Cabbage, Apple, and Celery Stir-Fry

This is really good with the Persian rice I posted last, or with noodles.

Ingredients:

1 onion

oil

2-4 stalks of celery

1 pointed cabbage or ½ regular cabbage

water (in ¼ cup increments or as needed)

2 apples

1 tsp sugar

lemon juice (2-5 tbsp, depending on taste)

mint (1 tbsp)

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Peel and dice the onion and fry lightly in some oil.

2. Chop the celery and cabbage and add to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then add some water and cover. Leave over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

3. Chop the apples and add to the pan, along with the other ingredients. Cook another 10 minutes, adding more water if needed.

4. Season with more lemon juice, mint, salt, and pepper.

Egg Foo Young

This is a traditional Chinese-American dish, so I grew up eating. It comes with a thick, brown sauce, almost like gravy. I got a taste for it suddenly when my mother mentioned having shrimp egg foo young for lunch, so I made a vegetarian version.

 

This recipe made 8 patties, and eating even 2 is very filling.

 

Ingredients:

2- 2½  cups vegetables (I used 1 cup cabbage, 1 celery stalk, 2 spring onions, ½ cup bean sprouts, and mushrooms)

oil

7 eggs

1¼ cup water

1 tbsp corn starch (or flour)

½ bouillon cube

1 tbsp soy sauce (I left this out as M can’t eat soy, but if you add it, it will be more “traditional” and murkier)

1 tsp ginger, optional (I used this to brighten up the flavour)

1 pinch lime leaves, optional (I used this to brighten up the flavour)

 

Instructions:

1. Wash and chop the vegetables. If using vegetables such as cabbage and onion, fry them lightly in oil for a few moments.

2. Whisk the eggs and add all the vegetables. Distribute the vegetables evenly.

3. Fry patties a couple at a time in a little oil.

4. Start the sauce by first making a smooth paste with ¼ cup water and the corn starch or flour.

5. When it’s completely smooth, add the rest of the water, the bouillon, and the soy sauce. If using the ginger and lime leaves, add them too. Cook over low heat, whisking frequently, for a few minutes, until it thickens.

6. Serve the patties with the sauce over them.

Mushroom and Tofu Stir-Fry

I used to think I didn’t like mushrooms, but M convinced me to give them another try and I have found I really do enjoy them. I use them in omelettes and stir-fries and with pasta quite a bit. Here I’ve cooked them with tofu, but my beloved can no longer eat soya products, so I can’t make this anymore.

You can easily vary the seasoning by varying the sauces. I loved ume plums (sour plums) in Japan, so I was pleased when I found the ume plum sauce at my local vegetarian store. It adds a distinct tang and is good as a salad dressing or in dishes such as this one.

Ingredients:
oil
1 tsp honey or sugar
¼-½ cabbage
1 handful mushrooms (about 5-8)
200 g tofu
soy or tamari sauce
plum sauce or ume plum seasoning, optional
noodles

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil over low heat and add the honey.
2. Wash and slice the cabbage and mushrooms and fry them in the oil and honey until the mushrooms are darkening, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Chop the tofu and add it to the pan.
4. Season with soy, tamari, and/or plum sauce as desired.
5. Add the noodles and stir for another minute or two, then serve.

Tofu and Spring Greens

This was really simple but tasty and satisfying.

Ingredients:
100-150 g spring greens (or spinach or cabbage)
a bit of butter (about 15 g)
water (about 1 tbsp or thereabouts)
vegetable oil
tamari sauce, to taste
honey (about 1 tbsp, but depends on taste)
firm silken tofu (about 175 g)
noodles (I used medium stir-fry noodles)

Instructions:
1. Wash and chop the spring greens. Put them with the butter and water in a pan and put the lid on. Steam over low heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat up the oil in a frying pan. Add the tamari sauce and honey.
3. Dice the tofu and add it to the frying pan. Stir it around so it gets covered with the tamari sauce and honey. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the spring greens and the noodles. Stir well. Cook over low heat for about 3 minutes, then serve.

An Unusual Tomato Sauce

I often make curries with curry paste and coconut milk and I was planning to do that one recent night when I suddenly discovered I didn’t have any curry paste. I had to quickly rethink my dish. I looked in the cupboard and found that there was a jar of tomato-olive pasta sauce that M had bought while I was out of town. I decided to use that instead.

Oddly enough, it worked quite well with the coconut milk. I stir-fried courgette, cabbage, and cauliflower together, added some coconut milk and tomato sauce, and let that simmer for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I made some sticky rice, to which I added the rest of the coconut milk and another tablespoonful of the tomato sauce. The meal worked out quite well and I would actually make it again. I might also use the leftover tomato sauce to marinate some tofu.

Green Stir-Fry

Green Stir-Fry

This can be endlessly varied, depending on what sort of veg or spices you have on hand. It’s fast for weekdays.

Ingredients:
1 leek
½ green garlic
1 courgette
½ cabbage
1 handful cherry tomatoes
oil
spice (curry paste, miso paste, soy sauce, sweet-and-sour sauce, etc)
noodles (I like rice noodles)

Instructions:
1. Wash the vegetables and dice them.
2. Stir-fry them in the oil and add the spice of your choice. Mix well.
3. When it is all nearly cooked, add in the noodles. Stir-fry for a couple more minutes, then serve.

Lentils and Vegetables

Ingredients:
1½ cups puy lentils
water
1 carrot
1 bag green beans
½ half cabbage or 1 head spring greens
3 tbsp cream or yogurt
seasoning (salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, etc – I actually seasoned it with truffle olive oil for a luxurious edge)
rice, if desired

Instructions:
1. Rinse the lentils and cover with water. Boil them over low heat for about 15 minutes.
2. Wash the veg. Peel and chop the carrot. De-string the beans. Chop the cabbage/greens.
3. Add the veg to the pot and add more water if needed. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Mix in the cream/yogurt. Season to taste.
5. Serve over rice if desired.

Sweet Potato and Cabbage Hash

I found this recipe in the July issue of Vegetarian Living, but I’ve adjusted it to our tastes (I am not that fond of soy sauce and find it very salty) and I simply fried the eggs rather than baking them. I rarely cook with cabbage, so it was great to try this. I’ve now made a few more dishes with cabbage; I love when I expand my culinary repertoire.

Ingredients:
4 sweet potatoes
water
oil
1 onion
1 tsp sugar
½ savoy cabbage
4 eggs
black pepper
nigella seeds

Instructions:
1. Wash the potatoes and boil them in the water for about 12-15 minutes. Drain, peel, and dice them.
2. Warm the oil in a frying pan. Chop the onion and add it to the pan. After a few minutes, add the sugar and stir.
3. Wash and chop the cabbage and add it and the potatoes to the pan. Fry for about 10 minutes.
4. Push the cabbage and potatoes to the sides of the pan and crack the eggs into the middle. Fry them until just set.
5. Season with pepper and nigella and serve.