Lucid Food_ Cooking for an Eco-Conscious Life - Louisa Shafia [34]
Remove the lid and increase the heat so the rice is bubbling. Remove the lemongrass and discard. Simmer, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking, until the rice is tender and has the consistency of a thick porridge, about 15 minutes more. Add the ginger in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the bok choy and cook until tender and wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat.
To serve, put the bok choy, scallions, cilantro, and nuts into small bowls. Ladle the porridge into bowls and let diners garnish it with the vegetables, nuts, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
Brown Rice: More than Just Healthy
We know that brown rice has more nutrients than white rice, but aside from health concerns, white rice is put through many stages of processing, all requiring fossil fuels and chemicals. First, the germ and bran are removed to extend the length of time the rice can be stored; then synthetic vitamins are added back in; and finally, the rice is polished with water, glucose, or the mineral talc, which is known to cause stomach cancer. The taste of brown rice can take some getting used to, but cooked with fragrant seasonings like the ones in the congee recipe, it can please even the pickiest of palates.
Inarizushi (Stuffed Tofu Pockets)
Pockets made from fried tofu skins are convenient for making a quick finger food for parties, and they don’t require any dipping sauce. Find the pockets in Japanese markets in the dry foods or refrigerated section; they come preseasoned with sugar and soy. You’ll find kimchi, the sweet and spicy fermented cabbage condiment, at the same store. Although it originated in Korea, kimchi is also very popular in Japan.
Makes 10 pockets
1 cup sushi rice
2 tablespoons dry sugar, such as maple crystals or organic white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ cup shredded carrots
½ cup shredded red cabbage
¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons prepared kimchi
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
Salt
10 square fried tofu pockets
1 tablespoon toasted black sesame seeds
Rinse the rice in cold water and drain. Put the rice in a saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Let cool.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil, followed by the shiitakes. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft. Let cool.
Combine the shiitakes, carrots, cabbage, scallion greens, kimchi, and ginger in a large bowl. Add the rice and mix everything together. Taste and season with salt.
Open the pockets and push the rice mixture in with your fingers. Stuff them about three-quarters full, so they can stand with the rice facing up, and sprinkle the rice with a few sesame seeds.
Serve the pockets on a platter at room temperature.
Crispy Yuba Rolls with Lime-Mustard Dipping Sauce
Crispy Yuba Rolls with Lime-Mustard Dipping Sauce
Yuba, also called tofu skin, is sturdy and easy to work with. Its crisp texture when baked makes it an ideal wrapper for spring rolls. Find dried or frozen yuba sheets at Japanese food stores.
Serves 4 to 6
4 tablespoons olive oil
8 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, julienned
1 large burdock root, peeled and julienned (see method in recipe for Seven-Vegetable Miso Soup)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups firmly packed shredded napa cabbage
Salt
10 sheets yuba, each about 6 by 4 inches, reconstituted according to package directions