Vegan Zha Jiang Noodles

I love these vegan black bean noodles. Known as Zha Jiang Mian (炸醬麵) in China or Taiwan and even Korea. These are great for summer when the heat is too intense for soups. Traditionally, Zha Jiang Mian is made with pork. I love this vegan version made with tofu — you really don’t miss the meat here! I’ve made it for western friends and they all love the black bean sauce.

If you’re new to bean sauces, they come in spicy, sweet, and salty variations. It can be intimidating but also forgiving if you buy the wrong kind. Just adjust the seasoning to taste. The brands I used for this recipe is pictured below.

Black bean paste, sweet bean paste and my favourite knife cut noodles.

Vegan Black Bean Zha-Jiang Noodles (炸醬麵）

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons salty bean paste (or Soybean Paste / Dou ban Jiang豆瓣醬)*

• 6 tablespoons of sweet bean paste (Tian Mian Jiang 甜麵醬）

• ½ cup Shaoxing wine, rice wine, or sherry

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1.5 cup (120 grams) chopped mushrooms (I use white button or king oyster mushrooms)

• 1 package (285 grams) of firm tofu, patted dry and crumbled into pieces

Fragrant Oil *

• ½ cup oil

• 1 onion cut into 8 wedges

• 1 green onion, chopped coarsely

Other Ingredients

• Noodles of choice*

• Shredded cucumber and carrot

• Chopped cilantro or green onions (optional)

Instructions

1. Place all the bean pastes in a large mixing bowl, add the Shaoxing wine, and mix until well combined. Set aside.

2. Using a large non-stick pan, add ½ cup of oil, the chopped onion, and green onion. Cook over medium-low heat until the onions turn brown and crispy, around 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to discard or save the onions for other dishes.

3. In the same pan, add the crumbled tofu and fry until golden brown. stirring continuously. Add in the mushrooms, and cook until softened and aromatic.

4. Stir in the bean sauce and turn the heat to low. Stirring constantly until the sauce evaporates into a chunky mixture. Adjust with sugar or salt to taste.

5. Cook noodles as directed and set aside.

6. To serve, spoon sauce over noodles and top with shredded cucumber, carrot, green onions, or cilantro (optional). Serve warm.

Cooking notes:

• If you’re new to bean sauces, they come in spicy, sweet, and salty variations. It can be intimidating but also forgiving if you buy the wrong kind. Just adjust the seasoning to taste.

• The black bean paste is very salty! Go easy on it if it’s your first time cooking with it.

• Substitute the fragrant oil with different flavored oils like shallot oil.

• I like to double the portions for leftovers. The sauce is very good served with summer vegetables over a salad.

Tofu Gado Gado

My husband made this Indonesian Tofu Gado Gado for me in the early stages of our relationship. It’s a great example of our mutual love for food — fresh flavors, filling, light, and exotic without being too fiery. A classic you’ll come back to again and again.

I’ve tweaked some ingredients to maximize the use of dried pantry goods. For the salad — feel free to substitute with bean sprouts, julienned carrots, purple cabbage, radishes, or top with crispy shallots. I’ll say that the warm potatoes with crispy napa cabbage are the highlights for me here.

Halve or double the portions depending on the party size you’re serving.

Tofu Gado Gado

Serves 4 people as a main course, 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 pack of fried tofu*

• 500 grams potatoes, cubed into 1-inch pieces

• 4 eggs (omit for vegan)

• 200 grams green beans, ends trimmed and halved lengthways

• 200 grams Napa cabbage, washed and finely shredded

• 1 Persian cucumber or 1/2 cucumber, sliced into thin rounds

• a handful of coriander leaves, picked and roughly chopped

• 4 tbsp roasted peanuts, chopped

Spicy Peanut Dressing

• 50g peanut butter

• 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 

• 1/2 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp fish sauce* (omit for vegan/vegetarian)

• 1 tbsp cane sugar

• 1 garlic clove

• 1-inch piece of ginger

• 2 fresh or dried red chilies (optional)

• Juice of 1 lime

• 75 ml coconut milk

Instructions

1. Using a large pot, bring 1.5 liters of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes, and eggs and cook for 9 minutes. While the ingredients are cooking, prepare an ice bath. When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs into the ice bath and chill. Continue cooking the potatoes until fork tender.

2. Using a blender or food processor — blend all of the peanut dressing ingredients. Adjust the salt and spices to taste. Add more coconut milk or water for desired consistency. Set aside.

3. When the potatoes from step 1 are almost tender, add the green beans, fried tofu, and boil for 1-2 minutes until tender and bright green. Drain the vegetables, tofu and run under cold water until chilled. Slice the fried tofu into bite-sized pieces.

4. Peel and cut the chilled eggs in half. Assemble the salad by layering potatoes, green beans, tofu, sliced cucumber, and eggs. Serve immediately with peanut sauce, chopped peanuts, and cilantro.

Cooking Tips:

1. Substitute fried tofu with firm tofu (cubed and fried) or with tempeh.

Miso Marinated Salmon

This miso-marinated salmon is super easy and full of flavor. Umami — an overly-used word but still sought after — is what I’ll use to describe this dish. You can use pre-cut filets for easy serving, but I like the generous look of a whole filet. I’m currently marinading chicken and tofu with the same recipe, will report back with results.

Miso Salmon 

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients

• 1 skin-on salmon filet (1 pound), bones removed

• Sesame seeds, for garnish optional)

• Green onions or cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Marinade 

• 4 Tbsp ( 68 grams) white miso 

• 2 Tbsp sake

• 1 Tbsp mirin

• 1 tsp sugar

•  1 tsp soy sauce

Instructions

1. Add all of the marinade ingredients into a ziplock bag. Using your hands, massage the bag until the ingredients mix together. Pat the salmon fillet dry and add to the bag. Marinate overnight or at least for 4 hours. 

2. Heat the oven to 375F and line a baking dish with a sheet. 

3. Remove the salmon from the ziplock bag and bake, skin-side down for 10-15 minutes until done. You may need more or less time depending on the size of your filet. Garnish with sesame seeds and greens onions. Serve immediately.

Cooking Notes:

• The salmon will keep cooking when you take it out of the oven, don’t overcook it.

• Alternatively, cook the salmon in a pan or over the grill. 

• The salmon marinade will last up to 3 days in the fridge if you need to prep ahead of time.

Taiwanese Sesame Noodles (Ma Jiang Mian)

This Taiwanese cold sesame noodle recipe is a classic with a capital C. You can find them anywhere from local wet markets (菜市場) to traditional beef noodle shops and modern restaurants. The base will always be the same — rich, garlic saucy sesame served over chewy noodles and chilled julienned vegetables. I find myself craving this when the weather starts to warm up. Also, when I have an abundance of salad vegetables lying around. 

A studio-worthy meal

Taiwanese Cold Sesame Noodles 

Serves 4-5, recipe adapted from CarolEasyLife

Ingredients 

Sesame sauce

• 4 tbsp Chinese sesame paste*

• 4 tbsp hot water

• 2 tsp soy sauce 

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 tsp black vinegar (sub rice or apple cider vinegar)

• 1.5 tbsp sugar 

Toppings & Noodles 

• 1/2 carrot, peeled

• 1 cucumber

• 3 eggs

• 1 package of bean sprouts

• 1 package egg noodles (or noodle of choice)

Instructions 

Sesame Sauce

1. Using a heat proof jar or container, add the sesame paste and hot water. Stir or shake vigorously to combine. 

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. 

Toppings & Noodles 

1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and add a pinch of salt. 

2. Over a medium-sized pan, add oil and fry the eggs into a thin crepe. Let cool and slice into thin shreds.

3. Wash the bean sprouts and boil for 10 seconds. Drain the water and set it aside to cool.

4. Julienne the cucumber and carrot into thin matchsticks.

5. Cook the noodles according to package instructions. Add sesame oil or rinse with cold water to prevent them from sticking.

6. To assemble — arrange the noodles at the bottom and add the toppings and sauce. Serve immediately.

Cooking notes:

• The toppings are super flexible, use any salad vegetable you have. Traditionally, this dish is served with shredded chicken.

• You can prep the sauce and toppings ahead and store in containers before serving

• Chinese sesame paste is made from toasted white sesame seeds, not to be confused with tahini.

• If you don’t have Chinese sesame paste, substitute peanut butter or any nut butter though it will affect the taste.

Homemade Ginger Ale

I have been cooking for the masses this past week. I just realized I have styled and photographed over 400 recipes in this past year. To live a day without making/cooking something leaves me feeling strangely empty. I read in Gay Hendricks's book The Joy of Genius this week on creativity as a gift and something to appreciate every day. I am taking this period of isolation time to be thankful for creativity. and for ginger ale :)

One cannot shoot on set without getting thirsty. My go-to — bubbly water. Sparkling water if I feel fancy. I just found a way to make it fancier with homemade ginger ale syrup. It is also great for your immune system. I drink a cup of ginger lemon tea every morning and have made a commitment to using organic ginger root. It is a commitment one cannot go back on. Organic ginger is extremely pungent, spicy and comes in smaller delicate knobs. You have to soak them and scrub harder. The flavour is every bit worth it. This is a refreshing drink for every day and for summer days. I hope you enjoy it.

Immunity Ginger Ale

Ingredients

*Makes 1 1/2 cup ginger ale syrup, I make double and it lasts me a few weeks.
1/4 pound (112g) organic ginger
1 cup (200 g) organic cane sugar
2 cups water
1/4 tsp sea salt
Sparkling water*
Lime wedges

Instructions

Soak the ginger root in water for a bit. It loosens the residue dirt. Scrub ginger thoroughly, between the knobs and through the crevices. No need to peel. Slice thinly with a knife and chop into small pieces. Alternatively, pop the ginger into your blender or food processor. Aim for 2-millimetre pieces and make sure it does not turn into a puree.

Transfer ginger into a medium-sized pot along with sugar, salt and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes. Let cool, strain and store the syrup in a jar in the fridge.

To serve, fill a glass with ice. Add 2 tablespoons of syrup to 2/3 cup of water. Add a dash of lime juice and stir with a spoon. Serve immediately.

* For a fancy cream soda, add a drop of pure vanilla extract into your drink.

Recipe adapted from Nancy Singleton Hachisu.

Japanese Onion Salad Dressing (Wafu)

Wafu (和風) is a popular Japanese salad dressing which is basically an onion vinaigrette. It takes 5 ingredients to make and pairs perfectly with greens, lettuce, cucumber for an appetizer or a refreshing side.

This dressing brings me back to my high school days when I worked at Mos Burger — a Japanese chain restaurant that specializes in rice burgers. Boy, I loved everything on the menu — fish fillets, pomelo ice teas, organic rice patties (some of my coworkers used them to make fried rice). It was a memorable and delicious time.

Among their menu, Wafu salad was a bestseller. It had completely slipped my mind until I came across it on Adam Liaw’s social media. Making it brings me back to the school days — walking home after an evening shift, the jasmine-scented gardens of Chang Kai Shek memorial hall, koi fish ponds, and the many meals I shared with my friends. I will be eating lots of Wafu dressing on salads this summer.

Japanese Onion Salad Dressing (Wafu/和風醬)

Ingredients

1. 1/2 onion, roughly chopped (around 1 cup)

2. 1 tbsp soy sauce

3. 2 tbsp rice vinegar (sub-seasoned rice vinegar and omit the sugar)

4. 1 tbsp cane sugar

5. 1/2 cup grapeseed oil (sub olive oil)

6. 1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

• Add all of the ingredients aside from the oil into a blender or food processor. Pulse and blend into a thick dressing. Don’t overblend.

• Top with oil of choice and sesame seeds. Seal the jar, and give it a good shake until the ingredients emulsify. Serve over salad or soba/rice noodles. Dressing keeps for 3-4 days in the fridge

Cooking Notes:

• Traditionally, the onions are grated with a Microplane grater to preserve texture. I find the blender method easier with limited time on my hands.

• If making beforehand, give the dressing jar a good shake before serving.

Smashed Cucumber Salad

In Taiwan, one cannot eat at a restaurant without ordering 小菜 “Little Plate” or side dishes. Usually consisting of vegetables, marinated firm tofu, soft boiled peanuts, or black wood ear mushrooms. Little Plate is a part of Taiwanese restaurant culture and something I look forward to every time I eat out. It is also a good way to get your veggie fix as Taiwanese cuisine can be heavy and salads are not really a thing.

This cucumber salad is a 涼拌, which translates into “Cold Toss”. Similar in cooking style compared to a green papaya salad — I would say it is a signature “little plate” in Taiwan. I enjoy making this as an appetizer when friends come over. It’s refreshing yet flavourful. The peanuts make it indulgent, the birds-eye chilli gives it a good kick, and one can not eat too many cucumber dishes in summer weather.

Smashed Cucumber Salad 涼拌小黃瓜

Ingredients

5 mini Japanese or Persian cucumbers (around 350 grams)

2 Tbsp Kosher salt

4 red or green Thai chiles, halved lengthwise keeping stem end intact

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

Chopped unsalted or salted roasted peanuts

Instructions

Smash cucumbers with a rolling pin or a wine bottle. Careful not to smash too close to the cutting board now, you want some crunch in them. Tear into 2-inch pieces, place in a medium bowl and season with salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.

In the meantime, add chillies, garlic, vinegar, fish sauce and sugar to a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Drain cucumbers, rinse with cold water and squeeze to release salty water. Add to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Chill in the fridge for an hour and serve topped with peanuts.

These cucumbers will keep in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.

Spicy Cucumber Fans

I will call these quarantine cucumber fans, as a cure for worrying — making something is better. They do take some time to produce and is a great way to add veggies to your meal. If you are looking for a simpler recipe with no cooking — my Smashed Cucumber Salad is a great alternative.

This recipe is adapted from Barbara Troops, author of the China Moon Cookbook. I am savouring the pages of her recipes and cooking notes. There is nothing more lovable and inspiring than a tiny American lady, traveling through China, recreating dishes from different regions, and serving them to people who think Sichuan peppercorn is a complete novelty. Give it a read, the recipes will take time to put together and a trip to the Asian grocery store will be needed. I am loving her Sichuan Peppercorn Salt and Hot Chilli Oil, which I am using liberally in my cooking as of the last two weeks. It is also a cookbook that reinforces my dream of getting a gas stove and a smoking hot wok.

This cucumber dish is not quite a salad, but more an appetizer or little dish (小菜) as we call it in Mandarin. I enjoy making this as a side for dumpling nights or simply have in the fridge to add to a heavier meal. You can chop, smash, slice, the cucumber however you please, I do find the fan a delightful change in appearance and texture. Recipe adapted from China Moon Cookbook.

Spicy Cucumber Fans 麻辣黃瓜條

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 5 Persian or Japanese cucumbers

• 2 tbsp kosher salt

• 2 wooden chopsticks

Aromatics

Aromatics

• 1 1/2 tsp finely julienned fresh ginger

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes

• 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns

Seasoning

Sauce

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

• A few drops of sesame or shallot oil

Instructions

Instructions

1. Remove the ends from the cucumbers. Set two chopsticks in a V-shape on the cutting board and pin the cucumber inside the point of the V. Cut the cucumber crosswise at 1/8 inch intervals. The chopsticks prevent the knife from cutting all the way into the cucumber, leaving you with a lovely fan shape.

2. Toss the sliced cucumber with salt and set aside for 30 mins. The salt will soften and drain the cucumber of liquid. Drain the cucumbers, rinse with cold water, squeeze to set aside.

3. Combine the aromatics in a small dish, combines sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

4. Heat a skillet over moderate heat until hot. Add the oil, swirl to cover the bottom, reduce heat to low. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle a bit of garlic, add the aromatics. Stir until fragrant, around 10 seconds. Watching the heat so it foams without browning. The smell should be punchy when you take a whiff.

5. Add the cucumber, toss to combine, then add the sauce. Toss gently to mix and dissolve the sugar. Taste and add more sugar if you’d like. Remove from heat and toss again.

6. Layer the cucumbers, fan side down in a shallow bowl. Scrape the liquids over top. Seal and chill in the fridge for an hour, or overnight. Do not eat this warm! Serve slightly chilled. The cucumbers are good for a few days in the fridge, although they will lose some of that vibrant color.