Vegan Papaya Lassi with Cardamom

Inspired by this and this, veganized a lassi! It's deceptively simple; super tasty.  

Blend: 

1 C ice cubes

1-2 C papaya 

1 C oat milk

1/2 tsp cardamom, crushed in mortar and pestle

2 medjool dates (pits removed) 

Favorite Tofu Recipes 2020-2021

Main method: Cut tofu into squares or slabs, press. Drain.  Marinate in soy sauce and maple syrup and some oil. Then toss in cornstarch (or panko and sesame seeds). Bake on parchment paper at 400 F for 20 minutes each side.  The basic idea is described well by Cookie and Kate. I hate frying as it's a lot of standing over the stove time, so I try to bake whenever possible!

Are these steps really necessary? Yes, even for someone like me who likes to skip steps and streamline. Pressing and draining is essential for better texture and crisping. Cornstarch or some dry coating on the outside is essential, otherwise the tofu just kind of steams in the oven. Parchment is essential (so you get a crisp exterior, otherwise it sticks to the pan and you can't get the crispy exterior off in one piece). 

Variants: 

• Marinate in sriracha and honey, then coat in corn flour/cornmeal like this recipe from The Woks of Life

• This version from Just One Cookbook uses Japanese flavors and reminds me of Agedashi tofu, but is much simpler. If you eat fish, the katsuobushi on top is delicious!  I wait until it's out of the oven and sprinkle while pan is still hot. 

• Sesame tofu is very popular. Use a flax egg or real egg to dip and adhere a thicker layer of panko or bread crumbs, like It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken or  Love and Olive Oil or Lazy Cat Kitchen. 

We also really like these tofu recipes from Chloe Coscarelli's book "Chloe Flavor": 

Thai Tofu Satay with peanut sauce pg 78 - adapted to the oven instead of stove top. I bake for 40 minutes at 375 - 400 F and flip half way through. These planks are so good we love them in sandwiches, especially with some kind of greens plus mango chutney. 

General Tso's Tofu on page 176 which uses an orange juice, sriracha sauce. 

Future Tofu ideas: 

Next I want to try tofu "Fish", in either the fish and chips or fish burger form factor from Elephantastic Vegan. 

I also want to try tandoori tofu on skewers like this from Hello Veggie or Holy Cow Vegan or Rabbit and Wolves. 

Vegan soy curl pot pies/chick*en and dumpings in instant pot

I saw this recipe for vegan pot pies and wanted to try making it in the instant pot, and adding soy curls for  a "chicken" like effect.  You can make this as either pot pies or more simply as "chick*n and dumplings"  

Measure out in a small cup: 

2 TB flour

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp ground black pepper 

4 bay leaves

Dice: 

1 medium russet potato

2-4 carrots

2-4 celery stalks

1 small yellow onion

4 cloves garlic 

Soak 1/2 package soy curls in 1-2 C hot water. 

Meanwhile, make the dumpling/biscuit topping by mixing: 

2 C flour 

1.5 tsp baking powder

0.5 tsp salt
1/4 C olive oil 

3/4 C milk or non dairy milk

Saute the onion and garlic in the instant pot, with 2 TB oil and 1 tsp salt.  Now add the flour-spice mixture and stir, cooking until the flour is a little toasted (about 60 seconds). Add 2 C broth and 1-2 C water and scrape the bottom of the pan with a long spoon. 

Add the diced veggies, soaked and drained soy curls and stir.  

For pot pies, lock the lid now.  For dumplings,  spoon the biscuit mixture as separate pieces and plop into the liquid in the instant pot.  Lock the lid. 

Pressure cook at high pressure for 9 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker/instant pot, then cook for longer, until veggies are soft and dumplings are cooked inside. 

For dumplings, open instant pop and enjoy. 

For pot pies, pour the cooked vegetable mixture into a large pyrex pan. Top with the biscuit topping.  

If making for later, wrap and store in fridge. When ready, bake at 400 F for 20-40 minutes or until golden brown on top and you can see bubbles around the sides. 

Stir Fry Sauce

I really like the taste of this stir fry sauce, it goes well with a lot of things, and it doesn't require weird ingredients not already in my cupboard. 

Chop 3 cloves garlic finely, or keep as thin slices

Microplane 1 TB ginger 

Slice up scallion/green onion. 

Mix in a cup: 

1 TB hot water
1 TB cornstarch 

Now add to the cup with the cornstarch:  

1 TB maple syrup 
3 TB soy sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 
1/8 tsp chili oil 

In hot sauce pan, add 2 TB avocado oil. shallow fry the garlic, ginger and scallions. 

Add whatever other stir fry items. Once they are cooked, then add the liquid and stir to combine. it will thicken a bit. 

vegan corn chowder

Inspired by this and this recipe, I made some vegan corn chowder!

In hot pan (or instant pot on saute mode), add 1 TB avocado or canola oil. 

saute  1 diced yellow onion with 1/2 tsp salt until browning. 

Add 2 stalks celery, diced, and 3 cloves garlic, diced.  Deglaze pan with 1/4 C dry white wine.  

Now add: 

1 can diced mild chili peppers like hatch

2 small potatoes, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

bay leaves

veg broth or water 

Pressure cook for 5 minutes at high pressure, or cook on stovetop until potato is fork tender. 

Open pressure cooker, add 4 C frozen corn, stir into hot soup to thaw the corn. 

Scoop some of the mix into blender and blend with 1/4 C cashews. 

Pour back into the pan, add chickpeas or white canelini beans.  Heat until warmed through. 

garnish: chopped cilantro and finely diced red onion

Serve with corn bread or warm corn tortillas. 

Red Currant Jelly (canned)

Red currants make an excellent jelly!  I looked up a few references for making currant jelly and canning it in boiling water bath:

• University of Alaska Fairbanks Extension
• David Lebovitz's recipe
• Colorado State Extension

According to a couple sources, no need to add lemon juice (like the usual jam recipes for other fruits) because red currants have enough acid already.  (Cooksinfo and Colorado state extension jelly page)

METHOD

Sort the currants, remove any moldy bits or rocks. Leave them on the stems, no need to pull the berries off the stems. Rinse in a colander.

Boil the currants (stems are ok) and a bit of water  until soft
Strain to get the juice ( I used a fine metal mesh sieve)

Measure how many cups of juice you have. By volume, the ratio is:1 part juice to .8 part sugar.

Combine currant juice and sugar in saucepan and bring to boil.

Pack into hot sterilized half pint (or smaller) jars with 1/4 inch headspace.

Place in boiling water bath canner for 5 minutes (for half pints or smaller).

Yield: I bought 4 pints of red currants, which fit comfortably in my large saucepan. It yielded 2.5 C red currant juice, to which I added 2 C sugar. Yielded 3 half pint jars of jelly.

Vegan Urad Dal Makhani (w cashew cream)

Soak 1/2 C raw unsalted cashews in 1 C of water for an hour.

Pressure cook 10 minutes at high:
1 C urad dal (split with skins on (looks black and white)  (no need to soak)
3 C water
Let pressure reduce naturally. Open pressure cooker, then strain off extra water. Reserve.

Meanwhile, saute in avocado or other neutral oil:
1 onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt 
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 TB ginger, grated (microplane)
(I saute the onion and salt first until sweating, then add the garlic and then the ginger a few minutes later, since the onion needs more time. Get them nicely browned but not burnt).

Pour 1 can chopped tomatoes into blender. Add 1/2-1 C water (I use the water to rinse out the last drops of tomato from the can). Scoop the caramelized onion mixture into the blender. Blend until smooth.

In a hot pan with oil, add 1-2 tsp cumin seeds, stir for 60 seconds.
Now add and stir for another 30 seconds:
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1 tsp chili powder 

Into the hot spice pan, pour the pureed tomato onion mix (be careful, it wants to splatter). Stir to scrape up the goodies at the bottom of the pan.  This is your curry sauce.

Now stir in the cooked urad dal from the prior step, plus:
1 can cooked kidney beans (drain off liquid first)
1 TB kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves) 
1/2 tsp amchur (sour mango powder) or lemon juice to taste
salt to taste

Let it simmer until combined and soft. The urad dal will break up a bit.

Make the cashew cream: drain off the soaking liquid. Combine the soaked cashews with 1/4 C fresh water in blender, blend until smooth (scraping down the sides of the blender to catch chunky bits).  (cashew cream recipe from https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-the-ultimate-vegan-cashew-cream-242648)

Top dal with some cashew cream. Serve with rice.


inspiration links:
https://www.mamtaskitchen.com/recipe_display.php?id=13297
https://www.thecuriouschickpea.com/vegan-dal-makhani/
https://twosleevers.com/pressure-cooker-dal-makhani-buttery-lentils/

Chinese Egg & tomato

My friend introduced me to this dish, she said the restaurant didn't have it on the menu but was able to make it when she requested it. I had never seen anything like it and fell for it! It has a soothing flavor and is soft and easy to eat (ideal for tooth/jaw issues).

Adapted from the NY times recipe, adjusted for our tastes. I really enjoy the white pepper!

PREP

Microplane 1 tsp ginger
slice 2-3 green onions
slice 3 medium tomatoes (1 lb) into narrow wedges

Mix:
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar 
1 TB ketchup 
2 TB water 

separately beat together:
6 eggs
2 TB Shaoxing wine 

1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 to 1 tsp salt 
1/4 -1/2 tsp white pepper

COOK

Heat a wide pan. Add 3 TB avocado oil.  Fry the green onions for 30 seconds. Pour in the egg, scramble until just set. Pour egg back out into a bowl.

Add 1 TB avocado oil to hot empty pan. Fry up the grated ginger for 30 seconds. Now add the sliced tomato, stir. Cook until the tomato is starting to come apart.

Add the cornstarch-ketchup mix. Now add the cooked egg back in, stir to combine. Take off heat.

Serve over steamed rice.

Vegan soy curl, broccoli "Mongolian" stir fry

Inspired by this post from V Nutrition, I made this soy curl veganized version of "Mongolian Beef & Broccoli".  It was surprisingly convincing and tasted like take out!

METHOD

Rehydrate 2 C soy curls in hot water for 10 minutes. Then drain and press out the extra water. Reserve.

Prepare:
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 TB microplaned ginger
1 head broccoil, cut into bite size pieces
4 cremini mushrooms, sliced thin

Mix up the liquid sauce ingredients in a cup:
1 TB hot water
1 TB cornstarch 
1 TB maple syrup 
3 TB soy sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 
1/8 tsp chili oil 

In a hot saucepan, add 1 TB neutral oil (we use avocado oil).  Fry up the garlic and ginger for 60 seconds. Then add broccoli and mushrooms and cook until halfway done/starting to soften.  Add the soy curls and the sauce ingredients and stir. Place lid and cook until warmed through and broccoli is soft. The sauce will thicken a bit.

Serve over rice.

vegan chili (instant pot)

We've been making this vegetarian chili for several weeks now,  and have altered it to our tastes. It's super satisfying, especially with vegan cornbread.  Makes a lot, it'd be great if you are having people over or need to feed a crowd.   With the instant pot you can set this up ahead and have dinner just about ready when you get home or when you are done doing something else.

Place into the instant pot:
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
2 green bell peppers, cut into large chunks
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced into small pieces

1 can chopped tomato
28 oz can of pureed tomato
1-2 C water 

1 TB salt
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 -3  tsp chili powder 

Pressure cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. I like the instant pot's keep warm function. You could also slow cook this all day long if you don't have an instant pot.

Once it's finished cooking, add, and stir:
2-3 C cooked beans: I use canned (and drained) kidney beans and home cooked pinto beans (we cook and freeze these ahead)
1/2 C chopped cilantro 
1 C frozen corn 

Let the heat of the soup warm up the beans and corn. Once it's warmed through, serve with cornbread.