It’s tofu, omg…

 (Serves 2) Tofu is a staple in vegan diets, I haven’t posted a recipe including it yet so I’m now rectifying this shameful travesty. It might look like a tasteless, weird, wobbly block of nothingness but once you get the hang of cooking with it you can make it crunchy and crispy in savoury dishes and even use silken tofu to make creamy puddings. Protein rich and also a good source of calcium, it is made from curdling soya milk to form curds which are pressed together. A very similar process to how cheese is made. And because I said I wanted to tell you more about Punjabi recipes, I had a go at making a paneer style karahi dish. Traditionally cooked in an iron, flat bottomed wok (a karahi), quite a dry curry made with ground chilli powder and fresh peppers.

Tofu takes on the flavours of your marinade – without any seasoning it really does taste like wobbly nothingness. I used nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt, let it sit in that for a couple of days in the fridge to create a paneery flavour. The salt helped to draw out extra liquid to give it a firmer, more paneer-like texture and the lemon gave it a slight tang. 

Now if you haven’t come across nutritional yeast before, I know those words together hardly conjure up mouth watering images of decadent food… but it’s seriously good! It is a deactivated yeast (so it doesn’t have leavening abilities – it won’t make your food expand during cooking!). It has this cheesy, nutty flavour which hits that umami spot. You can find it in good health food shops for a couple of quid or online for a bit more. Basically, go buy some now so you can have cheesy flavours back in your vegan life. Put it in your pasta dishes, spoon it directly from the tub into your mouth… OR make my lovely Indian curry dish below…

INGREDIENTS

• 250g firm tofu
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp salt   

• 1 large onion, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground red chilli powder
• 2 tsp dried fenugreek/methi
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp oil (I use raw virgin coconut, olive oil is fine)
• 400g chopped tomatoes   

METHOD

• Do your magic tofu into paneer prep two days before! Mix the nutritional yeast, lemon juice and salt and put into a small clear bag/sandwich bag/zip lock bag. Drain your tofu, pat dry with paper towels and dice into bite sized pieces. Put them in the bag and mix well but gently to ensure even coverage. Try to press out as much air as possible and seal the bag. Leave it in the fridge for up to three days.
• So a couple of days later… make your curry base. Heat your oil in the wok. Cook the onion and garlic for 5 mins until browned, on a medium heat.
• Add the ginger and spices, continue to cook and stir for 2 more mins until fragrant.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and fresh chilli, stir well. Add the sliced pepper, stir to coat and cook for a further 2 mins.
• Remove your pieces of tofu from the bag and transfer into the pan. Stir gently, again to coat everything. Allow to cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the curry sauce is quite dry and thick and the peppers are tender. The tofu will hold its shape and cook in the sauce.  
• EAT IT! I ate mine with some brown rice. Lovely stuff.

This tasted great. The initial tofu marinade did give it the mild cheesy taste and texture I was hoping for, and then it was cooked again in the curry spices which added even more flavour. Tofu is a flavour sponge and making fake paneer is my new favourite thing to do with it. Might become yours too?

S.x

It’s massaman curry, omg… (featuring mock duck)

(recipe serves approx 8 – I make big curry batches and freeze!) 

  

 Thai food is my absolute favourite. I have my answer ready for that hypothetical question “what would be your last meal?” Thai massaman curry would easily be my main course. (I haven’t decided on my hypothetical starter and dessert yet, but that’s a whole different hypothetical blog post 😉 I won’t digress…) By the way, this is fabulous to impress your friends and family with. I find it hugely satisfying creating complex flavours from scratch. So if you’re feeling adventurous, do have a go at making this curry paste. Buying ready prepared ones will be a thing of the past! 

 This curry uses an array of exciting spices which are not traditionally used in Thai cuisine, combined with those which are typically Thai. Do not let that put you off, it really is not overly complicated and is definitely worth the end result: a fragrant, rich and nutty curry with a subtle spicy kick. Usually the main ingredients along with the herbs and spices are potatoes and meat. So without further ado, I’ll tell you how I veganised my favourite curry… 

 MOCK DUCK 

Okay so I’ve heard mixed opinions on the use of canned, mock meats. Some think it’s weird – what is it even made of? Is it not just a load of preservatives?

My view is that it is a great source of protein for vegans, and it provides another texture to your dish. It is made of wheat gluten, stewed in soy sauce. Once in a while as a treat, I consider it a delicious convenience – it takes on the flavours of your curry sauce. I have also shredded, marinated in hoisin sauce and grilled to make mock duck crispy pancakes. Delicious! Once again, it is stocked in Oriental supermarkets (gosh I love that place) and is about £1.30 per can. 

Alternatively, you can skip fake meats entirely and adapt my take on this massaman recipe to include different vegetables or tofu. It’s all good. 

  

 HERBS & SPICES 

 As I mentioned before, there are a few different spices going on in this recipe so I’ll talk you through my quantities:

• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp coriander leaves (I only had dried, but you can use a fresh bunch)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 stick lemongrass – either lightly crushed and remove before serving the curry OR remove outer leaves and finely chop the inner core (I do the latter)
• Thumb size piece of ginger – finely grated/chopped
• 3 cloves garlic – minced
• 3 chillies – finely chopped (this gives it a medium heat – alter to your preference)
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or soft brown)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 tsp soy sauce (make sure it’s vegan!)

  

Again, I’d like to stress that you should not be put off by this list. Once you have a decent spice rack in your kitchen the possibilities are endless. It is so worth the time sourcing herbs and spices in Asian supermarkets. And you won’t have to worry about checking through the small print on pre-prepared sauce jars to see if they are suitable for vegans. What can I say; herbs and spices really excite me!

 

INGREDIENTS

• Spices as above
• 1 large onion finely diced
• Juice of 1 fresh lime
• 3 fresh tomatoes finely diced
• 2 tins mock duck drained and rinsed
• 2 large potatoes chopped into 2inch pieces
• 75g cashews, crushed
• 1 tin coconut milk (400ml)
• 3 spring/green onions sliced
• Your choice of fresh veg: I had 70g of baby corn and sugarsnap peas. You can also use a couple of carrots
• 2 tablespoons oil (I use raw coconut oil, olive oil is also fine)

  

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a wok or large saucepan, add the diced onion and minced garlic. High heat with the lid on for approx. 4 mins until the liquid has evaporated. Reduce to a medium heat with the lid off and continue until browned, add the ginger and lemongrass, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking, cook for a further 3 mins.
• Reduce to a low heat and add all of the remaining herbs and spices (though if you are using fresh coriander leaves, add this right at the end when the dish is complete). Continue stirring, cook for 2 minutes. By now your kitchen should smell amazing and the paste should look like this:

  

• Add the potatoes and cashew, stir to coat with the curry paste, then add the coconut milk, the mock duck and 1 pint of cold water. Turn the heat right up and bring to the boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the rest of your vegetables – fresh tomatoes, carrot, corn, peas (your choice!) and continue to simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked. Add the lime juice.

  

Serve with jasmine rice, cooked according to packet instructions. You could crisp up some lotus root to serve it with (see my previous blog post), and I like to sprinkle on a few sesame seeds and extra fresh tomatoes/chopped cashews for additional colour and crunch. 

 This dish is so adaptable. I have subbed the mock duck with shallow fried tofu before, with potatoes, aubergine and mushroom. You could try serving this to non-vegans; I bet they won’t have much to complain about!

 I do hope you give this a go and enjoy it as much as I do!

 S.x