Sichuan Beef (all-veg)
Here's a dish I invented all by myself! It's a vegetarian version of a popular entrée found in Sichuan-style restaurants here in the US, and has earned the Spicygirl Seal of Approval. It is extraordinarily quick and easy to prepare. Recipe as prepared below serves two.
Recipe
two stalks celery (remove leaves)
one carrot
*one patty Morningstar Farms Spicy Blackbean veg burger
**one heaping teaspoon chili bean sauce 豆瓣酱
two tablespoons cooking oil (I use canola)
*I suppose you could use any old veg burger patty, but imo, nothing comes close to Morningstar Farms Spicy Blackbean Burger. There is no substitute.
**I've been using homemade 豆瓣酱 that the in-laws brought us from Chengdu, but Lee Kum Kee (李錦記) makes an excellent chili bean sauce you should be able to find easily in most Asian groceries. They call it: 辣豆瓣醬 (Toban Djan).
Chop celery and carrot as seen in photo. Heat oil in wok on medium-high to high heat. When oil is smoking, add chili bean sauce first, then celery and carrot. Keep a constant stir-fry so nothing sticks and/or burns. Season with a pinch of salt at this point, if you like. When celery and carrot are a couple of minutes away from desired texture, add veg burger patty. You should keep it in the freezer until the moment you use it. Cut it into small cubes as seen before adding to wok. Stir fry until warmed through--maybe 3 minutes or so--it does not need to cook long. If the dish looks dry and is sticking to the wok, you can add a tablespoon or two of water. Serve while hot with steamed rice.
That's it!