Chow Vegan

VeganMoFo: Mock Chicken

October 26, 2009 By chow 19 Comments

Chicken: Are you mocking me?
Me: Not at all. It’s just called mock chicken. It’s also known as vegetarian chicken. Sometimes it’s served at Chinese restaurants as a hot or cold appetizer or at dim sum.
Chicken: You’re mocking me.
Me: No, not really. It doesn’t even taste like chicken. I admit it looks vaguely like roasted white chicken. But it’s made out of fresh or dried bead curd sheets with a mushroom filling, steamed and then sliced.
Chicken: Mock, mock, mock.

Mock Chicken
Makes 1 roll

1 6-ounce package fresh yuba sheets
1 sprig cilantro for garnish

For the mushroom filling
4 dried Chinese shiitake mushrooms
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder

For the sauce
2 tablespoons mushroom soaking water or water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1″ piece of fresh ginger, chopped

Soak the mushrooms in water until soft. Cut off the stems and slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Save the mushroom soaking water for the sauce.

In a wok, combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain and let cool in a large bowl. Wash the wok to cook the mushroom filling next.

Heat the wok to hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the mushrooms and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir-fry for a couple minutes and then set aside to cool.

Cut the yuba sheet in half to make it about 9″ x 11 1/2″. Dip the sheet into the sauce bowl to cover it in sauce, then fold it down into a rectangle. Repeat with the remaining sheets, stacking them one on top of the other, saving the last sheet to wrap around the whole roll. Lay the last sheet down and place the roll in the center. Arrange the mushrooms on top and wrap up like a burrito.

Place the roll, seam side down, on a steaming dish and steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Cut the roll crosswise into 1/2″ wide slices to serve. Garnish with the cilantro sprig. It can also be made the day before and refrigerated for a firmer texture.

Related Posts
VeganMoFo: BBQ Yuba Ribs
Yuba Rolls

VeganMoFo: Annie Chun’s Noodle Bowls

October 25, 2009 By chow 6 Comments

I’ve written about eating instant noodle bowls before, at that time it was the Kung-Fu Vegetarian Noodle bowl. This time it’s Annie Chun’s Vegan Noodle Bowl which I received a couple of samples to review. The name isn’t quite as exciting as Kung-Fu but the taste is much better.

I tried the Korean Sweet Chili flavor first. The sauce that comes with it is pretty good. There’s quite a bit in the enclosed pouch and it’s not searingly spicy but it has good flavor. I used almost all of it. But the included dehydrated veggies is negligible; they’re such small pieces and there’s just so little of it. Basically, it’s a bowl of noodles.

So when I tried the Garlic Scallion flavored one, I threw in a few leftovers to make it little more interesting (as suggested on the back of the package). I topped the noodle bowl with seitan and spinach for a little protein and some greens. But even though I used the entire sauce pouch, there wasn’t really a strong garlic or scallion taste. It’s more subtle. Smelled really good though.

The directions said to drain the water from the bowl after 2 minutes but I left it in and made it into a soup instead. Apparently, I’m incapable of following simple instructions. Happily, they were just fine as a soup.

Overall, the noodle bowls are good, quick and convenient. Better if you can add or top it with other ingredients or leftovers. And useful if you’re stuck at work, on a trip or in an emergency disaster kit.

VeganMoFo: Chorizo Fried Rice

October 23, 2009 By chow 5 Comments

At the end of the week, there’s usually only a few things left in the fridge. For today’s lunch, I threw chorizo and white rice together to make a sort of Mexican fried rice. Fried rice is a really great way to repurpose leftovers into a new and tasty dish.

Since the chorizo is already so flavorful, I didn’t add any other seasonings. It’s almost like Mexican rice but without the tomatoes or peppers. If I had those items lying around, I probably would have thrown them in too. (Nothing is off limits when it comes to me making fried rice.) I actually like it better than Mexican rice as it’s much quicker and easier.

Chorizo Fried Rice
Serves 1 as a meal or 2 as part of a meal

1/2 small white onion, chopped
3 ounces vegan chorizo
1 cup cold cooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 sprig of cilantro for garnish

Heat the wok to hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the onions and stir-fry over medium high heat until translucent. Add the chorizo, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a spatula. Let cook for about a minute or so.

Add the rice, breaking up the large chunks with the spatula so the grains are separated; stir-fry to combine well. Add the vegetables, mix well and continue to stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.