Simple Pan Fried Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal with Fermented Soy Beans (Taucu) - Meatless Recipe

This is a very simple pan fried dish using HappyCall Pan.

Ingredients :

- 2 medium sized brinjals (washed and cut.  Sprinkle some salt onto the pieces of eggplants and set aside)

- red chilies (washed and sliced)

- 3 pips garlic (crushed)

- 1 tbsp taucu 

Seasonings : (to taste)

- salt

- soy sauce

- sugar

Method :

1)  Heat some cooking oil in the Happy Call pan.  Pan fry both sides of all the brinjals until slightly brown.

2)  Dish out and set aside.  

3)  Saute garlic and chilies until aromatic.  

4)  Then, add taucu, sugar and some water.  Mix well and let it simmer for a while.  

5)  Return the brinjals to the pan.  Give it a quick stir.

6)  Dish up and serve hot.

Simple and yummy...

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Spicy Fragrant Potatoes - Meatless Recipe

This dish follows the recipe of Spicy Fragrant Japanese Pumpkin which I posted earlier.  I just replaced the pumpkin with potatoes.

All the ingredients are very simple and easily available at the market.
- 5 medium-sized potaotes (peeled and cut)
- 3 red chilies (sliced)
- 1 bunch of basil
- 1 thumbsized ginger (crushed)
- 3 pips garlic (crushed)

Seasonings :  (to taste)
- 1/2 tbsp miso
- 1 tsp caramel sauce
- soy sauce
- salt
- sugar

Method :

1)  Heat enough oil in a wok to fry potatoes.  

2)  Fry potatoes until lightly brown.  Dish out and set aside.

3)  Leave some oil in the wok or pan and saute ginger, garlic and sliced chilies until aromatic.

4)  Add the fried potatoes, seasonings and some water.  Stir and mix well.

5)  Let it simmer for about a minute.

6)  Lastly add the basil, mix well and dish up.

This dish is simple and delicious.  Great for those who are looking for a meatless or vegetarian recipe.  Give it a try :)

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Chinese Violet (Telosma cordata 夜来香) Omelette (Meatless Recipe)

Chinese Violet, Yea Lai Xiang (夜来香) or Telosma Cordata is grown in many parts of tropical Asia not just for its alluring fragrance but also for culinary purposes as well!  Please click http://gardenlab.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/telosma-cordata-%E5%A4%9C%E6%9D%A5%E9%A6%99/ for more info on this Chinese Violet.

I first came to know about this edible flowers when a good friend of mine bought it for me from Ipoh.  She asked me to cook it with egg soup.  Since then, I am hooked to this flowers and I have cooked it in different ways.  I am trying to grow this fantastic plant on my own as I can't find the flowers in KL. 

For a start, here's a Chinese Violet fried with eggs.  There are more varieties of dishes using Chinese Violets in store for you!

Ingredients :

  - half bowl of fresh Chinese Violet (take the flowers only, washed)
- 6 eggs (beaten with salt)
- 1 big onion (finely sliced)
- salt (to taste)
- soy sauce(to taste)
- oil

Method :
1)  Heat oil in a wok.  
2)  Stir fry onions until aromatic.  
3)  Then, add the beaten egg to make an omelette.  Fry both sides of the omelette until fragrant.
4)  Add the fresh Chinese Violets.  Stir and mix well with the omelette.
5)  Turn off the heat and drizzle the soy sauce and give it a quick stir.
6)  Dish up and serve.

This is a very delicious and healthy dish.  Try this if you can get hold of the flowers :)

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Spicy Fragrant Japanese Pumpkin (南瓜 nán guā) - Meatless Recipe

Japanese pumpkin (南瓜 nán guā) is extremely nutritious as it is high in Vitamin A, C, beta-carotene and also a  good source of carbohydrates.  It is easily available in Asia and if compared to the usual western orange pumpkin, is smaller in size but far more sweeter. It can be stir fried or made into puree or soups.

Health Benefits of Pumpkin :

1. Feel Fuller
Pumpkin seeds pack about 1.7 grams of dietary fiber per ounce, while mashed pumpkin has only 50 calories per cup and 3 grams of fiber. “Fiber helps keep you fuller longer, which keeps your appetite at bay so you eat less overall,” says nutrition and fitness expert JJ Virgin, author of The Virgin Diet.

2. Boost Vision
A cup of cubed pumpkin contains almost twice the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which promotes good vision, especially in dim light, according to the National Institutes of Health. It has also been found to slow the decline of retinal function in those with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness, according to researchers from Harvard. Bonus: Vitamin A also helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth and bones.

3. Lower Blood Pressure
Pumpkin seed oil is full of phytoestrogens, which research shows are beneficial for preventing hypertension. When researchers fed rats a diet supplement with the oil, they found that it helped lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in just 12 weeks.

4. Sleep Better
Pumpkin seeds are rich in tryptophan, the amino acid that contributes to post-Thanksgiving dinner sleepiness, says Virgin. Tryptophan is also responsible for helping the body make serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter that helps you relax and unwind. Not only do pumpkin seeds promote better sleep, the serotonin will improve your mood, says Virgin.

5. Protect Your Package
Pumpkins — especially the seeds — are rich in beta-carotene and other antioxidants with cancer protective properties, says Virgin. And pumpkin seeds could be especially healthy for men. Researchers in Taiwan found pumpkin seed oil blocked unhealthy prostate growth in male rats. A quarter cup of the seeds also contains about 2.75 mg of zinc (about 17 percent of the recommended daily intake for adults), which contributes to male sexual health. When young men in a Wayne State University study restricted their dietary zinc intake, they had significantly lower levels of testosterone after 20 weeks.

6. Have a Healthier Heart
All that fiber can also help protect your ticker, research shows. One Harvard study of over 40,000 male health professionals found that those who ate a diet high in fiber had a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, compared to those who ate a diet low in fiber. A more recent study by Swedish researchers found that women who ate a diet high in fiber had a 25 percent lower risk of heart disease compared with women who ate a low fiber diet. Men benefitted less, likely because they’re more likely to get their fiber from breads, while women are more likely to get their fiber from healthier sources, like fruits and vegetables, the researchers write.

That means pumpkin-laced desserts won’t quite cut it. For a healthier way to add pumpkin into your diet, adding pumpkin chunks to a roasted vegetable medley, or sprinkling pumpkin seeds on top of your salad. Feeling even more creative? Try pumpkin puree in place of nut butters as a spread, Virgin suggests. And for an energizing morning smoothie, blend a high-quality protein powder (like vanilla DailyBurn Fuel) with coconut milk, chia seeds, pureed pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Happy fall indeed!

Source : dailylife

Japanese pumpkin is very delicious when stir-fry with Thai basil (九層塔 jiǔ céng tǎ).  Here's the recipe I created at the spur of the moment when I was wondering what to do with the leftover Thai basil.

Ingredients :

- half Japanese pumpkin (washed, de-seeded and cubed)

- 2 sprigs of Thai Basil (washed)

- 1 tsp dried shrimps

- 1 red chili (washed, de-seeded and sliced)

- 1 thumbsized ginger (washed and crushed)

- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)

- 1/2 cup of water

- soy sauce (to taste)

Method :

1)  Heat oil in a wok and saute ginger and garlic until fragrant.

2)  Add dried shrimps and fry until aromatic.

3)  Stir in pumpkin and chili.  Stir fry for a while and add water.

4)  Cover and simmer until pumpkin is semi soft and add in Thai basil and soy sauce.

5)  Stir and mix well.  Dish up and serve immediately.

Note :

I did not add salt to it as I feel that soy sauce itself is sufficient to enhance the flavour of any pumpkin dishes.

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Stir-fry Bok Choy with Grey Oyster Mushroom (Meatless Recipe)

I always make it a point to have meatless meals twice or thrice a week.  I am not a vegetarian but just a bit health conscious.  So, whenever I prepared meatless meals for my family, I would make sure that the meals are nutritious and healthy.  Besides fresh veggies, tofu, mushrooms, beans, nuts, grains and legumes are my favourite for meatless meals.  Whether you are a vegetarian or just trying to eat healthier, these ingredients are packed with essential nutrients and are delicious too!

Bok choy is one of the veggies I used to cook. It is high in vitamin K which can be beneficial in the prevention of  osteoporosis, heart disease and cancer.  Besides, it is very delicious.  I stir fried it most of the time and occasionally I cooked it with noddles soup.  Here's a simple and nutritious stir-fry bok choy with oyster mushroom.

Ingredients :

- 1 packet of grey oyster mushroom (washed and torn into pieces)

- 1 big bunch of bok choy (washed and cut)

- 1 thumbsized ginger (washed and crushed)

- 3 cloves garlic (washed and crushed)

Seasonings : (to taste)

- oyster/abalone sauce or soy sauce

- salt

- Chinese cooking wine

Cooking oil

Method :

1)  Heat oil in a wok and saute ginger and garlic until fragrant.

2)  Add bok choy and give it a quick stir fry.

3)  Add in mushrooms.  Stir and mix well.  If too dry, add some water.

4)  Stir in seasonings and serve immediately.

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Stir Fried Tofu with Chinese Mustard (Gai Choy) - Meatless Recipe

Mustard greens are most often stir-fried or pickled and there's where our salted veggies (ham choy/kiam chai) come from! Our asam gai choy or kiam chai boey is often made with leftovers from a large meal especially during Chinese New Year. It involves stewing mustard greens with tamarind, dried chilies and leftover meals. Sometimes we would do it with fresh meats instead of the leftover meals. It is very yummy.....

I love gai choy and so do my family members. Besides kiam chai boey, I would boil soup with it or just a simple stir fry. We also love gai choy rice or porridge! Here is a simple stir-fry gai choy with fried tofu. Hope you like it.

Ingredients :- 
- 2 leaves of mustard greens (washed and sliced)
- 6 pcs of hard tofu (cut and deep fried. Set aside)
- some shredded carrot
- 1 thumbsized ginger (washed and crushed)
- garlic (washed and finely chopped)

Seasonings : (to taste)
- soy sauce
- salt

cooking oil

Method :
1) Heat oil in a wok. Saute garlic and ginger until aromatic.

2) Stir fry gai choy and shredded carrots.

3) Add fried tofu and stir for a while.

4) Add seasonings. Stir fry and mix well. If too dry, add some water.

5) Dish out and serve.

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Snake Gourd (Pudalankai) Stir Fried with Salted Egg (Meatless Recipe)

Snake Gourd (or) Pudalankai (Tamil) is an excellent vegetable that can be used for an instant curry.

Health Benefits of Snakegourd (source : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html)
The health benefits of snake gourd are rather interesting. Snake gourd juice and leaves are often recommended by experts in natural and alternative medicine for treating some common ailments and problems. Snake gourd is mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts for its medicinal properties.

The snake gourd plant (trichosanthes anguina) is a tropical creeper and is usually grown over wooden lattice frames, and the gourds dangle down from a canopy of leaves. Snake gourd (also known as potlakaya, chichinda, padwal in Indian languages) is so-called because it looks like a snake, and can grow anywhere from a foot to six feet in length, sometimes curling in on itself if not stretched out with a stone (or other weight) tied to the end while it's growing. 

Belonging to the cucurbit or cucumber family (pumpkin, bottle gourd, ash gourd), snake gourd is widely grown in India, Sri Lanka, China, Thailand, Nigeria, as well as Australia.

These days a smaller variety of snakegourd is cultivated and widely available in India and in Indian grocery stores in the US. The pale green or dark green with light striped gourd, is bland, or has a slight sweetness, and is absorbent and cooks easily if tender and fresh.

Snakegourd is quite a popular vegetable in Indian cooking. It's rather bland taste makes it ideal for use with different spices. In North India, snakegourd is usually cooked in dals (lentil soups), while in South India, snakegourd is used in dry and gravy curries, soups, and raitas.

Snakegourd and Health Benefits
According to experts in natural remedies, snake gourd juice has been found effective in treating dandruff. The juice should be massaged into the scalp. This is an easy home remedy for dandruff.

Snakegourd leaves have been found useful in jaundice (hepatitis). An infusion prepared by boiling snake gourd leaves in water combined with an infusion prepared by boiling coriander seeds is given to treat jaundice.

Snake gourd-leaf juice has also been found to be useful in treating palpitations (irregular heartbeat).

Like other gourds such as bottlegourd and ridgegourd, snakegourd is very high in water content and has a cooling effect on the body, hence this summer vegetable that nature provides in such a timely manner helps in handling the summer heat.

Because of its high water content, snakegourd is low in calories, fat-free but filling, and great to include in weight-loss diets.

Snakegourd also contains a lot of fiber which can help keep your digestive tract healthy. The fiber is also helpful for those with diabetes.

Snakegourd is a good source of minerals like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.

For more info on snake gourd, have a look at the link here : http://www.vegrecipes4u.com/health-benefits-of-snakegourd.html
Recently, I chanced upon a snake gourd recipe from Wendy and this gives me an idea to cook it with egg. However, I stir fried it with salted egg and it is so yummylicious...  Thanks Wendy!

Ingredients :

- 1 snake gourd (skin brushed, cleaned, discard the centre seed and sliced)
- 2 eggs (mixed with salted egg)
- 1 salted egg 
- 1tsp of dried shrimps
- garlic
- salt and soy sauce to taste
- cooking oil


Method :

1) Heat oil in a wok and saute garlic and dried shrimps until aromatic.

2) Stir fry snake gourd until soft.

3) Then push the snake gourd to one side and add the egg mixture.

4) When the egg is half set, mix the snake gourd with the egg and stir.

5) Season with salt and soy sauce.

6) Serve warm.

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Stir Fried Tempeh with Onions (Tempeh Masak Bawang) - Meatless Recipe

 
What is Tempeh? 
Tempeh is a traditional soy product originated from Indonesia. It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form, similar to a very firm vegetarian burger patty.

It is a staple source of protein especially for vegetarians. Like tofu, tempeh is made from soybeans, but it is a whole soybean product with different nutritional characteristics and textural qualities. Tempeh's fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher content of protein, dietary fiber, and vitamins. It has a firm texture and an earthy flavor which becomes more pronounced as it ages. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is used worldwide in vegetarian cuisine; some consider it to be a meat analogue.

In the kitchen, tempeh is often prepared by cutting it into pieces, soaking in brine or salty sauce, and then frying. Cooked tempeh can be eaten alone, or used in chili, stir frys, soups, salads, sandwiches, and stews. Tempeh's complex flavor has been described as nutty, meaty, and mushroom-like. It freezes well, and is now commonly available in many western supermarkets, as well as in ethnic markets and health food stores. When thin-sliced and deep-fried in oil, tempeh obtains a crisp golden crust while maintaining a soft interior—its sponge-like consistency makes it suitable for marinating. Dried tempeh (whether cooked or raw) provides an excellent stew base for backpackers.

To know more about tempeh, please click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempeh

My family members like tempeh and I usually cook it in different ways. Since this is my first post on tempeh, I am posting a simple stir fried tempeh with onions. I will post different recipes on tempeh from time to time.... so do stay tuned...

Ingredients :

- 2 packets of tempeh (sliced)
- 2 big onions (sliced thinly)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp of sweet soya bean sauce (kicap manis pekat)
- salt (to taste)
- sugar (to taste)
- cooking oil

Method :

1) Heat oil in a wok and fry tempeh until slightly brown. Set aside.

2) Heat some oil in the wok again and saute garlic until aromatic.

3)  Add fried tempeh and onion.  Stir fry until fragrant.

4)  Add salt, soya bean sauce and sugar.  Stir and mix well.  If too dry, add some water.

5)  Serve hot.

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