Oven-Fried Crispy Shitake Imperial Rolls

I don’t always trust a recipe. Do you? Sometimes an ingredient quantity or baking temperature or some other detail seems off, and I grab another cookbook with something similar to compare. But, there are some cookbook authors I trust completely. I know the recipes are tested, double-checked, and will work. In that category of authors and cooks, I would include Ina Garten, Maida Heatter, and Alice Medrich. And, I’d like to add Andrea Ngyuen to that list. After cooking from several of her books, I’m always pleasantly surprised at how perfectly dishes turn out after simply following the instructions exactly. She also includes helpful recommendations for ingredients with explanations for brand preferences. Her latest book, Ever-Green Vietnamese: Super-Fresh Recipes, Starring Plants from Land and Sea of which I received a review copy, further proves these points. This latest book was written to “spotlight members of the vegetable kingdom.” It’s not entirely vegetarian. There are some meat and seafood recipes, but the animal proteins act as collaborators with the vegetables. And, there are suggestions for substitutions throughout to make recipes vegan if preferred. There’s even a recipe for Vegan Fish Sauce. Rice paper rolls, banh mi, fillings for bao, rice dishes, soups, salads, sides, mains, and sweets can all be found here. I was drawn to the Salads chapter and enjoyed learning that salads are often a big part of celebratory Viet meals. They tend to involve a good amount of prep work and are intended to have a “wow factor.” I made the Cucumber, Kale, and Spiced Cashew Salad and loved the varied flavors and textures with sweet, spicy, crunchy nuts, fresh herbs, and tangy dressing. Next, I want to try the Kohlrabi and Soy Sauce-Seared Tofu Salad. It’s not in the Salads chapter, but I also made the Shaking Salmon which tops a dressed salad of lettuce, herbs, and cherry tomatoes. From the Snacks chapter, the Crispy Sweet Potato and Shrimp Fritters were a hit. Shaved sweet potatoes are stirred into a batter with chunks of shrimp that gets formed into fritters and shallow-fried. The crispy fritters are then wrapped in lettuce leaves with herb leaves and nuoc cham. Also from that chapter, I have the page marked for Smoky Tofu-Nori Wontons. I’ll definitely be trying Char Siu Roasted Cauliflower and/or Char Siu Pulled Jackfruit and making bao, and making Vegan Bologna for banh mi is on my list as well. Today, I want to tell you more about the Oven-Fried Crispy Shitake Imperial Rolls. 

This was my first time using rice paper rounds for a cooked rather than cold dish. And, this was my first time hydrating rice paper in some way other than dunking it in warm water. As expected, the instructions worked exactly right, and the quantity of filling was just right for the expected number of rolls. For the filling, dried glass noodles were soaked in hot water, canned chickpeas were mashed, dried mushrooms were rehydrated and chopped, carrot was grated, and tofu was patted dry and grated. All of that was combined with chopped green onions, potato starch, salt, pepper, and soy sauce and mixed until it came together. The filling was then pressed into a baking pan and cut into portions. Trust this process. It worked perfectly. To moisten the rice paper, a mix of coconut cream, white vinegar, and molasses was brushed onto each side. It’s messy, but fabulous. Again, it works. A portion of filling was added on top of each rice paper round before being folded in and rolled. A cooling rack was set into a baking sheet, the rolls were placed on the rack, and they were baked. Halfway through baking, the rolls were turned, and then baked until browned. After cooling a bit, the rolls were cut with kitchen scissors and served with butter lettuce, herbs, pickled vegetables, and nuoc cham. 

It’s kind of a thrill to try something new in the kitchen and see a great result. I admit to being skeptical about brushing the rice paper rounds with coconut cream and that being enough to soften them. But, I trusted the author enough to proceed as instructed. These rolls were delightful, and I can’t wait to try more new things from this book.

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Homestyle Braised Tofu

Years ago, when I first became obsessed with cooking, my fascination was with successful results. When I could reproduce what was represented in a recipe without catastrophe, it was thrilling. All these years and many cookbooks later, I’m still delighted by successes with recipes that are new to me. But, I’m now also fascinated by learning new techniques that are better than what I’d been doing previously. I recently had just that kind of experience with a dish from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen by Hannah Che of which I received a review copy. This book showcases the author’s interest in connecting her culture with her desire to follow a plant-based diet. She began to discover vegetarian and vegan traditions in Chinese cooking and then attended the only vegetarian cooking school in China, in Guangzhou. She also spent a year learning about Buddhist vegetarian cooking in Taiwan. She writes: “Becoming vegan didn’t alienate me from my heritage, as I’d feared, but actually motivated me to understand it even more.” Luckily for all of us, her journey has brought about a book full of vibrant, meatless, Chinese recipes. The chapters represent ingredient categories, and right away, I was pulled in by Leafy Greens which is the first. The Blanched Spinach with Sesame Sauce calls for sesame paste, and the book includes a recipe for a homemade version. It was as delicious as the photo in the book looked. A few pages later in the same chapter, I tried the Napa Cabbage and Vermicelli Salad and incorporated some local vegetables that were available at the time. As mentioned in the recipe head note, it was indeed great as leftovers for lunch. From the Stems, Shoots and Flowers chapter, I was inspired to make homemade bean sprouts. And, there’s a Stir-Fried Bean Sprouts with Chinese Chives recipe I have marked. I’m also eager to try the Fish-Fragrant Eggplant so named because fish were often cooked the same way with chiles, ginger, and garlic. There’s a lot to explore in the Tofu chapter as well as in the Tofu Skin chapter. There are mock meats like the Vegetarian Roast Goose made with shitakes and bamboo shoots and no actual goose. The chapter for Gluten, or seitan, includes recipes for making your own plus poached gluten rolls, fried gluten puffs, and raised gluten. You’ll also find mushroom recipes, noodle recipes, dumplings, and a version of Scallion Pancakes that’s a must-try. The dish that taught me an excellent technique, though, was the Homestyle Braised Tofu. 

This recipe involves frying tofu, and let me start by explaining my previous process for frying tofu. In the past, I would press blocks of tofu between plates, weighted down with whatever was handy, to remove water. Then, I would cut the tofu into pieces and pat them dry before tossing them with cornstarch. Without fail, when I slid the coated tofu pieces into hot oil it would spatter wildly making a huge mess all over the top of the stove, the backsplash, the floor in front of the stove, and me and whatever I was wearing. Here, you are instructed to skip pressing the tofu, and just cut it into pieces to be added to boiling, well-salted water. The tofu was left to soak for a few minutes and then removed with a slotted spoon and drained on a towel-lined sheet pan. After draining, the tofu was then fried in a wok. On the Tofu FAQ page, Che explains that no one in China presses tofu. Instead, by soaking it in salted water, cold water inside the tofu is drawn out and the tofu is seasoned. It firms up a bit and fries with much less mess. And, it worked beautifully! No spattering at all. I’m now a convert to this way of frying tofu. For the rest of the recipe, dried shitakes were rehydrated in boiling water, drained, and halved. The mushrooms were stir-fried with garlic, ginger, and green onion before chile bean paste was added followed by soy sauce and water. The fried tofu was added with sliced carrot and cooked for a few minutes before adding snow peas. I was actually able to get local snow peas at Boggy Creek Farm on the day I had planned to make this which was perfect. It was topped with chopped green onion tops before serving. 

The chile bean paste made the dish spicy and full-flavored, and the texture of the fried tofu was just right with crispy edges and chewy centers. For the first time, frying tofu wasn’t a dreadfully messy cooking adventure. I’m definitely willing and able to learn new tricks in the kitchen, and there’s a lot more to learn and taste from this book.

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Shanghai Big Wontons

Well, it’s been awhile. I guess I took an accidental break from blogging. My only excuse is that I’ve been outside. After our freakish February winter storm, our yard that used to be mostly cacti, agaves, yucca, and fan palms was instead mostly dead and brown. We’ve been busy cutting off brown leaves on things that might bounce back, removing things that are definitely dead, and slowly adding in new plants. Also, I started riding a bike outside again for the first time in many years. I’d gotten used to sitting on bikes for spin classes that don’t go anywhere, and going somewhere on a bike is a lot of fun. But, I do want to tell you all about a book that I read and cooked from recently. I received a review copy of My Shanghai: Recipes and Stories from a City on the Water by Betty Liu. She wrote this as a record of her family’s home cooking traditions that began with her parents in Shaghai and were later adapted to their lives in Oregon. She writes: “Food is deeply entwined with pride, respect, and welcome in Chinese culture. It’s a method for treating the body, but also for showing love and generosity.” The hope is that the reader will build new traditions from these recipes. The book is organized by season and also includes chapters for Street Food and Core Recipes. Memories are shared throughout of sharing food and cooking both in the US and in China. I especially enjoyed reading about the breakfast noodles that the author’s father made for her on test days when she was growing up and the importance of noodle soup to Suzhou cuisine. I was taken with several noodle recipes in the book and got completely distracted by the scallion recipes. There’s Scallion Oil Noodles, Scallion-Roasted Fish, Scallion Oil-Poached Chicken, and Scallion-Ginger Clams. Now that eggplant is abundant for summer, I’ll be trying the Seasoned Steamed Eggplant. And, I have to make the Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry and use it as a topping on the Sauced Noodles. I also have several pages marked in the Street Food chapter such as the Scallion Flower Buns made with twisted strips of dough, the Shaghai Shaomai with homemade wrappers, and Liu’s favorite version of Scallion Pancakes. First though, I set about making the Shanghai Big Wontons after reading that in warmer weather they are served at room temperature with chile oil rather than in a bowl of steaming broth. 

Of course, I made the filling my own a bit by skipping the ground pork and using reconstituted and finely chopped dried shitakes instead. I had some locally-grow cabbage and green onions that I used as well. Cornstarch, soy sauce, white wine, white pepper, and sesame oil were added, and the finely chopped mixture was stirred until it formed a paste-like consistency. I used store-bought wonton wrappers here. The wontons were filled, folded, and sealed and then covered and refrigerated until cooking time approached. I also froze some on a baking sheet before transferring them to a bag for storage for a later date. I also made the chile oil from the book that involves simmering oil with ginger, scallions, star anise, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, fennel seeds, and dried chiles. After simmering, that oil was strained into a bowl containing crushed red chiles, white sesame seeds, and garlic. For the sauce, some of that chile oil was mixed with soy sauce, black vinegar, garlic, and scallion. After cooking the wontons in boiling water, they were transferred to serving bowls, and topped with the chile oil sauce and cilantro.

 

I’m not sure which leftover item was more exciting to have on hand, the chile oil or the frozen wontons. Both were happily used in short order. There’s so much to learn from this book. Whether it leads you on an ingredient search or inspires you to make some adaptations, there will be delicious meals as a result.

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Zucchini Noodle Bowl with Green Onion and Miso

Cooking with lots of different types of seasonal produce is exactly what interests me. So, when a book comes along that’s all about encouraging home cooking with healthful whole foods, there’s a very good chance I’ll like it. The Whole Foods Cookbook: 120 Delicious and Healthy Plant-Centered Recipes, of which I received a review copy, inspires nutritious cooking with unprocessed plant foods. The recipes here are created in collaboration with Chad and Derek Sarno who also wrote The Wicked Healthy Cookbook. There are tips for cooking big batches of beans and grains, suggestions for creating layers of flavor without added oils or too much additional salt, and overviews for steaming, sauteeing without oil, and grilling. The book gives you all the information you need for a fresh approach to cooking and stocking your pantry. For instance, I’m looking forward to trying the risotto. There are two different recipes in the book, one for spring and one with butternut squash for fall and winter. But, the approach for both is the same, and other variations are suggested. For these risottos rather than sauteeing rice and aromatics in butter or oil, the steps have been altered to result in a processed-oil free dish. Here, leeks or onion or other aromatics are sauteed in a dry pan, and vegetable broth is added to deglaze when the vegetables begin to brown and stick. Cooked rice is added and mixed with the vegetables, and the richness comes from a pureed cashew cream. Other interesting recipes include whole, roasted vegetables that look delicious like the Whole Roasted Spiced Cauliflower with a pureed tomato and red pepper coating and the Classic Celeriac Pot Roast that’s slow-cooked with potatoes and herbs. The guide to bowls includes options like a Citrus-Sesame-Glazed Tofu Bun Cha and a Chickpea-Nut and Broccoli Satay. There are also soups, sauces, salad dressings, dips, and sweets. I have some pears in my refrigerator that are now destined to become Riesling and Orange Poached Pears sweetened with orange juice and apricot paste instead of refined sugar. But first, I set out to make the Zucchini Noodle Bowl with Green Onion and Miso. My first instinct would normally have been to begin by adding oil to a pan to cook the vegetables, but here everything was cooked in vegetable broth with no added oil. 

To start, the big flavor of dried mushrooms was included to boost this dish. Dried shitakes were soaked in hot water while everything else was prepped. Grated fresh ginger was warmed in vegetable broth in a Dutch oven, and then miso, soy sauce, and rice vinegar were added and kept at a bare simmer. Chopped summer squash and zucchini were added to the simmering broth. Meanwhile, zucchini noodles were made with a spiralizer, green onions were chopped, and I had a pretty orange sweet pepper that I decided to add. The zucchini noodles were divided among the bowls, the rehydrated and drained shitakes were placed next to the noodles, and I added the sliced sweet pepper. The cooked squash was spooned into the bowls, and the broth was ladled over everything. Green onion, sesame seeds, and sliced hot chile garnished each serving. 

I’m delighted to report I didn’t miss the oil in this dish at all. The fresh flavors of the vegetables, the mushrooms, and the miso broth were fantastic just as they were. There are a lot of great ideas in this book that can be applied to other dishes. I love learning these little things to change up recipes I’ve been cooking the same way for years especially when the changes bring about a more healthful result.

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Shitake Mushroom and Spinach Dumplings with Classic Dumpling Sauce

As a fan of Joanne Chang’s cookbooks for years, I was excited to hear about her latest book, Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery of which I received a review copy. This is from her Boston restaurant co-owned with her husband Christopher Myers. The book includes dishes from the restaurant menu as well as a few favorites from pre-service, family meals. Christopher Myers describes the type of food by saying “We take various Asian styles as our starting-off point, and we apply our own whatchamacallit to it.” There are Sichuan flavors next to Japanese influences along with some Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, and Indonesian elements. And, some of those flavors find their way into very American creations. There’s a Bulgogi BBQ Sloppy “Jo,” Indonesian Fried Chicken and Ginger-Sesame Waffles, and Korean Braised Short Rib Tacos with Kimchi-Sesame Salsa. The book begins with a good explanation of a list of ingredients and possible substitutions and moves into tips for wok cooking, cooking rice, the velveting process, and shaping dumplings. The recipes include everything from Dim Sum and Salads to Dumplings, Noodles, and Rice and Grain dishes. And, of course, Joanne Chang has included some great desserts. I was fascinated to see the Rhubarb Duck Sauce that’s served with Auntie Mia’s Spring Rolls. The sauce is a recreation of the Chinese-American take-out sauce that comes in little packets. This version starts with poaching rhubarb in simple syrup before pureeing it into a vinegary mixture with sriracha and ginger. There’s a note pointing out that they switch out the rhubarb for stone fruits in the summer. I’d love to try this with plums. Some other recipes I look forward to trying are Wild Mushroom Lo Mein, Wok-Charred Udon Noodles with Chicken and Bok Choy, and Vanilla Bean Parfait with Orange Granita. Right away, I made the Sweet-and Sour Brussels Sprouts and now have repeated cravings for them. Then, I got a bit mesmerized by the Dumplings chapter and in a fit of idealism was sure I could make a few different kinds in one day. I ended up only making one filling, but I’ll be visiting other options soon. 

For some background, I had originally intended to follow the book’s suggestion of using store-bought dumpling wrappers. I even found the exact brand recommended in the book. And, then I read the ingredient list. When asked why I cook so much, I always say it’s because I’m picky. This is a perfect example. Those dumpling wrappers are made with sodium benzoate, and that’s something I’d rather not have in my food. Also, I love making dumplings from scratch with homemade dough. Once again, I followed the dough making and shaping process from Andrea Nguyen’s book Asian Dumplings. I wasn’t disappointed at all to make the wrappers from scratch, but since it did take more time, I scrapped my plan for various types of fillings and focused on one. The Shitake Mushroom and Spinach Dumplings with Classic Dumpling Sauce is full of great flavors, and I had local Napa cabbage and spinach to use in them. There are a few steps to making the filling, and it wouldn’t be a terrible idea to make the filling one day and fill the dumplings the next. But, once you’ve filled lots of dumplings, extras can be stored in the freezer for another day. First, boiling water was poured over dried shitakes, and they were left to rehydrate. Next, sliced Napa cabbage was tossed with salt and left for 10 minutes. Oil was heated in a wok or skillet, sliced garlic was added followed by the spinach, and it was cooked until wilted and seasoned with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. The cooked spinach was placed in a colander until cool and then squeezed to removed excess liquid. The rehydrated shitakes were stemmed and finely chopped. The Napa cabbage was squeezed to remove excess liquid and then more finely chopped. Firm tofu was drained and crumbled and ginger was minced. In a large bowl, the shitakes, cabbage, spinach, tofu, were combined with the ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, Chinkiang vinegar, salt, and pepper. The filling mixture went into about 40 dumplings, and I have a great time making the little pleats to close each one. I really do love it. The dough for the wrappers was made with all-purpose flour and boiling water and was left to sit for 30 minutes or so before dividing and shaping. The dumplings were cooked potsticker-style by frying the bottoms before adding a bit of water while quickly covering the pan to finish cooking by steaming. The dipping sauce was a simple mix of soy sauce, minced ginger, Chinkiang black vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil. 

It was interesting to see that most of the dumplings in the book are cooked as potstickers. I still intend to try the Edamame Wasabi and Mustard Green Dumplings with Black Vinegar-Wasabi Dipping Sauce, the Lemony Shrimp Dumplings with Kimchi-Yogurt Dipping Sauce, and the Juicy Duck and Ginger Dumplings. But, I was very happy with the one version I did complete. I love biting off the very end of the crisp-chewy wrapper and spooning in a bit of dumpling sauce over the shitake, Napa cabbage, and spinach filling. They’re as fun to eat as they are to make.

Shitake Mushroom and Spinach Dumplings with Classic Dumpling Sauce 
Recipes are excerpted from Myers+Chang at Home: Recipes from the Beloved Boston Eatery © 2017 by Joanne Chang with Karen Akunowicz. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. 

Makes 40 to 50 dumplings 
Being a dumpling on the menu at Myers+Chang sitting next to Mama Chang’s Pork and Chive Dumplings is like sitting next to Charlize Theron on your fat day. In other words, when we created this dish, it had to have some jingling! Jingling is something like a Chinese word for “chutzpah.” At least my mom says it is after Christopher described what “chutzpah” meant. Hmmm. Someone might want to Google Translate this. These dumplings are stuffed full of garlicky sautéed spinach and earthy shiitakes with some tofu to bind it all together. They are healthy and full of flavor and they embody jingling. 

2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms 
4 large napa cabbage leaves, thinly sliced (about 2 cups) 
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as canola, plus more as needed 
2 medium garlic cloves, sliced 
1 pound fresh baby spinach 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
1 cup crumbled firm tofu (about 8 ounces) 
1 tablespoon soy sauce 
1 tablespoon peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (about 1-inch knob) 
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
1 teaspoon black Chinkiang vinegar 
One 16-ounce package round dumpling wrappers (we like Twin Marquis brand) 
1 recipe Classic Dumpling Sauce 

1. In a medium saucepan, bring about 4 cups water to a boil. Place the shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour the boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the mushrooms to rehydrate. 

2. Place the cabbage in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Toss well and set aside for at least 10 minutes. 

3. Drain the mushrooms and let cool. When they are cool enough to handle, slice off any woody stems and mince the mushrooms very fine. You can do this by hand or pulse them in a food processor if you have one. Set aside. 

4. In a wok or a large, heavy, flat- bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, give it a quick stir, and then add the spinach. Stir immediately and season with ¼ teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the leaves are wilted, about 1 minute, and remove them from the pan. Place in a colander, let cool slightly, and squeeze any excess liquid out with your hands. Coarsely chop the spinach and set aside. 

5. Take the cabbage out of the bowl and squeeze hard with your hands. You will be amazed with the amount of water that comes out. Very finely chop the cabbage. 

6. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, and tofu. Add the soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix very well using your hands; it is really important that all the ingredients are distributed evenly. 

7. Fill a small bowl with warm water. Lay a dumpling wrapper on a clean work surface and scoop about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and paint all around the edge of the wrapper to moisten. Fold the wrapper over in half to look like a half-moon. (This always reminds me of making a taco shell.) Pinch just the top of the wrapper together, leaving the sides exposed and open. Start pleating the left side of the dumpling: Hold the dumpling on the top, fold a pleat on one side of the wrapper about halfway down the arc toward the center of the dumpling, and press it into the facing side of the wrapper. Repeat the pleating almost to the bottom of the arc so that you have two pleats on the left side of the dumpling. Repeat the pleating process on the right side of the dumpling, again pleating toward the center. When the dumpling is completely pleated, you should be able to sit the dumpling on its bottom and it will look like a little love seat. The smooth side of the dumpling will be the seat, and the pleated side will be the back of the couch. Continue with the rest of the dumpling wrappers and filling until the filling has been used up. The dumplings can be made in advance and stored uncooked for up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in the freezer. The easiest way to freeze them is to place them on a flat plate or tray and freeze until dumplings are completely frozen, and then transfer to a resealable freezer bag or an airtight container and return them to the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator on a flat plate overnight or for at least 6 hours before cooking. 

8. In a large, heavy, flat-bottomed skillet with a lid or a nonstick skillet with a lid, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, carefully lay as many dumplings as will comfortably fit on their bottoms in the skillet and turn the heat down to medium. Cook without moving the pan until the bottoms of the dumplings are golden brown, about 3 minutes. Check by lifting them up with your fingers and peeking underneath. Add about 2 tablespoons water to the pan and immediately cover with the lid. The pan will sizzle and steam up immediately, so don't be startled. Shake the pan from time to time to keep the dumplings from sticking. Let the dumplings steam for 2 minutes, at which point most of the water will have evaporated. Add another 2 tablespoons water to the pan, cover, and steam again. Turn off the heat, keep covered, and let rest for 1 minute. Uncover and turn the heat back to medium-high to crisp up the dumplings. Remove from the pan. Continue in the same manner to cook the remaining dumplings, adding 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan at a time as needed. Serve crispy-side up with the Classic Dumpling Sauce.

Classic Dumpling Sauce
Makes about 3/4 cup 
This classic dumpling sauce can be paired with any of the dumplings in this book. You can also add more or less sriracha or substitute wasabi for a different kind of kick. 

1/2 cup soy sauce 
2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger (about 2-inch knob) 
1 tablespoon Chinkiang black vinegar 
2 teaspoons sriracha 
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil 

1. In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. 

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