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Chinese food at home
For a variety of reasons, many families are opting to eat more plant-based and vegetarian meals. Whatever the reason, be it for health or environment considerations, coming up with new and different recipes that appeal to kids can be challenging.
Earlier this year, local cookbook author Hsiao-Ching Chou released her second cookbook, “Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food,” and it is a must-have for families that want to experiment with different flavors and try some new vegetarian recipes. Her cooking style is approachable, and as a mom of two kids, she understands the types of foods that kids will actually eat. The cookbook has sections dedicated to easy and straightforward stir-fries, noodles, dumplings and more.
Chou also provides a useful guide to stocking your pantry and tips on where to shop for ingredients. She even includes an ode to soy sauce and rates her 12 favorite brands!
“Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food” will help inspire families to branch out and experiment with Asian greens, tofu and other plant-based ingredients. Here are three tasty recipes from the book to whet your appetite.
Scroll through arrows above or skip to the other recipes:
Zucchini egg crepe
Makes 2 crepes
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons fried shallots
Steps:
In a medium bowl, combine the grated zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Mix well and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the flour to coat. Add the eggs and water; mix well.
Heat a 9-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat for about a minute. Swirl in the oil and heat until the surface of the oil starts to shimmer. Add half of the egg-zucchini mixture and swirl the pan to coat the surface with the batter. Cook for about a minute. Carefully slide a flexible spatula under the edge of the crepe, shimmying it around the pan to loosen. Once the surface of the batter is just set, remove the pan from the heat. Carefully slide the crepe out of the pan and onto a plate. Alternatively, you can fold the crepe in half before transferring it to a plate. It’s all right if the crepe breaks; it’s not meant to be perfect. Repeat with the remaining batter and stack the finished crepe on top of the first.
To finish, sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the fried shallots before serving.
©2021 by Hsiao-Ching Chou. Excerpted from Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food by permission of Sasquatch Books.
Hong Kong-style crispy noodles
Serves 4
For the noodles:
- 6 cups water
- 8 to 10 ounces fresh Chinese noodles
- Vegetable oil, for frying
For the topping:
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 stalks green onions, cut into 2-inch segments
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 4 to 6 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 2 to 3 hours, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick pieces
- 1 cup roughly chopped gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or other leafy green
- 8 snow peas, stemmed
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black bean garlic sauce
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
Steps:
To make the noodles, bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Cook the noodles for about 2 minutes. Drain well and set aside. Add about 1/8 inch of vegetable oil to a heavy 8- or 9-inch skillet. Heat the oil over medium heat until the surface starts to shimmer. Test the temperature by placing a small strand of noodle in the oil. If it immediately fries, the oil is ready. Place half of the noodles in the pan, making sure to arrange the noodles in a disc. Fry on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden to dark brown but not burnt. Repeat with the remaining noodles. Place on a serving plate and set aside while you make the vegetables.
To make the topping, preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Add the vegetable oil and heat until the surface starts to shimmer. Add the onions and stir for 5 seconds. Add the carrots and mushrooms and stir for 10 seconds. Add the gai lan and stir for 30 seconds. Add the snow peas, bean sprouts, soy sauce, black bean garlic sauce, and water. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, making sure it gets well mixed with the sauce and vegetables. Finish with sesame oil and white pepper powder. Give it one last stir, then pour it over the noodles. Serve hot.
©2021 by Hsiao-Ching Chou. Excerpted from Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food by permission of Sasquatch Books.
Lucky 8 stir-fry
Serves 4
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 3 inner stalks celery hearts, cut on the bias 1/4 inch thick
- 4 to 6 medium dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 2 to 3 hours
- 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 1/2 cup dried lily flowers, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
- 1/2 cup dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
- 1 cup sliced Chinese cabbage or baby bok choy
- 8 snow peas, trimmed and cut on the bias into 1/2-inch-wide pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, sherry or dry Marsala wine
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
Preheat a wok over high heat until wisps of smoke rise from the surface. Swirl in the vegetable oil and heat for a few seconds until it starts to shimmer. Add all of the vegetables: bean sprouts, celery, shiitake mushrooms, carrot, dried lily flowers, wood ear mushrooms, Chinese cabbage or baby bok choy, and snow peas. Stir-fry for about 90 seconds and then add the soy sauce, water and Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the sesame oil and white pepper powder. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds more to combine. Turn off the heat. Taste for seasoning. If you think it needs a pinch of salt, add the kosher salt and stir to combine. Transfer to a serving dish.
©2021 by Hsiao-Ching Chou. Excerpted from Vegetarian Chinese Soul Food by permission of Sasquatch Books.
