bulgogi spring rolls

Although I have a more authentic (and still easy-to-make) recipe for Korean Bulgogi - which is barbecue that is served in lettuce leaves - in my cookbook Vegan Bowls [Amazon, B&N], I wanted to make a more portable version of this dish, so putting it into rice roll wrappers seemed to be the answer.

This version is simpler and less traditional, but still very delicious in its own right. I used my SteaK Setian recipe for this (found HERE), but you can also use portobello mushrooms or even tofu, if you like. The seitan is quite delicious, though, and isn't difficult to make at all.

The seitan is grilled to perfection after marinating in the sweet and salty mixture for a little while (or overnight) and is then chopped into strips.

The seitan is then rolled into rice spring roll wrappers along with rice noodles (I used udon noodles here), carrots, lettuce leaves, scallions and the ssamjang sauce, which is a spicy paste (here turned into a sauce) that usually accompanies Korean barbecue.

Although the recipe calls for doenjang (a fermented soybean paste) and gochujang (a spicy chili pepper paste), you can use dark miso (not white - it is too sweet) and sriracha as substitutes.

It is very important that you don't soak the rice paper for a long time; soak it only until it is pliable. It will soften up further as it sits with the moist ingredients rolled into it. A mistake folks often make is soaking it too long (please, ignore the package directions to soak for up to a minute) and then having the paper fall apart on them before they have a chance to roll it up. Remember: only until it is pliable.

Now, go forth and create your own masterpiece.

Bulgogi Spring Rolls 

Serves 4

Marinade:

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari

1 tablespoon date paste*** or sugar

1/2 medium apple, cored and chopped

2 medium garlic cloves

1/2 order Seitan SteaK or 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and gills scraped out

Sauce:

2 tablespoons hot water

1 tablespoons doenjang or dark miso

1 tablespoon date paste*** or sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons gochujang or sriracha

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds 

Rolls:

8 (9-inch) spring roll wrappers

8 small lettuce leaves

1 large carrot, julienned

3 scallions, minced

4 ounces dry rice noodles or udon, cooked and cooled under running water, reserve the hot water for the spring roll wrappers

1. Combine the broth, tamari, sweetener, apple and garlic in a small blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a shallow pan and add the seitan. Coat well and set aside to marinade, from 10 to 60 minutes. 

2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat for 4 minutes. Spray with oil and add the seitan. Cook, about 4 minutes per side, basting as needed. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When cool, cut into strips.

3. Make the sauce by combining the hot water, doenjang, sweetener, gochujang and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Mix well until everything is dissolved. 

4. Dip a spring roll wrapper into the hot water reserved from the pasta and soak for 5 to 10 seconds, depending on how hot the water is. Soak only until the wrapper is pliable. It will soften once you add the other moist ingredients. Add a lettuce leaf and spread with the sauce. Add some seitan, carrots, scallions, and noodles. Roll up like a burrito, from the back roll to halfway and then fold in the sides. Finally roll it all the way up.  Serve or store, covered, for later enjoyment. 

*** Date Paste: Pit 10 medjool dates. Add to a mason jar and fill with enough water to cover, about 1 cup. Soften overnight in the fridge. Blend until very smooth, including the soaking liquid.  

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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pantry+ the southern hot mess

Sometimes, late at night, when thoughts keep me up and I'm too tired to read, but I need some mindless bs to take my mind off things, I turn on the TV to the food channel. I'm a cook, so that makes sense for me.

One of those restless nights found me staring at Diners Drive-ins and Dives. Unfortunately for me (and the animals), it was another BBQ show - Guy seems to showcase those joins way too often. This time, however, my head popped off the pillow, in the middle of drifting off to sleep, when I heard the term "sweet potato." In a BBQ joint? Sweet potato was being featured?

Of course, the sweet potato was only a vessel, but still, there was promise here. The woman cook goes on to share that, yes, indeed, this is a true Southern favorite. I was in.

This is The Southern Hot Mess - originally with cheese, brisket, bacon and chipotle crema - all animal-based. It's time for another flip. And this is a Pantry+ recipe! This recipe uses 4 pantry items (HERE) and 7 fresh items.

The Southern Hot Mess:

Equipment:
oven
small blender [such as Magic Bullet]
cast-iron skillet
small bowl

Pantry ingredients:
Oregano
Cumin
Chickpeas
Chipotle en adobo

Fresh ingredients:
Sweet potato
Lime
Garlic
Green onions
Chili powder
Vegan bacon
Vegan sour cream

You blend all the ingredients to make the adobo sauce and set it aside. Cook the chickpeas in the dry skillet until golden and then add the reserved sauce. This is our chickpea adobo.

Prepare your vegan bacon (I *love* the tofu bacon from Everyday Vegan Eats, but now I air-fry it instead of pan-frying it - so good!!), mix up the simple chipotle sauce and just wait for your sweet potatoes to bake. Then split the potatoes, top with all the goodies and go to town.

The Southern Hot Mess (a Pantry+ recipe)
Makes 4 servings
Pantry list is HERE.

4 medium sweet potatoes
Sea salt, as needed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked chickpeas
4 strips vegan bacon (such as tofu, seitan or tempeh)
1/4 cup vegan sour cream or mayonnaise
1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle puree*
2 green onions, minced

1. Wash the sweet potatoes, pierce them in 4 or 5 places with a knife and sprinkle with salt. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F and bake until tender (no need to wait to preheat), about 60 minutes. 
2. To make the adobo, combine the water, lime juice, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small blender and blend until smooth. Set aside. Heat a dry medium cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chickpeas and cook until golden, about 10 minutes, mashing the beans lightly as they cook. Add the adobo sauce, cover the skillet and cook until the sauce is absorbed and the chickpeas are flavorful, about 8 to 10 minutes, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.
3. Cook the vegan bacon either in the oven or in a skillet, either with oil or oil spray, until crisp. Chop and set aside. Combine the sour cream and chipotle, mix well and set aside.
4. Split a cooked potato in half, top with the adobo chickpeas, add some chipotle cream, sprinkle on some bacon and green onions and serve. 


*Chipotle Puree: Blend an entire can of chipotle en adobo in a small blender until smooth. Transfer to a mason jar and store with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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