Vegan Pho (Phở Chay)

Ingredients & Cooking Directions for Phở Chay -- Vegan Noodle Soup

Estimated Servings: 4-5

Step 1: Stir-fry vegan beef

1 cup dried vegan beef slices

1 cup thawed vegan beef balls

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon 5 spice powder

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons cooking oil

Slice the vegan balls in half and set them aside. Add salt to a large bowl of water and soak the vegan slices in the water for about 30 minutes or until they expand and soften. Then rinse the slices, squeeze out the water and put them in a bowl along with the sliced vegan balls. Next add all of the seasonings (salt, pepper, spice powder, soy sauce) to the vegan slices and vegan balls and mix well. Then turn your stove on medium heat and pour oil in a large pan. Add the seasoned vegan slices and vegan balls to the pan and stir fry them until heated through. Finally remove them from the heat and set them aside.

Step 2: Make the broth

3 inch piece of ginger

1 small peeled onion

1 whole cinnamon stick

5 star anise

1/3 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

5 cloves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 small sliced daikon

1 large sliced carrot

1 cup brown mushrooms

32 ounce vegetable broth

12 cups water

2 ounce rock sugar

1 tablespoon salt

Cut a slit in the ginger and microwave it with the onion for 3 minutes. While the onion and ginger are roasting in the microwave, break up the cinnamon stick and put it in a small pan along with the rest of the spices (star anise, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, black peppercorn). Pour the spices in a small pan and turn your stove on medium heat. Toast the spices for about 3 minutes, stirring them around, or until fragrant. Then turn off the heat and pour the spices in a tea infuser. Next add the microwaved onion, ginger, spice ball, carrots, daikon, mushrooms, broth, water, rock sugar and salt to a large pot and place it on a high heat stove. Cover the pot with a lid and allow it to come to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid.

Step 3: Cook the noodles

8 cups water

1 package Phở noodles

Pour water into a pot and turn your heat on high. When the water comes to a boil, add in the noodles and cook them according to the directions on the package. Then rinse and drain the noodles and set them aside.

Step 4: Assemble the dish

Chopped green onions

Chopped cilantro

Sliced red onions

Thai basil

Bean sprouts

Lime wedges

Jalapeno peppers

Sriracha & Hoisin sauce

Add noodles, vegan balls, vegan slices, vegetables and herbs to a serving bowl. Then pour the broth over everything. Before eating, squeeze in some lime juice and add in the sauces.

How a Chocolate Soufflé Can Make Your Day!

Every once in a while, such as today, I crave something decadent and chocolaty. The first thing that comes to my mind is a light puffy chocolate soufflé. Now don't be scared just because you hear the word soufflé. Although it sounds like something fancy and difficult to make, it's actually pretty simple to prepare. Here's a quick and easy recipe that is sure to please with ease.

Chocolate Soufflé

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for preparing the molds
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons warm prepared coffee
½ cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
8 large egg whites, room temperature
½ teaspoon lemon juice
Confectioners' sugar
Raspberries or strawberries for garnish

Directions:

1.    To prepare the ramekins, brush six (6 ounce) ramekins with soft butter coating them with granulated sugar afterwards. Place all the ramekins in the freezer to set (about 4-8 hours).

2.    Set an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 400°F.

3.    Place the saucepan filled with an inch of water on top of your stove bringing the water to a slow simmer. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl placing it on top of the saucepan stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Then remove the chocolate/butter mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the mixture to cool.

4.    In a stand mixer combine the egg yolks and coffee beating them until frothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar while beating this mixture until ribbons form. This should take about 5 minutes. Lightly fold the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture. Make sure to rinse the bowl well to beat the egg white next.

5.    Put the egg whites in the clean stand mixer bowl and add in the lemon juice. Beat this mixture until frothy. Then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar beating this mixture on high. Make sure to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

6.    Quickly fold in one third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten it up. Then fold in the remaining egg white until everything is blended.

7.    Remove the ramekins from the freezer and gently ladle the soufflé mixture into the ramekins making sure level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess extra back into the bowl. Then place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until soufflés rise 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins. Remove the ramekins from the oven, dusts with confectioners' sugar, and garnish with raspberries or strawberries. Serve immediately and enjoy!

How to make Fried Rice Flour Cake (Bánh Bột Chiên)

Ingredients & Cooking Directions for Bánh Bột Chiên - Fried Rice Flour Cake

Estimated Servings: 4

Step 1: Steam rice cake

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup whole milk
½ cup water
½ cup rice flour

Fill the bottom steamer compartment with water ¾ way up and turn your stove on high. Place an aluminum bowl on the top steamer compartment and brush the inside of the bowl with oil. Then place a lid to cover the steamer and wait for the water to come to a boil. Meanwhile, add all of the rest of ingredients in this step into a bowl and whisk it together until they are thoroughly combined. Now allow this mixture to rest for about 5 minutes before steaming. When the steamer water comes to a boil and steams up, pour the rice flour mixture into the aluminum bowl. Then cover the steamer with a lid and allow the rice flour cake to steam for about 10-15 minutes or until it turns solid. About midway through the cooking process, remove the lid from the steamer and shake off all the excess water from the lid and then place it back on the steamer. Once the flour cake has completed steaming, carefully remove the aluminum bowl from the steamer. With a small knife, poke the edges of the flour cake to remove it from the aluminum bowl. Then cover the aluminum bowl with a plate and turn it upside down. The cake should fall out effortlessly. Allow the cake to cool off while you prepare the sauce.

Step 2: Make sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¾ cup water
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Add all of the ingredients into a bowl, mix well, and the set it aside.

Step 3: Prepare egg mixture

6 large eggs
½ cup water

Crack all of the eggs into the water and whisk them together until they are well combined and then set aside.

Step 4: Fry flour cake

1 cup preserved radishes
½ cup chopped green onions
1 cup frying oil
¼ cup soy sauce
Pepper to taste

Rinse the pickled radishes under cold water and then squeeze out the water until the radishes are dry. Cut the radishes into bite size pieces and set them aside. Once the flour cake has cooled off, cut them into domino looking rectangles. Turn your stove on medium high heat and add in 1 tablespoon oil. Once the oil is hot, add in a few rice flour pieces and fry them for about 7-8 minutes or until golden brown on one side. Then flip them over and pour in 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to all of the flour cake pieces and allow them to cook for about 5-6 minutes on the other side. Now pour in about ½ cup egg mixture and move your pan around so that the egg mixture covers all of the flour cake pieces. Add in a handful of green onions and pickled radishes on top and allow everything to cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until the eggs have dried up. Then sprinkle some black pepper on top. Repeat this process until you use up all of the egg mixture and flour cake pieces. Serve the rice flour cake with the dipping sauce that was made earlier.

3 Color Desserts (Chè Ba Màu)

Ingredients & Cooking Directions for Chè Ba Màu - 3 Color Desserts

Estimated Servings: 4

Step 1: Prepare green layer

1 tablespoon agar-agar

3 cups water

2/3 cup sugar

2 drops pandan extract

Pour the agar-agar into the water and stir it up until it dissolves completely. Then add this mixture into a small pot and turn your stove on high heat. Now pour the sugar into the pot and stir it with the mixture until it completely dissolves and everything comes to a boil. Next, remove it from the heat and pour the mixture into a container. Then stir in some pandan extract or green food coloring. Finally refrigerate the mixture for about 20-30 minutes or until it is solid.

Step 2: Create yellow layer

½ cup hulled yellow mung beans

½ cup water

Pinch salt (or 1/8 tsp. salt)

1 teaspoon sugar

Soak the mung beans in water for about 30 minutes or until it has expanded in size and has gotten softer. Then drain them and bring ½ cup water to a boil on high heat. Now add in your soaked mung beans along with a pinch of salt and turn your heat on medium low. Then continuously stir your mung beans around for about 10 minutes or until it becomes a smooth, mash potato-like consistency. Next, remove it from the heat and mix in your sugar. Finally set it aside and allow it to cool completely.

Step 3: Make red layer

2 cups canned kidney beans (can also use adzuki beans)

1/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup water

Rinse and drain your kidney beans thoroughly. Then turn your stove onto high, pour in your water, add in the sugar, and stir it around until it dissolves. When the water comes to a boil, add in the kidney beans and lower the heat to medium low cooking the beans for about 10 minutes. Finally remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely.

Step 4: Assemble dessert

½ cup coconut cream

1 pinch salt (1/8 tsp.)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon tapioca flour or cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Crushed ice

To make the coconut cream topping, dissolved the tapioca flour or cornstarch into the water. Then add your coconut cream into a small pot and turn your stove on medium high heat. Now add in the sugar and a pinch of salt and dissolve it completely into the coconut cream. Next add in the water-flour mixture that was prepared earlier and stir it into the coconut cream until it thickens. Then set it aside to cool off.

To assemble the dessert, shred your green jelly with grater and set it aside. Then add some red beans, mung beans, and pandan jelly shreds to a serving glass. Finally, top it off with the coconut cream and ice.