Appetizer Recipes!
Joyful appetizer and finger foods. Who don’t like them?
Vegetarian Empanadas
Modified version of beef empanadas
Substitute beef with impossible beef or Trader Joe’s vegetarian chorizo.
Diced celery, carrot, frozen peas, corns, garlic, paprika, cumin, and cheddar cheese.
Vegetarian Lotus Leaf Sticky Rice
Presoak 3 cups of sticky rice with 1/4 cup of jasmine rice overnight.
Stir fry shiitake mushroom (cut in half) with oil, soy sauce. Set aside.
In a big pan, add oil, diced garlic, salt, and pepper. Add the uncooked presoaked rice (drained). Keep stirring and slowly add water till some rice start to turn translucent. Total water will be about 2 cups.
Pull boiling water to the lotus leaves to soften and also rinse off any dirt. Trim off the hard part of the leaves at the top.
Put about 2 tbsp of cooked rice in the center of the lotus leaf (use two layers of leaf). Add shiitake mushroom, boiled egg (or salted egg), tofu. For non-vegetarian: add chicken and dried shrimps. Fold from left and right toward the center, then top to bottom to form like a parcel.
Steam at high heat for 30 minutes in a steamer.
Air Fried Healthy Vegetarian Egg Rolls
Egg roll skin such as this brand from Singapore.
Fillings: Diced celery, carrots, onion, shiitake mushroom, and pre-soaked vermicelli. Optional: impossible beef. For non-vegetarian: add shrimps. Add salt, pepper, mushroom spice, garlic powder, one egg, 2 tbsp of corn starch. Mix well. If the fillings contain too much water, put it on a strainer as you make the egg rolls. Brush the edge of the egg rolls with egg white to make it easy to seal.
Set air fry to 350 F (176 C). Brush the egg rolls with oil all around. Bake till they are golden.
Vegetarian Gyozas (Potstickers)
Wrap: Use a nice brand like this one.
Fillings: Diced celery, carrots, onion, shiitake mushroom. Optional: impossible beef. For non-vegetarian: add shrimps. For authenticity, add napa cabbage by precooked it and squeeze out all the water, then dice. Add salt, pepper, mushroom spice, garlic powder, one egg, 2 tbsp of corn starch. For healthy folks, add a tbsp of chia seeds (they will look like black pepper)! Brush the edge of the potsticker skin with water to make it easy to seal.
Pan fry at medium heat till it is golden on both sides. Add one cup of hot boiling water, at high heat, and cover for a few minutes. Ready to serve hot with dipping sauce: soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, mushroom spice, and sesame or olive oil. Add shredded fresh ginger if you like ginger.
Turnip Cake (Classic Dim Sum Dish)
Soak shiitake mushrooms, drain, and dice.
Shred one whole daikon radish.
In a large pot, add oil and grounded garlic. Add the diced shiitake mushrooms. Add soy sauce. Add the shredded daikon radish. Add salt, mushroom spice, and black pepper. For non vegetarian, add dried shrimps or scallops. Add 2 cups of water. Let it simmer at low heat for about 10 minutes.
In a big bowl, mix 3 cups of white rice flour and 2.5 cups of water. Add some oil and salt. Stir well. Add this to the cooked daikon radish. Reduce heat and stir for 30 seconds.
Pour into two shallow stainless steel square trays and steam at high heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
Once it is cool, cut into squares, pan fry and serve with Sriracha sauce.
Chive Fillings
Grandma’s Chive Buns
Fillings: Mix diced fresh chives with oil, salt, mushroom spice, and black pepper.
Dough:
Add 3 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch Bring to boil. Then add 4 cups of fine rice flour. Stir and put the lid on. Turn off the heat, Let it covered for 15 minutes. Use the mixer to blend the dough. Add some oil and hot water if needed.
Dough, Steam Buns, or Pan Fry
Hand make the buns with the chive fillings inside. Use a rolling pin to help make the bun thickness (less than 3 mm) as thin as possible without breaking it like making dumplings. Steam the buns for 15 minutes in a steamer. Serve hot or pan fry.