Vegan Indonesian Salad with Spicy Grated Coconut Dry Dressing- Urap

Traditional Javanese Salad - Urap

I am blogging Indonesian food again.  My DGH (my dear gringo husband) likes Indonesian dishes so I continue with this trend to make more veganized Javanese dishes. He loves this Javanese traditional dish called Urap! This one is a dish that Indonesians make for community celebrations such as birthdays, house warming parties, baby showers, weddings, bridal showers, etc. etc.  It's great for potlucks or picnics since it can be served in a room temperature.  Just like the Koreans who bring Japchae into potlucks or picnics, Indonesians bring Urap.  One reason this dish is great for potluck is that it is easy to make as long as the fresh (can be frozen and then thawed) grated coconut can be obtained. This dish is similar to Indian Kale-CabbageThoran that I blogged back in 2012.

The title says 'Dry Dressing'.  Yep, it is not like the Western salad dressing with oil and vinegar, emulsified.  This dish uses thinly grated coconut, the thinner or smaller the better, as dry dressing.  Usually, it is also spicy hot like sambal. However, the level of heat can be reduced by using my tip below(about the level of heat).  I have trained DGH to eat spicy hot food but his is not at the level of heat I can take and I always make it less spicy for him.

About the coconut:
OMG, coconut became so popular in the US.  The natural market in my neighborhood I go to sells coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut juice, fresh young coconuts, etc.   Wow!  I remember about 20 years ago I had to hunt down coconut juice or coconut milk in Chinatown when I wanted to make Indonesian dishes.  For this dish, I buy the frozen grated coconut(from fresh and not dried) at an Indian market/store.  Actually, the guy at the Indian market sells fresh coconuts (not the young coconut) and is willing to break the coconut for the customers.  I am just too lazy to peel and grate the fresh coconut.  I could have done it with a fine spice Microplane grater.  I am also hoping that my readers can find this kind of frozen grated coconut at a nearby Indian market.  I haven't yet tried to prepare this dish with unsweetened dried grated coconut and reconstitute it with warm water. It may work, however, the taste is better if it is made with fresh coconut. Below are pictures of 2 different brands of frozen grated coconut in the Indian markets.

About the level of heat:
Big chili is not hot! The smaller chili is hotter than the big one, that's for sure. The red small chili(fresh Chili Arbol) is SUPER hot (about 15000-30000 Scoville unit). Chili Arbol is not as hot as Habanero but it is pretty hot.  I usually use 2-3 of this red chili per dish and it can be omitted altogether.  The next level is the medium size chili such as red Jalapeno (basically, it is jalapeno that is ripened) which is medium hot.  The mildest is the dried New Mexico(dried Anaheim pepper) that is reconstituted in warm water after the stem and seeds removed.  New Mexico chili is readily available in most market, especially, Hispanic market.  Therefore, it really depends how you like the heat.  I combine the red small chili with 3-4 large New Mexico chili in my dishes.  Sometime I combine the red Jalapeno with New Mexico chili.  I always use the New Mexico chili since I like the taste(a bit sweet) and how it makes the dish red but not hot.  If fresh small red chili is not available, the dried chili called Chili Arbol can be used.  They also need to be reconstituted in warm water.  I have used this kind of dried Chili Arbol when the fresh ones are not available.  Warning: always use gloves when handling chili or wash hands immediately and don't rub face or eyes.

From lower right, clockwise: hot fresh chili arbol, medium red jalapeno, reconstituted New Mexico chili, hot red dried chili arbol.

Vegan Indonesian Salad with Spicy Grated Coconut Dry Dressing- Urap
Serve 6  Printable Recipe

Vegetable Ingredients: (they will shrink after steaming)
6-8 cups kale, cut into julienne or shreds
1 cabbage, cut into julienne or shreds (about 6 cups)
4 cups cut green beans (fresh), either julienne cut or about 1 inch
2 cups bean sprouts, optional

Dry dressing ingredients:
1 ½ cup fresh grated coconut or frozen and then thawed
4 garlic cloves
4-5 shallot cloves
1 tsp. salt
3-4 large New Mexico chili, reconstituted in warm water after seeds and stem removed
2-3 hot red chili or serrano chili, use less for less hot and see 'About the level of heat' how to make this dish spicy or less spicy, can be omitted completely for mild spicyness
1 Tbsp. miso (light brown or white mellow)
Note:  traditionally, this dish is made with terasi or shrimp paste.  I replaced it with miso.
1 Tbsp. palm sugar/gula jawa/brown sugar
New Mexico chili soaking water or plain water

Preparing the dry dressing:

1. Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, grind garlic, shallot, salt, New Mexico chili, red hot chili/serrano chili until smooth. Add a little water or chili soaking water, a little at a time, until this mixture come into a paste.
2. Combine the spice paste with the grated coconut, miso, and sugar thoroughly with hands or a large fork.
3. Steam this dressing for 15-20 minutes. Set aside and let it cool.

Preparing steam vegetables:
Note: the veggies are supposed to be lightly steamed, don’t overkill in the steaming process.

1. Use a large steamer such as a large wok with bamboo steamer on top. Boil 4-5 cups of water.
2. Once the water is boiling, pile in shredded kale, steam for 5-6 minutes.
3. Take out the steamed kale and spread onto a cookie sheet for a quick cooling.
4. Repeat step 2 and 3 for cabbage, green beans, and bean sprouts. Bean sprouts takes only 3-4 minutes. Each time spread steamed vegetables on a cookie sheet for a quick cooling.

Mix the salad:

1. Mix the lightly steamed vegetables and dry dressing when everything is COOL.
2. Combine dressing and veggies thoroughly and serve in a room temperature.  Add salt if necessary.
3. Store in the fridge but let it out on a room temperature or heat up in a microwave for 1 minute before serving.

Just like Indian Kale-Cabbage Thoran, this dish is usually better accompanied with somekind of fish dish.  The Lemongrass Soy Fish is a great companion.

Vegan Indonesian 'Lamb' Curry - Gule or Gulai

Indonesian 'Lamb' Curry - Gule or Gulai

The Indonesian food cravings still exist in my system.  I crave Indonesian ethnic dish such as this one Indonesian Lamb Curry or called Gule or Gulai.  I think I am craving the spices and not craving to eat the lamb/goat or meat.  The curry taste is pretty unique.  I can't really compare it with Indian curries since the spices are similar to Indian but we, Indonesians, add fresh herbs to it like galanga, kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, and lemon grass.  It doesn't taste like Thai curry either since spices like cloves, coriander, cardamom,  and cumin are used.  Is it a fusion between Indian and Thai curry?  Maybe, that's the only thing I can describe it.

Herbs used in Indonesian dishes(from left to right, clockwise):  galanga, shallots, garlic, ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and lemon grass.

I opted to use fresh herbs as much as possible.  Living in Southern California makes it easier to do that since I can find them easily in Asian markets.  In fact, if you read my previous posts, I grow my own lemon grass and kaffir lime.  These plants are thriving all year long in my backyard and I just pluck them whenever I need to cook Southeast Asian dishes.

In the past, I often cook Indonesian dishes by buying store-bought spice paste like Bamboe, Munik, or Indo Food.  It is supposed to be easy.  I can just stir fry the spices, add other ingredients, add coconut milk if needed, and voila, an Indonesian dish is done.  However, lately, I found out that these spice companies started adding MSG although sometimes it is not listed in the ingredients list.  In fact, they started to do that on Indonesian snacks and chips, too. Urrrgh!  I am not sure either if terasi or shrimp paste is included but not listed.  Therefore, I decided to make my own spices and learn to cook it from scratch which is more elaborate but believe me the taste is better homemade.

Tools needed:  mini chopper/spice grinder, a food processor or a mortar and pestle as shown in my previous post.

Vegan Indonesian 'Lamb' Curry - Gule or Gulai
Serve 6

Ingredients:
2 pkgs. Gardein Beefless Tips  or 3-4 cups cubed super firm tofu or 3-4 cups cubed tempeh
Note:  The Gardein Beefless Tips are the best for this dish.  A friend of mine said 'I can fool a meat eater using these'.
1 cup coconut milk or light coconut milk
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1 Tsp. salt or more to taste
2 Tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
Oil, non-flavor such as canola or safflower oil

Herbs:
2-3 slices fresh ginger
2-3 slices fresh galanga or baby ginger
2 stalks lemon grass, sliced (use white part only)
3 bay leaves, dried
3 kaffir lime leaves, crushed with your hands to releace aroma

Spices to blend in a spice grinder or mortar:
1 Tbsp, coriander seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4  of a nutmeg or 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
5 whole cloves or 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cardamom seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
Note:  I suppose you can use all ground spices to start with.  However,  I prefer to temper my spices on a hot cast iron and then cool them before grinding. 

Spice paste:
6 candlenuts or kemiri(see picture below)
6 shallot cloves

Accompaniments:
Fried shallots for topping
Lalapan or fresh cut tomatoes, cucumber, lettuces, green beans, etc.
Note: Lalapan means eating rice, meaty dish, and fresh vegetables with sambal.
Sambal Tomat from my previous post

1. If using firm tofu or tempeh, pan fry cubes in oil or sprayed with oil and baked them in 400F oven for 15 minutes to brown them.  Set aside.  This step is to firm up the tofu or tempeh as they will be simmered in curry sauce.
2. Combine all spices and blend until smooth in a spice grinder or in a mortar and pestle.
3. Into a mini chopper or a food processer or the mortar, add candlenuts, shallots, and spices above (no. 2) and blend into a spice paste.  Add a little water if necessary to make the paste.
4. In a heavy bottom pot or a wok, add 2 tbsp. oil on a medium high heat.  Add spice paste and pan fry for 5  minutes until fragrant.  Be patient to stir fry the spice paste since this step release the aroma for the curry. 
5. Add fresh herbs: ginger, galanga, kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass.  Also add the cinnamon sticks.  Combine them with the stir fried spice paste for another 3 minutes.
6. Add Gardein Beefless Tips or cubed tofu or tempeh.  Combine the spices and herbs with this ingredient for another 3-4 minutes.
7. Add coconut milk, water, salt, and palm or brown sugar.  Add more salt or sugar to taste.
8. Simmer for 30 minutes.
9. Serve with rice and accompaniments.

Indonesian dishes often use dark palm sugar or gula jawa, tamarind paste, and candlenuts or kemiri.

This is how I served this dish to my husband today, from top left, clockwise: Sambal Tomat,  My Perfect Brown Rice, and fresh cut vegetables. 

Vegan Yeast Doughnuts

This is a long post.  Also, I am going to the dark side with this post, to the unhealthy world:  Vegan Doughnuts!  Is it spelled doughnut or donut?  Does it matter?  I will use both spellings.   I posted some pictures of these doughnuts in fb a while back and my vegan friend asked me to blog the recipes.  I don't usually eat doughnut and haven't been for a long long time since it is not available readily for us vegans.  I really try to eat healthy vegan food so it is good that it is not easy to get this unhealthy but delicious morsel.
 
I am talking about yeast doughnut instead of the cake doughnut.  You know that there is a difference, right?  My favorite is the yeast kind.  I've been to Ronald's Donut and Voodo Doughnut , shops who sell this kind of donuts. They are really really good but thank goodness they are really really far away. I also prefer the deep fried kind.  Sorry, if it is not deep fried it is not a doughnut to me.   I don't usually eat deep fried food, not daily, but once a while I will eat deep fried food and enjoy it.   If it is baked, the yeast doughnut is called bread in the shape of doughnut.  For the cake doughnut, if it is baked, then, it is really cake in the shape of doughnut.  This is just my opinion.  If I want to eat doughnut then I prefer the deep fried one.  Someone will ask me if these can be baked.  Yes, but then it is bread.   They can be baked in 375F for 25 minutes until golden brown.  The sugar will not stick to the baked doughnut so I sprayed or dipped the doughnuts into coconut oil or vegan butter before I sprinkle them with sugar.  Below is a picture of baked Bombolini, an Italian donut filled with vegan custard and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Baked Bombolini, an Italian donut style

This recipe came about after I learned making bread recently.  I perused many different sweet bread recipes and tried to imagine which one would be good for doughnuts.   I also tried different ways of replacing eggs in sweet bread and this one seems to be the perfect way for doughnuts. After trying and changing a few ingredients and measurements, I came up with this recipe below.  I have been really satisfied with the result.  The doughnuts melt in my mouth and so very soft and light.

I would like to share some tips and suggestions about the ingredients first so you'll know what I use:

1. About the yeast: After learning baking bread, I have been using SAF Instant Yeast and bought it in 1 lb package from Amazon.  The instant yeast is easy to use because it doesn't need to be activated with warm water.  Basically, I just throw in the instant yeast, flour, salt, liquid together and then knead it.  No fuss with mixing it with warm water at all.
2. About the flour:  I use Unbleached All Purpose flour.  King Arthur is supposed to be the best for making bread but it is hard to find in my area and if I find it, it is very expensive.  I use Bob's Red Mill organic kind and it's good.  After learning making bread, please, please, weigh the flour for measuring instead of using a cup measuring.  For accuracy, this is the way to do it since measuring flour by cup-measuring tool is not as accurate due to your environment (dry or humid air, etc.).
3. About the coconut oil:  I am trying not to use products with palm oil in it so I came up with this Organic Virgin Coconut oil from Trader Joe's.  I love it.
4. About temperature:  Please make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature.  Do not refridgerate ingredients before hand.  If it is cold, let it out at a room temperature before mixing.
5. Planning:  It takes about 12 hours or more to develop the dough.  Planning is really important.  I  prepared the dough on a weekend day and shape the doughnut early in the morning the next day.  Meanwhile while waiting for the dough to be ready, I prepared the glazes, the filling, and the topping ingredients.

Vegan Yeast Doughnut
Makes 1 dozen doughnuts and more than 1 dozen doughnut holes

Ingredients:
280g or 10 oz. Unbleached All Purpose Flour (about 2 cups, but please use a food scale to weigh the flour)
3 Tbsp. vegan sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt (fine texture)
1 Tbsp. Instant Yeast
1/2 cup coconut milk  (from a can or fresh)
3 Tbsp. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (it is solid kind)

Egg replacement:
1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 cup water (at room temperature)

Grapeseed oil or Safflower oil for high heat for deep frying (abou 6-9 cups, depending on the size of the pot)

1. Mix the cornstarch and water in a small pot (2-cup) and use a whisk, combine it together, vigorously, until all the cornstarch is mixed and not lumpy.  It will be smooth and the color of milk (opague).
2. Cook it on top of medium high heat.  Use the whisk, keep stirring, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.  When it starts to boil, turn down the heat to simmer and let it simmered for about 1-2 minuts until the color is not chalky or opague anymore but resembles the texture and color of glue.
3. Let it cool in the pot.

Kneading the dough:
I prefer to use a mixer with a dough hook.

1. Into a mixer bowl (with the dough hooks attached), add the cooled cornstarch mixure above, coconut milk, flour, sugar, sea salt,  and instant yeast.  Turn on the machine to knead for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the solid coconut oil and let the machine knead and mix for another 7 minutes.  The dough should be smooth and not sticking to the side of the bowl.  If there are remnants of dough sticking to the side, it means that there is not enough flour, add a little bit more flour until the dough is combined and kneaded.
3. The dough should be smooth to the touch and NOT STICKY but soft.
4. Shape the dough into a ball and put it in an oily bowl (use oil spray lightly on the inside of the bowl).  Cover with a saran wrap to prevent drying out and let it sit at a room temperature for about 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour,  the dough should rise a little bit.
6. Refridgerate the dough in the bowl, covered, for at least 12 hours (or up to 18 hours) before starting to shape doughnuts. 

Shaping doughnuts:

1. Prepare several sheet pans covered with silpat, parchment paper, or saran wrap and dust lightly with flour.
2. Take out dough from the fridge.  At this time, the dough is firm and cold, almost the same as pie pastry.  Use warm hands to knead it on a floured cutting board and then use a rolling pin to flatten it and rolled it down to 12-inch diameter and about 1/4-inch thick (just like preparing pie crust).  Using a doughnut cutter or your own invention of a cutter(see picture below), cut the dough into doughnut shape, saving the holes, lay the doughnuts onto the prepared sheet pans.
3. Re-knead the dough scraps by shaping them into a ball and use the rolling pin to flatten again. Roll it down to a smaller diameter and about 1/4 inch thick.  Repeat again until finish.
4. Another option is to cut the dough into bars.
5. Let the doughnut dough rise for about 1 1/2 hour in a warm place.  Cover with linen towels to prevent drying out.

Using a drink shaker, I cut the dough for the large circle.

Then, use the top for the small circle.  Voila!

Frying the doughnuts:

1. Prepare sheet pans with a lot of paper towel on it (may use brown supermarket bag underneath it to absorb more oil).
2. Using a heavy cast iron pot, heat oil into 375F (use a frying thermometer).
3. Deep fry each donut about 1 minute, flipping to the other side, until golden brown.  Do not over crowd it by frying 2-3 doughnuts at a time.  Deep fry doughnut holes about 5 at a time.
4. Keep oil heated up to 375F at all time.  If the temperature goes down, wait a few minutes until it goes up again.
5. Place the fried doughnuts on the the prepared sheet pans and let the oil absorbed.
6. Glaze, fill, top, and enjoy!  Unfortunately, these doughnuts will not keep for the next day.  They are best to be consumed in the same day.  Donut shops make donuts everyday.

Glazing, filling, and topping doughnuts:
The glaze, filling, and toppings make doughnuts better, for sure.  It is best to glaze, sprinkle with sugar, and top the doughnuts while they are still warm.  However, it is best to insert the filling when they are already sprinkled with sugar and that they are cooled.  For custard filled chocolate bars, it is best to fill first then glaze the donuts.   Below are a few tips and recipes.  Each type of glaze and filling are good for 1 dozen donuts so please select one type of glaze for the recipe above or make half a recipe.

Sugar Glaze (enough to glaze 1 dozen donuts and their holes):
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp. non-dairy milk
1 tsp. clear almond or vanilla extract, optional
Mix powdered sugar with non-dairy milk 1 tablesspoon at a time.  Add the extract, if using.  After 2 tablespoon of liquid, check the consistency, it should be thick and coat a spoon.  If it is too thick, add more liquid 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

Maple Glaze(enough to glaze 1 dozen donuts and their holes):
1 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp. non-dairy milk
1/4 - 1/2  tsp. maple extract
Mix powdered sugar with non-dairy milk 1 tablesspoon at a time. Add the extract.  After 2 tablespoon of liquid, check the consistency, it should be thick and coat a spoon. If it is too thick, add more liquid 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency.

Chocolate Glaze(enough to glaze 1 dozen donuts and their holes):
3 Tbsp. Organic Virgin Coconut oil
1/2 Tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
2 Tbsp. non-dairy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
1 cup powdered sugar
Melt coconut oil and corn syrup in a small pot (2-cups size).  Add chocolate chips.  Use a whisk, melt and combine the ingredients together until it becomes a warm liquid.  Add the extract.  Then, add powdered sugar. Whisk and combine until it is smooth.  It is best to keep this glaze warm so I suggest to make it right before the frying of the donut.  Put it in a microwave for 30 seconds if it is drying out.

Custard Filling(enough to fill 1 dozen donut bars):
2 1/2 Tbsp. Bird's Custard Powder
3 Tbsp. vegan sugar
1 1/2 cup soy milk creamer
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Mix custard powder, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the creamer(cold) in a small pot.  Use a whisk to combine them together until mixture is not lumpy and smooth.
2. Heat the rest of the creamer in another small pot until it is hot.  Add the combined mixture from no. 1 above.  Keep stirring with a whisk until it starts to simmer and bubbly.  Turn the heat down and let it simmered while keep stirring for anothe 3-4 minutes until the mixture is thickened.
3. Take it off heat and add the extract.  Put wax or parchment paper on top and let it cool.  Refridgerate for 1-2 hours before using.
4. To fill doughnuts, pour custard into a piping bag with a large tip.  Insert a chopstick or small knife into the side of the donut to make a hole.  Pipe the custard into the donut then glaze with the chocolate glaze if making custard filled chocolate donut bars. 

Another filling suggestion:  strawberry jam and raspberry jam (without seeds).

Toppings and sprinkles:  sugar, colorful sprinkles, chopped nuts, shredded coconut, coconut bacon (homemade or Phoney Baloney Coconut Bacon), chocolate sprinkles, etc.

See my creation and combination below.  Which one is your favorite?

Chocolate frosted and topped with nuts and pearl sugar.

Maple glazed, sugar glazed, and sprinkled with sugar.

Doughnut bars: maple glazed topped with coconut bacon and chocolate glazed filled with vegan custard.

Round shaped:  sprinkled with sugar, jam filled or vegan custard filled.

Don't forget the donut holes:  glazed or sprinkled with sugar.

Smokey Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower

Smokey Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower

If you like spicy hot snacks, this snack is for you.  This post was inspired by Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower from a new vegetarian cafe in Orange, CA: Meads Green Door.  I had a Taco Salad for lunch at this restaurant which contain greens, black beans, corn, green olives, roasted pumpkin seeds, avocado, tomato, grilled soy chicken (Gardein, I think), and roasted buffalo cauliflower with chipotle ranch dressing.  I decided to create it at home: Smokey Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower. Oh yeah!

It was delicious!  I should have served this as a Super Bowl snack but, oh well that was 2 weeks ago, I still enjoyed it after Super Bowl.  This dish is best serve immediately when it is still hot.  However, when it is cold, it's great for salad.  Therefore,  I also made the salad and called it Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower salad with vegan ranch dressing.  The star was the roasted cauliflower so I put it in the middle of the bowl.

It is really simple to do.  I used this hot pepper sauce:  Trader Joe's Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce  but you can use other red hot sauce suitable for hot buffalo wings.  I also used smoked paprika and smoked salt (Alderwood Smoked Salt).

There are a lot of other buffalo cauliflower recipe in the Internet but most of them are deep fried.  This recipe is ligher since it is roasted and I prefer it this way.  I also did some experiment to incorporate panko breading sprinkled onto the marinated cauliflower.  The results will produce some crunchy-spicy panko breading morsels which are so delicious.  Either preparation is good whether it is with or without the panko breading although the one without panko breading is more suitable for the salad below.

This roasted cauliflower has crunchy-spicy panko breading morsels on it.

Smokey Spicy Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower
Serve 6-8 as snacks
Printable Recipe

6 cups cauliflower large chunks (about 1 large cauliflower)
3 Tbsp. Safflower Oil
3 Tbsp. Hot Pepper Sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp. smoked salt

Optional: 1 cup panko breading

Accompaniments:
Vegan Ranch salad dressing
Celery sticks
Carrots sticks

1. Preheat oven to 425-450 F, depending on how hot your oven is.  Mine is not too hot so I used 450 F and put it in convection roast setting if you have one.
2. Combine oil, hot pepper sauce, sugar, smoked paprika, minced garlic, and smoked salt in a small bowl.
3. Put cauliflower florets in a large bowl and drizzle with hot sauce mixture.  Combine thoroughly.
4. If using panko breading, sprinkle the panko and if possible let them stick to the marinated florets.  Not all breading will stick to the cauliflower.
5. Prepare a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Spread cauliflower mixture onto the cookie sheet.
6. Roast for 20 minutes, stir and flip the florets, and roast about 10-15 minutes longer until the cauliflower is cooked but still firm.
7. Serve IMMEDIATELY or store in a container for salad when it is cold.

Cauliflower combined with spicy sauce before they are roasted.

 Here are what are needed for the salad:

Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower Salad
Serve 6-8 as a meal

Cold roasted buffalo cauliflower above
6 cups of greens (can be cut up romaine lettuce, packaged spring mix, arugula, herb mix, etc.)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup each chopped celery and carrots
1 can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green olives, drained and sliced into 2
2 cups gardein chicken or baked tofu cubes
1-2 avocado, sliced
1 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
Tortilla chips, optional

Vegan Ranch Dressing or Vegan Creamy Garlic Dressing (store bought or home made)
My favorite is Follow Your Heart brand.

1. Arrange greens in a large salad bowl.
2. Add all the ingredients on top and arrange as pictured below.  If using panko breading, sprinkle the crunchy, spicy, roasted panko morsels over the salad.
3. Drizzle with dressing. Toss.
4. Add sliced avocado and sprinkle with roasted pumpkin seeds just before eating.  Serve with tortilla chips to scoop salad.

Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower Salad with Vegan Ranch Dressing (sliced avocado and roasted pepitas are added later just before eating).

We enjoyed this salad so much and were having it for 2 weeks in a row.  I hope you'll like it too.

Spicy Italian Pasta - Valentine Red Trader Joe's Style

Spicy Italian Pasta

For Valentine's Day I am cooking red, red pasta that is.  This time I am going to post something that I've been doing lately that is preparing something quick for dinner.  I shop weekly at a neighborhood small grocery called Trader Joe's.  This store is not nationwide.  It is also not available internationally, of course.  I just want to share how I love this store.  Everything on that plate above was bought from this store(except spices).  It is hard at times to find vegan ingredients but this store provides plenty vegan stuff.  .

What I love about this store is that most ingredients are already cut and prepared so I don't need to do a lot of chopping. I still have to chop a few items such as onions, bell pepper, garlic, etc.  but most vegetables are already cut into bite pieces (including the sun-dried tomatoes). If there is no Trader Joe's near you, I hope you can find similar ingredients at a nearby store.

Ingredients I bought at Trader Joe's to prepare this spicy italian pasta, from left hand corner, clockwise: organic broccoli florets, red bell pepper, onion, pitted kalamata olives, sliced cremini mushrooms, Tofurky Italian Sausage, high fiber spaghetti, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pine nuts, green capers in a jar, tomate paste (not shown).

The pasta can be replaced with a gluten-free pasta such as quinoa pasta or brown rice pasta. I have done it a few times but this time I am trying their high-fiber pasta.   The broccoli florets are cooked at the end in the pasta cooking water so the color stays bright green. 

Spicy Italian Pasta
Serve 6-8

1 Onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 dry sundried tomatoes, soaked in 1/3 cup warm water
6 or 8 oz Cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tofurky Italian Sausage (half of the package pictured above), sliced to 1/2 inch cubes, optional
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, drained, slice each olive into 2
2 Tbsp. Capers, drained
1/2 tsp. Fennel Seeds
1/2 tsp. dried Oregano leaves
1 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
Salt and freshly grated black pepper
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil

2 cups Broccoli Florets
1/2 cup loosely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup roasted pine nuts

1 lb. dry spaghetti pasta (any kind such as whole wheat, gluten-free, brown rice, or high fiber)

1. Put 4-5 quarts of warm water in a pasta cooking pot on a high heat.  Add a generous amount of kosher salt.  It takes a while to boil this much water so I usually start it ahead of time, about 10 minutes before I start preparing other ingredients.
2. Soak dry sundried tomatoes in 1/3 cup warm water before chopping all other ingredients.
3. In a heavy cast iron pot (5 qts), heat olive oil.  Add onions, garlic, and red bell pepper. Saute until onions are translucent.
4. Add fennel seeds, oregano leaves, and dried red pepper. Stir and combine until fragrant.
5. Add mushrooms and Italian Sausage.  Stir and saute until mushrooms are soften.  Add kalamata olives and capers.
6. At this time, the pasta water should be boiling,  add dry pasta and simmer according to the time on the package minus 1 minute.  For example, if the directions say 8 minutes, simmer for 7 minutes.  If it says 12 minutes, cook for 11 minutes only.  The finishing of cooking the pasta will be with the sauce mixture in the pot.
7. Drain sundried tomatoes, chop into pieces if necessary.  Pour sundried tomatoes soaking water into the vegetable broth.
8. Add sundried tomatoes pieces into the pot, stir.
9. Add vegetable broth and tomato paste into the pot.  Combine with the rest of ingredients and turn the heat down to low.
10. When pasta is al dente, drain and add the cooked pasta into the pot.  Combine with the sauce mixture until the broth is almost absorbed.
11. Meanwhile, add broccoli pasta into the boiling pasta water, simmer for 2 minutes.  When the broccoli reached a bright color, drain, and then add to the pasta mixture in the pot.
12. Add chopped flat leaf parsley and taste for salt.  Add more salt if necessary and some grated black pepper.  Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts.
13. Serve immediately.

Tips:  This dish can prepared ahead of time.  After step 12, spread this dish onto a large flat tray so it cools immediately and the cooking process is stopped.  Otherwise, the pasta will stick together and becomes mushy from overcooking.  When it is cool, store in a large plastic or glass container.  Reheat in the microwave the next day.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Vegan No-Knead Seeduction Artisan Bread

Vegan Seeduction Bread

I was recommended to try an artisan bread called Seeduction at Whole Foods market by a friend. It is a delicious bread and whole grain healthy. Unfortunately, it contains honey in it so it is not a 100% vegan bread which is too bad because I really like it.  It is also kind of expensive for a small loaf of bread.   The bread is crusty on the outside and soft in the inside.  It has the crunch and tasty seeds on each bite.  The roasted millet on the outside is pretty crunchy and savory.  I love it, it is truly my kind of bread!

I set a goal to veganize this bread after perusing the ingredients on display.  It has become an obsession to obtain the right recipe.  I can say that I was seeduced.  :-)  I made it 4-5 times and each time DH said "this is good", then he said "it is better now", then he said "it is much better now", then he said "Wow, this is the best".   He had been eating too much seeduction bread for the last 2 months.  This post is about this bread and my journey in learning baking artisan breads.

On top of this obsession, in the past few months, I also learned other new bread baking skill by starting to bake simple French baquette with just white flour. Then, proceed in making vegan doughnuts, whole wheat bread, Vietnamese baquette, and all kinds of no-knead whole grain breads. I   found that no-knead bread is really interesting and easy.  It is just the way to do it to save time.  I invested a few tools during my bread making journey: a healthy whole grain cookbook, a bread lame, a bread whisk, and a dough scrapper(this one was a Christmas gift). The cookbook I bought was Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day byt Jeff Hertzberg, M.d. & Zoe Francois.

Below are the whisk with a long metal handle I used to stir the no-knead dough and the bread lame I used to slash the top of the dough.

Bread Lame and Whisk, both bought at Sur La Table for about $6.00 each.





6-quarts plastic container

I used the technique of making this bread: No-Knead Chocolate-Cherry-Pecan Bread into baking the vegan seeduction bread below.  This  chocolate-cherry-pecan bread is a real delicious bread.  I recommend it!

No-Knead Chocolate-Cherry-Pecan Bread

I would like to share several tips about tools in baking no-knead bread:

- A whisk and bread lame such as pictured above are very helpful.
- A large plastic container to raise bread dough overnight or in the fridge may be a necessity, especially, if making a large amount of no-knead bread.  Mine is a 6- quarts plastic container with a lid.
 - A cheap shower cap to cover the bowl of bread dough while it is rising can be a great help.  I brought home those shower caps provided in hotels/motels which are still in packages (unopened) and use them to cover my bread bowl (learned this from several blogs).

Cover bowl of bread dough with a shower cap(unused).

-  An oven thermometer is a good idea to check if your oven has an accurate temperature.
- A food scale can provide an accurate measurement of dry ingredients such as flour and water.  I like to weigh my flour and water for accuracy and consistency.
- An instant read thermometer ensures the baked bread is really done.  I had several bad experience thinking that my bread was done but it was doughy inside.  This problem could not be fixed so I've been using a thermometer to check the doneness of the baked bread since then.
- Invest on a baking stone, cloche, enameled cast iron pot, or a Rommertof Clay Baker.  I found that using these really made the crust of my bread crackling hard while the inside of the bread is still soft.  This is what artisan bread is all about.

I would also like to share several tips about ingredients:

- Yeast.  I've been using instant yeast SAF brand.  I found that this is the best yeast for no-knead bread making and the method I use below.  I had several experiences that my bread dough won't rise using the dry active yeast in the envelopes even though they are not expired yet.   I think those yeast may go bad after sitting on stores' shelves.  It was very frustrating so I bite the bullet and bought 1 lb. instant yeast and store it in the freezer.  I haven't had any problem since then.

- Flour.  I use Bob's Red Mill brand flour whether it is the Organic Unbleached White Flour,  Organic Hard White Wheat Flour, or the Organic Whole Wheat Flour.  Somehow it is harder for me to find King Arthur brand which is also pretty expensive in my area but if you can, go right ahead.

- Salt.  I use kosher salt when baking bread. 

- Water.  I don't usually use warm the water when baking no-knead bread.  The water I use is usually a room temperature, not cold or not warm water.  If the weather is cold, I mixed cold water with warm water to make it lukewarm but not hot.  Also, since I was using the instant yeast I don't have the need to mix warm water with the yeast to activate it.  Instant yeast is great to mix directly with  dry ingredients before liquid is added to the dough.  I even sprinkle the instant yeast on the bread dough before the 2nd rise.

The instructions for this recipe seems long and complicated but it is not.  It needs planning but the mixing and preparing of this bread only take minutes.  Then, I let it rise for 12 hours, then I did something about it for a few minutes, then I had to wait again, then I prepared for the baking for a few minutes.  I could do all kind of errands, watch movie, and other things while making this bread.  After you do it once, you'll be able to do this on a weekend and enjoy it during the work days.

Vegan Seeduction Bread
Serve 6-8, this recipe can be doubled for 2 loaves

Dry Ingredients:
1 cup White Whole Wheat or Whole Wheat flour (4.5 oz)
1 1/2 cups Unbleached White Flour (7.5 oz)
3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oatmeal)
1  Tbsp. Ground Flaxseeds (golden or dark)
1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. Vital Wheat Gluten flour
3 Tbsp. Rye Flour
1/4 tsp. Instant Yeast for 1st rising (additional 1/2 tsp. Instant Yeast to be added later)

Liquid Ingredients:
    1 1/4 room temperature water
1 Tbsp. Organic Molasses
2 Tbsp. Agave Nectar
2 Tbsp. Canola Oil/Safflower Oil

Seeds( can be decreased or increased or use other types of seeds):
3 Tbsp. raw Pumpkin Seeds
2 Tbsp. raw Sunflower Seeds
1 Tbsp. Poppy Seeds
2 Tbsp. Hulled Millets
1 Tbsp. Sesame Seeds

Additional 1/2 tsp.  raw and not toasted Hulled Millets for on top of bread (for before baking)

From lefthand corner, clockwise: sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds,
hulled millet, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.

Step 1:
Mix dry ingredients (not including the seeds) together in a bowl, stir with the whisk.
Step 2:
 Mix all the liquid ingredients together in a measuring cup and pour into the dry ingredients slowly.  
 Stir with the whisk vigorously until they are mixed.  The dough will be wet and brownish. No kneading is necessary!

Mixing dry and liquid ingredients together with whisk, no kneading.

Step 3:
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or an unused shower cap (as pictured above).  Do not use a tight lid.  Put the covered bowl on the kitchen counter for at least 12 hours (not refridgerator). After 12 hours, it can be stored in the refridgerator for 7 days before the next steps.

Dough will be brown and wet.

Step 4:
Meanwhile while waiting for the dough to rise, heat cast iron pan on a medium heat, roast all seeds except the 1 tsp. hulled millet for on top of the bread.  Keep stirring for 3 minutes until the seeds start to crackle (you'll hear tiny crackling).  Take it off from heat and take roasted seeds off the pan into a bowl.  Set aside.

Step 5:
After 12 hours, the dough should rise to almost double the original size.  If it doesn't, there is something wrong with the yeast (it is probably is not alive).


Step 6:
At this time, the dough will be easy to handle.  Spread some flour on a large cutting board.  Wet your hand and stretch the dough into flat rectangle.   Important:  Sprinkle  the additional 1/2 tsp. Instant Yeast on the stretched dough and then sprinkle the roasted seeds (step 4) onto the dough.  Roll the dough from the short end side to form an oval loaf.  The idea is that the seeds are kneaded in the dough instead on the outside of the bread.  This is to prevent the seeds to taste burnt due to baking.  It maybe hard to prevent all the seeds inside the bread dough but try as much as possible to hide them inside.

Step 7:
Using a clay pot baker or an enameled cast iron pot,  put parchment paper on top of the pot and place loaf shaped dough onto the parchment paper.  The shape can be oval or round.  It doesn't really matter.  Cover it with the shower cap or the lid of the clay baker/pot.  Let it rise for 2-5 hours.

Step 8:
When the loaf almost double its size, remove the loaf by holding the parchment paper to carry the loaf onto another loaf pan or a cookie sheet, just a temporarily place while pot is heating.  

Step 9:
 Soak the clay baker (lid and bottom) in water (immerse completely) for 15 minutes.  This is not necessary when using an enameled cast iron or a baking stone.  Remove clay baker from water and wipe off the excess water.

Step 10:
Put the wet clay baker or enameled cast iron pot into a cold oven and preheat oven to 500 F with the clay baker/pot  in it (lid and bottom).  Set timer to 30 minutes.  When the timer goes off, the clay baker or cast iron pot should be hot.  Spray the top of the loaf with water and then sprinkle the additional 1 tsp. raw hulled millet. Slice the top with a bread lame (several slices). Carefully, remove the lid of the clay baker or enameled cast iron, drop the loaf  (by using the parchment paper as holders)  into the hot pot.  Cover with the lid. Lower the heat into 450F.  Set timer to 30 minutes.

Step 11:
After 30 minutes, take off the lid and bake uncovered for another 10-15 minutes.  Using the instant thermometer, check the thickest part of the bread for the temperature.  If the temperature reached 204-210F then, the bread is done.  Otherwise, continue baking until the inner temperature inside reached the desired number.

Now, however it is tempting to cut and eat the bread when it is hot off the oven, DON'T!  Let the bread cools down before you cut it.  If you do, it will be gummy.  The bread needs to rest for a while and finishing its baking.  Enjoy and hopefully you are seeduced like me!



The seeds inside the bread are not burned while
the raw millet outside were toasted during the baking process.

10 Most Popular Spice Island Vegan Posts!



Vegan Mock Fish - Unagi Donburi

 Happy New Year Everyone!  I would like to thank my followers, viewers, vegan friends, and family for your support over the years.  I have been blogging since March 24, 2006.  I was very active in the beginning but other hobbies and work sometimes took over my blogging time.  It is not easy to create recipes, taking food pictures, write what I cooked, and to plan the whole thing, basically.  I found it hard sometimes to continue.  I faced hard issues such as injuries, death in the family, lacking of creativity and ideas what to blog, failed cooking experiments, laziness, boredom, poor food pictures, blogging technology issue, etc. but I strives to continue.  I am sure other bloggers agree with me that one time or another we all think about quitting.  I didn't.  It has been almost 6 years and I will keep it going and going.  I will be slow at times and active at times but I will move on.

Below is an interesting fact:  10 Most Popular Spice Island Vegan Posts (highest number of post visits, no. 1 is the highest):

1. How to Make Vegan Fish or Mock Fish - Vegan Unagi Donburi August 14, 2008
2. Vegan Sushi Party!  Septemer 28, 2008
3. Revisiting Vegan Tiramisu February 13, 2009
4. Buddha's 'Mock Peking Duck' or Mu Shu Tofu?  September 4, 2006
5. Vegan Quinoa and Brown Rice Sushi and Cavi-Art August 7, 2006
6. Vegan Pecan Sticky Buns - Move Over Cinnabon  April 14, 2008
7. Cassava or Yuca --What is it?  April 26, 2008
8. Vietnamese Green Mango Salad  June 19, 2009
9. Spicy Tortilla Soup! April 16, 2007
10. Vegan Korean Mushrooms and Tofu Stew  November 2, 2011

My very first post is this one:  Where is Punjab?  March 24, 2006 

It has been a very exciting cooking journey!   I have never thought that being a vegetarian and vegan can be this exciting.  I am enjoying cooking and blogging!

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew served with homemade vegan Seeduction bread

This blog is the result of watching too much cooking shows on TV.  I was watching the show called The Chew with Daphne Oz's healthy recipes and was inspired to cook this stew.  I changed it a little bit and I love the result.  It is a stew with full of vitamins from lentils, sweet potato, and other vegetables like carrots, kale, celery, and leeks(leeks was my addition).  This is a stew that you can consume to avoid colds, flu, and other ailments during the cold winter months.

I like what Daphne said about red lentils.  She said that after cooking red lentils the orange color of the lentils disappeared so she used carrots and sweet potato to maintain the orange color in the stew.  It is definitely true.  If you buy Red Lentils raw ( which is also called Masoor Dal in India), you buy orange color lentils as the picture shown below.  They are very pretty.  Then, after you cook them, they become cream color or light yellow.  I often become disappointed with the disappearing color such as shown in the picture above.  Using vegetables such as carrots and sweet potato will maintain the orange color of the dish so it looks more appetizing.  Daphne even chopped the sweet potato so small, the same size of the red lentils.  What a great idea!   In this stew I chopped the carrots and sweet potato the same size so you will need to guess when you bite into it:  Is it carrot or is it sweet potato?  Or you can slice the carrots bigger like Daphne did (coins size).

Uncooked red lentils or masoor dals

The addition of kale is for health and color, adding deep green color into the stew.  The final result is a stew with light yellow, green, and orange color.  She also used cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chipotle pepper flakes, the spices I love.  I don't have chipotle pepper flakes so I used chipotle pepper powder. 

The stew is really easy to make and delicious.  It is a bit sweet from the natural sweetness of carrots and potato and it went well with whole grain Seeduction bread.  The chipotle pepper added a little bit of bite of spicyness.  I served the stew with the home made bread I made with a recipe I've been working on for a month.  It is the healthy Seeduction bread.  I will blog about it later when I am satisfied with the result.  Meanwhile I can show you a picture of a Seeduction loaf I baked.


Homemade Seeduction bread with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, millet, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds

Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew
Serve 8-10
Adapted from Daphne Oz stew recipe

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. Olive oil or Safflower oil
1 Red Onion, finely chopped, about 1.5 cup
1 small Leeks, cleaned and finely chopped (the top part only), about 1 cup
2 cups Carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes or smaller
2 cups Sweet Potato (yam), peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch cubes or smaller
1 Tbsp. minced Garlic
1 cup chopped Celery, about 2 ribs
2 cups Red Lentils or Masoor Dals (rinsed thoroughly)
2 tsp. Cumin powder
1 tsp. Corriander powder
1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder
1 tsp. Chipotle Pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp. Chipotle Pepper powder
6 cups broth made from  Better than Bouillon No-Chicken base ( I used 4 tsp with 6 cups of hot water)

4-5 cups Lacinato Kale (black kale), ribs removed and chopped coarsely

Salt and Pepper to taste (about 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper)

1. Heat a 4-5 quart soup pot and then add the oil.
2. Add onions, leeks, and minced garlic. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and black pepper.  Saute for 4 minutes.
3. Add celery, carrots, sweet potato.  Then add all the spices: cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chipotle pepper.  Stir and saute for another 4 minutes.
4. Add the red lentils and vegetable broth.  Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Finally, add the chopped kale and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Taste for more salt and black pepper.  Turn off the heat.

Enjoy!