Are you looking for an easy, every-day recipe that is satisfying and protein packed? Let’s cook some pan-fried veggies with herbs and soy stripes! This is not only a very tasty recipe, but also a very quick one. You can easily integrate it in your every day routine. I used textured soy for this dish and would like to take this opportunity to give you some information and preparation tips for textured soy protein (TSP). TSP is a very popular, easy-to-prepare meat substitute available as “dry product” in many supermarkets, organic food stores (usually in the bulk section), but of course also online. It is made from defatted soy flour (a by-product of the soybean oil production), dehydrated, pressed and then “puffed” (extruded) until it gets its typical fibrous structure, which is “meat-like” after preparation. First the textured soy chunks are dry and hard. Only after cooking and frying the structure become soft and the soya pieces get nicely firm to the bite.
Textured soy is sold in many different forms, such as flakes, chunks, medallions or big soy steaks. It’s perfect for making dishes such as chili sin carne, bolognese sauce, medallions, goulash, burger patties, tacos, burritos, steaks or even roulades.
In today’s recipe I will show you how I make deliciously seasoned fried “soy stripes”, which can be eaten hot or cold as a snack in between (I have always a bowl of it in my fridge), but also added to wraps or mixed with fried seasonal vegetables. In addition to the versatile preparation and the great, firm to the bite taste experience, the shelf life of textured soy protein is also ingenious. As it is an industrial dry product, originally packed textured soy pieces can be stored for 1-2 years in dry conditions. But we don’t want to wait that long – so let’s go.
Fried Veggies with Soy Stripes
Ingredients
- 250 g (8.81 oz) textured soy chunks (size I used see picture above)
- 1 tbsp. bouillon (vegetable stock powder) (or simply 2 tbsp. soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 4 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. paprika powder
- 1 small tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- A pinch of smoked paprika powder (or a small dash of "liquid smoke")
- Chili powder or pepper to your liking
- Salt for seasoning
- Optional: 2 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce
For the pan-fried bell-peppers (serves 4)
- 3 bell pepper (red, green, yellow)
- 1 onions (approx. 70 g/2.46 oz)
- A small zucchini (approx. 220 g/7.76 oz)
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 tbsp. herbes de Provence
- A pinch of garlic powder (or a piece of a fresh garlic clove)
- 1 tsp. agave syrup
- 1 tbsp. apple vinegar
- Salt & pepper
- 180 g (6.43 oz) of the fried soy strips (prepared in the first recipe part)
- 1 tbsp. unsweetened soy yoghurt per serving
- Fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a large pot of water. Stir in 1 tbsp. of vegetable stock powder.
- Rinse textured soy thoroughly. Add the rinsed soy pieces to the boiling broth and simmer gently for about 5 minutes.
- Rinse soy pieces briefly with cold water and drain in a sieve. Then press or wring the soy pieces dry with a clean kitchen towel. The drier they are pressed, the firmer their structure will be later.
- Heat 1 tbsp. sesame oil with 2 tbsp. soy sauce in a wok. Add the soy pieces and fry all around. Season the soy chunks with 1 tbsp. sweet paprika powder, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. cumin, a pinch of smoked paprika powder and, if desired, with chili powder or pepper. After a few minutes frying time, add another 2 tbsp. soy sauce and fry the stripes until they have acquired a nice color and a certain firmness. Season the soy pieces with salt and optionally Sriracha chili sauce.
- Your soy stripes are now ready to enjoy. I keep these "soy stripes" covered in the fridge. They will keep there for about a week. You can snack them right away or eat them with dips in between, make delicious wraps with them or prepare them with fresh vegetables as described below (bell peppers is only one of many possibilities). The soy strips also taste very good as an addition to currys.
- Preparation of the pan-fried veggies: Wash 3 peppers, remove seeds and cut into stripes. Peel onion and also cut into strips. Wash and cut the zucchini.
- Heat 1 tbsp. sesame oil in a wok. Sauté the onion, bell pepper strips and courgette pieces in the wok for about 3-4 minutes and steam for another 2-3 minutes at a lower temperature. Season the vegetables with 1 tbsp. herbs of Provence, 1 tsp. agave syrup, 1 tbsp. apple vinegar, some garlic powder (or fresh garlic) as well as salt and pepper. Shortly before the end of the frying time, add the prepared soy chunks (amount as desired, I added 180 g).
- Refine your fried veggies with unsweetened soy yoghurt and enjoy sprinkled with fresh cilantro.
Or enjoy a delicious wrap! A great take-away snack.
