Some notes from the resident vegetarian in the CR:
Seitan is a meat substitute made from wheat gluten. I don’t know how to make it from scratch and would not recommend trying it, but you can find it packaged in blocks or strips in health food stores or Asian markets. Many brands are kosher; I use the Westsoy brand, which is under the Star-K. (I like the Chicken-Style variety, but it comes in other forms as well.) It’s very versatile and can be used in many different dishes. It’s been eight years since I last tasted meat, but my determinedly carnivorous little brother says that seitan does a good job of mimicking the taste and texture of real chicken. I would definitely recommend trying it. The only downside is that you can’t find it in supermarkets, so it does require a trip to the health food store.
Tofu is similarly versatile and delicious, although it doesn’t have the same meaty taste. Last night for dinner, I made Tofu Teriyaki, which requires very little preparation. (recipe below) If you try to make tofu by itself, you won’t be impressed, since it’s naturally bland. The trick is to cook it with or in something else, whether it be vegetables or a sauce or whatever you want– tofu easily acquires the flavor of whatever you cook with it.
Quinoa is great for Pesach, since it tastes like a grain but is classified as a flower (not a grass) and therefore passes the kitniyot test. You can prepare it just like you would rice, boiling it with water, then covering to simmer until the quinoa cooks and the water evaporates. This should take approximately 15 minutes. The one extra step is that you should soak and strain it before cooking to remove the external, somewhat bitter coating of saponin. Oomis, if you didn’t do this first, that’s probably why you didn’t like the result. After cooking, quinoa should be light and fluffy and look kind of curly– it’s hard to explain, but you should understand what I mean when you see it.
I would also recommend trying polenta, a dish made from boiled cornmeal. I made this from scratch once and it came out great, but it took so much time and was such a hassle that I buy it packaged now. I can’t remember the brand name of the kind I like (might be Goya? I’ll check the fridge when I get home) but it’s under the Chof-K and comes packaged in tubes. An easy way to prepare it is just to slice the tube into thin rounds and bake or fry, but there are other ways to make it as well. I’ll post some recipes later if anyone’s interested.
Tofu Teriyaki
Preheat oven to 425. Drain tofu and blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Cut into thin slabs and place on a greased baking sheet. Make triangular slashes on the surface of the tofu so it will better absorb the sauce. Spoon some teriyaki sauce over the tofu. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip tofu slabs, spoon teriyaki sauce over the top, and bake for another 10 minutes.
You can use store-bought teriyaki sauce, but I like to make my own. Here’s the recipe:
Combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1 cup water, 3-4 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1-2 minced garlic cloves in a small pot and bring to a boil while stirring. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water and add to mixture, stirring to thicken. You can also add ginger to this recipe, but I don’t because my mother doesn’t like it.