It is necessary to immediately clarify that soy asparagus has nothing in common with regular asparagus. The latter is a vegetable, and the former is a product obtained artificially from soybeans. Essentially, soy asparagus is foam collected from boiled soy milk and dried. The product is inexpensive, has a neutral taste, and is therefore suitable for preparing various dishes. The most popular option is soy asparagus salad.
It must be said that the described product is called soy asparagus exclusively in our country and neighboring countries. In Asia it is called differently, for example, the Chinese call it fuzhu, and the Japanese call it yubu.
The product contains a lot of vegetable protein, so it saturates well and is easily digestible. But it should be borne in mind that soy asparagus is quite high in calories; 100 grams of dry product contains almost 400 kcal! But when used in moderation, the product is very useful.
Asparagus is sold dry, so it needs to be prepared before preparing the salad. If you have time, pour cold water over the asparagus and leave for 6-8 hours until softened. If there is no time, then asparagus can be poured with boiling water and cooked at low simmer for about 20 minutes. But the latter preparation option should be used only in emergency cases, since boiling destroys vitamins and valuable amino acids.
After such preparation, the asparagus can be used for further processing. It can be pickled or fried.
The finished asparagus is mixed with the rest of the salad ingredients. The dish is seasoned with vegetable oil with the addition of vinegar or lemon juice, but there are also recipes for salads with mayonnaise.
Interesting facts: soy is the only plant-based food product whose benefits are still debated. On the one hand, it contains a lot of useful substances, on the other hand, soy contains substances similar to female sex hormones, that is, when consuming soy products, there is a risk of developing hormonal imbalance.
Korean soy asparagus salad
There are many options for Korean-style soy asparagus salad; we offer a very simple recipe that uses ready-made Korean carrots.
- 200 gr. dry asparagus;
- 400 gr. ready-made Korean carrot salad;
- 2 medium sized onions;
- 50 gr. parsley and dill;
- 0.5 teaspoon each of black, red and allspice ground pepper;
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce;
- 5-6 cloves of garlic;
- salt to taste;
- oil for frying.
Soak the asparagus in water, when it becomes soft, cut into pieces 2.5-3 cm long. Cut the onion into thin halves of rings. Fry the onion in vegetable oil until translucent. Add chopped asparagus to the onion and, reducing the heat, simmer for 10 minutes under the lid. Add spices and finely chopped garlic to the pan, add heat and fry, stirring for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the fried foods to a plate to cool faster.
Mix asparagus and onions with ready-made Korean carrots (store-bought or homemade). Season with soy sauce, sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.
Advice! If desired, you can add a spoonful of wine vinegar to this salad.
Asparagus salad with vegetables
Soy asparagus salad with vegetables is a light and tasty appetizer.
- 250 gr. dry asparagus;
- 3 cloves of garlic;
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce;
- 100 ml vegetable oil;
- 1 teaspoon vinegar;
- 1 teaspoon red hot pepper;
- dill, parsley, salt, ground coriander to taste;
- 1 small onion.
Soak the soy asparagus in water for several hours. When the asparagus is soft, cut it into pieces about 2 cm long.
- 100 gr. soy asparagus;
- 1 cucumber;
- 1 carrot;
- 100 gr. cherry tomatoes;
- 100 gr. hard cheese, it is advisable to take cheese that is salty enough so that it tastes good in the salad;
- 2 tablespoons olive oil;
- seasoning for Korean salads to taste.
Soak the asparagus in cold water for several hours. When the asparagus becomes soft, rinse it with clean water and squeeze. Cut into pieces 1-2 cm long. Sprinkle with spices for Korean salads.
Advice! When purchasing spices, pay attention to the fact that there are different options - very hot, medium hot and mild. Choose according to your taste.
Peel the carrots and grate them into long narrow pieces using a special grater. Similarly, grate hard cheese and fresh cucumber. Mix vegetables and cheese with asparagus, add cherry tomatoes, cut in half. Season with vegetable oil. It is recommended to serve the salad in portions, placing it on a plate covered with lettuce leaves. It is recommended to serve the salad with white bread toast.
Light salad with green beans
A light version of the salad made from soy asparagus with.
- 250 gr. green beans;
- 200 gr. soy asparagus;
- 1 fresh cucumber;
- 1 onion;
- 1 pod of bell pepper;
- soy sauce for dressing.
Cut the soybean asparagus pre-soaked in water into pieces about 2 cm long. Peel the fresh green beans and cut them into pieces the same length as the asparagus. Place the beans in salted boiling water and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Drain the liquid through a colander and cool. Mix with asparagus.
