D'Licious Bok Choy with Mock Meat

Happy spring, everyone! Boy, the temperature is getting warmer and the air even smells different! Soon enough, we will be spending more time outside with gardening, entertaining and barbecuing. My life has certainly changed to a different stage since the arrival of the little one. There's limited time to sit down and writing this blog. I still cook, well almost every day but I tend to cook in a hurry. Thus, noting down recipes can be quite tedious. 

When it comes to spring, one can think of spring cleaning. There's another side of spring cleaning that you can try: detox your system by eating meatless meal. In this dish, crispy bok-choy is served with texturized soy protein and shitake mushrooms. It's simple, light yet elegant. Texturized soy protein can be purchased at health food stores or any bulk stores.

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb of green bok-choy
• 4 dried Shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup texturized soy protein
• 1 tbsp cooking oil 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 slices of ginger
• 2 tbsp vegetarian style "oyster" sauce
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp corn starch

METHOD: 

1. Soak dried shitake mushrooms and texturized soy proteins with boiling water for 20 minutes. Once soft, slice mushrooms thinly and cut the soy proteins into cubes
2. In a small bowl, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vegetarian style "oyster" sauce, water and corn starch. Mix well with a spoon
3. In a pot of boiling water, blanch bok-choy for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the bok-choy on a serving plate
4. In a small pan, heat up 1 tbsp of cooking oil and sesame oil
5. Once hot, add in the garlic and ginger and cook till the garlic turns golden brown
6. Stir in the mushrooms and texturized soy protein. Cook for another 3 minutes 
7. Add in the sauce, cook till boil and pour over the bok-choy

Vietnamese Chicken Pho

Soft, silky and delicate rice noodle topped with shredded chicken, crunchy beansprouts and refreshing Thai basil leaves. A soup that is so rich and flavourful with warm aromatic spices...A bowl of Vietnamese Chicken or Beef Pho is surely comforting in this cold weather. I am one of those people who are always craving for Vietnamese Pho whenever the temperature is frigid out there. However, it is a challenge to get myself out of the house...not to mention, I have to bundle up and start my car. The challenge is getting harder when I have a baby to bring along and eating-out is no longer fun. The solution: well, why not make this Vietnamese rice noodle soup right at home?

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Vidalia onion
• 1 knob ginger
• 1/2 bunch of coriander/cilantro
• 1 can chicken broth 
• 2 L water 
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 small piece of Chinese rock sugar  
• 1 whole chicken 
• 1 pack of think rice noodle

Spices: 

• 2 star anises
• 2 inch cinnamon stick 
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 4 cardamoms
• 2 tbsp cloves
• 2 tsp whole black peppercorns 

Toppings:

• Bean sprouts
• Cilantro
• Thai basil 
• Green onions, sliced thinly
• Lime wedges
• 1 Vidalia onion, sliced thinly
• Sriracha hot sauce
• Hoisin sauce 
• Shredded chicken breast (see recipe)
  

METHOD: 

1. Halve one Vidalia onions (unpeeled) and ginger 
2. Heat up a non-stick pan on high. Place the halved onions and ginger on the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Rotate the onions and ginger every few minutes to get an even char (do not worry if they get burnt). Remove and place in a stock pot 
3. In the same pan, heat up the spices on medium heat till fragrant. Wrap the spices with a cheese cloth, tie up and place in the stock pot 
4. In a stock pot, add in 2 L of water, 1 can of chicken broth, salt, fish sauce, rock sugar and 1/2 bunch of cilantro 
5. Boil the liquid on high heat. Add in the whole chicken and continue cooking till boil 
6. Once boiled, lower the heat to low-medium heat and simmer for 45 minutes 
7. Using tongs, remove the chicken and place it in a bowl of iced water for 10 to 15 minutes
8. Remove and shred the chicken breast. Return the chicken carcass into the stock pot and simmer gently for another hour 
9. To cook rice noodle: follow the package instructions 
10. To assemble pho: Place the rice noodle in a bowl and top with shredded chicken breast, bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, onion slices and green onions. Ladle soup broth into the bowl
11. Serve with lime wedges, Sriracha and hoisin sauce