Sunday, September 30, 2012

Okara macaroons



Remember when macarons were called macaroons?  And remember when they didn't have "feet" or pretensions to greatness?  That's because they don't need to.  They're yummy enough as they are.

(Makes about 20)

Ingredients:
1 egg, separated
pinch salt
1/3 cup sugar

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160oC.  Cover cookie sheet with non-stick baking parchment.  Beat egg white with salt until soft peaks form.  Beat in egg yolk.  Gradually add sugar, and beat until sugar crystals are dissolved.  Stir in Toasted Coconut Okara, and mix.
2. Drop level tablespoonfuls of mixture onto cookie sheet.  Bake 15-20 min., until golden.  Cool on cookie sheet.

Thai soy cakes




Other than the breads (which don’t really count seeing as they’re the Staff of Life and everything), this is my favourite way with okara.

(Makes 12 soy cakes)

Ingredients:
1 cup okara, firmly packed
150g tofu
3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant oats)
2 slices fresh bread, cut into pieces
1 Spanish onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp. chopped mint
3 tbsp. chopped coriander (cilantro)
1 tsp. salt
1 egg
cooking spray
extra sweet chili sauce, or fresh salsa of your choice, to serve

Method:
1. Place all ingredients in a bowl, and mix with your hands, mashing the tofu and the bread as you go, until well combined and cohesive.  Allow mixture to rest 20-30 min.

2. Heat griddle over medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Form mixture into 12 cakes.  Cook cakes for a few minutes on each side until golden.  Serve with sweet chili sauce or the fresh salsa of your choice.

Okara Anzacs




An Australian institution, Anzac biscuits (that’s cookies to you folks in the US) have their origins back in WWI, when they were made to send in packages to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers fighting in the trenches in Europe.  Here I have replaced the traditional coconut with okara.  If you would like a chewier biscuit add just a smidgin more golden syrup.

(Makes about 35 biscuits/cookies)

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp. golden syrup
1/2 tsp. bicarb. soda (baking soda)
1 tbsp. boiling water

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 150oC.  Combine oats, flour, sugar, and Toasted Coconut Okara in a bowl.  Melt butter and golden syrup together over low heat.  Dissolve bicarb in boiling water, and add to butter mixture.  Add butter mixture to dry ingredients, and stir to combine.

2. Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto lightly-greased cookie sheets, allowing room for spreading.  Bake for 20 min.  Loosen from trays while still warm, but allow to cool on trays.

Toasted coconut okara




This recipe is adapted from a recipe in Shurtleff and Aoyagi’s “The Book of Tofu” for something called “Okara Granola”.  The original recipe uses vanilla instead of coconut essence, and is great as a sprinkle on many things: I have a couple of tablespoonfuls over my cereal in the morning, and incorporate it into cookies and brownies and things.  This coconutty variation opens up a world of possibilities: if you give your own imagination a chance, you’ll find no shortage of ideas for using either the original or this recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups okara
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp. grapeseed oil
1 tbsp. natural coconut essence
pinch of salt

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180oC.  Combine all ingredients, and place in a large baking pan.  Cook for 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally, until golden.  The house will smell beautiful!  Cool, and store in an airtight container until needed.

Fluffy okara




Some recipes require you to remove the excess liquid from okara, in order for it not to upset the liquid/dry ingredient ratio of some recipes.  This is particularly important when using okara in baked goods.

Place okara on an ungreased baking tray and place in oven.  Turn heat on to 180oC, and bake for about 20 min., stirring occasionally, until fluffy.  Do not allow to colour.  Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze.