Food Friday Sautéed Vegetables

green and purple yardlong beans, cherry tomatoes, and edamame beans

End of season vegetables from my garden: green and purple sitaw, cherry tomatoes, and edamame. I sautéed them in garlic, shallots, fermented anchovies (bagoong monamon), and a little chopped crispy pork rinds (chicharrones). Simply delicious.

Edamame Salad

We don't have AC since Friday and it won't be fixed until tomorrow. Yesterday was a tiny bit comfortable because of the rains and cooler temperature but today it is warm making me lethargic and not willing to lift a finger or I will sweat an ocean. Cooking an elaborate meal or going out to eat doesn't sound appealing. Lunch was rescued by frozen edamame (soy beans) which I boiled and made into a refreshing salad and paired with vegetable gyoza. Simply delicious!

Edamame Salad
1 package frozen (or fresh) shelled edamame
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons wasabi paste, more or less to taste
1 cup shredded well chilled cucumber or daikon radish
1 sheet roasted nori, torn into small pieces
salmon or lumpfish red caviar

• Boil edamame according to package directions. Drain and rinse with ice cold water.
• In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce and wasabi. Add nori and cooked edamame and mix well.
• Divide into 4 individual bowls. Top with shredded cucumber or daikon and sprinkle with roe. Serve cold.

Time for Something Green

For the past 2 or 3 weeks now we have been eating mostly meat and only a few vegetables so it's about time I prepare something green and therefore healthier. I first tasted this dish at a Chinese restaurant called Mama Wok. They serve the best and most authentic Chinese food in my area, in my honest opinion. I have made this a few times already, it is very simple with only 5 ingredients and really delicious.

Edamame with Tofu Skin
1 pound frozen shelled edamame
3 dried soybean sheets
light olive oil
3 cups shredded napa cabbage or any green leafy vegetable
4 spring onions, sliced into ½ inch pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon
water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
sea salt to taste

• Tear tofu sheets into medium size pieces and soften for 5 minutes in 2 cups water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda. Boil edamame for 3 minutes, drain and set aside. In a wok or saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir fry spring onions for 2 minutes, add the napa cabbage, cook for 2 minutes. Drain the tofu and rinse, drain thoroughly. Add to the pan together with the bouillon and 2 cups water, simmer for 5 minutes, then add the edamame, let boil again then thicken with cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Cook for another minute until sauce has thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt.