Asian Inspired Plant Based Cooking

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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.
Tofu & Mushroom Lettuce Cups being Plated.

Ethiopian Inspired Plant Based Cooking

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Ethiopian Inspired Plant-Based Recipes:

Berbere is the most popular spice blend and it is found in almost every Ethiopian stew. It is a mixture of warm spices such as chili powder, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and garlic, as well as other herbs, spices, and aromatics. A berbere blend usually consists of a mixture of 20 or more herbs, spices, and aromatics.

SPICED TOFU

Prepare in advance: Marinate Cubed Tofu 60 min – overnight

Ingredients:

Marinade for TOFU

  • 2T of Olive Oil 
  • ¼ cup of Lemon Juice
  • 2T of Water
  • 1T – 2T of Maple Syrup
  • ¼ t of Salt
  • 2t – 2T of Berbere
  • 1T Smoked Paprika
  • 2 t Dried Thyme
  • 1T dried Garlic Powder
  • 1T dried Onion Powder
  • 14oz-16oz Extra Firm Tofu, Pressed and Cubed.

Combine ingredients above, Pour over cubed tofu in a container and seal.

Preparation:

a. PAN FRY

  1. Remove Tofu from the marinate (Reserve the Marinade as a sauce for later)
  2. Heat Oil in a skillet
  3. Fry the cubes of tofu – fry until the tofu releases easily from the pan (If the tofu is brown and crisp it will be easier to turn). Fry each side.
  4. Once the Tofu is browned then add the marinade back to coat. 

b. BAKE (oil free)

  1. Preheat oven to 375
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment
  3. Remove the tofu from the Marinade and spread the tofu on the pan – Bake for 20 min. 
  4. Turn and then bake for an additional 20 min.
  5. Optional: Toss the cooked tofu in a pan with some of the marinade to provide extra flavor. 

LEFTOVERS: Refrigerate leftovers. Can store for 3-4 days. Can be eaten cold or at room temperature.

SPICED GREENS 

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 Bunches of Kale, Collard greens or Spinach
  • 2t minced Ginger
  • 1 ½ T minced Garlic
  • 1 medium onion chopped or sliced
  • 1.5t smoked paprika
  • 1t ground cardamom
  • 1 ½ t cumin
  • 1-2 jalapeno, deseeded and chopped (Optional)
  • 1 Chopped tomato, (Optional)
  • Salt to Taste

Preparation:

  1. In a large skillet, warm oil
  2. Add the onion and salt to the pan. Cook until the moisture is absorbed. About 5 minutes.
  3. Add to the pan minced ginger, garlic, paprika, cumin, cardamom, and saute for about a minute. To let the spices bloom.
  4. Stir in the collard greens and cook on medium heat until the collard greens become softened and most of the water evaporates. About 10 to 15 minutes. If the greens are not tender as you like, add more water and continue to cook until absorbed.
  5. Adjust the seasoning if necessary. 

Roasted Green Beans and Carrots

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb Green Beans, Cleaned and trimmed
  • 2-3 Carrots, Peeled and cut into sticks
  • 2T Ground Granulated Garlic
  • 3T Ground Ginger
  • ¼ t Ground Cumin
  • ¼ t Ground Cardamom
  • 2T Oil

Preparation (Preheat oven to 375): 

  1. Cut your vegetables to the same size – Remove as much liquid or moisture as you can from the vegetables
  2. Season your vegetables with ingredients above then roast vegetables (individually) 
  3. Use a baking sheet – Do not over crowd your pan – your vegetables need space
  4. Roast in High Heat Oven for 20-30 minutes (Turning – rotating – pan after 15 minutes) until caramelized (more time if needed).

Roasted Beets:

  • Wash and Clean Beets (Remove all stems)
  • Place tinfoil on a baking sheet (so you can make a pouch) and put your beets on top
  • Season beets with Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper
  • Close up tinfoil into a pouch with no open spaces
  • Bake at 425 for 1 hour.
  • Open your pouch to see if a paring knife can be easily inserted into a beet.
  • Waiting until cool enough to handle
  • Peel Skin and Enjoy
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