I make a lot of extremely-not-authentic versions of recipes that, while not authentic, are very quick and yummy. This recipe is Asian-ish, and easy, quick, and delicious!

If I remember right, “sukiyaki” means “odds and ends” – a flexible recipe. And this recipe is very flexible indeed – you can estimate the quantities instead of measuring the ingredients, leave out ingredients, add in extras – and it still comes out yummy.

You may be wondering, “What are those brown blobs in the picture?” They are mochi — not the ice cream, but Japanese rice that is pounded into a hard paste that you cut into squares and bake. During baking, it puffs up into pillow-y balloon-y blobs that my kids adore. My pickiest eater clamors for mochi – go figure!

This recipe is based on a recipe from the cookbook Vegetarian Cooking for People with Allergies by Raphael Rettner.

Print Recipe

Sukiyaki - a yummy, quick, Asian-ish, gluten-free, vegan meal that my whole family likes

This Asian-ish recipe is quick, yummy, gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. My kids especially love the pillow-y blobs of mochi. Yum!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Valerie Mates

Ingredients

Note: You can leave out pretty much any ingredient and still get good food with this recipe. You are encouraged to customize!

a 10-ounce package of mochi optional
5-8 ounces uncooked pasta, gluten-free if needed getting creative with the pasta is fine here
1 pound extra-firm tofu cut into cubes
3 tablespoons canola oil
1-2 carrots shredded (you can buy pre-shredded carrots)
1 stalk celery chopped (optional)
1 onion or several green onions chopped (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 head cabbage core removed and the rest chopped
fresh or frozen kale or spinach
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms stems removed and caps cut into thin slices (kitchen scissors work well for this)
1 cup cashew pieces optional
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup tamari soy sauce OR 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
1 clove garlic chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

If you are using mochi, start preheating the oven to 400 degrees.
Start heating water to boil for the pasta.
Use a big, sturdy knife to cut the mochi into 12 pieces. Place them on a cookie sheet, spaced as far from each other as possible. When the oven is preheated, bake for 10 minutes, until each piece of mochi has puffed up like a little balloon.
Meanwhile, when the water boils, cook the pasta for the amount of time the package recommends, then drain it.
Meanwhile, put the canola oil into a big pot. Add the tofu and turn it to medium-high heat. Add the other ingredients to the pot as each of them is prepped. Cook for maybe 10 minutes from when the tofu first went in, stirring from time to time.
When the pasta is ready, stir it into the pot.
Serve a scoop of the pasta mixture with 1-2 pieces of puffed up mochi on top.