I got away from bowls for too long, I'm realizing. They're so easy, and meat eaters can top with whatever they want.
It's been a while since I've done anything Korean or Korean inspired. I have no idea why. Korean cuisine is fab and pretty easy to veganize these days. New 2022 goal set :)
Source: Crumbs and Caramel | Serves: 3-4 | Time: 40 min
Changes: replaced brown sugar with coconut sugar; replaced soy sauce with coconut aminos; used fewer lentils; skipped the rice
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger minced
¼ cup coconut sugar, packed
¼ cup coconut aminos
1/4-1/2 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes or to taste
1/2-1 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
Mushrooms & Lentils
1-2 tbsp sesame oil
12-16 oz shiitake #mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cup green or brown #lentils (you can but canned lentils to save time)
To Serve
4 cups steamed #broccoli
Sliced green onions
Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Prep the lentils first. Bring 2 2/3 cups of water to a boil. Don’t salt the water. Add the lentils to the boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and gently simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce.
In wide cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add in the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook for 3-5 minutes before stirring. Stir, then leave them for another 3 minutes and repeat one more time or until the mushrooms are seared and cooked through.
Add in the sauce, scraping the bottom to get any bits that have stuck. Stir in the lentils, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until the sauce is reduced and the lentils start to stick a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir only as necessary so you don't mash the lentils.
Serve as suggested or however you want. The nice thing about bowls is you can pick the ingredients you love most.