Chili Broad Bean Paste

Being a vegetarian means we can't eat onions and garlic. But that doesn't mean we can't make our own chili sauce. It is based on broad bean paste and old shitake mushroom stems which gives a "fleshy" texture.

The broad bean paste is also called doubanjiang.

 This is the result:

This recipe for broad bean paste with chili is delicious:

• broad bean paste
• chili flakes
• vegetable oil
• boiled shitake mushroom stems
• light soy sauce
• dark soy sauce
• vegetarian oyster sauce
• salt

First you boil the stems of old shitake mushrooms (not the young ones) in water. Then you take them out, smash them flat and then you're ready to fry them in some vegetable oil. Add the chili flakes and continue to pop them in the vegetable oil. Then add the rest of the ingredients and that's it. Taste it and adjust it as needed.

Tortilla Pizza

I have written an extensive essay about how to make pizza dough, but I haven't been able to create that dough that I ate at this favourite pizza restaurant of mine. I searched and searched on how to make this crispy dough on the side, but still chewy in the mid. It was also super thin and I saw the chef roll out the dough on the table.

I searched the internet and found that this so called "tortilla pizza" looked a lot like what I ate in that pizza restaurant. So I tried to make it. The good thing about this pizza is that you can make it in half an hour and don't need to let it rise.

First I made the tortilla dough. It is so easy to make:
- 2 cups of flour
- 0.75 cup of hot water
- 0.25 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt

First mix flour, oil, salt and baking powder. Then slowly add water and knead it for 2 minutes. Let it sit for 30 minutes.

Then we roll it out and make the pizza.

I learned that it's best not to use baking paper, because it will isolate the pizza from the heat. You don't want to isolate the pizza, because you will need all the heat you got. Also, make sure to let all ingredients heat up to room temperature. I made the mistake to add frozen cheese on top. It's also best to put the pizza as high as possible in the oven to get more heat.