A Longevity Diet Recipe: Stir-Fried Forbidden Rice with Medicinal Mushrooms Chinese Vegetables

A Longevity Diet Recipe: Stir-Fried Forbidden Rice with Medicinal Mushrooms and Chinese Vegetables


Traditional Chinese Medicine is a time-honoured system of holistic healing, and one of cornerstones of our curriculum at AHN. We offer here one of our favourite recipes from our Longevity Diet cooking classes, informed by the principles of TCM. 

This delicious meal includes tempeh (a fermented soybean cake), fresh vegetables and whole grains. The medicinal mushrooms tonify Qi (our vital energy) and fluids, and stimulate the immune system.


Maple Soy Sesame Sauce       

  • 2 tbsp shoyu or tamari (a wheat-free soy sauce)

  • 2 tbsp maple syrup (ideally dark amber)               

  • 1 tsp mirin (a slightly sweet, Japanese rice wine)               

  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

  • 1 tsp arrowroot powder*                            

Stir Fry                   

  • 225 grams / 8 oz tempeh, diced to 1 cm / 1/2 inch pieces                    

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil                        

  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms (try a blend of shiitake, maitake and oyster) 

  • 4 cloves garlic        

  • 2 tsp grated ginger                        

  • 1 red bell pepper, cubed

  • a handful of Chinese green leafy vegetables such as gai lan or bok choy        

  • 1 cup cooked forbidden black rice                    

  • 1 cup cooked white long-grain rice                        

  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds                

  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes                        

  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced                        

  • Sea salt, to taste

Directions

1. Heat a wok or frying pan over medium high heat with half of the oil to coat the pan.

2. In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients for the sauce until the arrowroot is completely dissolved.

3. Evenly spread the tempeh in the hot frying pan and toast undisturbed on one side until golden, about 3 minutes. Flip and toast the other side. Empty into a bowl and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and sauté the mushrooms until slightly golden. Toss in the garlic and ginger until heated. Stir in the red pepper and scallions and let heat through, then add rice and tempeh, combining everything continuously for a minute or two. Give the sauce mixture one last stir and pour over everything in the pan. Stir until evenly coated and absorbed.

5. Season with salt to taste and sprinkle with sesame seeds and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately or at room temperature. 

*Tip: Arrowroot can be used as an alternative to cornstarch to thicken sauces. Use 1 tbsp powder to thicken 1 cup of liquid.   




Cole Spike