VEGETARIAN HERBAL SOUP

I had prepared this meatless herbal soup to serve with my Vegetarian Yam Rice [see previous post]. Again another lovely, tasty, delicious and healthy soup that goes well with flavoured rice [Yam Rice]. The herbal flavour is not too strong and not overwhelming. Probably, you may not know it is a herbal soup without seeing the pieces of 'Dong Quai'. Just perfect, light soup to enjoy with rice. 

I did not weigh the herbs used. If you wish to prepare this soup, probably you need to look at the pictures to see the exact quantity used for this amount of water.

I have used an electric rice cooker to prepare this soup.

Ingredients For Herbal Soup

[serves 4-5]

900 ml water

3 pieces dang qui

2 pieces huai San

2 pieces dang shen

5 pieces huang qi

5 piece chuan xiong

1 tbsp Wolfberries [guo qi]

some yuk chok

5-6 red dates

Other Ingredients

10 pieces frozen vegetarian flavoured tofu

2 pieces firm beancurd - cut and fried

3 pieces dried seaweed knots - soaked and drained

6 dried mushrooms - soaked and halved

a handful of soaked black fungus [bok nee]

Seasoning

1 tbsp each light soy sauce and mushroom flavoured sauce

1 tsp salt to taste

1 tsp mushroom stock granules

1/2 tsp pepper to taste

1. Bring water to boil in an electric rice cooker [Porridge Mode].  
2. Rinse the herbs.  Add all the herbs to water.  Close lid, continue to cook for about 30 minutes.  Turn off the rice cooker.
3. Add in other ingredients and seasoning.  Switch cooker to quick cook mode, close lid and leave to cook for another 30 minutes.  Off heat.  Taste to adjust seasoning.
4. Serve hot with rice. [I served it with Vegetarian Yam Rice previous post].

VEGETARIAN YAM RICE

My Vegetarian Yam Rice is as good as the non vegetarian version. I believe this is a healthier version without the dried prawns and meat. Another available option, if you happen to be short of dried prawns and meat in your pantry. 

Taste wise, it is surprisingly good. I know that, because my hubby enjoyed it, eating 2 big bowls in one go. Perhaps, because we are on meatless diet for 10 days and he probably is afraid of getting hungry fast before the next meal. No, I am just joking.  This Yam Rice is really tasty and good. Me too, can take more than a bowl if not watching my waistline.

I used Thai yam, it is tender, soft and still has a bite after cooking. The rice is fragrant and savoury sweet in taste with the yam, mushrooms and seasoning sauce. Though with the addition of minced preserved radish [cai por], it is not noticeable at all. 

This recipe is a keeper.  The portion here is big as I intended to giveaway half the portion to my sister but ended up sharing with my neighbours as she said she cannot take Yam Rice now due to 'skin allergy'.

This is what I got from Google about Yam benefits: "Yam is ideal for curing respiratory problems, skin diseases, digestion related ailments and cancer. It also protects the female endocrine system, increases nutrient absorption, improves cognitive abilities, conciliates metabolic functions and increases the count of the red blood cells. Due to the presence of Vitamin B6, Yam also prevents hypertension".   Do Visit this Site More Information on Yam Benefits for better understanding about Yam . 

Ingredients

[serves 7-8]

600 gm white rice - washed and drained

300 gm Thai yam or local yam - peeled and cut bite size pieces

3 dried mushrooms - soaked and diced [forgotten to show in photo]

some vegetarian mock meat - diced [optional]

some small bits of Okara [dried gluten pieces]

2 tbsp preserved radish [cai por] - rinsed and squeezed dry

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp each of cooking oil and sesame seed oil [more if you like]

enough hot water to cook the rice

some chopped Chinese celery and red chillies

Seasoning 

1/2 tsp each 5 spice powder, white pepper powder, salt and mushroom stock granules

1 tbsp each of light soy sauce and mushroom flavour sauce

2 tsp dark soy sauce for colour [more if you like]

1. Prepare the ingredients required as stated above.
2. Wash rice and drained.  Add in the seasoning ingredients to rice.
3. Heat up a non-stick pot of an electric rice cooker [ i chose Quick Cook mode].  Add oil to saute ginger, preserved radish and mushrooms until aromatic.  Then add in the Okara [dried gluten pieces].
4. Continue to fry until aromatic and well mix.  Add in yam pieces, stir fry for 1-2 minutes.   Add in the rice, continue to stir fry the ingredients to mix evenly.
5. Add in mock meat if using, then add in enough hot water to cook rice.  Give it a good stir, add more dark soy sauce if it is too light in colour.  Mix well.  Taste to adjust seasoning at this time.
6. Close the cooker lid, turn off rice cooker.  Then restart cooker, choosing 'Quick Cook' mode to continue cooking rice. Halfway through cooking, stir the rice [to ensure rice is evenly cooked], close lid and leave the rice to complete the rice cooking cycle in the cooker.
7. Fluff up rice before serving.  I served the yam rice with a vegetarian herbal soup [See Recipe Here].
8. Garnish with cut chillies, Chinese celery or other condiments you like.

Too bad, I have forgotten to take some pictures of the cooked Yam Rice in the rice cooker.  It will show the cooked portion of the rice for this recipe.

VEGETARIAN FRIED TUNGHOON

When on meatless diet, many is of the opinion that one would get hungry faster compared to meat diet.  Basically, this depends on individuals.   You can still eat a big portion of meatless dishes and will stay full for longer time.  But I noticed that eating food that is just cooked while it is still hot is more appetising than otherwise.

This plate of fried glass noodles is enough to serve 3 persons.  This heap of noodles looks quite a lot from 3 servings of glass noodles  But with addition of other ingredients like cabbage, carrots, black fungus etc., the portion looks big.

A homey style stir fry tunghoon great for a light meal.  It is tasty, delicious and healthy too.  The noodles should be smooth, soft and chewy.  Suitable for old and young.

Ingredients

[serves 3]

3 small bundle of glass noodles [tunghoon] - soak for 5-10 minutes, drained

150 gm cabbage - washed and cut shreds

50 gm carrots - peeled and shredded

2 stems Eryngii mushrooms - washed and cut strips

a handful of soaked black fungus - cut strips

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 stalk Chinese celery - cut sections

some toasted sesame seeds - optional for garnishing

1 tbsp cooking oil and 1 tbsp sesame seed oil

Seasoning

1 tbsp each light soy sauce and mushroom oyster sauce

1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce [depends on quality of the sauce]

1 tsp mushroom stock granules to taste

1/2 - 1 tsp salt to taste

1/4 tsp white ground pepper to taste

1. Combine seasoning ingredients in a bowl, set aside.
2. Heat up a non stick wok, stir fry Eryngii mushrooms until fragrant and lightly charred.  Add in oil and chopped ginger [can use garlic for meatless dish].  Stir fry until aromatic.
3. Add in the cabbage, carrots, black fungus an d some combined seasoning.  Stir until well mixed.  Dish up.
4. Using the same wok, add 1 cup of water and remaining seasoning sauce.  Bring to boil before adding the soaked glass noodles to cook.  Stir fry to mix well, return the fried ingredients, toss well, then cover to cook for 1-2 minutes.  Remove lid, toss to mix ingredients.
5. Continue to toss and fry until the noodles have absorbed the water.  Noodles should be limp, chewy [QQ] and soaks up the water and  sauce.
6. Lastly add in Chinese celery, toss to mix.  Dish up to serve with cut red chillies in light soy sauce.

BRAISED WHITE CARROT WITH TOFU PUFFS

Another simple and easy to prepare vegetarian dish.  You need just 2 main ingredients [white carrot and tofu puffs] and seasoning that are easily available in a Chinese kitchen [preserved soy bean paste/light soy sauce and oyster sauce].  Do give it a try if you love homey dishes that goes well with porridge or plain white rice].

This dish is savoury sweet.  The carrots and tofu puffs absorb the flavours and tastes of the seasoning.  Tastes good.

Rinse tofu puffs in hot water, is to remove the oil.

Ingredients

1 medium size white carrot - peeled and cut wedges

100-120 gm tofu puffs - rinsed and cut diagonally

some Chinese celery [kin chye] - cut sections

a few slices ginger

Seasoning

1 tbsp sweet preserved soy bean paste [fine]

1-2 tbsp good quality light soy sauce

dash of pepper

salt to taste [optional]

1 tsp sugar [if NOT using sweet soy bean paste or good quality soy sauce]

1 tbsp cornstarch + 1.5 tbsp water [for thickening]

1. Rinse tofu puffs in hot water, drained and squeezed out excess water.  Cut diagonally.
2. Combine seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.  Set aside.
3. Heat a non stick wok over medium heat, add oil and saute ginger until fragrant,  Add in tofu puffs, stir fry for several seconds.  Push aside, add in carrots, continue to fry for awhile then mix with tofu puffs.
4. Add in combined seasoning mix.  Stir fry for a minute before adding enough water to cover the ingredients.  Cover to cook until carrots are tender and water reduced.  Taste to adjust seasoning [ add salt if necessary].  
5. Thicken with cornstarch water.  Add in cut Chinese celery or spring onions.
6. Dish up to serve.