(My two adorable little helpers, Sharon and Glenis, who helped me add ingredients, stir, and even chop a little when we made the pictured dish last night!)
This dish was one of the first I learned how to make after going veg; it remains one of my favorites, and one that gives a lot more than it takes, in terms of both money and effort. A million thanks to Lauren B.S. Beach, who taught me how to make it when we were both students at Michigan State University.
Ingredients:
Necessary Veggies: onion, green pepper, red pepper, carrot (one of each); water chestnuts (one can).
Optional Veggies: mushrooms (one can); squash/zucchini, orange/yellow peppers (one of each); baby corn, bean sprouts (one package of each).
Also necessary: One pineapple, one package of soy meat (Nicaragua) or half a pound of tofu (States), one bottle of good teriyaki sauce (the kind with sesame seeds in it), water, olive oil, rice, basil, oregano, black pepper, salt
Also optional: garlic, lime juice, hoison sauce, soy sauce
Directions:
First, you need to start the rice. If you have a nice big microwaveable bowl, all you have to do is add two parts water to one part rice (quantities will vary depending on how many you’re aiming to feed; one pound feeds about 8), and stick it in the microwave for 15 minutes. Bam! Instant rice. You’ll need more like half an hour you’re making brown rice instead of white rice. If you don’t have a microwaveable dish large enough, you can prepare it on the stovetop by boiling water (salt it to make it boil faster!), then throwing in the rice and a little bit of oil so it doesn’t stick to the bottom, stirring periodically until all of the water is absorbed (or there are microwaveable pouches from Trader Joes and I'm assuming other places; you have lots of options).
While your rice is cooking, you can cut up your veggies. I cut them pretty small, because I like them like that. Once everything is cut up to your liking, put some oil in a wok or large pot, and put it on a full flame. I find the order in which vegetables are added to be of great importance; others disagree. I like to put the carrot and onion (and optional garlic) in first, and fry them for about 5 minutes until they start to shrink and wilt a bit. Next up are the peppers, optional squash and baby corn for another 5 minutes. I usually take this interval to put in the spices, which I do by covering the top of the veggies, then mixing the pot, and repeating with the next spice (I do this with the basil, oregano, and pepper; I only throw in a pinch of salt). You can also take this interval to chop your pineapple (if you’re using an actual pineapple, and not a can, which is what I used in the States)
Once those veggies are good and fried, you can throw in all your other ingredients: soy meat/tofu, pineapple, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the whole bottle of teriyaki sauce. After you put on the sauce, fill the bottle with water, and add that as well (this is what I do in Nicaragua; in the States, you can use the optional sauces if you want to give it more flavor). Mix well. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you’re using bean sprouts and don’t want them all soggy, wait until the very end to throw them in. Annnd you're done! You’ve got teriyaki veggies to serve over rice (or gallo pinto, if your family’s got some made, for more protein)!
Some caveats: after many years of making this dish, I’ve found that simpler is better; it’s very possible to overdo it if you’re using all the necessary and optional veggies and sauces. Hence why I now tend to leave out all the optional veggies and sauces except for mushrooms (which I love!). The pineapple is divisive among people I’ve made it for, but I’ve found it gives a nice extra sweetness to the dish. If you can’t get the good teriyaki sauce since you’re living in Nicaragua, it still turns out ok with just the Kikkoman’s version they sell here.
Makes: 6- 8 servings. If you don’t have 6-8 people to share it with, throw the leftovers in tupperware afterwards, and freeze them for later!
what an adorable picture!!
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