Waga's Moyashi Soba - adapted (vegan & gluten-free)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

Chris Cornell ~ Safe & Sound
The Black Keys ~ Sister
Thunder ~ Radio
Vivaldi ~ Violin Concerto in F Minor (Winter)
Shakira ~ Octavio Dia
Carole King ~ So Far Away
Joan Jett ~ Jezebel
Billie Holiday ~ Long Gone Blues
KT Tunstall ~ Saving My Face
Adam Ant ~ Goody Two Shoes
Thunder ~ The Thing I Want
Sheryl Crow ~ Wildflower
Janiva Magness ~ I Don't Want You On My Mind
Sara Sant'Ambrogio ~ Vocalise


Now this little bowl of yumminess isn't much of a looker...I give you that. But what it lacks in colour it sure makes up for in flavours. The original recipe from Wagamama's self titled cookbook calls for even less colour. As I am a fan of eating the rainbow of vegetables I struggle when I look at a dish that is...well...brown. But I took one for the team and was very happy that I did. The comfort that eating a bowl of noodle soup brings is priceless. Buckwheat soba noodles are by far my favourite noodles and so I devoured and slurped my way through them with glee. This is a messy, messy dish but isn't that all part of the fun? 

The stock is savoury and packed out with the flavours of the noodles and garlic/Braggs/sesame oil mix. I made some simple substitutions to make it suitable for my tastes and dietary requirements. I reduced the amount of veggie oil used and also the sesame oil. I swapped out using cane sugar for a scant amount of agave syrup instead. Those who are a regular readers will know that I have issues with mushrooms...so I subbed the slugs mushrooms for mange tout. My final change was using Braggs instead of soy sauce or tamari. 

For the original recipe I suggest you take a look at Waga's The Wagamama Cookbook. There are many great veggie recipes between the covers and easily  converted to vegan and gluten-free lifestyle. 

I love the Wagamamas days...and tonight I have leftovers to enjoy...

Waga's Moyashi Soba - adapted

Waga's Moyashi Soba   Serves 2
(Adapted from The Wagamama Cookbook/Arnold)

180g/6oz dried soba noodles
1 litre/1 3/4 pints low sodium veggie stock
1 tsp veggie oil 
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 large courgettes, cut on the diagonal into 5mm thick slices
2 small leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
15 mangetout, trimmed, cut into thirds
14 sugarsnap peas, trimmed and sliced
125g/4.5 oz marinated tofu pieces, finely diced
1/2 tsp agave syrup
2 tbsp Braggs liquid animos
1/2 tsp sesame oil
4 spring onions, trimmed and sliced

Cook the noodles as per packet instructions. Drain immediately and refresh under cold running water. Divide between two bowls. Bring veggie stock to a boil and ladle over the noodles. 

Meanwhile, heat a wok over a medium heat for 1-2 minutes or until completely hot and almost smoking and add the veggie oil. Stir fry the garlic for 5 seconds then add all the veggies and tofu, reserving a few pieces of spring onion for a garnish. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the agave and Braggs then drizzle over the sesame oil. Divide between the bowls and top with the reserved spring onion. 

Enjoy! 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your week is glowing...

~Red~

NB: This recipe is not my creation and therefore take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the adapted recipe from the folks at Wagamama's. I thank them for sharing such great recipes. ~R~  

Green Gumbo (vegan)

Rocket & Roses Kitchen Play List:

James Rhodes ~ 5 album 

It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sorry for that and I still haven't been well enough to get in the kitchen for some much needed kitchen therapy. However this doesn't mean I haven't been enjoying some lovely vegan food. ML has been endeavouring to make recipes that spark my interest from other people's kitchens/books. And that is how I came to devour...ahem..savour this gumbo. Now it may not have great photo appeal but it is seductive from that first mouthful. 

I confess here and now that we used giant cous cous in this version. The original recipe calls for bulgar wheat or cous cous but you could make a very good gumbo with quinoa or maize cous cous so that choice is, as always, yours. I wanted to try the giant cous cous just for a change as I've been eating a lot of quinoa of late and I can tolerate small amounts of wheat so for me it was success. There was something indulgent in every plump little morsel of cous cous. 

The only sub that ML made was using yellow pepper in the place of green pepper. No reason other than we didn't have any green when it came time to make the evening meal. I quite enjoy green peppers but the yellow was a lovely pop of sunshine. I even agreed to the okra and can now happily report I enjoyed it. The gumbo is delicately flavoured and has many great textures and as suggested the tabasco sprinkled over the individual servings provided that good kinda hot kick. I really loved this meal and I look forward to enjoying it again soon.

Green Gumbo ~ vegan goodness

Green Gumbo    Serves 2

1 tsp olive oil
140g/5oz okra, trimmed and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
50g/20z bulgar wheat, giant cous cous or cooked quinoa
100g/4oz leek, halved and sliced
1/2 green pepper, chopped (we used yellow)
2 celery sticks, chopped
100g/4oz kale, tough stalks removed, shredded
large handful parsley, finely chopped
a few thyme sprigs, leaves stripped (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
500ml hot low sodium veggie stock
tabasco sauce (optional)

Heat a saucepan over a med heat and add the oil. Add the okra and saute until turning golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds until fragrant, then pour in the hot veggie stock. Add the bulgar wheat or cous cous, leek, green pepper and celery, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the kale, parsley and thyme. Simmer for 5 minutes more, by which time the bulgar or cous cous should be plumped and cooked. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vinegar. Taste the broth and season to taste. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with tabasco if desired. 

Enjoy!

Thank you to ML for keeping me supplied with beautiful foods even on the days when eating is not my chosen thing to do. Ah well...onwards and upwards folks. Thank you for stopping by and being the loyal followers that you are. You rock! Hope your days are beautiful ones...

~Red~ 

NB: This is not my recipe and therefore I take no credit for it whatsoever. I cannot give thanks where it's rightfully due as it was a recipe ripped from a magazine some time ago. But I do send out thanks to whoever the creator was. ~R~