Gluten-free, vegan Guyanese-style chow mein

I’ve mentioned in a few of my posts that my parents are from Guyana. I love Guyanese food; it has a distinct taste, made up of a combination of flavors from Africa, Asia, Europe, and India. One of the dishes my dad makes better than anyone I know is chow mein. I don’t know what he does, but it tastes like magic if food could taste like magic.

One of the flavors in Guyanese chow mein is Cassareep. It’s a sauce made from the juice from cassava root, one of Guyana’s oldest traditional foods. The juice is boiled down to a molasses-dark syrup, which has powerful antiseptic properties that are used in medicine as well. It’s not that easy to find depending on where you live, so in a pinch, I included a substitute.

Listed below the recipe are the full nutrition and health benefits.

Chicken or vegan chow mein recipe

Makes: 4-6 servings
Total time: 30 minutes, cook time: 15 minutes, prep time: 15 minutes
Note: Traditional Guyanese veggie chow mein doesn’t have tofu, but I’m all for extra protein, especially in a carb dish.

Ingredients

1 package of vermicelli, I use Mama whole grain rice brand, if you’re not gluten-free use regular chow mein noodles
1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, sliced or cubed, or 3 packages of medium tofu cubed
2.5 tablespoons of sunflower oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cups of mixed bell peppers, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup green beans or snow peas, cut into 2-inch pieces
5 heads of green onions, finely chopped
Optional: cilantro garnish

For the tofu

1/2 teaspoon of fresh thyme
1 tablespoon of cassareep or substitute with 1 tablespoon of tamari sauce (gluten-free soy sauce) mixed with a teaspoon of molasses or brown sugar
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
A teaspoon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Follow the instructions on the package to cook the noodles.

For the tofu

Season the tofu with the ingredients above. Prepare the vegetables. Then in a skillet large enough for the noodles, warm oil on medium heat.
Add the onions and cook until they are brown and soft.
Next, add the tofu and vegetables, except for peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the peppers and cook for 3 minutes. Peppers should be crunchy after cooking. Then add the noodles.
Toss together then add chopped scallions.
Remove from heat and serve.