Chow Vegan

Another cookbook in for a review and getting a lot of action is The Tipsy Vegan: 75 Boozy Recipes to Turn Every Bite into Happy Hour by John Schlimm. I must confess I’m not much of a drinker but cooking with booze sure sounded fun. And adventurous. So let’s belly up to the bar and on to the kitchen.

I started out with something easy and somewhat familiar – The Tippler’s Hot + Sour Soup (page 31). It’s hot! As in spicy, not just temperature-wise and it’s sour too. Just like eating in a Chinese restaurant, although the restaurant version is highly unlikely to be boozy. Homemade is way better especially with the rice wine addition.

Next, I made Spicy Sesame Noodles Tie One On with Chopped Peanuts + Basil (page 124). I couldn’t find the extra thin fresh rice noodles called for in the recipe so I ended up using a slightly wider noodle. Still very good – the noodles are coated with an Asian-flavored rice wine dressing and served at room temperature.

Bruschetta on a Bender (page 21) is an interesting departure from the standard tomatoes with basil topping. Fresh thyme replaces the basil, mix in a fruity red wine or dry vermouth with the tomatoes and you got a nice little party going on for your taste buds.

sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-Sherry Bomb! Patats Bravas (page 14), another party starter, wasn’t quite as successful as the bruschetta. The flavor of the Spanish tapas of potatoes tossed in a spicy dressing was fine. Where I fell down was at the end of the recipe, where it said to “serve hot.” Did that mean serve right away or heat it up somehow? There was no further direction. I tried it both ways, heated was definitely better.

Cozy Tofu Under Black Bean Sauce (page 112), a main dish for a lushy lunch. Crispy, pan-fried tofu topped with a dry sherry black bean sauce. So good served with rice and Asian greens, I’ve since made the sauce several times. My favorite of the recipes I’ve tried so far, I haven’t even gotten to the recipes with beer or hard liquor.

There’s so much packed into this little gem of a cookbook – from the clean, one-recipe-per-page layout with gorgeous photos to the fun and witty writing. Each of the eight chapters begins with a cocktail recipe, and covers everything from “Plastered Party Starters” to sloshed soups, salads, sides, and boozy brunch, lunch and supper to “Drunken Desserts.” Now, you can have your booze and eat it too.

Cozy Tofu Under Black Bean Sauce
Makes 3 to 4 servings

1-pound block of extra-firm tofu, cut crosswise into 6 slices and pressed to remove excess water
4 cloves garlic
1-inch chunk of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Chinese fermented black beans
1 1/2 cups water
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Canola oil for frying

Prep the seasonings for the sauce: peel the garlic cloves and the ginger, then quarter the ginger. In a food processor, mince the garlic and ginger. In a small sieve, rinse the black beans until the water runs clear. Add them to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

In a medium bowl, stir together the water, soy sauce, sherry, maple syrup, vinegar, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is evenly suspended.

Generously film the bottom of a heavy 2-quart saucepan with the canola oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir-fry the black bean mixture until fragrant, less than 1 minute. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add it to the pan. Whisk the sauce occasionally while bringing it to a boil and simmer for 1 minute. Set aside.

Generously film the bottom of a 12-inch nonstick skillet with the canola oil and heat over high heat until hot but not smoking. Blot up any excess moisture on the tofu with a paper towel before placing it in the skillet. Fry the slices on both sides, turning them only when the underside are golden and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes total.

Reheat the sauce and serve the tofu, pouring the sauce over it. This pairs extremely well with rice and broccoli, or any other steamed vegetable of your choice.

From the book The Tipsy Vegan by John Schlimm. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2011. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com

Disclosure: I received the book free of charge from the publisher to review. The opinions and experience with the book expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

This post also contains an Amazon link, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

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Trying out a package of Vegan Kung Pao Chicken from Vegetarian Plus, I went the way of the fusion food truck. Rather than just plopping it atop of rice, I made Kung Pao Tacos.

One of the best things about the whole mobile fusion food thing is the flavor combination of various cuisines in an easy to eat format. That and having food come to you. But for those of you still waiting in the wings for foodie trucks to appear in your neighborhood, this post is for you.

Nestled in an organic corn tortilla, the veggie chicken pieces are topped with fennel cole slaw, roasted peanuts and cilantro, for an explosion of savory, spicy and tangy flavors.

Despite being frozen, Vegan Kung Pao Chicken can easily be mistaken for an order from a Chinese restaurant. Made from soybean fiber and protein and covered with Kung Pao sauce for a shiny, lacquered look. The texture is meaty and firm to the bite with a spicy-sweet taste.

Easy and fairly quick to prepare, it’s almost like having your own personal food truck in the kitchen. Order up!

Kung Pao Tacos
Makes 6-8 tacos

1 box Vegan Kung Pao Chicken
1 package of 8 corn tortillas, 5 1/2 inch in diameter
Fennel cole slaw or your favorite cole slaw
Roasted unsalted peanuts
Cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges

Heat up the package of Kung Pao Chicken. For this recipe, it’s best to go with the stove top method of preparation as listed on the back of the box.

To serve, cut the Kung Pao Chicken into smaller bite-sized pieces and place in a warmed tortilla. Top with the fennel cole slaw, peanuts and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Fennel Cole Slaw
1 small fennel bulb
1 small carrot
1 small lemon
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim off the top of the fennel, leaving just the bulb. Halve the fennel to remove the core, and then thinly slice. Peel and shred the carrot.

Grate about 1/4 teaspoon of the lemon zest and juice half of the lemon. Whisk together with the mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar.

Add the fennel and carrots to the dressing and toss to mix well. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Disclosure: I received the product free of charge from the company to review. The opinions and experience with the product expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

Related Posts
Nom Nom Truck Tofu Tacos
Potato and Chorizo Tacos
Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos

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For the last couple of years, I’ve managed to find something new and different to try for my holiday meal. It’s usually some sort of heat-and-eat thing as the kitchen as always busy.

Last year it was Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y, the year before it was Smoked Vegetarian Goose from Sogo Tofu, a small, local deli/shop that makes all sorts of vegetarian meat and soy products in San Jose.

This year I swung by Sogo Tofu and picked up gluten rolls that look vaguely like roasted chicken. They don’t particularly taste like poultry but they do have a nice flavor and a firm, chewy texture.

I prefer the gluten rolls to any of the store bought stuff, probably because it’s freshly made and closer to something homemade (if you knew how to make those sorts of things). Still, I’m thankful that there are so many yummy and easy options nowadays. And extra thankful for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Welcome to Chow Vegan! Now serving for an unlimited time, the Veggie McRiblet.

A MorningStar Farms hickory BBQ veggie riblet in a sweet and smoky sauce on a lightly toasted, freshly baked vegan hoagie roll from Zest Bakery. Topped with sautéed onions and bread n’ butter pickles that cover the entire riblet (not just the stingy two you normally get at other places).

Substitutions available, swap out the veggie riblet for another sort of patty. Of course, it wouldn’t be a vegan McRib anymore. But it’s really the flavor combination of the BBQ sauce with the onions and pickles on a bun that makes the sandwich so tasty.

Extra napkins upon request. Thank you and please come again.

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DIY Vegan Japadog

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It’s been cupcakes galore around here lately. With a fridge full of leftover veggies and cheezy sauce to use up, I made savory cupcakes. For being a non-baker, I’m getting a lot of mileage out of that muffin pan.

A variation of the Vegetable Lasagna Cupcakes, the cheezy sauce replaces the tomato sauce. Swap out the tofu ricotta for any veggies that go well with cheese such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, peas, and/or red potatoes.

I also tossed in some leftover Gardein chicken but tofu would work too or just have all vegetables. Assemble and after 10 minutes in the oven, you’re done.

Top with an optional “frosting” of mashed sweet potatoes and garnish with whatever herb, I had parsely but chives would have been good too.

Savory Cheezy Cupcakes
Makes 12

24 wonton wrappers
1 cup of your favorite non-dairy “cheese” sauce
A few sprigs of fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Filling
About 2 cups of any combination of cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, carrots, red potatoes, green peas or celery
2 5/8 ounces veggie chicken such as Gardein, chopped

If you’re using already cooked vegetables, just chop up and set aside (I usually have some combination of leftover cooked vegetables and vegetables nearly past their prime waiting to be cooked and put out of their misery).

For raw vegetables, chop up and then heat a sauté pan to hot. Add a little bit of oil and swirl to coat. Add the vegetables and cook until tender. Add a little water if the pan appears to be too dry. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Mashed Sweet Potato Frosting (optional)
1 medium size sweet potato, peeled and chopped
Non-dairy milk

Heat a pot of water to boil. Add the sweet potato pieces and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and put through a potato ricer. Add the non-dairy milk a bit at a time and blend until it’s the desired texture. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin pan with oil. Layer a wonton wrapper in each cup, gently pressing down on the bottom and up the sides of the cup.

Divide the filling in half. Using the first half, distribute evenly on top of each wrapper. Layer the veggie chicken using the same distribution method. Top with the cheese sauce.

Place a wonton wrapper on top but going in the opposite direction. Repeat the layers of vegetable filling, veggie chicken and cheese sauce on the very top.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the wonton wrappers are golden. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving. To serve, pipe the mashed sweet potatoes on top if using and garnish with the parsley.

Vegan Desserts Cookbook Giveaway
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway, it ends on Sunday, September 18th.

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I’m such a sucker for trying new vegan items I see at the store. I can’t help it, especially if said item is on sale. The latest such thing is the Yves Grain Meat Strips ($2.99 at Whole Foods). It’s basically seitan (wheat gluten) – a vacuum-sealed pouch of seitan and there’s one for the sauce.

It’s interesting Yves felt the need to call them Grain Meat Strips on the front of the package. In the ingredients, it’s listed as seitan. And they’re more like chunks, with just a couple of long strips.

Super easy to heat and serve for a quick meal, especially with Trader Joe’s mini hamburger buns. $1.19 for a pack of 8 baby buns, two and a half inch in diameter and vegan.

They’re the perfect size, one serving of the Grain Meat fits nicely on two buns (before heating up, I tore the bigger chunks into smaller bite-size pieces). For these mini sliders, I went with the BBQ flavor. They’re great topped with a little coleslaw on a toasted bun.

For the one in Buffalo Style Sauce, I went with a wrap. It’s kinda spicy, but it has a little too much of a vinegar taste. For me, the BBQ one is definitely the better of the two.

Overall, the Grain Meat Strips are good if you don’t have time or if you’re too lazy to make your own seitan, it’s totally a convenience food. Or if someone never had seitan before, it’s an easy way to give it a try.

Or if you’re hosting a Labor Day get-together, I would be very happy if I was served a couple of Grain Meat Strips in a BBQ Sauce mini sliders.

Related Post
BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich

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When Tribe Hummus offered me a try of their hummus, I thought why not? I’ve been getting Trader Joe’s hummus automatically for awhile now and haven’t really considered any other brand.

Tribe hummus contains no artificial preservatives, saturated or trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, or dairy. While they have tons of unique as well as classic flavors, I was limited to what was available at my local Whole Foods. I settled on the Roasted Garlic and Spicy Chipotle.

First off, the texture of the Tribe hummus is thick and rich. The chipotle had a nice red color but wasn’t really that spicy at all. The Roasted Garlic was also relatively mild with a hint of garlic. They’re both good as a dip or eaten with falafels.

I haven’t ever tried cooking with hummus before, I never really thought of it as an ingredient. I got the idea from the recipe section of the Tribe Hummus website (it was for fish but I thought a hummus crust would be great on tofu).

The recipe is basically the same as my Crispy Baked Tofu, but instead of brushing the tofu with olive oil, I slathered on the hummus. It makes the breadcrumbs stick really well, sadly, it doesn’t come out of the oven crispy. Served with another flavor of hummus and tabouli, the lack of crispness is all but forgotten.

Hummus-Crusted Baked Tofu
Makes 10 to 12 slices

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained and water pressed out
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tub Spicy Chipotle hummus or other variety
1 tub Roasted Garlic hummus or other variety (optional)
Salt to taste (optional)
Olive oil
Tabouli

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tofu into 1/4″ thick slices. In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and salt if using and mix well.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Take one tofu slice and slathered the hummus on the front and two sides, place in the breadcrumbs and coat well. Turn over the slice and apply hummus to the back and other sides and coat with breadcrumbs. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the slices are coated.

Bake tofu slices for about 20 – 30 minutes, carefully turning them over halfway through. The coating will fall off if not flip over gently. Serve with additional hummus (same flavor or different variety) on the bottom of a plate, top with tofu slices and tabouli.

Note: Once cooled, the coating will stay on. I actually like it better overnight, after the texture firms up a bit.

Disclosure: I received the hummus free of charge to review. The opinions and experience expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

Ani’s Raw Food Asia Giveaway
Don’t forget to enter the giveaway, it ends on Wednesday, August 24th.

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You know what I haven’t done in a long time? Experiment with the roasted tofu recipe. This would be #6 – roasted tofu cubes in a Coke-a-Cola and leek sauce. You’re unlikely to see this cooked-with-cola dish at any Chinese restaurant as it’s a home kitchen kind of a thing. Normally made with chicken wings, I subbed in tofu and added leeks.

I don’t know the exact origin, but I picture a cook long ago with a soda bottle saying “Hey, let’s add some of this stuff to the sauce and see what happens!” I imagine it’s the same way Coke got added to sauce for BBQ (but said in English).

You don’t actually taste the cola in the finished dish but it does add a subtle flavor and sweetness. You have to use Mexican Coke since that has sugar in it instead of the high fructose corn syrup in American Coke. Mexican Pepsi works too. I even tried Zevia, a natural cola soda with Stevia.

Like all of the previous roasted tofu recipes, it’s fairly easy to make. Basically, roast the tofu and make the sauce. The only difference is the tofu blocks in the store nowadays are 14 instead of 16 ounces. Anyone else noticed that?

Chinese Coke-a-Cola Tofu
Serves 2

1 14-ounce block of extra-firm tofu
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Sauce
1/2 medium leek, white and some green part, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
6 tablespoons Coca-Cola
1 tablespoon oil
Sprig of cilantro for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine the oil, salt and paprika. Cut the tofu into cubes and gently toss to coat with the mixture. Place each tofu cube in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast for 15 minutes, flip over and roast the other side for 15 minutes.

While the tofu is roasting, prepare the sauce. Combine all of the sauce ingredients except the leeks in a bowl.

Heat a wok to hot, add the oil. Swirl the oil to coat the wok. When the oil is hot, add the leeks, stir-fry for a minute or so. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the tofu is ready.

Add the tofu pieces, stir to coat well. Cover with a lid and cook down until the sauce is thickened (there shouldn’t be very much liquid left), about 5 minutes on medium-low.

Garnish with the cilantro if using. Serve with steamed rice.

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