Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice

Fried rice, always a welcome dish in any household. Need a break from all the meat? Try our Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice. A fresh change to the norm!

Fried rice is always a go to dish in our household. When we are down to a few vegetables in the crisper and some cans needed to be freed up from the pantry, this Asian dish is a welcome solution to our "waste not want not" mantra. Well, Nicoletta and I eat mostly vegetarian during the week but as of late we have been invited out and the meat protein has been in full flow, for me, that is. I was craving a break from it all and this Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice was just what the doctored ordered.

I don't know if I told you this, but Nicoletta and I love going to the Asian markets. We are like kids in a candy store gawking at all the interesting products, dried ingredients, deli things and also their baked goods. Just recently we visited the T&T Market, a huge Asian market with everything under the sun Asian. One of the areas we always hit in the market is the tofu and seitan isle, as we love using these ingredients and the seitan is always a lovely meat alternative with its textural and taste similarities. What is seitan: it is made with flour or bread. Commonly known as "wheat meal", "wheat protein", "wheat gluten". When cooked it is so similar to meat that most vegetarians use it as a meat in their dishes. Seitan is also high in protein making it a great protein source for vegetarians. Most restaurants use it as a mock meat in their veggie dishes and I have tried it and it tastes wonderful in its texture and flavor. Flavors are enhanced by marinates making it similar to beef, fish, and chicken in taste, depending on the spices used. All in all a great meat replacement.

Tackling the Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice

The first thing with every stir fry is to get all the ingredients ready. This makes the process of preparation so much easier and when you get cooking you can concentrate on getting those veggies, that rice and all the fixing done right. For the stir fried rice I prefer a dice rather than a julienne. It is visually appealing and does not over ride the rice. The jasmine rice, a quick boil then simmer and off the heat covered to steam. This always works best for me, and let us not forget to stir the rice as it comes to a boil, and also as it is simmering. When it is off the heat just cover and let it be. You can fork it to break it up before stir frying. The vegetables for the fried rice are sauteed using sesame oil and canola oil a great combination to get the heat up and the flavor to new heights. A little bit of veg broth to elevate and steam the vegetable just a bit more. As the rice is cooking you can start to prepare the seitan by first sauteing the onions, peppers,  garlic and ginger, basil and bay leaf. Throw in the seitan and spices. Drop in the red curry paste and blend it well. You want that flavor nice and infused into the ingredients. At this point I add in the veg broth and coconut cream. This will simmer for a bit thickening a bit as it cooks. As the seitan is cooking throw the rice into the wok, add a bit of the sesame oil and canola oil with the wok on high, stir frying the rice to get some nice crispy bits. Just as the rice is almost done with the veggies beat up some eggs and pour it in. This is where some arm muscle comes to play as you vigorously stir that egg mixing it into the rice well and cooking till the egg is in shreds amongst the rice.

For the garnish, some nice baby bok choy, garlic, and ginger, nicely stir fried  in a wok with that same sesame and canola combination. A simple splash of soy sauce and you are done.

Plating this dish is fun. The base, that wonderful aromatic fried rice. The next level, the unbelievable smelling curry coconut seitan, with the bok choy spooning it for comfort and grace of color.

The flavors are amazing: the rice, nutty with hints of onion, garlic, ginger, and those sweet yellow banana peppers. Crispy bits sneaking in, on every bite. The seitan melding with the flavors of the fried rice elevating and adding its somewhat spicy creamy coconut basil and all that to the mix. The support and subtle flavor and texture of the stir fried bok choy giving its earthy juicy, humbleness to complete this wonderful recipe of Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice.

Next time you're in an Asian market, bring out that child like nature and discover the world of exotic flavors and spices and the diverse textures of Asian cuisine and let that fearless child create something beautiful.

Enjoy! (Xiang-shou!)

Song of the day: "Beautiful Creatures" by Bruce Cockburn.

Curry Coconut Seitan Fried Rice

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

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• Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Rice:

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 small eggplant diced
• 1 small zucchini diced
• 1 scallion chopped
• ½ white onion chopped
• ½ cup canned corn
• ½ cup canned peas
• ½ cup carrots diced
• ½ yellow banana pepper diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ cup vegetable broth
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice
• salt and pepper to taste

Curry Coconut Seitan:

• 2 cups pre packaged curry seitan
• ½ cup green onion chopped
• 1 yellow banana pepper julienned
• ½ cup veg broth
• ½ cup coconut cream
• 1 tbsp fresh basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp red curry past
• 1 tbsp soy sauce

Bok choy:

• 7 small bok choy
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger minced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp canola oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

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Instructions

Rice:

1. In a medium sauce pan combine rice with 2 cups of salted water and a touch of sesame oil.
2. Bring to a boil and stir constantly turn heat to a low simmer. Keep stirring for about 10-15 minutes.
3. Cover and take off heat.
4. In a large wok pour in sesame and canola oil.
5. Toss in vegetables, carrots eggplant, zucchini, peppers, scallions, onions, garlic, ginger.
6. Season with salt and pepper, Chinese five spice.
7. Add in corn and peas and cook till vegetables are just softening a bit.
8. Toss in rice and soy sauce and on high heat stir fry till rice is getting some crispy bits, about 10 minutes.
9. Beat eggs in a small bowl and pour into rice mixture and cook till egg is well done, and evenly distributed throughout rice (about 5-7 minute).

Seitan:

1. Grab another saute pan pour in sesame oil and canola oil.
2. Throw in garlic, onion, peppers, basil, and bay leaf, soy sauce.
3. Toss in seitan, cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in veg broth.
5. Add in red curry paste stirring well to have it evenly throughout.
6. Drizzle in cocount cream.
7. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

Bok choy:

1. In another saute pan or wok on high heat pour in sesame oil and canola oil.
2. Toss in bok choy and stir fry a bit.
3. Add in onions and ginger, continually stirring.
4. Pour in soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.
5. Take off heat.

Plating:

1. Place a nice amount of the fried rice into a bowl.
2. Top with seitan and an arrangement of bok choy beside it.
3. Ready to serve.

Notes

Take out the eggs for a vegan alternative of this dish.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8 servings

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Loreto

When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.