Vietnamese Loofah Stir Fry & Vegetarian Soup Base
Vietnamese Loofah Stir Fry
Ingredients
3 lbs Vietnamese loofah (fiber melon or vegetable sponge)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 stem leek (white part and some green part, halved lengthwise and then cut into 1-inch long pieces)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dry mushroom seasoning
Directions
- Remove skin of loofah with a vegetable peeler (a little green skin should remain). Wash and rinse.
- Cut loofah in half lengthwise, and then slice loofah into 1/3-inch thick slices
- Add canola oil to a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add leek and stir fry to light brown.
- Add loofah and stir fry for about 5 minutes or until done (loofah should be translucent).
- Add salt and dry mushroom seasoning, and stir fry for 1 more minute.
- Add black pepper before serving.
Vegetarian Soup Base
(vegetarian soup base should be used to add flavor and enhance any soup)
Ingredients
2 lbs vegetables of your choice (a combination of carots, daikons, rutabagas, cabbages, leeks)
2 quarts water
Directions
Rinse the vegetables and put them into a large pot with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered for about 1 hour. Strain the broth using a colander or sieve.
(The vegetable broth can be used immediately or stored in a freezer for later use)