The Winter Solstice Approaches

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“We're not trying to push our agenda,” says Justin Lee, chef and owner of Lower East Side newcomer Fat Choy . “We're just trying to make delicious food that you crave, and you shouldn't have to worry about it being vegan or not.” While Lee himself identifies as a carnivore (in fact, he used to work at a restaurant called Cannibal), his decision to open a meat-free restaurant isn’t one he made lightly. The vegetable-centric menu at Fat Choy is a love letter to Chinese American takeout, with a desire to lessen the environmental impact of the restaurant industry. “We're people that love food,” Lee says. “This is what we've chosen to do, and this is our platform to try to change the world for the better.”

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  Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

  1/5

  Smashed Cucumber Salad

  Growing up, Lee enjoyed smashing cucumbers for this salad in a plastic bag. “It was like a Chinese American kid’s version of Shake ‘n Bake,” he says. This is a refreshing saucy dish that’ll cool you down all through summer. At the restaurant, they make their own chili oil, but you can keep it simple and grab your favorite brand from the store or a local restaurant that has pivoted to a wonderful grocery program.

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• Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

  2/5

  Salt-and-Pepper Cauliflower

  Who really wants to deep-fry at home? Leave that hassle to the restaurants and instead just roast these cauliflower florets in the oven until deeply browned.

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• Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

  3/5

  Crunchy Greens With Fat Choy Ranch

  When he was a kid, one of the few vegetables Lee would eat was romaine lettuce with ranch dressing. (“To be honest, it was mostly ranch with a touch of lettuce,” he says.) With vibrant herbs and peppery watercress, this salad is an update of that childhood favorite.

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• Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

  4/5

  Bok Choy With Brown Sauce and Crispy Garlic

  It doesn’t get much better than a beautiful vegetable simply steamed and accompanied by oyster sauce. To veganize, cooked-down mushrooms, rice wine, and soy sauce are puréed to create a condiment with similar umami punch.

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• Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas

  5/5

  Mushroom Sloppy

  "This dish is our riff on Vanessa’s Dumpling House sesame pancake with Szechuan beef sauce, a sandwich I’ve eaten so much that by now I’m likely made up of 10 percent sesame pancake,” Lee says.

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Source : food