Chow Vegan

Chipotle Sofritas

February 27, 2013 By chow 12 Comments

Last week I tried sofritas, the new shredded tofu option that Chipotle is testing out. I’m happy to report it’s really good. And no wonder, the organic, non-GMO tofu is supplied by a local Oakland-based Hodo Soy Beanery. Maybe that’s why the seven test locations are all in the Bay Area.

I got a burrito bowl with brown rice, fresh tomato salsa, the tomatillo green chili salsa as well as the red, guacamole and romaine lettuce. I pushed aside some of the guacamole and lettuce so you can see the tofu there on the left side. Braised with chipotle chilies, roasted poblanos and spices, the tofu has a very nice savory taste and a meaty texture.

I asked the counter people how long the sofritas will be available but they didn’t know. Just that if it does well, they’ll keep it on the menu. If you’re nearby and thinking of trying it, it’s probably best to do it sooner rather than later.

The chosen Chiptole restaurants with sofritas:
525 Market Street, San Francisco
121 Fourth Street, San Francisco
126 New Montgomery St., San Francisco
2019 Chess Drive, San Mateo
251 East 3rd Ave., San Mateo
180 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
135 El Camino Real, Millbrae

We Got the Beet Burger Bowl

February 18, 2013 By chow 6 Comments

We got the beet. Yeah. We got it. We got the beet. Remember that 80’s pop song “We Got the Beat” by the Go-Go’s? That’s the tune playing in my head when I made the Quarter Pounder Beet Burgers from Post Punk Kitchen.

I pretty much followed the recipe but made smaller size patties and went with the baked option. And served them in a bowl instead of a bun with mixed greens on the bottom and avocado and caramelized onions on top.

I wasn’t always a fan of beets, I’ll eat them now but I still prefer the beet greens to the actual beet. But I hardly ever see just beet greens sold by themselves and I’ve got to do something with those beets. So… We got the beet burger bowl.

This post 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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Sauteed Baby Beet Greens

Taro Root Cake

February 13, 2013 By chow 9 Comments

Happy Chinese New Year! To celebrate, I made taro root cake. It’s not a sweet, baked kind of cake. It’s a savory, steamed, smooth cake – a dim sum type of dish. Served in Chinese restaurants, it usually has some sort of meat. A packaged veggie version can be found at the Asian supermarket, but it’s quite plain.

This homemade version is packed with flavorful bits of veggie meat, mushrooms and vegetables amidst the creamy taro and rice flour. If you never tried taro root cake before, the texture is like the wide rice noodles used in chow fun, but softer and shaped in a thick block.

It’s not the quickest thing to make but it’s also not very hard. To prevent itchy hands when handling raw taro root, be sure to wear latex gloves. It contains calcium oxalate, a skin irritant that’s neutralized by cooking.

Along the same line, Mom always said to make sure the taro root comes to a full boil before lifting the pot lid, otherwise when you eat the taro, your throat will be itchy. I have no idea if that’s true or just an old wives’ tale. I have no intention of finding out.

Taro Root Cake
Makes 4 mini loafs

1 pound taro root, peeled and cut into 3/4″ dice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 Chinese dried mushrooms, soaked and diced
1/4 – 1/2 cup veggie meat, such as vegetarian ham or sausage
2 pieces preserved salted turnip, diced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 green onion, chopped
1 cup brown rice flour or regular rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
1 cup water
3/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar

Optional Garnishes
1 green onion, chopped
2 cilantro sprigs, chopped
Chili sauce

Place the taro root in a pot and just cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Add the 1 teaspoon salt and reduce to low heat. Cook covered until tender about 10 – 15 minutes. Drain and mashed half of the taro, leaving the other half as pieces. Set aside.

Heat a wok to hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the shallots and cook until translucent. Add the veggie meat, salted turnips, and the mushrooms. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add in the green onions. Stir to mix in and set aside.

Stir together the rice flour and 1 cup of water in a large bowl until well mixed. Add the 3/4 cup boiling water, potato starch and salt, stir until blended and then stir in the taro and mushroom mixture, soy sauce, oil and sugar. Mix well.

Ladle into four greased mini loaf pans or one 8″ round pie pan. (The steamer must be large enough so that the pan doesn’t touch the sides. I had to use multiple pans as my steamer pot was not very large.)

Steam over medium-high heat for 30 minutes or so until the cake is set and firm. While steaming check the water level, if necessary, replenish with boiling water.

Let cool before unmolding and slicing into pieces. The taro cake pieces can be served steamed or pan-fried in a bit of oil until golden brown. Top with any of the garnishes.