dried mushroom if desired, it will gives this soup a much stronger flavour and darker shade.  You can opt to boil this soup longer but remember to increase the amount of water when needed.  

Preparation:     10 mins Cooking time:  20 mins

           

Ingredients (serves 2)

°         150g fresh willow mushroom, base trimmed

°         10g solomon's seal/yu zhu

°         6 seedless red dates

°         1 slice ginger (optional)

°         3/4 tablespoon wolfberries, soaked

°         750ml water or vegetable stock

°         salt and pepper to taste

°         granulated mushroom bouillon (optional), to taste

°         some fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Method

1.      Place willow mushroom, solomon's seal, red dates, ginger and water in a pot. Bring soup to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

2.      Throw in the wolfberries and season to taste with salt, pepper and granulated mushroom bouillon.

3.      Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

Soy Bean 'N' Edamame Bean Clear Soup

This is an accidental creation and therefore I didn't note down the ingredients required.  I was making some soybean stock and have some edamame beans in the refrigerator.  So, I dropped some  edamame beans to this simple clear soup, it adds colour to the presentation.

Recipe? When I make this again ...

Steamed Pumpkin Cake

with crispy shallot, chilli and coriander ...

with sweet sauce 'n' chilli 'n' sesame seeds ...

with mock floss ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This recipe is inspired by the Steamed Carrot Cake or Steamed Yam Cake. It looks kind of troublesome to whip but it is not.

To include some fun elements for your guests or kids, allow them to designer their unique Pumpkin Cake to show off their creativity or culinary art. They are few ways to garnish or add flavour to the Pumpkin Cake - top with some mock floss and coriander leaves, or drizzle some sweet soy sauce and sprinkle some sesame seeds or chopped chilli, with some Japanese Spring oil shreds and shichimi, or with some crispy shallot and chopped spring onion, or with chee cheong fun sauce and sesame seeds ...

Preparation:     15 mins, Cooking time:  25 mins

Ingredients (makes 8 pieces)

°         250 pumpkin weight after  peeling, diced

°         4 chinese dried mushroom, soaked and sliced

°         150g rice flour

°         1 tablespoon corn starch

°         1 teaspoon salt or to taste

°         pepper to taste

°         ½ teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

°         500ml water

°         1½ tablespoon oil

Garnish

°         ½ fresh red chilli, finely chopped

°         few coriander leaves

°         some toasted sesame seeds

Method

1.      Combine the rice flour, corn starch, salt, pepper and sesame oil with 250ml of water. Mix well and stir into a smooth batter.

2.      Heat oil in a wok. Throw in the pumpkin and mushroom and stir fry for 1 minute. Pour in 250ml of water and bring to a boil.

3.      Off the heat and pour in the batter. Stir till the batter turn thick and transfer to a steaming container and steam for 25 minutes.

4.      Let it cool. Garnish with chilli, coriander and serve.  

Pumpkin Glutinous Rice Balls N Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Sweet Broth ...

 Glutinous Rice Balls that look like Quail Egg Ginger Sweet Broth with Rose

  With a touch of Zen - Stacking Zen Stone (Blessing  ...) 

 Pumpkin Glutinous Rice Balls N Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Sweet Broth ...  

22 December 2009 - Today is Winter solstice. Instead of having the traditional type, I created a different type of Glutinous Rice Balls Dessert.  Added sesame powder with sugar to the glutinous rice flour and the other one is with mashed steamed pumpkin ...  What did you have?

Merry X'mas and Happy New Year ...

Merry X'mas and Happy New Year ...

Enjoy and Have fun ...

Miso Soup with Mashed Tofu and Edamame

I really love what I read in Shojin Ryori Cuisine where the Chef would crush the tofu used for the miso soup. It is the unique aspect of Shojin cooking that is to emphasize the practice of equanimity.  Hence, I whip up this miso soup with crushed tofu and tell this to my kid.  What I cook miso soup now, I tend to remember this crushing tofu and the association with equanimity, so it is kind of a beautiful reminder ...  

Preparation:     5 mins, Cooking time:  15 mins  

           

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

°         8 dried kelps in knot

°         1  thin slice ginger (optional)

°         500ml water

°         100g silken tofu, mashed

°         ¾ -1 tablespoon miso paste

°         some edamame soybean, for garnish

°         finely chopped spring onion or coriander leaves, for garnish

Method

1.      Place the dried kelps, ginger and water in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from the kelps and ginger, if desire. Stir in edamame soybean, miso paste, mashed tofu and bring to a boil

2.      Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, garnish with spring onion or coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Aonori Ko Aglio Olio

Aglio Olio is a real simple to whip up pasta dish and yet simply great.  The minced garlic lightly stir-fry in olive oil add a wonderful aroma and taste to it.  I like to make it real spicy using chilli padi or use dried chilli flake if I run out of fresh chilli padi.  I have a similar recipe Shell Pasta with Dried Chilli Flake that used dried chilli flake but for the above Aglio Olio, I added Anori Ko to add more nutrition values to it!

There are so many way to play with food like garnish it with julienne nori  and Shichimi Togarishi or garnish with Edamame soybean with black sesame seeds,  so have fun and create your own unique or fusion  pasta.

Nori Chazuke

I had a Nori Chazuke (Chazuke) from a Japanese Restaurant, which is rice topped with julienne seaweed and wasabi where you just need to pour in some clear broth before eating it. A simple dish and I tried to re-create it using Shojin Dashi (Vegetarian Dashi) broth.  In this recipe, I added chilli flake for garnish and just a piece of nori instead of julienne nori.  As for the mushroom and kelps from the Dashi stock, used them to make side dishes.

Preparation:     5 mins, Cooking time:  20 mins

           

Ingredients (serves 1)

°         1 bowl cooked plain white rice

°         wasabi, to taste

°         some julienne nori

°         some toasted sesame seeds

°         some matcha powder

°         some chilli flake (optional), for garnish

Vegetarian Dashi

°         10-12 kelps in knot

°         25g dried chinese mushroom

°         1 slice ginger

°         500 ml water

°         2 tablespoons light soy sauce

Method

1.      Place the mushroom and water in a bowl and leave it to soak for 2-8 hours.

2.      Place kelps, ginger, mushroom and water from soaking the mushroom (strain) in a pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove the kelps, ginger and mushroom. Season to taste with light soy sauce.  Ladle vegetarian dashi into a tea pot.

3.      Place a bowl of rice on a serving plate or bowl, top with nori, sesame seeds, wasabi, mataha powder and chilli flake and serve with the vegetarian dashi.

Potato and Cucumber Salad with Peanut Sauce

I like the Peanut Sauce that comes with the Vegetarian Satay that I got from Friendly Vegetarian Food Supplier.  Since there was some Peanut Sauce left, I decided to have whipped up something similar to the Indonesia dish - Gado Gado.

I steamed a potato (peeled and diced), sliced some Japanese cucumber and with some vegetarian Tapioca cracker (or papadum) and use the peanut salad as dipping sauce.  This is just one of the many ways to enjoy potato, if you like peanut sauce or not allergic to peanut.  Potatoes are not just great for any meals but are also good for you and your body.  It is loaded with a good amount of vitamin C, potassium, fibre, antioxidants, with a low calorie count of 110, yet zero fat and cholesterol!

p.s:  Vegetarian Tapioca Cracker goes well with the peanut sauce, and it adds some texture to this dish! Limit the intake or omit this for a more healthy meal.

Funori Jelly a.k.a Algae Essence Jelly

Algae Essence Jelly with Macha Soy Milk Dessert  ...

Algae Essence Drink with Ice Jelly Powder added to create a firmer texture ...

Algae Essence Drink with Fresh Lotus Seeds ...

I  bought a pack of Algae Essence (300g± @ S$5.50) from Friendly Vegetarian Food Supplier and make this jelly.  The ingredients listed are Algae, Longans, Red dates, Dark Brown Sugar.  If you want to know how this taste likes, it is exactly like winter melon drink from Yeo's or the traditional birdnest drink that was very popular in the Pasar Malam in the past (we still can find this drink in some of the Pasar Malam). 

Algae Essence (300g± @ S$5.50)

Algae Essence block (300g±)

I like making Jelly for colleagues and family members (not that I love jelly) because it is super simple and simply great. It can be made in advance and keep in the refrigerator up to a week. A small piece of chilled jelly after a meal, is so refreshing and kids love it too.  For this jelly, my young man does not really like it, as it contains Red Dates bits in it.

It is real simple to make this jelly even kid can do it.  Instead of following the instruction of using 5 litre of water, I used 2.5 litre of water to boil the Algae Essence block.  After chilling it, it becomes wobbly jelly and the sweetness is just nice.  You can also break the Algae Essence block up into smaller pieces (to speed up cooking) prior to throwing into the water and bring to a boil. Add ice jelly powder to it, if you want a firmer version jelly.

You can serve this as jelly or combine with other ingredients to make it into a beautiful and special dessert.  For a quick and no-fuss, simple and fun to serve, I added Macha Soy Milk to it.  It helps to give this dessert a contrasting color and also to create unique, random design or pattern. You can serve with Nata De Coco cubes or fruit cocktails, just like the ice jelly dessert.

If you want to taste this and not wanting to cook it, purchase the read-made jelly from the Vegetarian or Organic Eateries.