GO VEGAN. WHY NOT?

Salad Pockets

Have you worked with rice paper wrappers?  Do it tomorrow.  You'll be so proud of yourself and feel quite smug when people say they think you're a genius and that they've never tasted such tender Spring Rolls.  Smug because Spring Rolls are so cheap to make, simple to assemble, and because the quality of your fresh rolls can't help but beat the two-(or more)-day-old, wrapped-in-plastic things people accept as Spring Rolls and pay quite a lot for.

I brought a platter of Spring Rolls and dipping sauce to a party today.  Above is a picture of them on a sheet of white parchment paper.  Below are some pictures of the event held at the great artist Ira Yeager's wine country studio.  Pictured on top are our hosts.  Top left picture is Ira with a dear friend.  Top right photo is George Hellyer, Ira's husband.  There were wonderful musicians and a beautiful artist's model who carried the cake to the guests of honor on his head.  Quite stunning, let me tell you.  There were some very cute puppies there too!

                             

Spring Rolls - makes 24

round rice paper wrappers - one package of 24

romaine lettuce: 1/2 a head sliced into very thin ribbons

scallions: three, sliced into fine rounds

cilantro: one small bunch rough chopped

mint: 1/2 bunch rough chopped

bean sprouts: 8 ounces

juice of 1/2 lemon

dry roasted and salted peanuts: 1 cup chopped

Fill a 12-inch flat bottomed pan, or any other container that will hold the wrappers easily, with warm tap water.  The water doesn't need to be terribly hot.  Have the open rice papers package handy. 

Put all the vegetables in a big bowl, juice the lemon half over all, and toss.

Position the chopped peanuts in a bowl next to the vegetables.

On your work surface, have a fresh dry towel to put the wet wrappers on and another fresh towel for patting the exposed surface of the wrap dry.

Close by have the platter or serving tray ready to receive your creations.  A layer of brown parchment paper looks nice.

We're creating an assembly line here, so think about it.  Do you work left to right? right to left?  If the assembly line makes sense to you, the rest is easy.

Drop two rice papers in the warm water and allow to soak for approximately two minutes.  Gently transfer the softened wrapper from the water to the waiting towel.  Pat the top dry.  You will determine how fat/long/thin/stuffed/peanutty, etc. you like your Rolls.  Start this way: on the bottom third of the wrapper, spoon approximately two tablespoons of the vegetables.  Sprinkle with 1/2-teaspoon chopped peanuts.  Fold the sides in.  Fold the bottom up to cover the filling and roll to finish.  Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

If not serving immediately, separate layers with parchment paper and cover well with plastic wrap.  Don't refrigerate - that will dry them out.  Garnish plate with mint leaves.

Dipping Sauce

mirin: 1/2-cup

rice vinegar: 1/2-cup

agave: 1/4-cup

pepper flakes: 2-teaspoons

Whisk all ingredients together and correct to taste as tart and sweet as you prefer.

That's it!

By the way, Shirley MacLaine says: "Go Vegan - Why Not?"

  

I Dream of Burma Superstar

I actually do dream of Burma Superstar restaurant.  Their Vegetarian Samusa Soup to be exact.  Deep-fried Burmese Samusas broken up into an intensely flavored, thick, rich, onion, cabbage and lentil soup.  A bowl of Samusa Soup serves two, but I always order my own and won't share.  Though it's tempting to order so many delicious items from the menu, I realize I'm most happy with the soup and an order of coconut rice.  Totally decadent and delicious.

Though sometimes for dinner it's fun to put your name on the blackboard and wait out on the sidewalk with a mass of people for your name to  be called  - if it's not cold and you're not starving - there are times you can just walk in and get a table.  Mostly for lunch.  They serve 11:00am - 3:30pm.  Arrive on the early or late side.  Dinner service begins @ 5:00pm and we have had luck arriving for a pre-event early supper and getting a table right away.

  

Stick to the Burmese options.  Dishes that sound/look like Chinese food are great but not anything you couldn't find at 25 other restaurants within a 2-block radius.  Harrison (pictured above) especially loves loves loves the Tea Leaf Salad (pictured  below) made with fermented tea leaves.  It's tossed for you @ your table and they'll make it vegetarian or not, the difference only being the addition or subtraction of dried shrimp.  But , whatever else you order, order the soup.  It's dreamy!

 by the way: Natalie Wood says "Go Vegan.  Why Not?" 

 

because i love you

 

   

        

Because I love you, I share this recipe in honor of my Mother.  A Vegan recreation of the incomperable Hot Cross Buns she baked every spring.  A recipe I've perfected, slaving many long hours in the kitchen.  Reincarnated as your new Vegan tradition, sistah.  I am so proud.  In addition to Hot Cross Buns pix above are a few snaps of our Easter Sunday Hot Cross Buns and coffee pre-church gathering.  A great time was had by all.

Hot Cross Bun recipes always specify that they're better eaten the same day they're baked.  Well, to enjoy them for breakfast, when they're usually eaten, you'd have to get up awfully early because this delicious yeast bread requires two risings.  So bake them the night before.  Leave them in their pans overnight covered with foil.  The following morning, with foil still on, warm them in a 170 degree oven for 15 minutes to 1/2-hour.  Separate and decorate.  They're perfect.

Equipment: One recipe requires two 8-inch square pans.  /  You'll also want a pastry bag with plain 1/4-inch round tip for piping the icing (#10 Ateco).  Or, simply fill a plastic bag with the icing, snip a corner off and pipe away.  /  A Pastry Cutter makes short work of cutting the butter into the flour.

Hot Cross Buns - makes 30

Earth Balance non-hydrogenated butter: 6-ounces, plus more for baking pans

all purpose white flour: 5 1/2-cups, plus more, to keep dough from sticking while kneading

white sugar: 3/4-cup, plus 1-teaspoon for proofing yeast

freshly grated nutmeg: 1/2-teaspoon

ground cinnamon: 1/4-teaspoon

ground cardamom: 1/4-teaspoon

salt: 1/2-teaspoon

finely grated zest of two oranges

currants: 4-ounces

golden raisins: 4-ounces

unsweetened milk - soy, almond or hemp: 1-cup

active dry yeast: two 1/4-ounce packets

Ener-G egg replacer powder: 6-teaspoons

water: 1/2 cup

Measure 6-ounces Earth Balance and put into freezer to hold 'til ready. 

Sift flour, sugar, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl.

'Proof' the yeast (always check expiration date).  Measure milk into a microwave-safe cup.  Add 1-teaspoon sugar.  Microwave for 30-45 seconds to the temperature you'd use in a baby's bottle.  Or heat stovetop.  Whisk yeast into milk mixture.  Within 5 - 10 minutes the yeast will foam.

While yeast is proofing, whisk Ener-G egg replacer power with the water.

Cut the frozen butter into the flour/spice mix with fingers or a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse meal.

Make a well in the center of the flour.  Pour in the proofed yeast mixture, the Ener-G mixture, the currants, raisins and orange zest.  Stir with a big spoon 'til it sort of pulls together - there will be a lot of unincorporated flour.  Dump out onto your work surface and knead away for about 10 minutes - until the dough is smooth and elastic.  If dough sticks to work surface, use flour sparingly.

Spray the interior of the mixing bowl with oil.  Drop the dough into the bowl.  Turn the dough over.  Cover loosly with a piece of plastic.  Put the bowl in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour - until the dough has doubled in size.

Butter up your two 8-inch square pans.

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

Knead the risen dough briefly on work surface and divide into two pieces.  While working on the first, put the other back into the bowl and re-cover with the plastic.  Make the dough ball into a log and cut into three equal pieces.  Cut each of those into five equal pieces and roll each into a tight ball.  Place all 15 into a prepared pan.  Repeat with the second ball of dough.

Cover each pan loosly with plastic and set them in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, until the dough has roughly doubled in size.  The buns will now be touching.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Rotate the pans.  Bake another 13 minutes until light golden on top.  

When ready to serve pull the buns apart and pipe icing in a simple cross atop each.

Icing

Ener-G egg replacer powder: 1-1/2 teaspoons

water: 2-Tablespoons

fresh lemon juice: 1 teaspoon

confectioner's sugar: 1 1/2 to 2-cups, sifted

Whip Ener-G with water with an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl for about two minutes, until thick and frothy. 

Add lemon juice and, slowly, the confecitioner's sugar to an almost frosting-like thickness.  It needs to be spooned into your pastry bag, not poured.

Make a cross atop each bun.

Oh, and by the way: Yves Montand says "Go Vegan.  Why Not?"