Home-made Yummy Vegetarian Chinese New Year Lou Sang

Chinese New Year is around the corner, thinking what to cook for this reunion dinner?  Having Lou Sang is my family culture every year, I would love to share this recipe for all of you, it's from my MIL, once I tried it, I loved it!!! 

It's so colorful, healthy, yet a delicious dish to serve at Chinese New Year eve - Vegetarian Lou Sang (捞生）.

Lou Sang ingredients: (usually prepare 8 different kind, because 8 means prosperity in chinese)

1 medium pomelo, peeled and sacs separately

1 carrot, shredded

1 small beetroot, shredded

1 cucumber, shredded

1 white radish, shredded

half of small cabbage, shredded

2 cups roasted peanuts, then blend it into small pieces   

1 cup corn flakes 

Sauce ingredients:

5 Tablespoons plum sauce

2 Tablespoons water

1 Tablespoon lime juice

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

A pinch of salt

Serves 8

Arrange all the ingredients into sections on a large serving plate, and sprinkle corn flake on the top before serve, to make sure it is crispy.  

Sprinkle toasted peanut over the dish.

Lastly, added the sauce.

All the Family members gather around, use chopsticks and toss as high as possible, and say "Prosperity!", "Happy Chinese New Year!", or any wishes for you and your families. Then enjoy it! 

Cuttlefish Crystal Rolls

I was gone from my blog for a while because our lovely home added a new family member - baby boy!!!  Did not really cook for months, confinement lady and MIL cooked for me and I just busy to take care of my baby.  "Honeymoon" is over, I need to go back to the same routine, preparing good food for my family but added taking care of baby.  Busy schedule!  

I will try my best to post my new recipes. 

I opened my kitchen closet, saw some left over Vietnam rice paper sheets from the last time I used (They really can store for a long if you keep them away from humid environment).  

This time, I wanted to do something different from the last time.  An idea came to my mind, I am going to change the filling in the wrap and the sauce for it. 

Ingredients:

a. Vietnam rice paper sheets

b. 1 pack of King Oyster mushroom, fried them on a non stick frying pan with some olive oil and a   

    pinch of salt  

c. 1 Japanese cucumber, cut into thin strips

d. 1 ripped avocado, sliced into 10 pieces

e. 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

f. 1 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds

*  Want to know the way to wrap them, please go to my crystal rolls site

Sauce:

1 dried chili (soak in the water for 20 minutes)

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon honey

(Blend well all the ingredients)

sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top

Guacamole Spread and Dip

I fell in love with Guacamole since I studied in USA, my favorite breakfast was home-made whole grain toast with guacamole spread and grapeseed oil veganaise sandwiches.  I am missing it!!!  

Even though I can get the grapeseed oil veganaise at here anymore, but I still able to make Guacamole, because it is a simple recipe and the ingredients are not hard to find.

Ingredients: 

a. 1 ripe avocado, mash with a fork and stir till creamy

b. 1 small onion, finely chopped

c. 1 small tomato, diced

d. 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

e. a pinch of sea salt

f.  1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together and spread on toasts or serve with your favorite corn chips. 

Note:  

Guacamole does not keep well, it oxidizes in the air.  Make it at the last moment before serving.  

Red Dragon Fruit Konnyaku Jelly

Last time I made Konnyaku Jelly and my families really enjoy it.  I made more today because I got a red dragon fruit from my mother's farm.  I always want to give this a try, because I know that this fruit's natural color will make the jellies look appetite and nice.  

What I did was put some finely diced dragon fruit in each mold.  Poured the boiled Konnyaku jelly into the mold and used a chopstick to stir it until the color mix well.  I was so happy because it appeared just like what I expected.   The little tiny black seeds even made the jellies look fresh and cute.   

Put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving.

Booster Pineapple Juice

It is good to have a glass of cold booster pineapple juice in the summer, start to make one for your own.

Ingredients:
a. 2 pieces of ripe pineapple
b. 1 tablespoon honey
c. 1 cup ice cubes
d. 1 strawberry (chopped)

Blend the pineapple and honey in the blender, then add ice cubes blend for 1 minutes.  Yummy!

Bubur Cha Cha with Cendol

I cooked Nonya dessert - Bubur Cha Cha today, but in different version, because I added my favorite, cendol green noodles.  It tastes very good.  

Ingredients:

a. 1 medium sized yam

b. 1 sweet potato (can be yellow, orange, or purple)

c. 50 gram black-eyed peas

d. 1 liter boiling water

e. 200 ml thick coconut milk

f. 80 gram sugar 

g. 1 coconut sugar or gula Melaka  (optional, it gives the good smell and taste)

h. 1 pack cendol green noodles (can find them at the Asian store or Indian shop)

Directions:

1. Peeled the yam and sweet potato, cut them into small cubes, steam about 20-30 minutes.  Use a chopstick to prick through to test if they are cook.

2. Rinse the black-eyed beans.  Cook them in the boiling water about 20 minutes or until soft.  Drain it and prepare to use later.

3. Cook coconut sugar or gula Melaka in separate pot with some water till it dissolved completely.  Drain it with strainer to filter out solid matter.

4. Prepare a big pot with 1 liter of water and sugar, bring it to boil.  Pour in coconut milk, then add in yam, sweet potato, black-eyed peas and coconut sugar.  

5. Taste and add more sugar if needed.  

6. Can served in hot, warm or cold.  Add in cendol green noodles before serve.   

Vegan German Carob Cake

Thank you Debbie for sharing her recipe with me, I have tried to make it for my friend's 26th birthday. They were all like it so so much.

Ingredients for the cake:

a. 3 cups whole wheat flour

b. 1/2 cup honey (I put about 2 tablespoons more in, it depends on you if you want it sweeter)

c. 3 tablespoons vanilla (i use the fake stuff, with no alcohol)

d. 1 teaspoon salt.    

e. 2 tablespoons fake coffee (Roma)  
(If you do not have any, don't worry. i have made it before with out it and it came out alright)          

f. 1/2 cup maple syrup

g. 2+1/4 cups water

h. 1/4 cup carob powder

i. 1/2 cup apple sauce or oil  

(I have always used my own home-cooked applesauce. If you make your own applesauce, save the water that you cooked the apples in and use that water in the cake. that's what i do.)

j. 2 tablespoons baking powder

k. 1 tablespoon baking soda. 

(The recipe does not call for baking soda, that is something that i put in myself. i think it makes it raise more.  It is up to you if you want to use it. i always do.  

Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a sprayed cake pan, bake at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes.  Cool for 15 to 20 minutes then top with nut frosting topping.

Ingredients for Nut Frosting:

a. 1 cup maple syrup

b. 1 cup coconut

c. 1/2 teaspoon salt   

d. 1/2 cup water

e. 1 cup pecans & walnuts

f. 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Toast coconut and chopped nuts in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes, watch carefully so it does not burn,  bring water and maple syrup and salt to a boil.   Add cornstarch mix and stir until mixture dissolves and gets a little thick.  Remove from heat and add the toasted nuts and coconut, stir all together.  Frost cake while frosting is still warm.