There are times I really don’t want to or don’t know what to cook. I live in a rural little town. We only have one traffic light in the whole town. Needless to say, there is only one supermarket. There are a few casinos of course since this is Nevada. Even the grocery store has slot machines! It is very inconvenient for a vegetarian to go out to eat, and it is even harder for a vegan in this steak and potatoes country.
If dining out is almost not an option for me, cooking becomes an obligation instead of pleasure. It was not fun today when I walked into my kitchen. I opened my refrigerator to see what I had and what could inspire me to whisk up something quick for dinner. There are lots of colorful vegetables, and a fennel bulb, which I planned to use in my salad but forgot about it until now. It’s become … a “grandma fennel” … not so tender. And I raided my freezers for frozen leftover brown rice and some frozen soybeans to complete the protein source.
I am going to throw everything together to make a big pot of the stir-fry rice. It is quick, easy and pleases the eye. It is flavored with many vegetables, even the fennel. I decided to add a little more Chinese 5-spice powder to boost the fennel’s flavor, but not be overpowering. One must use this sparingly. I am going to make enough for tomorrow’s lunch too.
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ sweet onion, chopped coarsely
2 clove garlic, chopped fine
11/2 cup frozen soybeans, defrosted
1 carrot, chopped coarsely
1 stalk, chopped coarsely
1 fennel bulb, chopped coarsely (optional)
½ medium red cabbage, chopped coarsely
1 cup walnuts, chopped coarsely (optional toasted)
5 cups cooked brown rice (heated up)
Salt to taste
Sprinkle of Chinese 5-spice powder
Sprinkle of white pepper
Fresh cut green onion for garnish
14-inch wok
Sauté onion in olive oil until it soft and caramelized, then adds garlic, carrot, celery, soybean, and red cabbage. Cook until soft, and add fennel, brown rice, salt, Chinese 5- spice powder, and white pepper. Heated until everything blended and soft. Before serving, add green onion for garnish.
You are right that black pepper gives more flavor, in this case I prefer white pepper because I thcnk it goes with Chinese 5 spices. But Certainly black pepper can substitute with white pepper!
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