The Vegetarian Table

Bird Netting for Vegetables Raised Bed

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:28:00 +0000

There was a bad experience of birds that attacked our seedlings late last year, so before even planting begins this year, there are some precautions to take - setting up a bird netting over the raised bed is one of them.

It is not an expensive solution and the entire bird net is easy to set up. You start with pushing two ends of the bamboo hoops into the soil, securing them in the soil, each hoop at equal-distance across the planter bed. These hoops are multifunctional and are able to provide stable support for long-stemmed plants and climbers as well. As the material is bamboo, they are suitable for outdoor use and will not rust easily.

When the bamboo hoops are secured, lay the bird net carefully over the bamboo. It will look something like this.

These Bamboo U-Hoops from Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH) are about $5 and the Bird Netting from Lowes is about $6, which sets our bird netting at just under $12.

Growing vegetables in small spaces

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 03:23:00 +0000

As this blog grows to one that encompasses the notion of being "vegetarian", one of the objectives is to achieve "farm to table" which in this case, to bring a small backyard vegetable garden to the table.

With vegetarian cooking and recipes being featured occasionally, there will be also gardening posts in the future to be shared from the perspective of us - two novice gardeners.

In the direction of limited budget and time, we hope to have at least some vegetables successfully grown in our backyard this year.

This planter bed is not huge but it came with the home. So we are going to make full use of it - at least try!

Depending on the space you have for Urban Gardening, you can always select the type of raised garden bed that is suitable for you. For example, this Lifetime Raised Garden Bed Kit can be ideal for some of you. It is a stackable garden bed with one early start enclosure. There are even no tools required for assembly, and you have a full garden set-up in less than an hour. It is also constructed of UV-protected high-density polyethylene and will not rot, crack or peel.

Watermelon Salad, and Stir-Fry 西瓜两用

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 04:31:00 +0000

Something wacky about watermelon for today.

The sweet juicy watermelon used in this Watermelon Basil Salad,

and the rind used in this Watermelon Rind Stir-Fry.

Tag: watermelon salad, watermelon rind

Indian-Spiced Green Beans 印度香料长豆

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:02:00 +0000

When these green beans are cooked down to tender, almost soft, with the spices, they are just so delicious. The ingredients in this recipe are almost similar to Indian Spicy Chickpeas.

Indian-Style Green Beans 印度香料长豆
Ingredients: green bean sliced, 4-5 shallots sliced, 2-3 garlic minced, 1-2tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric, butter, salt, 1tbsp oil, freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle of red chili pepper flakes

Directions: Add butter and 1tbsp oil to a frying pan, add in minced garlic, shallots saute till fragrant. Add in green beans and saute till green beans and onions are slightly tender/onions caramelized. Add the spices. Salt to taste. Cook for about 10 mins in low-heat pan (note: if too dry, add some water). Add in some freshly ground black pepper and red chili pepper flakes, mix well.

Really good with steamed rice!

Tag: indian spices, green beans

Garlic Herb Butter Crostini 蒜泥香草牛油烤面包

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:33:00 +0000

A hearty bowl of minestrone or pumpkin soup would pair so well with these garlic crostini (means "little toasts" in Italian).

You do not need a full-range oven for this. A small little toaster oven will do the job. And even a better deal - you can use "old" baguette (bread) and inject new life into that dry loaf of mass.

Garlic-Herb Butter Crostini - 蒜泥香草牛油烤面包
Ingredients: Baguette, thinly sliced; unsalted butter; garlic, finely minced; dried herbs (basil, oregano), salt

Directions: Preheat toaster oven at "Bake". When the butter is slightly soft (at room temperature), add in the minced garlic and herbs, then mix them thoroughly into the butter. Spread the garlic-herb butter on one side of the bread slice, then place the bread slices (slathered side up) onto a tray laid with Al foil. Set oven to "Toast" and toast for about 12-15minutes till the bread becomes toasted, golden brown.

Enjoy.

Tag: soup, garlic crostini

Flavoring Vegetarian Soups + Bitter Melon Soup 苦瓜蛋花汤

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:39:00 +0000

It is not the (huge) amount of oil you have to use. You also don't have to depend on excessively-rich, heavy hot sauces. How to flavor vegetarian soups?

Cooking Tips:
- Add tomatoes (I cannot emphasize enough);
- Then there is also a pre-fry of the onions (till slightly charred and caramelized) to deepen the flavor intensity.
- It is sometimes not everything-all-at-once-in-the-pot! The sequence of adding the ingredients is important as well. Refer to this post: Since celery, and carrots cook longer than Napa cabbage - those were added first so that more time is allowed for developing flavors with the aromatics (onions, ginger, garlic) before the Napa cabbage is added. To zoom into details, you should add the "white" bottom stems of the Napa cabbage first (since those take longer to cook), then the leaves.

This Bitter Melon Egg Drop Soup 苦瓜蛋花汤 is another example of using tomatoes and using a pre-fry step.

Bitter food is good for us, and helps to speed up our metabolism. Green vegetables such as broccoli, and spinach can also be classified as bitter good. Well, broccoli and spinach do not taste bitter to me. Bitter melon might be the ultimate!

I have cooked bitter melon soup many times and bitter melon soup (egg-drop version) quite frequently.

This time, the base of this Bitter Melon Soup 苦瓜蛋花汤 starts with ikan billis (dried boiled anchovies), some onions, ginger, and tomatoes. In a soup pot, aromatize them in a little oil. When the onions turn translucent, then add water (or stock) to constitute the soup. Allow it to come to a boil for about 10 minutes (for flavors and aromatics to infuse), then turn down heat, add in bitter melon and continue to let it simmer till the bitter melon is cooked (no more than 30 minutes). Before serving, gently stir in whisked egg to create silky egg-strands. Turn off the heat. Sea salt and ground white pepper to taste. Garnish generously with finely chopped green onions and cilantro.

Tag: bitter melon, soup

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Chayote (Chokos) Tomato Stew 番茄焖煮佛手瓜

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 02:49:00 +0000

Okra with Tomatoes. Bitter Melon with Tomatoes. Brisling Sardines with Tomatoes. Cabbage with Tomatoes. And now...Chokos (Chayote) with Tomatoes.

When the word "Umami" became a hype these few years, tomatoes became a topic of the town as they are tied to ketchup which many claimed to taste "Umami" - kinda addictive with savory deliciousness. I do not like ketchup (or probably, should I say, not my kitchen or dining habit to have it?) but extremely so love tomatoes. That is why many Indian curries and dishes taste so good. They've got tomatoes.

Chayote (Chokos) and Tomatoes Quick Stew
Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1 medium-size onion, thinly sliced; 1 chayote, peeled and thinly sliced; 2 medium-size tomatoes, sliced to bite-sizes; 1tsp curry powder; pinch of cumin, fennel, salt and pepper

Directions: Heat some oil in a pan. Add in onions, garlic, pinch of cumin, fennel, curry powder and fry till fragrant. Add in tomatoes and mix well. Add in 2 tbsp water, cover the pan and allow the tomatoes to simmer at low -medium heat. When tomatoes softened, add in chayote, mix well, add about 2 to 3 tbsps water, cover pan and allow simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes, till chayote softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When you see Chayote (Chokos) in the supermarket, pick one without blemish.

I have many chokos recipes that you can try. Soup, salad, stir-fry and this quick stew. You have it all.

Tag: chayote, chokos, tomatoes

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Napa Cabbage and Barley Soup 白菜薏仁汤

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:48:00 +0000

Practice makes perfect when creating tasty vegetarian dishes. Nah, vegetarian dishes are not bland.

In fact, they can be flavorsome and delicious. Seriously, it is not difficult to develop flavors in vegetarian dishes. It is not the (huge) amount of oil you have to use. And you don't have to over-depend on excessively-rich, heavy hot sauces.

How then?

Napa Cabbage and Barley Soup
Ingredients: 1/4 medium yellow onion, finely diced; 4-6 thin slices of ginger; 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced; 2-3 celery, thinly sliced; 1/2 carrot, sliced to matchsticks; about 6-8 leaves of Napa cabbage, finely sliced/julienned; 1/2 tomato, diced; 2-3 tbsps of hulled barley (soaked overnight); some YIFON mushrooms (Note: you can use fresh shitake mushrooms as alternative); salt and white pepper to taste

Directions: Fry the onions and ginger - till the onions are slightly caramelized and soft. Add in garlic, carrots, celery, barley and fry to combine. After about 5 minutes, add some water and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes. When carrots and celery are slightly tender and barley is partially cooked, add the napa cabbage, tomatoes, mushrooms, more water, and simmer low heat about 15 minutes or more till more flavors develop. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tag: soup, barley soup, napa cabbage soup

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Stir-Fry Chayote with Fresh Lily Bulbs 清炒佛手瓜鲜百合

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:30:00 +0000

As I am quite familiar with using chayote in cooking, I also explored another relatively new ingredient to pair with chayote recently. Fresh Lily Bulbs mark a close resemblance to...errr.... "finger nails"?

Can you find the finger nails I am talking about?

Fresh lily bulbs have a natural hint of sweetness and according to Chinese medicinal perspective, have slightly "cold properties". When the weather is dry, lily bulbs can be used to relieve coughs, dry throats and to clear away "heat" in the body. They are also known to promote restful sleep, to treat insomnia and reduce heart palpitations.

Stir-Fry Chayote with Fresh Lily Bulbs (清炒佛手瓜鲜百合)
Ingredients: Chayote, peeled and thinly sliced; fresh lily bulbs, rinsed thoroughly and separated into separated petals; finely shredded carrot; thin slices of ginger; salt and white pepepr to taste

Directions: Heat some oil in a pan and fry ginger slices till fragrant. Add in carrots, followed by chayote and fry briskly. Add a little water to moist and simmer till chayote is cooked. Add in lily bulbs and mix well with mixture. Simmer a while more till lily bulbs are cooked (Tip: should not overcook lily bulbs so they remain firm and retain some "crunch" after cooked). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Pairs off best with plain congee! Steamed rice is fine too if you prefer.

A dish which is refreshing, healthy with a hint of natural sweetness and a texture profile of light crunch and tender.

Tag: lily bulbs, chayote, stir fry

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Broccoli with Fresh Shitake Mushrooms 清炒西兰花

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:12:00 +0000

It is rare. Strangely rare. This is one of the few times I have done a broccoli stir-fry. It is so easy to enjoy steamed broccoli that I do not bother to cook them other ways. Do you stir-fry your broccoli or prefer to enjoy them...steamed?

But this day, I wanted to add more vegetables and cook just ONE side (vegetable) dish to pair with steamed rice. So I did so (the stir-fry)...with garlic, ginger, celery, carrots, broccoli and fresh shitake mushrooms.

This pan of fresh veggies stir-fry

Enjoy!

Tag: stir fry, broccoli, stir fry broccoli

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Asparagus with Toasted Sesame Seeds 芝麻芦笋

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +0000

The fatter (male) asparagus were better off steamed or to be cooked in a fish soup while the thinner (female) asparagus are worthy of stir-fries or in omelette. That's personal preference, really.

The sweet caramelized onions and carrots in this Asparagus Stir-Fry with Toasted Sesame Seeds complement with the flavors of fresh asparagus and fragrant toasted sesame seeds. Yum!

Asparagus Stir-Fry with Toasted Sesame Seeds
Ingredients: 2tbsps finely diced onions, thinly sliced carrots, 1tsp finely minced garlic, bunchful of thin asparagus, sea salt and ground black pepper to taste; sprinkles of sesame seeds

Directions: Fry the onions and carrots till slightly tender, then add the garlic to lightly fry. Then add the asparagus, fry to combine and allow the asparagus to cook to tender. Turn off heat, pinch of salt and pepper to taste, then sprinkles of sesame seeds on the asparagus stir-fry before serving.

Tag: stir fry, sesame seeds, asparagus, vegetarian

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Spaghetti Squash Frittata Fritters

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:03:00 +0000

I wanted to try spaghetti squash after seeing "noodle" dishes out of them! This recipe came to me at the instant when I had that plate of squash strands (after roasting in the oven 375degF for ~ 45 minutes) sitting right in front of me. No squash noodles, I decided, since I am cooking rice congee for that same meal. I wanted a side-dish more than a one-disher noodle. Here comes my Spaghetti Squash Frittata Fritter!

I am a huge fan of Indian spices so I fall back to my comfort zone when seasoning the squash strands - cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, curry powder, red chili powder, salt, pepper - that should work!

In another bowl. whisk an egg with some whole milk. Set aside. Also, took out my muffin-pan, and rub some herbed-butter along the sides of the individual cups of the muffin pan. Then, portion out some seasoned squash strands into the muffin pan, as shown.

Gently pour the egg mixture into the squash in the muffin pan. Sprinkle some bread crumbs over (for top crusting), and place a curry leaf on top of each fritter (for aroma)

Bake in oven, 375degF for about 15-20 mins till the egg mixture sets (and cooks). Broil last 1 minute to crisp up top crust.

Tag: spaghetti squash, winter squash, squash, frittata,fritters

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Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:55:00 +0000

Sweet potato is nutritious with Vitamin A, C, B6 and minerals such as manganese and potassium.

Basically, these are the spices I have in my pantry. I wanted it spicy, added a lil' red chili powder (Note: Paprika or Cayenne Pepper should work too). Too bad I have no ground cinnamon at home if not it would have been perfect!

Roasted Chili Sweet Potato
Ingredients: 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed (Note1: Garnet Yam is a good choice); dash of red chili powder; dash of ground coriander; dash of sea salt; dash of ground white pepper

Directions: Preheat oven 375-400F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with the seasonings and spices in a lined baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes. Bake in oven for 30 minutes or till potatoes are cooked.

Now I need to buy more sweet potato so that I can cook sweet potato porridge to soothe and fill me warm in the Fall and Winter months.

Is it called Sweet Potato or Yam, where you are staying? :P

Tag: sweet potato, roasted sweet potato

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Black Pepper Buttered King Trumpet/Oyster Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:05:00 +0000

This recipe is super duper easy using the "pan-grill" method. You need butter, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. That's it.

Butter and Black Pepper King Trumpet/Oyster Mushrooms
Ingredients: 1 pack of king trumpet mushroom, remove the bottom white portion (about 1/4 length from the bottom of the mushrooms but retain the "stems"), thinly slice the mushrooms caps and stems as whole; 1 tbsp unsalted butter; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: Add butter in a heated flat wide-area pan and when butter melts, lay the mushrooms across the pan, do not overcrowd (Note: cook in batches). Lightly salt each batch and add freshly ground black pepper. When mushrooms turn tender, dish out and set aside.

Note1: This method (pan-grill, almost like grilling a steak) works really well for meaty mushrooms like the King Trumpet/Oyster.

Cooking Tip: for a 2nd dish!... ....

You can easily make a side-dish/appertizer salad by flavoring up your "carbs of the day". Add these mushrooms and fluff up with cooked rice (or other cooked grains/seeds). I added portion of the buttered black peppered mushrooms to my cooked brown rice + quinoa - black & red mixture and enjoyed the infusion of buttery, earthy flavors.

Mushrooms easily turn two dishes and anyone can cook both of them! Other easy Mushroom Recipes: Buttered Crimini Mushrooms with Onions and Herbs.

Enjoy!

Tag: mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, king trumpet mushrooms

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Roasted Cauliflower Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:05:00 +0000

I have been re-visiting some of my older recipes and giving them a fresh new spin. So today, I am making Oven-Roasted Cauliflower, which goes as the topping for my Indian Naan-bread pizza base. Decided to do away with pita bread as the pizza base this time and try another kind of bread-base.

Roasted Cauliflower Indian-Style Naan Pizza! It works!

Oh boy, am I stagnating right now? I seem to be toying with my comfort-zone ingredients. I need new ingredients! More! More! To excite me, to inspire me.

Roasted Cauliflower Indian-Style Naan Pizza
(1) First, prepare the cauliflower using the Oven-Roasted Cauliflower recipe.

(2) Then, make tomato "sauce"/paste from scratch in a pan using fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, cumin, fennel, curry powder, turmeric, salt and pepper.

(3) Spread the tomato "paste" onto store-bought naan bread, sprinkle shredded cheddar and Swiss cheese on it, top it with oven-roasted cauliflower, then a final layer of cheese again...

(4) Heat in the oven at 400-450F till cheese melts and naan bread becomes crispy.

Tag: naan bread, naan bread pizza, cauliflower pizza

Okra and Eggplant Stew

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:24:00 +0000

Bittermelon with tomatoes is delicious, eggplants with tomatoes should not go wrong too.

To create more substance and add more vegetables in this dish, I use another old recipe of mine - okra with tomatoes and include some eggplant mash into an already stew-like dish. Okra is very good in stews since the "slimy" factor perfects the stew consistency. Remember the last time you had Gumbo? Traditionally, one of the key ingredients is okra.

Can't even see the eggplant....it is that obvious.

Okra and Eggplant Mash Stew , first posted in An Escape to Food
(partially inspired by Real Simple - Eggplant Caviar, then adapted from the same recipe)

Ingredients: Similar to Recipe: Okra with Tomatoes; one eggplant

Directions: Roast the eggplant in the oven and scrap the flesh when eggplant is cooked (Refer to pictures below). Similar to Recipe: Okra with Tomatoes. When okra is almost cooked, add in the flesh of the eggplant

Tip: Before roasting the eggplant, use a fork and pierce a few holes on the eggplant.

The skin of purple eggplants contains its most valuable nutrient, a powerful antioxidant: nasunin which is a type of flavonoid present in many fruits and vegetables with red, blue and purple hues (berries, beets and red cabbage, to name a few). Choose the purple varieties when you shop, and leave the skin on. I am trying to get used to eggplant, so no skin-on for me this time.

Tag: eggplant, okra, stew

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Steamed Brussel Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 22:58:00 +0000

Fall is also brussel sprouts season and I am going to eat them wholeheartedly.

They are usually expensive (due to being typically imported from nearby countries such as Australia) in Singapore. But now, I have the luxury to buy them reasonably, seasonably and relatively cheap in the US. Brussel sprouts are high in Vitamin K, C, A; folate, maganese, potassium, iron....mmmmm...you should look at the long nutrients list.

Contrary to the popular and common method of pan-frying with bacon or butter, I did the "Chinese" thing and steam them. Cooking Tip: To get them uniformly cooked yet not overcooked remains the same regardless of cuisine if you want to cook them whole. Cut a cross at the base/bottom of each brussel sprout so that "heat" can get in there easily.

Steamed Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients and Directions: 10-12 brussel sprouts, rinsed then cut a cross at the base of the vegetable, set aside on a plate. Sprinkle some salt, ground white pepper and freshly ground black pepper on the vegetables. Set the steamer for steaming. When the water in the steamer is boiling, add the whole plate of brussel sprouts into the steamer and steam for about 8 minutes. More freshly ground pepper on the cooked vegetables, if you prefer, before serving.

Enjoy.

Tag: brussel sprouts

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Sesame Oil White Pepper Steamed Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 16:48:00 +0000

"Amazing colors!"...my first thoughts on getting the samples from Tasteful Selections some time ago.

Growing up in Asia, potato is really not my kind of staple or ingredient (Rice is!). But I was excited to try these potatoes especially when they are petite, cute, fast to prep and easy to cook.

Have you tried Steamed Potatoes? Yes, you heard me right. S-T-E-A-M-E-D Potatoes!

Steamed Potatoes, from An Escape to Food
Ingredients: 10 small (fingerling) potatoes, lightly rinsed (Note: these potatoes have already been pre-washed, so minimal rinsing when it comes to prep in the kitchen), thinly sliced; drizzle of soy sauce; dash of white pepper; drizzle of sesame oil; organic green and red bell peppers, finely diced as garnish (and for mild flavors)

Sunrise Medley Potatoes*

Directions: Set the steamer ready. Layer thin slices of potatoes on a plate or wide-area baking dish (photo above). After each layer, drizzle a little soy sauce and dash of ground white pepper over the potato layers. When the water in the steamer is boiling, place the dish into the steamer, cover steamer and steam for about 15 minutes (Note1: At about the 10th minute, sprinkle the diced bell peppers over the potatoes, cover the steamer, then continue steaming for the last 5 mins). When done, drizzle a little sesame oil over the potatoes.

It is so amazingly delicious, and I assure you - you don't need a difficult recipe to taste freshness and deliciousness! The soft-but-not-mushy textures are perfect as well.

Enjoy.

Tag: potatoes, steamed potatoes

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Butternut Squash Soup

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:12:00 +0000

Pumpkins and squash are coloring the scene yellow, orange, and gold. Butternut squash soup is one of the best dishes to represent Fall season.

And if you do not have a food processor or blender to puree the butternut squash, do not worry. This is a trick you can use. Steam the butternut squash (skin already removed and flesh cut into cubes) for 10 to 15 minutes till soften. Then place the softened butternut squash into a deep bowl and mash the squash with a fork, till a slightly chunky puree forms.

Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients: Butter; 1/2 butternut squash, pureed; 1-2 cups whole milk; pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper; pinch of ground cumin

Directions: In a heated pan/pot, add butter. When butter melts slightly, add butternut squash puree and add milk (bit by bit, "eyeballing"), then stir till soup texture forms (Note: It depends on the texture you prefer. If you want more chunky and thick soup, add less milk). Add pinch of ground cumin, then pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix well. Garnish with baked butternut squash fries.

Enjoy.

Tag: soup, butternut squash

Parchment Steamed Broccoli and Bell Peppers

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:18:00 +0000

Stir-fry vegetables is enjoyable but there is always a pan/wok to wash - no matter how "clean" the cooking can be.

And not all vegetables can be possibly blanched? Well, broccoli or cauliflower...yes, ok, blanching. But what about zucchini and red bell peppers?

Parchment-steamed veggies to the rescue! Parchment so that moisture can be retained as much as possible; and parchment so that there are less dishes wash.

Parchment Steamed Broccoli and Bell Peppers
Julienned organic red bell peppers, thinly sliced organic zucchini, broccoli florets and thinly sliced broccoli stems, whole garlic crushed, dash of pepper, pinch of oregano, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Wrap in parchment and steam for about 8-10minutes. Before serving, pinch of sea salt, toss to combine well.

Tag: parchment-steamed vegetables, vegetarian

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Farm-Fresh Aglio e Olio

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:57:00 +0000

10 minutes, or no more than 15 minutes - that's all you need, and...P-L-A-N-N-I-N-G.

Do the veg. prep. on a Sunday evening night, wrap them up properly, store in the fridge; come Monday, 10 minutes and you get this.

10 minutes to steam (and cook) the envelope of vegetables and simultaneously cook the pasta in another pot.

Parchment steamed vegetables - Way to go! No doubt, this has been my regular go-to cooking method for vegetables since early this year. Why haven't I done (or discover this) earlier? Beats me.

Zucchini, Bell Peppers Capellini (Angel Hair) Aglio e Olio

Ingredients: zucchini, carrots, red bell peppers all to be thinly sliced to matchsticks; handful of tree oyster mushrooms (Note: Chosen as no additional slicing required. Brown or white beech mushroom should work too); 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced; handfuls of cilantro, finely chopped, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil; 2 tbsps water (Note1: (more) liquid to "moisten up" my pasta when dressed) ; salt and ground white pepper to taste; cooked pasta

Directions: Add the vegetables, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, water into the parchment paper, toss well to combine, and seal the parchment into an envelope (Note2: Base for my Aglio e Olio "dressing", so called). Steam veggies for 8-10 mins, at the same time, cook the pasta. When pasta is cooked, drain and set aside in serving bowls. After the vegetables are cooked - unwrap then pinch of sea salt and pepper to taste. Pour all the vegetables (together with the liquid) into the pasta, toss to combine thoroughly.

It is really that easy and in no way less tasty. The dish completed with a balance of textures and fresh light flavors.

Try the other Parchment-Cooking recipes that include Steamed fresh fava beans, Salmon en Papillote, Steamed arugula.

Tag: aglio e olio, pasta, vegetarian

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Steamed Fava Beans and Mushrooms 蒸扁豆

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 20:09:00 +0000

Rejuvenated freshness in the pocket!

There are certainly many simple ways to cook fresh fava beans and I have found my own simple way of enjoying them.

This has been my favorite method to cook recently. Parchment-steaming! Yay! Fuss-free, simple, delicious creations always till I find something that do NOT work on parchment-steaming, and sure I will let you know.

Other parchment cooking recipes:
Steamed Arugula
Steamed Fava Beans
Steamed Veggies

Tag: fava beans, broad beans, beans

Asian Salad Bok Choy and Tomatoes in Ginger Dressing 白菜拌蕃茄

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 00:13:00 +0000

Have you seen these vegetable names such as Bok Choy, Baby Bok Choy, Bok Choy Sum, Zen Choy, Tagu Choy, etc., This brings me to the different varieties of Bok Choy seen in my nearby Asian supermarket in California. Today, these three different varieties placed side by side for the benefit of you. Look (stare) - what differences or similarities do you see? Well, one has a greener leaf than the other; the other has a shorter stem than the next other - physically.

Personally, I prefer the Baby Bok Choy Sum (Bok Choy Sum seen here), how about you ? I find them "sweeter" than Bok Choy and the green leaves are more "attractive" to me. Nutrition wise, I believe they should be quite similar to one another.

With the abundance of heirloom tomatoes right now, make an Asian-style salad of Bok Choy Sum and Tomatoes in Scallion/Ginger Dressing. Easy.

Ingredients you need and what to do with them:
1. Baby Bok Choy Sum - quick-blanched in water, then drained away excess water; when most water is drained, chopped the bok choy sum into smaller than bite-sizes
2.Tomatoes - cut into smaller cubes
3. Dressing: Spring onion and minced ginger in extra virgin olive oil . Basically, this is just mincing, and blending.
4. Mix items 1. to 3. and happy tossing!

TADA....this easy refreshing salad for you, if you wish to have a change from using romaine or green-leaves lettuce in your salad.

Tag: vegetables, bok choy sum, chinese salad, salad

Portobello Mushrooms Open Omelette

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Going vegetarian, mushrooms is definitely one good ingredient to include in your diet.

This can be a good protein all vegetarian side dish with noodles, rice or even sandwich.

Red Onions and Portobello Mushroom Open-Face Omelette
Source: An Escape to Food
Ingredients: 1/4 of medium red onion, thinly sliced; 1 portobello mushroom, gently wipe cap with damp paper towel to clean off grit/dirt, then thinly sliced; 2 eggs, lightly whisked, seasoned with pinch of salt and pepper; 1tbsp butter for cooking mushrooms; 1 tbsp cooking oil for cooking egg.

Directions: Add 1 tbsp butter, fry the onions and mushrooms till soft and tender. Salt and pepper to taste. Dish out and set aside. With remaining oil in the pan, add 1/2tbsp or 1tbsp to the pan accordingly and gently pour the whisked egg over the entire surface of the pan and let it cook. When almost cooked, add in mushroom across the egg and cook till the egg (esp the top) is completed cooked. Garnish with green onions and carrots ribbons.

This can almost pass off as an egg-pizza!

Other variation include Asparagus Open-Face Omelette

Tag: portobello mushrooms, omelette, mushrooms omelette

Garlic Spinach Stir Fry 蒜炒菠菜

noreply@blogger.com (tigerfish) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 17:47:00 +0000

A little squeeze of Vitamin-C lemon into a dish of spinach, help us absorb the iron in spinach better. That is because spinach also contains oxalate/oxalic acid that bind with iron and inhibit iron absorption in our body. So by sneaking iron absorption enhancers such as lemon and orange into spinach at the same time, we extract iron from spinach more effectively.

Garlic Spinach with Fresh Orange Sacs and Zest
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic; 1 box of baby spinach, rinsed; 1 tiny wedge of orange further sliced to tiny bits (Note: Make sure the orange is rinsed before slicing. I used organic orange - and still rinse the orange as the skin may still have dirt and residue); salt to taste

Directions: Heat a little oil in the pan, fry the garlic till aromatic. Then add the spinach and it takes just about 1 min to soften down and cook. Turn off heat. Pinch of salt to taste. Dish out and add the orange bits on top (Note1: You can also mix the orange bits in the stir-fried spinach so that the flavors are infused into the spinach)

Enjoy!

Tag: spinach, baby spinach, orange