Showing posts with label mushroom broth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushroom broth. Show all posts
Friday, November 26, 2010
PHO CHAY (VEGETARIAN PHO) NOODLES WITH VEGAN "STEAK" IN FRAGRANT MUSHROOM BROTH
I had a craving for pho the other day and thought it also might be the perfect antidote for the over-eating at Thanksgiving-- not that I had that problem (we had our Thanksgiving in October), but we were overeating while I made all those dishes to photograph!
According to Vietnamese pho experts, pho is "noodles in soup", not "noodle soup". You're supposed to have plenty of the savory broth to drink after you eat the noodles, etc.. Also, I have it on good authority that pho is not really pho unless you use beef or chicken (not turkey, pork, etc.), BUT there is a dispensation for vegetarian pho (which is called Pho Chay). Pho Chay is usually made with tofu (or tofu and mushrooms), but I decided to make it with thin slices of my Seitan Steak (that recipe is in my new book, World Vegan Feast. However, you can use any favorite "beefy seitan", or beefy Chinese TVP strips, or commercial "steak strips" or "beef strips" instead. Since gluten "mock meats" have been common in Asia for centuries, I'm hoping that this doesn't take my soup out of the real pho realm!
Choices for "beef strips":
Chinese TVP "Beef" Slices
You could also use "Beefy Soy Curls®" (recipe at link):
I wanted to be as authentic as possible, but I also needed to make a slightly streamlined version (time was short). I know that the broth is very important and should be particularly tasty, but I needed to skip the traditional charring of the ginger (and sometimes onion, too) to save time. (Acually, I already saved several hours by not using animal bones to make the broth!) The broth was still delicious!
The green onions for the garnish should be the green part only, and sliced very thinly on the diagonal (not chopped) and the onion should be sliced paper-thin with a mandoline slicer
. Cilantro is the most common garnish, but Thai basil and mint are also used (and I generally use one of these because DH dislikes cilantro).This soup is so comforting on a cold day! And yet you have all the crunchy fresh sprouts and herbs to add sunshine to the meal!
Printable Recipe
BRYANNA’S EASY PHO CHAY (VEGETARIAN PHO) NOODLES WITH SEITAN STEAK IN FRAGRANT MUSHROOM BROTH
Serves 4
Serves 4
This comforting vegan version of the popular Vietnamese noodle soup is light but filling. Slurping is practically mandatory!
8 ounces dry flat medium Vietnamese rice noodles (rice stick noodles)—not the “vermicelli” or the very wide ones-- banh pho
, like this:
8 cups mushroom bouillon or Rich Mushroom Broth (good brands of mushroom bouillon at same link)
, like this:
4 ounces fresh ginger, smashed with the side of a cleaver or large knife
2/ 3” cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
3 star anise
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
4 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or light soy sauce
1 to 1 1/4 lb. Seitan Steaks (that recipe is in my new book, World Vegan Feast), or you can use 16 ounces (458 g) of one of the suggested substitutes above in the text (if the substitute is dried, the weight is for the reconstituted product)
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
3 star anise
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
4 teaspoons Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or light soy sauce
1 to 1 1/4 lb. Seitan Steaks (that recipe is in my new book, World Vegan Feast), or you can use 16 ounces (458 g) of one of the suggested substitutes above in the text (if the substitute is dried, the weight is for the reconstituted product)
2-4 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 a medium yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
8 green onions, green only, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup thinly-sliced cilantro, mint, or Thai basil
Garnishes (choose all of them or whichever you like):
Hoisin sauce
Vietnamese hot sauce (Sriracha)
sliced hot red or geen chiles
more fresh Thai basil, cilantro or mint leaves
fresh lime juice or lime wedges
Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or light soy sauce
8 green onions, green only, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
1/4 cup thinly-sliced cilantro, mint, or Thai basil
Garnishes (choose all of them or whichever you like):
Hoisin sauce
Vietnamese hot sauce (Sriracha)
sliced hot red or geen chiles
more fresh Thai basil, cilantro or mint leaves
fresh lime juice or lime wedges
Bragg's Liquid Aminos, or light soy sauce
Soak the dry noodles by covering in cold water in a large bowl for 20-30 minutes while you make the broth.
Mix together the mushroom bouillon or Rich Mushroom Broth, ginger, cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, and star anise in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
While the broth simmers, assemble the other ingredients and garnishes, bring another large pot of water to a boil (to cook the noodles), and prepare the steak. Sear the steak (or the commercial “steak strips”) on all sides over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet sprayed with oil from a pump sprayer. Slice the steak into thin strips. If using one of the alternatives, slice the strips into even thinner strips.
Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander and pour the broth back into the pot. Add the sugar, pepper, and Bragg’s or soy sauce to the broth.
Drain the soaked dried noodles, transfer to the pot of boiling water, and boil for a for a short time-- check after 2 minutes. When they are tender but not mushy, drain them in a colander.
Divide the cooked noodles between 4 soup bowls, and add handful of the bean sprouts, and some of the green onions to each bowl. Top with 1/4 of the steak strips.
Ladle the broth over the vegetables. Top each bowl with another handful of bean sprouts and some of the chopped herbs. Serve with the garnishes, and each diner adds what they like to the soup.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
HOMEMADE MUSHROOM BROTH, AND SOME THINGS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON
My "Neatball" Pho (a Vietnamese soup; see more pics below), minus the veggies, cooked in mushroom broth.
I use mushroom broth in some of my seitan recipes, and in recipes that call for a "meaty" broth.
One tasty broth, Superior Touch Better Than Bouillon Mushroom Base contains "cultured whey"! (You have to also look out for beef fat in some “vegetarian" bouillons.)
But here are some that ARE vegan:
My favorite is Star brand, which is an Italian brand, but it's hard to find in my neck of he woods. On the (brown) box it says “Porcini Dado”, which means “porcini bouillon”. Here is a US online source. Star is distributed in the USA by Ranieri Corp., 281 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211. Star products are distributed by Italpasta Ltd. In Canada. I can find the mushroom cubes in some Italian markets in Vancouver.
Here is a porcini mushroom powder (from Pistol River, OR), available online at a very reasonable price. Amazon also carries various brands. You can make a rich-tasting broth using 1 cup of your favorite vegetarian bouillon with 1/2 Tbs. of the porcini powder mixed in!
Not recommended:
Harvest Sun is a US organic brand, but I think it's far too salty and lacking mushroom flavor.
I tried Pacific Foods Organic Mushroom Broth in a carton and I wasn't impressed. It had a strong onion odor as soon as I opened the carton, and more onion flavor than mushroom.
It's too bad the organic mushroom broths I've tried do not make the grade in the kitchen!
WANT TO MAKE YOUR OWN? It's easy and delicious:
BRYANNA'S RICH MUSHROOM STOCK
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
12 cups good vegetarian broth or bouillon (a tasty one that is not too salty-- homemade or commercial
)2 oz. (2 1/2 cups) dried mushrooms
-- preferable boletus or porcini, or a wild mushroom mix, or shiitake
The kind I bought at Costco
Saute the onions and garlic in the Earth Balance or oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick pot until they start to brown. Add the broth and dried mushrooms and bring to a boil. Turn down, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let the stock cool. Strain off the solids.
The mushrooms after cooking and straining
You can freeze the mushrooms to use in other dishes. The broth can be frozen in 2 cup or 1 cup freezer containers, or in ice cube trays (2 tbs. per cube). the cubes can then be stored in zipper-lock bags.
Yield: 11 cups
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per cup): 30.6 calories; 31% calories from fat; 1.1g total fat; 0.0mg cholesterol; 12.1mg sodium; 99.4mg potassium; 5.4g carbohydrates; 0.8g fiber; 1.6g sugar; 4.6g net carbs; 0.7g protein; 0.5 points.
Now here are some of the things I've been working on:
"Neatball" Pho (same as above, but with the veggies and accompaniments)
"Neatballs" ready for soup (UPDATE Aug. 2019--(UPDATE Aug. 2019-- neatball recipe post)
Vegan "Wedding Soup", and Italian soup that also utilizes my "Neatballs"
Triple Ginger-Espresso Cake UPDATE: the recipe is in my new book, "World Vegan Feast".
Vegan Gianduia (a homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread similar to Nutella) Muffins UPDATE: the recipe for the Vegan Gianduia is in my new book, "World Vegan Feast".
Authentic Tamale Pie, vegan-style UPDATE: the recipe is in my new book, "World Vegan Feast".
The three photos above are of my easy, vegan version of Vietnamese Bahn Xeo, also known as "Sizzling Crepes", "Sound Crepes", "Saigon Crepes", and "Happy Pancakes". UPDATE: the recipe is in my new book, "World Vegan Feast". I made my pancakes with split mung beans and brown rice flour for a heartier, healthier version than the usual white rice flour ones.
Enjoy!
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