Veganism vs. Ethnic Foods

When thinking of healthy foods and veganism, the image of cleanly dressed bowls of salad with pretty little garnishes on the side often comes to mind. Raw vegetables and westernized cuisine have become the face of modern foods, and we forget that veganism has been in some cultures for thousands of years. People of color have always been excluded from veganism in the West and ethnic cuisines have always been seen as the unhealthy option on the menu. For example, the stereotype of westernized Chinese food as excessively using MSG and oil has changed western audiences’ outlooks on all Chinese food. 

Going to restaurants such as Panda Express is obviously not the right answer for health either. However, traditional Chinese food yields much more nutritional value than a simple salad. Western cuisine usually incorporates meat as the centerpiece of the dish, whereas in Asian cuisine, meat is simply a side ingredient that is used to enhance the flavors of the dish itself. For instance, an American steak dish’s main selling point will be the meat itself, whereas, in a dish like Chinese Peking duck, the meat is wrapped in a thin pancake with green onions and special sauce. Any given Chinese dish you encounter will always incorporate protein, vegetables, and sometimes carbohydrate all in one bite, giving all the nutrition in a value-sized proportion. 

In reality, many ethnic foods have had healthy vegan options that never needed a substitute protein. Buddhism, originating in India, has played a large part in the veganism movement and values not consuming animal products. For thousands of years, people in Asia who practice Buddhism have refrained from eating meat while still maintaining their health. Traditional Indian recipes like the vegan goan feijoada, and moong dals are rich in minerals and vitamins that simple romaine lettuce will not be able to provide. Moreover, foods that contain carbohydrates, often found in ethnic foods, have been greatly condemned and shunned by the western health community. Carbohydrates, or “carbs,” are essential to the human body, and are one of the basic food groups that build the body’s ATP energy. Carbs can be found in almost every ethnic cuisine from tortillas, to rice, to pita bread. 

Eurocentric recipes have transformed the food community and shunned ethnic foods from the health cateogory, and though the issue ties closely with dismantling euro-centricity in the modern world, the inclusion of other cuisines from other races can be done. We can all actively start to experiment with different recipes and ways of cooking and remind ourselves that health does not only come from raw lettuce and carrots. Start looking away from the bowl of salad, and start looking more towards the colorful world of aromatic spices from around the world. 

Recipe for Moong Dal (courtesy of holycowvegan.net): 

Ingredients: 
1½ cups mung lentils (split yellow moong dal, without the skin)
½ tsp turmeric
2 green chile peppers (like serrano, split down the middle, deseed for less heat)
1 tbsp ginger (grated)
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
10 cloves garlic (you can use more for an even more garlicky dal. Peel the garlic cloves and crush the whole cloves with the flat portion of the knife, then chop roughly. You don't want to mince them--there should be some big pieces of garlic in the dal)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cilantro (optional, for garnish)

Instructions: 

1. Boil clean lentils with turmeric, green chilies and ginger to infuse the flavors with the lentils 

2. In a pressure cooker, cover the dal with two inches of water and cook for three whistles, or for approx 10 minutes after it reaches pressure depending on your model (check your manufacturer instructions).

3. On the stovetop, place the rinsed lentils, turmeric, chile peppers, and ginger in a saucepan and cover with at least two inches of water. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer, and let the lentils cook until they're really soft. Check frequently and add water if the lentils dry up. There should always be enough water in the pan to cover the lentils while they cook.

4. Once the lentils are cooked, I like blending half of them to a smooth puree and mixing them back with the remaining lentils. This gives your dal a really creamy texture, while still retaining some complexity.

5. Make the tempering or tadka by heating the coconut oil in a saucepan.

6. Add the mustard seeds. As soon as they begin to sputter, add the garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until the garlic pieces turn golden but don't let them burn.

7. Add the dal to the pot and mix well. Add more water if needed. 

8. Once the dal comes to a boil and has the right consistency, let it continue to simmer for five more minutes. Check salt, turn off the heat, and garnish with the cilantro, if using.

Dal is not meant to be thick in most cases--it should be soupy but creamy so you can mix it into your rice.

Recipe for wonton soup (courtesy of thewoksoflife.com): 

Ingredients: 
10 oz. baby bok choy or similar green vegetable
(280g)
8 oz. ground pork (225g)
2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil (plus more for the stock)
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 package wonton wrappers
6 cups chicken stock (about 1.5 liters)
1 scallion (chopped)

Instructions: 

1. Start by thoroughly washing the vegetables. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the vegetables just until wilted, about 60-90 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water.

2. Grab a good clump of veg and carefully squeeze out as much water as you can. Very finely chop the vegetables (you can also speed up the process by throwing them in the food processor). Repeat until all the vegetables are chopped.

3. In a medium bowl, add the finely chopped vegetables, ground pork, 2 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil, pinch of white pepper, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1-2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine. Mix very thoroughly until the mixture is totally emulsified—almost like a paste.

4. To assemble: Fill a small bowl with water. Grab a wrapper and use your finger to moisten the edges of the wrapper. Add a little over a teaspoon of filling to the middle. Fold the wrapper in half and press the two sides together so you get a firm seal.

5. Hold the bottom two corners of the little rectangle you just made (the side where the filling is) and bring the two corners together. You can use a bit of water to make sure they stick. 

6. At this point, you can cook (boil) and taste a couple of wontons and adjust the seasoning of your filling to taste––you can always add a little more Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and/or white pepper to your liking.

7. Once you're happy with the flavor of the filling, keep assembling until all the filling is gone. Place the wontons on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper, and make sure they are not touching (this will prevent sticking).

8. If you'd like to freeze your wontons right away, you can cover the wontons with plastic wrap, put the baking sheet/plate into the freezer, and transfer them to freezer bags once they’re frozen. They’ll keep for a couple of months in the freezer, and be ready for wonton soup whenever you want it.

9. To make the soup, heat your chicken stock to a simmer and add 2-3 teaspoons sesame oil and white pepper and salt to taste.

10. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Carefully add the wontons one at a time to the pot. Pick up the pot and use a swirling, twisting motion to keep the pot moving and prevent the wontons from sticking to the bottom. If they do stick, don’t worry, They should come free once they’re cooked. Once they're floating, boil them for another 1-2 minutes. Take care not to overcook them – mushy wontons are a sin! Remove the wontons with a slotted spoon and put them in bowls.

11. Pour the soup over the wontons and garnish with scallions. Serve!