Sunday, February 07, 2010

a wok in the snow

Al fresco dining, anyone?
With a few strategic cuts, Dr X's patio table would make a great squirrel igloo.

In case you have been leaving in a vaccum, the East Coast – from Philly to Virginia – got hammered Friday night with "Snowmageddon." Philadelphia accumulated 28 inches of the white stuff.


What better way to spend snowed-in evening than cooking and eating? I took a walk in the snow to the Reading Terminal Market, and bought some broccoli, portobellos, ginger and garlic ....



Then I pulled out my trusty wok and stir-fried the veggies with about a cup of seitan strips. The loft swelled with the tantalizing aroma of sweet garlic and zesty ginger, sizzling away in peanut oil.



I ate the stir-fry atop a mountain of fiber-packed brown rice ... and made myself a guilty-pleasure Lemon Drop to wash it down with. [Lemon Drop drink recipe is in my cookbook, The Urban Vegan.]



Incidentally, if you take good care of your wok, it will take good care of you. After using, scrub it down, dry it, and oil it well before you store it. Not only will it keep the wok from rusting, but it will also help create a kick-ass, non-stick cooking surface.

16 comments:

albert said...

Oh man that was you I saw in RTM earlier today! I work over at Fair Food Farmstand and thought I saw you, but I didn't fully see your face and I haven't seen you in a couple of years. Oh well. If you're in RTM and passing by FFF, stop by!

Robin said...

You all are getting hammered by the snow! Any certain wok you could recommend?

Jackie said...

Saw it all on the News. Glad I am not you. Even we have had weird weather, more rain in January than the whole of 2009 and the weather chilly, not like Summer at all. I know they call it Global Warming but why are we all so cold?

I really must have another bash at making seitan. My first try a disaster but yours always looks good and I am sure tastes yummy. Your wok looks very much like mine with many years of use behind it :)

Virginie P. said...

Oh ! There is snow in Philly too. I hope you enjoy it.

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urban vegan said...

Robin: My wok is a Joyce Chen wok and I love it....but as I say, you gotta' take care of it.

Carrie™ said...

Well, guess what? It finally snowed here. There is maybe an inch and it stayed on the ground. This made me very happy. Some say I'm crazy for being a winter embracer. I like the clean crispness. Aren't walks in the snow after a storm the absolute best?! Everything is so pretty & clean. No one is around and it's so quiet & peaceful. I just love it!
What a great meal. Dinners like that are wonderful for the tummy & the soul. I oil up my wok after each use too. I've had mine for eons. ♥ to you Dynise. Keep warm and safe in your winter wonderland.

Anonymous said...

Love your blog and your cookbook. Since I am trying to veganize all areas of my life, could you give some tips on the sites you rely on for vegan clothes, shoes etc. and any tips on how one can do it on a tight budget??

Thanks

The Vegan Snorkeler said...

Good wok tips. I treat my cast iron pans that way, and they are the best.

Seriously, this snow is ridiculous!

Cynthia said...

I love my wok too!

Hey, that header is killer good! Love it!

Babette said...

It really looks delish =)

And using a wok is so much fun. It's big and you can cook a ton without using too much oil.

urban vegan said...

Anonymouse: There are vegan clothes, shoes everywhere: Thrift stores, box shops, etc. My fave vegan site is VeganEssentials.com. If you sign up, they send coupons every once in awhile, so I wait for the coupons until I order. I find they are much cheaper for things like contact lens solution and hair products I like than Whole Foods (aka Whole Paycheck).

As for a tight budget, my bibles are the Tightwad Gazette. They're somewhat dated now but the basic principles are golden.

KleoPatra said...

omgooooooooooood that looks amazing.

Clotilde M. said...

That stir fry looks really appealing though . . .

The Law Office of Levinson Axelrod said...

Great chinese food recipe. Thanks for sharing this.

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