Does anyone have a recipe for a vegetarian fish alternative? I have been craving fish, even though I didn't like it when i wasn't a vegetarian, but I haven't found anything in the stores. I had house-sat for this one lady few years ago who bought some kind of fish alternative from some wholesaler in northern california, but I can not find anything about the product. Does any have any advise?
There's a product in my local stores called --I kid you not--Tuno. I don't know anything about it, as I sometimes eat fish. Maybe you can order it?
I've seen scads of veggie tuna salad recipes, but most of them seem like veggie egg salad recipes to me, mimicking the mayo, pickle, seasoning taste, but I don't see how they'd mimic the tuna. Some of them use dulse or kelp, which might help: http://www.usbg.gov/education/events/upload/N ot%20Tuna%20Salad.pdf
you could make "fish" seitan.
mix equal parts vital wheat gluten and water (i use 1/2 cup and 1/2 cup for 2 120 calorie servings), knead for 5 minutes and then let sit for 5 minutes.
while gluten is sitting, bring 2 cups of water (for this ratio of 1/2 c to 1/2... you'll need more or less depending on which ratio you use) to a boil with whatever spices you need for the flavor you want...
- my "sorta chickenish but better" spice mix- nutritional yeast, onion powder, black pepper, thyme
- my "fishy tasting" spice mix- seaweed, onion powder, black pepper
cut gluten into equal sized small pieces (they'll more than double while boiling), boil the gluten in the water and spice mix in a covered pot until liquid is gone, make sure to stir every 10 minutes!!
at this point you now have ready to eat seitan that is good in a stir fry or with a bit of whatever sauce you want to put on it, but when i make it i spritz it with olive oil spray and bake in a 400 degree oven until the the edges are browned... this gives it a nice crispy texture.
oh and!
for a tuna alternative you can mash some chickpeas into mush, mix in some vegan mayo (or just use regular if you're vegetarian), add some black pepper, chopped pickles, onion, and celery and voila... not tuna! i like this over salads or in sourdough bread as a sandwich.
I would say that your body may be asking for fish. If you feel that your commitment to vegatarianism is more important than your health, you could get some of the same nutrients by eating various types of seaweeds. Be sure to get necessary oils from supplements.
If right stewardship and compassion for our lesser creatures meant total abstinence from eating them, the human race would not have survived.
Not to argue with dinarly, but I wouldn't necessarily say that your body is asking for fish. The human body is an amazing thing, and as many of us have learned first hand, while practicing total abstinence from eating animals and fish (etc), we still thrive. As for the assumed history of what the human race ate back in prehistoric times and the way our teeth and digestive systems are formed, I would say that IMHO there were many more vegans/vegetarians back in the day then people realize.
Sometimes we crave things that we definitely don't need, it can be more of a mental thing. I definitely don't "need" cheesecake or an occasional margarita, haha...but I do enjoy a vegan version of something every so often a la asian-style orange "chikn" or some gardenburger crumble burritos! :)
Loma Linda foods has a couple of products that might fill the bill
>rolls eyes<
I have been craving salty crab-like stuff for a few days now, but I can get over my "seafood" cravings with vegetable sushi really easy. I also bought dried seaweed (used in miso soups) that's nummy and fishy! When I crave seafood, it normally means I just want something really salty- and having natural seasalt really helps because it tastes, well, like the sea. :D
Hi,
I'm brand new here. I basically signed up to respond to this thread. I am sooo glad someone posted Veggieworld.com! I LOVE that site. May Wah's stuff is really good.
I've ordered several items and I thought all of them were great. If it is just "seafood" you're looking for and it doesn't have to be fish, exactly, I highly recommend the King Prawns. They were great hot or cold and scary realistic to me. They were gone in 2 dishes because I couldn't stop snacking on them while I was cooking my garlic "shrimp" pasta. LOL I kept having to check the label to make sure they were really meatless!
The shredded crab meat made an awesome crab salad. I also got the shrimp balls but I'm not so sure what to do with those. I still have some left. They are my least favorite but still tasty in their own way.
Sort of unrelated, I also ordered the veggie ham and it was awesome on sandwiches but it doesn't hold up well to liquid or steam. Turned into a sponge. Oh, I just remembered that I got the "Delicious" Chicken too and it was less than delicious. :) I had to feed that one to the dogs.
I was so glad to find this site again! It's very well organized and even though there's not much of a description, there are pictures, ingredients and nutritional information. It looks like most of it is Vegan. I had forgotten what it was called so I have been doing when the previous poster said and making my own veggie sushi for my seafood cravings.
It's kind of funny because dreams about seafood was what caused me to become a vegetarian in the first place. I guess I'm just fascinated by meat analogs.
I used to have fish cravings too, maybe you're not looking for the taste of fish, I think you just miss the texture, I find that eating grilled eggplant and breaded okra served with rice, and a dipping sauce made of 2 tbsp soy sauce, half a lime and chopped chili satisfies the craving =)
