2012 is off to a great start for me. I am proud to say I am eating healthier and creating more vegetarian options for myself. This meal I have created technically isn’t vegetarian because I added fish sauce in it, but please feel free to leave it out. I am in no way a vegetarian but it's nice to have the option. This meal I cooked for myself is Japanese and Korean inspired, I hope you try it for yourself.
There are 3 parts to this meal: Vegetable stir fry, Korean seasoned cucumbers and jasmine rice. Here's the recipe for the vegetable stir fry.
Ingredients
- 1 package bean sprouts, washed and drained (Sprouts of your choice, mung, soy etc.)
- 2 medium sized carrots, washed, peeled and sliced into thin 2 inch. strips
- 1 pint baby bella mushrooms, wiped free of dirt and quartered (you can use the stems too)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 2 roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
- 2 TBSP toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1 grated garlic clove
- pinch hot pepper flakes
- TT Fish sauce
- TT Teriyaki sauce
-TT Ponzu sauce
- 1/2 of an onion sliced thin ( I forgot to add onion but please feel free to use it here)
Directions
1.) Prep the vegetables as they are listed in the ingredients.
2.) Separate the vegetables into 3 different bowls: Bean sprouts in one, tomatoes and carrots into one, and mushrooms, bell pepper and onion into another.
3.) In a large skillet, warm up the sesame oil. Add in the tomatoes, carrots and hot pepper flakes. Cook them for 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes soften into a sauce.
4.) Add in the mushrooms, bell pepper and onion and cook for 2 minutes. Be sure to stir every so often.
5.) Finally add in the bean sprouts and liquid seasonings. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
6.) To prevent burning, add in the grated garlic and ginger at the end. Stir to combine for 30 seconds to 1 minute and remove from the heat.
I apologize if the picture is dark, I am still getting used to this camera. As I said before, I left out onion in my stir fry but please feel free to add it.
Moving onto the seasoned cucumbers, here is what you'll need:
Ingredients:
- 3 large cucumbers
- 1 grated garlic clove
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- pinch of hot pepper flakes
- TT fish sauce
- TT toasted sesame oil
- TT Black pepper
- Optional, scallion for garnish
Directions
1.) Add in all of the ingredients to a large bowl minus the cucumbers. You want to make it a little strong because the cucumbers will water it down slightly.
2.) Wash the cucumbers. (This is totally optional but I do it because it makes for a great presentation.->) Use a channel knife to score strips into the cucumbers. I save these strips and add them to the cucumber dish.
2.) Cut off both ends of each cucumbers and throw away.
3.) Cut each cucumber lengthwise and remove their seeds with a spoon.
4.) Thinly slice the cucumber to look like half moons. (When they are scored, they look more like gears in a clock, kinda cool!)
5.) As you are cutting the cucumbers, add them to the large bowl with the sauce. Once all of the cucumbers and strips are added to the sauce, toss to combine. Allow them to marinade for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in your fridge if you have the time.
6.) Before serving, toss to coat once more and enjoy!
In my picture, I left the seeds on some and others I didn’t. I wanted a variety. We eat with our eyes first after all! :D
Even though they have been marinated, the cucumbers retain their crunch. These are great served cold in the summer time!
I drew inspiration for this recipe from two beautiful ladies I follow on Youtube, please subscribe to them if you are at all interested in Korean Cuisine.
Lastly we have the jasmine rice. As far as the jasmine rice goes, this always seems to work great for me! NOTE: You do not have to have a rice cooker, you can make this on the stove top.
Ingredients
- Jasmine rice (I just eye ball the quantity for 1 serving but if you are serving a crowd, please measure.)
-Water
- Optional, a pinch of salt or dried kelp
Directions
- Wash the rice in a bowl until the water runs clean. Rice is notorious for sticking together and you need to get rid of the extra starch.
- Pour the rice into a medium size pot and pour water over it. Pour enough so that 1/2 an inch of water is above the rice.
- Bring the rice to a boil. Reduce to a simmer until almost all of the water is evaporated.
-Fluff with a fork, put on a lid and remove it from the heat source. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes.
If you want to time this recipe just right, make the cucumbers first. Their timing really doesn't matter. Then do the prep for the vegetables and then make the rice. Once the rice starts boiling, then cook the vegetables. They should finish around the same time. I really hope you enjoy these recipes and try them some day! Thanks for reading!
Just a side note though, the cucumber side dish and the vegetable stir fry are very different in flavor so you might want to eat one first, and then the other. They are probably not meant to be on the same plate but I was feeling it The bell peppers are pretty strong and can make the cucumber side dish taste funny if you are eating both. lol. You have been warned!
1 large garlic clove, minced
