6 High-Protein Vegan Chinese Dishes
“How do you get your protein?!”
It’s a question that most veteran vegans roll their eyes at.
The truth is that almost all foods, including vegetables, contain some quantity of protein. Unless you’re trying to bulk up for a body-building competition, chances are you’re doing just fine. I think there’s an overemphasis on the importance of protein over other macronutrients (have you ever heard of a doctor diagnosing someone as “protein deficient”?), but that being said, a meal lacking protein will often leave you feeling hungry within an hour. So here are 6 dishes that I make or order to make sure I leave the table satisfied.
Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐 Má pó dòufu)
This dish hardly needs an introduction - it’s arguably one of the most popular Sichuan dishes in (and out of) China! While easily veganized, make sure to ask for it without ground pork （肉末ròu mò) and to use vegetable oil (植物油zhíwùyóu). Honestly, with all the flavour coming from the fermented bean sauce, chilli, ginger and garlic, I have no idea why you would need to add any animal ingredients! Highly recommend to eat this with rice to catch all that gorgeous sauce.
2. Braised Wheat Gluten (红烧烤麸 Hóng shāokǎo fū)
I’ll be the first to admit that the English translation of this dish sounds a bit strange and unappetizing, but I encourage you to give it a chance! “Kaofu”, a spongey form of wheat gluten, is the protein star of this dish and absorbs sauce like no other. And not that I would wish home quarantine on anyone, but the ingredients are “lockdown-friendly” Chinese pantry staples: dried mushrooms, peanuts, soy sauce and sugar.
3. Shredded Tofu Salad (凉拌豆腐丝 Liángbàn dòufu sī)
This dish, which I facetiously to refer to as “keto noodles,” is not only one of my favourite cold dishes, but it’s available in almost every Chinese restaurant. There are many different variations, but usually they contain some sort of fresh, shredded vegetable or sprouts, a salty-vinegary dressing and that comforting, buttery drizzle of sesame oil.
4. Barbecued Seitan (烤面筋 Kǎo miànjīn)
On first glance it’s easy to mistake this barbecued skewer for a meaty sausage, but think again! 面筋 is the chinese name for seitan, and os made from washing a ball of dough made from wheat flour. Once the starch has been rinsed off, the remaining product is pure gluten. When seasoned and cooked, it develops a satisfying meaty chew. It’s also packed with protein - one serving of 100g can provide up to 25g of protein!
5. Yunnan Fried Kidney Beans (薄荷酥红豆 Bòhé sū hóngdòu)
Surprisingly other than tofu, beans are not a super common element of Chinese cuisine. For those looking for a whole, unprocessed protein, I highly recommend these crispy beans from Yunnan Province. They are fried with mint, tea leaves or other green vegetables, dried chillis, and pickles. Watch out, they are highly addictive!
6. Hot Pot (火锅 huǒguō)
Ok, so this is more of a meal than a dish, but I really can’t think of a better way to get all your nutrients! My favourite high-protein additions are tofu (tofu skin, frozen tofu, tofu puffs…), seaweed, noodles, and don’t discount other veg! While it’s true that vegetables are not super protein dense, most contain a gram or two, and that can easily add up!
