Vegan Almond Chicken

Soy curls made to taste like Almond Chicken on a bed of steamed kale

 We used to like to go to this very typical American-Chinese restaurant in Spokane that served Chinese food the way we liked it, the tackier the better.  Sticky, bright red sweet and sour sauce, bright yellow lemon chicken, you get the idea.  My favorite item on their menu was Almond Chicken.  It was something I never figured out how to make at home (and probably would have cringed at how unhealthy it was anyway).  I found myself wondering how to re-create the essence of what I liked about this dish without re-creating the bad stuff—the animal protein and the greasy gravy.

God Bless Soy Curls.  

A plant based version of the standard American Chinese Restaurant "Almond Chicken"
Ingredients:
1 cup              soy curls 1 cup              boiling water 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base 2 tablespoons Sliced almonds 1/4 cup almond flour (or grind up your whole almonds with a food processor) 1/4 cup flaxseed meal 1/4 cup bread crumbs (whole grain, dry) 1 cup water 1/2 cup almond flour 1/2 cup almond milk, lowfat 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour 1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, No Chicken Base 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional) 1 tablespoon Miso paste 1 bunch steamed kale  1.  Dissolve 1 teaspoon of bouillon in 1 cup of boiling water and pour over soy curls to dehydrate.  Let sit for 15 min. or longer while you prepare the other ingredients. 2.  Toast sliced almonds in small skillet until golden brown, set aside to use as topping. 3.  Toast 1/4 cup almond flour (ground almonds), then combine with flaxseed meal and bread crumbs. 4.  Drain broth from soy curls and reserve.  Dredge soy curls in almond flour mixture. 5.  Toast coated soy curls in medium-hot skillet until browned on all sides.  Set aside in warm oven. 6.  Combine sauce ingredients (1 cup water, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, garbanzo bean flour and 1/2 teaspoon bouillon) in blender or Magic Bullet. 7.  Pour sauce ingredients into skillet and bring to simmer, cook until thickened.  Remove from heat and add almond extract and miso paste, stir to combine. 8.  Place 1 cup of steamed kale or brown rice and 1/4 of the soy curls on each plate, cover with the almond sauce and sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the top.
8.  Remember to close your eyes with each bite, sigh and be happy and grateful to be alive.  Bless the cook.  Don't bother wiping the grin off your face.

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