Asian Inspired Plant Based Cooking

Asian Inspired Plant-Based Recipes

Asian cuisine includes several major regional cuisines: Central Asian, East Asian, North Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and West Asian. A cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, usually associated with a specific culture. When speaking of Asian Cooking we could be describing…. Thai, Japanese, Chinese, India and many more.

Some of the common ingredients, spices and cooking techniques we will see when we talk about Asian Cooking will include but not limited to rice, ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, lemon grass, basil, cilantro (coriander), chilies, dried onions, soy, and tofu. Stir frying, steaming, and deep frying are common cooking methods.

Chinese Inspired Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 14 ounce block extra firm tofu – with water pressed out and crumbled
• 2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ cup onion diced, onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tablespoon minced ginger fresh minced, or ginger paste
• 12 oz mushrooms, shitake, button or portobello; chopped
• ¼ cup Tamari low sodium, soy sauce low sodium, braggs aminos or coconut aminos
• 3 Tablespoon Thai sweet red chili sauce or Vegan – Hoisin or Oyster Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar (Optional)
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 1 teaspoon liquid sweetener (maple syrup or agave)
• ⅓ cup cashews chopped – raw or roasted/salted
• ¼ cup scallions chopped (optional)
• ¼ cup cilantro fresh, chopped (optional)
• ¼-½ cup carrots shredded
• Sesame seeds for topping
• 1 head butter lettuce or romaine lettuce

Preparation

1. Make the thai chili sauce. Add the soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, lime juice, and sweetner to a small bowl and mix to combine and set aside.
2. Heat up a pan to medium high heat and add the oil.
3. Cook the tofu. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the pan, tossing it in the pan sauce while breaking it up with a wooden spoon, your hands or spatula. Season the tofu with a little granulated garlic, ground ginger, onion powder, salt and pepper and let it cook until it starts to turn golden brown, about 4-5 minutes, take out of the pan and set aside.
4.  Add in the onions and let cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions start to brown and turn translucent. Then add in the garlic and ginger. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
5. Next add the mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes – then add the tofu back in.
6. Add the sauce to the tofu and mushrooms. Sprinkle the chopped cashews over the tofu and sauce in the pan. Toss that all together, reduce the heat to low and let that all cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes, then stir in the carrots, chopped scallions and cilantro (If using)
7. Assemble the lettuce wraps. To assemble the lettuce wraps, open one of the lettuce leaves and add a large spoonful of the tofu mixture into the wrap and top it with some of the pan sauce and sesame seeds. Continue until you have made all of the lettuce wraps.

Thai-Inspired Banana Spring Rolls

Ingredients

• 8 spring roll wrappers or wonton wrappers
• 4 medium bananas, cut in half
• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• vegetable oil
• caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream or honey and coconut flakes

Preparation (Rice Paper)In a small bowl blend the sugar and spices together. Set aside.Peel the bananas and slice off the ends. Cut each banana in half and set aside. Pour about 1 inch of oil into a large skillet or pan. Heat to 350°F.Place each spring roll wrapper in water individually for about 10 seconds, then place it onto a clean work surface. Only wet as many as you have a place to set down. I like to do one at a time.Sprinkle the spring roll wrapper with about a teaspoon of the sugar mixture. Place the banana onto the wrapper. Carefully fold in the sides, then roll-up. Repeat wetting the spring rolls, filling, and wrapping.  Separate the completed ones  with wet paper towels. Using tongs, place the spring rolls into the hot oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, turning halfway. Drain on paper toweling.Serve hot with a side of vanilla ice cream and caramel drizzled on top.

Preparation (Wonton Wrapper)Blend sugar mixture. In a small bowl blend the sugar and spices together. Set aside.Peel the bananas and slice off the ends. Cut each banana in half and set aside.In a shallow bowl, whisk together the sugar and spices.Lay out your wonton wrappers. Roll each banana in the sugar and spices until coated. Place a banana in each wonton wrapper and roll. Use water to seal the edges.Place on a greased air fryer tray. Spray with a thin layer of cooking oil to get a golden, crispy outside.Preheat the air fryer to 350°F (let it run for two minutes) and put the spring rolls in. Fry for 4 minutes, roll, and fry for another 4 minutes.Remove from the air fryer and drizzle with honey and coconut flakes.