Vegetarian Cooking at Waltham Community Cottage

Vegetarian Cooking - 2002

201 Hastings Street East,
Christchurch
(Telephone 365 2123)

Bernard and Ahlek from "The Grace of Guan Yin" (click here for details and for some of their menu and prices) - a vegetarian takeaway and dine-in at 143 Colombo Street - were at the cottage every Tuesday at noon, demonstrating vegetarian cooking.

Try some of the free recipes:
Wonton
Spring Roll
Carrot Rice Cake
Sweet and Sour Chop
Somosa (Malaysian curry puff)

The Art of Cooking

Prepare your food with kindness and happiness.
Try not to have too much wastage during preparation.
Not too much of this and not too much of that ... BALANCE!
Remember:
Always add a pinch of loving care. Sprinkle some humour. Stir fry with your warm heart. And dish them out with a smile.

The Art of Eating

Look at the food and thank the Universe.
Thank the farmer, thank the driver, thank those who make it all possible.
Thank the chef and thank yourself.
Let your eyes roam the food - let your nose smell the food.
Allow your body and mind to know what is coming.
Savour every mouthful of food slowly.
Enjoy each munch, knowing that peace and harmony are around the corner if we try a wee bit harder.
We would not want others to split our family.
We would not want to split other's family (note: cows, sheep, chickens, fish too have their own family).

The Art of Using A Pair of Chopsticks

Chopsticks come in a pair.
It is either the left or the right hand bear.
Your fingers must hold them fair.
Your thumb and the ring finger hold one of the pair.
The thumb, index and middle finger hold the other and be ready to flair.
Both chopsticks should taper at the tip as if catching aire.
This is the time to focus and treat your finger fair.
Practice whenever you can and let not feel despair.
Soon you will enjoy your meal without having any nightmare.

Wonton
Wonton in Chinese is 'Ynu Tun'. It can be lightly fried to golden crispy, or cooked in soup with veggy and noodles, or eaten with light soy sauce after steaming.
Ingredients:

Wonton sheet - 1 pkt (50 sheets)
TVP - 200gm
Carrot - 1 stick
BBQ sauce - 100gm
Celery - 1 stem
Cornflour - 3 tsp

Preparation of filling:

Defrost wonton sheet packet. Chop or blend TVP, carrot and celery into fine pieces. Lightly fry in canola oil, with BBQ sauce and cornflour. Spread in plate to cool off. "Tear" wonton sheet from the defrosted packet.

Hands on
Mix some corn flour with water to thick consistency. Place a small tea spoon of mixed veggy onto one corner of the wonton sheet. Roll the sheet diagonally to the half-way line. Add some cornflour mix onto the rolled sheet. (both the long ends). Fold both the ends to meet, press slightly so that both ends stick firmly. Spread some corn flour on the plate, and place the wonton on it. Continue to make some more wontons. Heat up oil and light fry wonton till golden colour. (Keep turning the wonton for consistency). Or boil wonton in water. (When it floats up wait for 30 seconds before scooping up.)

Spring Roll
Spring Roll is an ancient delicacy enjoyed by the Chinese. As the name indicates, Spring brings the start of most plant life. It was said to signify the lively start of the season.
Ingredients:

Spring roll sheet - 1 packet
Cabbage - 1/2 ball
Carrot - 3 sticks
TVP - 200gm
BBQ sauce - 100gm
Celery - 1 stem
Cornflour - 3 tsp
Water - some Preparation of filling:
Defrost spring roll packet. Light fry in canola oil, TVP and BBQ sauce. Drain and press liquid from the vege mix. Allow veggy mix to cool down. "Tear" spring roll sheet from the defrosted packet. Take great care, as the sheet can be easily torn.

Hands on
Cut one sheet into four triangular pieces. Place a triangular peice on top of a sheet. Add a spoonful of mixed veggy onto the spring roll sheet. Roll the sheet and the ingredients, fold both ends of the sheet into the roll. "Glue" the end of the sheet with cornflour liquid.
Heat oil and lightly fry spring roll till it's golden.

Somosa (Malaysian curry puff)
Ingredients:

Standard flour - 1kg
Margarine - 250gm
Potatoes - 2kg
Curry powder - 2 Tblspn
Chillie paste - optional
Water - about 2 cups Preparation of filling:
Peel and dice potatoes. Lightly fry curry powder in canola oil and add diced potatioes. Add water slowly till potatoes are immersed. Bring to boil. Turn to low heat to simmer. Stir well to prevent 'burning' of potatoes.

Preparation of dough
Mix flour with water and margarine. Knead well to give dough a good consistency. Roll dough into several long pieces. Cut dough into small pieces. (about 50gm each). Use a rolling pin to roll dough into circular sheet. Put a spoonful of curry potato mixture onto circular dough. Fold dough and knead corner. (This is the fun part.)
Cooking
Heat oil to required temperature (medium). Light fry somosa and allow to drip. Light fry somosa and allow to drip.

Carrot Rice Cake
Ingredients:

Rice flour - 450gm
Carrot - 1/2 stick
Daikon - 300gm
Salt - optional
TVP pallet - 100gm Preparation:
Blend carrot and daikon. Mix rice flour with 5 bowls of water. Stir well and add blended carrot and daikon and TVP pallet. Steam mixture in pot till cooked.

Sweet and Sour Chop
Ingredients:

Stewed roast - 500gm
Lemon - 2 nos
Tomato sauce - 200ml
Pineapple - 1/2
Cucumber - 1/2
cashew nuts - optional Preparation:
Deep fry stewed roast (TVP). Mix tomato sauce, pineapple, and diced cucumber. Stir fry mixture and pour sauce onto fried stewed roast. Add lemon juice before serving.

The Grace of Guan Yin VEGETARIAN FOOD - No MSG; Vegan optional

take away or dine in at 143 Colombo Street, Beckenham.
Open Monday to Saturday: 1pm to 9pm. Phone 332 7430

OUTSIDE CATERING AVAILABLE
Read some of the menu available below.

	Main Course	small price $	medium price $	large price $
1.	Crispy Hammock	6.00	8.00	10.00
2.	Crispy Rainbow Roast	6.00	8.00	10.00
3.	Crispy Potato Seaweed Roll	6.00	8.00	10.00
4.	Crispy Golden Cauli	6.00	8.00	10.00
5.	Malay Rojak	6.00	8.00	10.00
6.	Tofu Salad with peanut sauce	5.50	7.50	10.00
7.	Crispy Tom Yum Rolls	5.50	7.50	10.00
8.	Crispy Bean Paste rolls	5.50	7.50	10.00
9.	Crispy Sweet and Sour Rolls	5.50	7.50	10.00
10.	Crispy Spicy rolls	5.50	7.50	10.00
11.	Crispy TVP delight	5.50	7.50	10.00
12	Spicy herbal Mingle	5.50	7.50	10.00
13.	Mexican cubes	5.50	7.50	10.00
14.	Beijing Stewed Roast	5.50	7.50	10.00
15.	Circular Delight	5.50	7.50	10.00
16.	Xi Chaun Circular Delight	5.50	7.50	10.00
17.	Xi Chaun Spicy Wedge	5.50	7.50	10.00
18.	Red Toasted Tofu	5.50	7.50	10.00
19.	Muar Spicy Tofu	5.50	7.50	10.00
20.	TomYum Chinese Cabbage	5.50	7.50	10.00
21.	Seasonal Veggy	5.50	7.50	10.00
22.	Curry Mushroom Balls	5.50	7.50	10.00
23.	Golden White Mushroom	5.50	7.50	10.00