Introduction: Vegetarian dishes that taste like meat? You'd be better off with some braised pork for a more satisfying experience! However, due to age or health reasons, many people cannot eat meat and thus need vegetarian options to satisfy their cravings. Here, I introduce four vegetarian dishes that are rich in color, aroma, and flavor. With a texture that isn't meat but surpasses it, you can still have a delicious meal without eating meat.
I. Braised Soybean Curd
Ingredients: Soybean curd, red bell pepper, wood ear mushrooms, carrots, broad bean paste, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, star anise, green onions, ginger
Method:
1. Soak the soybean curd in warm water for 30 minutes. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in cold water, then clean them.
2. Rinse the rehydrated soybean curd and wood ear mushrooms several times with water, drain, and remove. Squeeze the soybean curd with your hands to remove excess water.
3. Cut the red bell pepper into diamond shapes, slice the carrots, chop the green onions, and slice the ginger.
4. Heat oil in a wok, add the green onions, ginger, and star anise, and stir-fry until fragrant.
5. Add the broad bean paste and stir-fry until a rich, aromatic sauce develops.
6. Add the soybean curd and stir-fry to absorb the sauce's flavor. Add the Shaoxing wine.
7. Add the wood ear mushrooms and carrot slices, along with half a bowl of water. Add light soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and sugar. Once the water boils, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently.
8. Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, or thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Finally, add the red bell pepper pieces, stir-fry, and serve.
II. Braised Frozen Tofu with Mushrooms
Ingredients: Frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, water, green onions
Method:
1. Cut the frozen tofu into small triangular pieces. Soak the shiitake mushrooms until rehydrated, then slice them. (To make frozen tofu, buy regular tofu, freeze it, and it will be ready the next day).
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the frozen tofu pieces and pan-fry them on both sides until lightly golden. Frozen tofu is a bit firmer than regular tofu, so it's less likely to break when flipped, but handle it with care as it is still tofu.
3. Push the tofu to one side of the pan. Add the mushrooms and stir-fry.
4. Add light and dark soy sauce, and stir to combine.
5. Add a small amount of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Turn the heat back up to high. Add sugar according to your taste. Continue cooking over high heat until the liquid is completely reduced. Sprinkle with chopped green onions before serving.
III. Vegetarian "Fish-Fragrant" Shredded "Meat"
Ingredients: 200g vegetarian shredded "meat", 25g wood ear mushrooms, 25g carrots, 25g green bell peppers, 25g potatoes, green onions, garlic, ginger, broad bean paste, salt, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, wet cornstarch, oil
Method:
1. Soak the vegetarian shredded "meat" in warm water for 2-3 minutes.
2. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in warm water until rehydrated, then shred them. Shred the carrots, green bell peppers, and potatoes. Mince the green onions, garlic, and ginger.
3. In a small bowl, mix the wet cornstarch, salt, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce to create a sauce.
4. Heat oil in a wok. When the oil is moderately hot (about 150°F/65°C), add the broad bean paste and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the minced garlic, green onions, and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the shredded wood ear mushrooms and potatoes and stir-fry.
5. Add the shredded green bell peppers and carrots and stir-fry.
6. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to combine evenly. Finally, add the vegetarian shredded "meat" and stir-fry to heat through.
IV. Dry-Pot Potatoes
For more delicious potato recipes, check out our special feature: A Culinary Journey with Potatoes
Ingredients: 300g potatoes (starchy), 60g dry cornstarch, 20g all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin powder or cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder, an appropriate amount of minced green onion, ginger, and garlic, salt to taste, a small handful of chopped cilantro (about 1 inch long).
Method:
1. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into 0.6-0.8 cm thick slices. Place them in boiling water with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3 minutes, or until just tender when pierced with a fork.
2. Remove the potatoes from the water, drain well, and let them cool until they are no longer hot to the touch. In a bowl, combine the cornstarch and all-purpose flour. Gradually add water to form a slightly thick, slow-flowing batter. Add the cooled potatoes and toss gently to coat them evenly with the batter.
3. Heat a skillet with oil, tilting to coat the bottom. Place the potato slices in the skillet and pan-fry until they are golden on one side. Flip them, add a little more oil to the skillet, and continue frying until both sides are golden. If you have many potato slices, you may need to fry them in 2-3 batches.
4. Return all the fried potato slices to the skillet. Add the minced green onion, ginger, garlic, chili powder, cumin powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry over medium heat constantly until the fragrances of all the spices are released. You can also add MSG or chicken powder if you like.
5. Add the cilantro, stir-fry to combine, then turn off the heat.
6. If you have a clay pot for hot pot, you can prepare it by adding a little oil to the bottom and lining it with raw vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, or rape. Toss the fried potatoes with the seasonings, place them in the pot, and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.