This dish has a five spice and fennel soy taste that makes it a unique treat different from traditional Chinese dishes.  It’s salty on its own, and goes great on plain white rice.  This recipe is adapted from Wei-Chuan’s Rice cookbook, for our vegetarian diet.

Ingredients:

• 12 Morningstar Original Vegetarian Sausage Patties

Spices:

• 6 medium-sized shallots, minced
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 1 T ginger, minced
• 1/8 t cinnamon powder
• 1/8 t five spice powder
• 1/8 t fennel powder
• 1/8 t pepper

Sauce:

• 1 c water
• 3/4 c rice wine
• 3 T soy sauce
• 3 T sesame oil
• 1½ T white sugar
• 1½ T black vinegar
• 1 t corn starch

Instructions:

Toast the veggie sausage patties in the oven for 15 minutes on 400°F.  Allow them to cool so they can be handled to cut.  Cut each patty in half and then slice in thin (approx ¼ inch) strips.

Combine the Sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, mixing well to ensure the corn starch is fully dissolved.  Combine the Spices ingredients in a small bowl.

Heat 2 T of cooking oil in a non-stick saute pan on medium high heat.  Stir-fry the Spices for 1 minute.  Add the Sauce and sliced patties, stirring constantly, and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat after the sauce has thickened.  Allow the dish to stand for 2 minutes for the flavors to infuse into the patties.