For Orthodox of both eastern and western rites, the period leading up to Christmas is a time of abstaining from animal products. Fish may be ok, shellfish too, but meat, dairy and eggs are right out. So we find other things to do. These two recipes have become mainstays for me this season, already: and I’m surprised I never thought of them before. Both allow for a lot of variation and so I’ve added notes to each. Salad goes nicely with them.
Ramen Miso
We will start with the soup. You see the ramen packs above, that’s what we want – but throw out the flavour packets. It’s all salt and some other crap. It’s totally pointless: what we want is the noodles.
Bring two or three cups of water to a boil. To this add some miso paste: follow the instructions on the package, mine says 1 tbl per cup of water. Then add one extra serving – so for two cups of water, I add 3 tbls of miso. YMMV. Then add the noodles and simmer until tender. Salt and pepper for taste.
That’s it. Miso soup with ramen.
It’s also very boring. So: try adding diced up tofu, seitan, or tempe. This can be flavoured anyway you want. Try adding veggies! I’ve found that a bag of frozen mixed veggies works just fine here. As does leftover Chinese food diced up. Stir fry something or add it raw and simmer until done. Greens are good, bok choi rocks. Last night I had it with box choi and mushooms. This works really well for two servings: one for supper and one to take to the office.
Frybread
This one is a little more complex but very tasty.
Combine 2/3 Cup self-rising flour with 1/2 tbl of NRG Egg Replacer powder. Whisk the dry ingredients together and stir in about 2/3 cup of water. You want a very stiff dough and, depending on the flour and the weather, you may not need all of it, but you don’t want it runny: a well mixed cookie dough is about right.
Heat up a couple of tbls of olive oil or canola oil in a deep frying pan for which you have a lid. You’re going to want about 3 inches above the bread – so pick wisely and do so before you have hot oil!
Place the dough in the oil and spread it out a little. It should start frying instantly. Add the cover and then get a couple of tbls of water. Carefully spritz the water around the bread and cover instantly. DANGER Water and Hot Oil is a volatile mix. Be very careful. What you are doing is setting of a mixed cooking method of steam and fry.
In about three or four minutes the bread will rise up be easy to flip over with a turner. Cover again and cook until done (another 3 or 4 mins).
DANGER there is still hot oil here…
Slice, spread some vegan butter spread on top and nom away.
Variations that I’ve tried so far this year: instead of water I added almond-based “winter nog” and some sugar got a wonderful fried dessert product. I’ve mixed the bread with 1/3 cup self-rising flour and 1/3 cup self-rising cornmeal and had fried corn bread! Instead of water I’ve added veggie broth – very savoury bread! I’ve also made it with mushroom broth. One failure though: I tried it with cranberry sauce. Just don’t do it.
Doxos 