HOW TO MAKE FILLED VEGAN RICE BALLS + A COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY!
Ever 6 months or so I check my cookbook shelf to see if there’s a book that needs a new home. My criteria for passing a book on to a new owner consists of some pretty rigorous soul searching not unlike Marie' Kondo’s does-this-spark-joy-? method. The questions I ask my greedy cookbook-hoarding self are:
Have you actually cooked from this book in the last 6 months?
Flicking through it now, do you feel like putting on your apron and making magic happen in the kitchen?
Is the writing and/or photography so beautiful that - despite not cooking from the book since, like, forever - you JUST can’t let this one go?
If I answer ‘no’ to 2 or more of these questions, it’s time to part ways and create space for new cookbooks. One of those new arrivals I’ve happily made space for and which I’ll NEVER let go of, is Mandy Lee’s debut cookbook THE ART OF ESCAPISM COOKING. Why? It’s stunning and the writing incredible and because I’ve been a fan of Mandy’s since I can remember.
What’s super cool is that Mandy generously agreed to send a copy of the book to one lucky winner. Yup, that’s right, YOU can WIN a copy of the book on the blog this week and find out for yourself why this one’s a keeper. To read my honest review of the book, find the recipe for these rice balls, which I adapted from THE ART OF ESCAPISM COOKING, and to enter the WORLDWIDE giveaway, just scroll down….
SO WHAT'S THE COOKBOOK LIKE...
Mandy’s cookbook, THE ART OF ESCAPISM COOKING is bold, beautiful and rather unlike anything else I’ve ever seen before. In keeping with the tone and feel of her award winning blog, Mandy’s photography is just as breath-taking and her writing as edgy, clever and thought-provoking as I’d expected it to be. Although THE ART OF ESCAPISM COOKING contains many recipes inspired by Asian flavours, it’s got a really cosmopolitan and playful feel with many recipes containing ingredients I rarely see in other cookbooks (rice crispies anyone?). In short, you’re in for a real treat!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE COOKBOOK INCLUDE...
The crackling pancake with caramel-clustered blueberries, the vegan burned miso ramen, the spicy chickpea poppers as well as the black hummus and Thai guacamole seriously caught my eye. Mandy also shares recipes for staples such as sourdough bread, pizza dough and a variety of home-made condiments you’ll never want to live without including ramen seasoning, fried chile verde sauce, caramelised onion powder paste and something Mandy calls Hell Dust - a spicy concoction you can ‘dust’ over everything.
WHAT YOU NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF...
This is absolutely completely totally NOT a vegan cookbook! Meat features heavily and though you can adjust, adapt and replace as I did with today’s recipe, I would say this cookbook will best suits those who either enjoy having a cookbook filled with interesting meat-based recipes OR those who - like me - are completely enamoured with Mandy’s writing and photography.
WORLDWIDE GIVEAWAY! WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO WIN A COPY OF THE COOKBOOK
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED! All you need to do for a chance to win is tell me: What is the most interesting thing you’ve ever eaten? Please be quick with your answers, entry to this giveaway closes at midnight (Greenwich Time) on Friday, December 6th, 2019. The winner will be picked and notified within a week of the closing date. CONGRATULATION ALEKSANDRA, YOU’RE THE LUCKY WINNER!
Recipe below.
FILLED VEGAN RICE BALLS RECIPE
This recipe (originally called Opa Rice Balls), is adapted from Mandy Lee’s THE ART OF ESCAPISM COOKING. In the book, the rice balls call for ground meat, but I veganised them by using a mixture of extra firm tofu and mushrooms, which came out SO GOOD! Please note the recipe below makes A LOT of rice balls, enough to feed about 5 people. If you’re flying solo or only have a few mouths to feed, then half the recipe as the balls don’t freeze well and are best eaten fresh on the day you make them.
Total preparation and cooking time: 60 minutes
Makes: about 10-12 rice balls
Serves: 5-6
INGREDIENTS FOR THE MUSHROOM FILLING:
120g mushrooms (shiitake, shimeji, oyster, or even button mushrooms work well here), cleaned and finely chopped
100g extra firm tofu, liquid drained away , pressed and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, grated
1.5 tsp grated ginger
1 tbs tamari sauce + plus 1 tsp for cooking
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup/60g vegannaise
2.5 tbs/50g gochujang (Korean Chile paste)
1/2 tsp yellow mustard
1/3 cup (about 3) finely sliced scallions
INGREDIENTS FOR THE RICE BALLS:
1kg sushi rice (makes about 12 cups cooked rice), washed, steamed and cooled to room temperature
1 cup/40g rice crispy cereal
1/2 tsp fine sea salt (optional)
8x11-inch/28cm nori sheets, torn into smaller pieces
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a bowl, combine the mushrooms, tofu, garlic, ginger, 1 tablespoon of tamari sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, maple syrup, cornstarch and black pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
Heat a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil, then add the mushroom/tofu mixture. Heat until everything is cooked through and the soy sauce starts to caramelise. Transfer to a bowl and chill in the fridge for around 20 minutes, until cooled completely.
Whilst the mixture is chilling in the fridge, boil or steam the rice by following the instructions on the package, if you haven’t prepared the rice already. Once cooked through set aside and allow the rice to come to room temperature.
Next remove the mushroom/tofu mixture from the fridge and add the vegannaise, gochujang, mustard and scallions. Then mix well.
To make the filled rice balls, lay a large piece of cling film on your kitchen counter, place 1 cup full of cooked rice in the middle and with slightly wet hands, press the rice down until it makes a compact, round disk. Spread about 2 tablespoons of mushroom/tofu mixture in the centre, then bring the edges of the plastic wrap up to close the gap and create the filled rice balls. Cup your hands around the rice ball to tighten and shape it further. Remove the cling film, set aside and repeat until all 10-12 rice balls have been made.
Next place the torn nori sheets in a food processor and grind the nori until it looks like tiny flakes. Combine the nori flakes with the salt (is using) and rice crisps, place in a shallow bowl and roll the rice balls over the rice crispy/nori mixture until evenly coated. Enjoy immediately.
Tip 1: I used a mixture of mushrooms rather than just 1 type.
Tip 2: I’m not that into salt and hence didn’t feel the rice ball coating needed any as the filling is full of flavour, but see what works for you.
Tip 3: You can use soya sauce instead of tamari sauce if you prefer.
Tip 4: Some of the filling spilled out slightly in the making of the balls. If that happens to you don’t worry. Wipe away any excess and cover the rice balls with the nori and rice crispies, no one will know ;).