Indulge in these
vegetarian dishes

Here are the recipes for dishes prepared by Elaine Tsui and Chef Siuyick Fong of The Buddhist Vegetarian Restaurant on "Hawaii's Kitchen" this week. The program airs at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday and is rebroadcast at the same time the following Saturday on KHON/FOX2.

Taro Basket with
Assorted Vegetables

Taro basket
One 6-8-inch long taro root, about 2 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons potato starch
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup shredded lettuce

Vegetable filling
1/2 cup diced dried bean curd (stir fried)
1/2 cup diced bamboo shoot (blanched, and drained)
1/2 cup diced carrot (boiled)
1/2 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced button mushrooms
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup cashew nuts
1/3 teaspoon of salt
1/3 teaspoon of sugar
Pinch each of black pepper and potato starch
Dash each of soy sauce, sesame oil, vegetarian oyster sauce, and cooking wine
Cornstarch and water mixture for thickening

Skin taro and slice thinly, then shred.

Add the 1 teaspoon salt and 4 teaspoons potato starch to a cup of water and stir well. Add 1 cup of the shredded taro, and enough water to cover. Soak for about 4 hours to soften.

Rinse the soaked taro for 20 minutes and dry thoroughly with a large towel.

Coat the dry taro with the 1/2 cup cornstarch. Arrange the shreds in a basket shape inside a 7-inch stainless steel bowl. Cover it with a heat-proof perforated bowl or sieve of the same size. Deep fry until you see only a small amount of bubbles in the oil. Remove taro basket and drain.

Dish out taro basket on a bed made of the shredded lettuce.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute the diced green pepper and celery in the hot oil. Add and stir fry the remaining vegetables. Stir in the 1/3 teaspoon salt, the sugar, black pepper, pinch of potato starch, soy sauce, sesame oil and vegetarian oyster sauce with a little water and sprinkle with the cooking wine. Add a little of the cornstarch dissolved in water to thicken the juices. Add the cashew nuts; stir fry briefly.

Dish vegetable mixture into the taro basket, garnish with Chinese parsley and serve.

Crisp Vegetarian Eel

3 ounces black mushrooms (about 14 pieces)
1 bunch of Chinese parsley, chopped
1/2 red chile, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon potato starch
Dash each of sesame oil and pepper
Shredded lettuce
Chinese parsley for garnish

Batter:
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon potato starch
1/2 cup low gluten flour
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
Pinch of salt

Combine the batter ingredients, stirring, to make a thin paste. Set Aside.

Soak mushrooms in water for 1 hour to soften.

Remove the stalks of the mushrooms and reserve for another use. Add half of the seasoning and 1/2 cup of water to the mushroom caps and steam for 40 minutes.

Cut mushroom caps circularly from the edge to the center. Squeeze out excess water. Add the remaining seasoning and the 1 teaspoon of potato starch and mix. Add 1 cup of batter to mushrooms.

Put coated mushrooms ,a few at a time, into 325 degree oil, deep fry until golden yellow and drain.

Saute the chopped Chinese parsley and red chili, add the fried mushrooms, and stir well.

Dish out onto a bed of shredded lettuce. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Click for online
calendars and events.