Vegetarian Products

Todays lesson included the use of a variety of meat analogs: meat substitutes for vegetarian dining.

These include Silken and Firm variations of tofu: soybean curd made by coagulating soy milk then pressing into molds; Result is low in calories and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. Silken Tofu retains a higher water content, allowing it to be used like a mayonnaise or in dressings.

Also, Seitan [Known also as "wheat meat"] This is wheat gluten, made by washing away the starch leaving a malleable substance which can then be shaped into a variety of forms.

As well as Tempeh: fermented soybeans formed into a cake; higher fiber, protein and vitamin content than tofu.

Day Two International Flavors - Asian Noodle Dishes

Todays lesson focused on three points:

How to:

1) Identify the extensive role of noodles in Asian cuisines
2) Identify a variety of Asian noodles and their appropriate cooking methods
3) Prepare a variety of traditional Asian noodle dishes

· Asian cuisine focuses on balance between fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. in each meal
· One way is common inclusion of noodles of various grains in many if not most meals
· Asian noodle making has a 2,000 year history; firmly ingrained portion of the diet
· Huge variety, not only in sizes and shapes, but in type of grain used
· Wheat flour noodles (with or without eggs)
· Rice noodles (rice paper wrappers, rice sticks)
· Mung bean noodles (commonly known as cellophane noodles)
· Agar-Agar noodles
· Buckwheat noodles
· Seaweed noodles
· Tofu (beancurd) noodles
· Noodle types
· Asian wheat noodles
· Chinese egg noodles
· Chow mein noodles
· Soba noodles
· Udon noodles
· Ramen noodles
· Saimen noodles
· Somen noodles
· Cellophane noodles, “Glass noodles” (mung bean)
· Wonton noodles
· Rice stick noodles
· Rice vermicelli