Are you fed up with eating junk food every day and tired of ordering takeout from your local restaurants because it’s the only source of fleeting happiness in your life right now? Do you keep telling yourself that you need to start eating healthier but this quarantine has hit you like a pile of bricks that you aren’t the most experienced chef and you wouldn’t even know where to begin?

This is your wake up call, readers. It was also mines too when I realized I’ve been gaining the COVID-15 (similar to the legendary Freshman 15) from staying at home, too close in proximity to my kitchen pantry. Every week, I will be posting something new on the blog that I have tried to make. Some of these may be featured in future geminieats meals, some of them have already been featured, and some are just items I’ve had on my list to make for too long.

My grandma back in Hawaii used to make this for our family growing up and I always remember devouring every piece of it. This was the only food with vegetables I would eat as a kid and I had no idea it was healthy for you too! Most nishime recipes, also known as simmered vegetables, are made with chicken broth and chicken thigh but I tweaked a few things in her recipe to make it vegan-friendly and more natural.

Nishime is the perfect addition to any meal, a quick hearty snack, or a crunchy topping to a salad!

Let’s get cooking! ꒰๑•̮̮́౪•̮̮̀๑꒱

VEGAN NISHIME

INGREDIENTS

1 package of kombu (dried kelp)
1 package of dried shiitake mushrooms
2 stalks of green onion
1 carrot
2 gobo (burdock root)
1 lotus root
frozen araimo (optional)
( purchased a bag of frozen veggies that sells at every Japanese market. It included gobo, carrots, lotus root, shiitake mushrooms, and araimo aka taro balls! Highly recommend if you can find it. Here is what the bag looks like.)
1 package of konyaku (konjac, yam)
1 package of abura-age (fried tofu) sub for baked or air-fried tofu for a healthier alternative
1 cup organic vegetable broth
1/2 cup tamari or coconut aminos
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup of dry sake
2 cup of water
2 tbsp sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

Make the dashi broth by boiling the shiitake mushrooms, kombu, and chopped green onions in water. Only allow the kombu to boil for 5 minutes then remove from and place into cold water (I put ice in the water to make an ice bath that cools down faster) Let the rest boil for 20 minutes.
While that is boiling, chop up your carrots and gobo into small pieces (about 1/2 inch in length). Set aside.
Peel your lotus root then cut into slices. Set aside.
The kombu should be cool to touch now. Grab your scissors and cut the kombu strips into long pieces. Tie each kombu strip into two knots (this might be a struggle. If you can only tie one knot with each strip, that's okay!)
Use your scissors to cut each knot into separate pieces like the photo above and set aside.
Cube your abura-age and konyaku cake into small bite-size pieces.
Remove the shiitake mushrooms and green onions from the dashi broth.
In a separate larger pot than the one you used for the dashi, put the stove on medium-high heat and put in 2 tbsp of sesame oil.
When that’s heated up, first add in the root vegetables (carrots, gobo, taro balls, lotus root). Add in 1/2 cup of the dashi broth to the pot and cover until they’re softened.
Now, add in another 1/2 cup of dashi, 1 cup of the vegetable broth, mirin, tamari, sake, and coconut sugar.
DO NOT USE A LADLE TO MIX THE VEGETABLES. Take a towel or grab both sides and shake everything around to disperse the flavor. This will ensure none of the vegetables break apart.
Lastly, add in the konyaku and abura-age. Cover and let the entire pot simmer for another 15 minutes on low heat. You can refrigerate this dish for up to a week. Enjoy!

Vegan Nishime (煮しめ) (V, GF, NF, SF)

VEGAN NISHIME