This meat-free paella honours the spirit of the traditional paella Valenciana. Mushrooms provide the meaty component, alongside very traditional ingredients such as artichokes, beans, and sweet pepper.
Types of paella
When I make a version of a dish that is as deeply meaningful to a culture as paella is to the Spanish, I really try to understand the essence of the dish. While I realise that producing a vegan or vegetarian version does change the character of a dish, I do believe that, for many dishes, you can still retain the spirit of the dish. At its heart, paella is a rice dish, so I really believe that the veggie version can still be called paella.
As the lore goes, paella was traditionally a dish that was prepared in the fields by workers near the city of Valencia. They would bring rice with them and cook the paella over open fires, often made with the prunings of the orange groves. If the picture of cooking over the open fire in a Spanish orange grove is not enough to make you crave something that evokes that spirit, I don’t know what to tell you.
There are two traditional types of paella: paella valenciana contains meat and vegetables such as artichokes, beans, and peppers; and paella de marisco, which is seafood paella. There are other non-traditional types such as paella mixta, which contains both meat and seafood. This is not traditional and is mainly aimed at tourists. There are also there is paella negra, a seafood paella coloured with squid ink. We will be making vegetable paella inspired by the flavours of the paella Valenciana
What ingredients define paella?
There are three ingredients that every self-respecting paella recipe has in common: The right rice, saffron, and smoked paprika. Let’s start with the most fundamental ingredient of paella: The rice. You need a shortgrain rice to get the right consistency. The ideal would be a Spanish variety grown near Valencia. You are looking for a rice that can absorb a lot of liquid (and hence a lot of flavour) and still keep its structure. The prized variety of rice is arroz bomba. If you can’t get hold of a Spanish variety, Italian arborio rice is your next best bet. Just note that the texture you are aiming for is very different to risotto. Where a risotto is stirred to create a creamy consistency, the rice in paella is left undisturbed.
Next, saffron. Try to get your hands on saffron. Interesting fact – Spain grows about 70% of the world’s saffron. It contributes colour and a delicate flavour to the dish. Yes, turmeric also gives rice a similar colour, but don’t underestimate how different the flavours are.
Then, the paprika. Smoked paprika comes in two types: sweet and hot. For this, you want sweet smoked paprika. Again, try to get the right stuff, otherwise, you drift away from the intent of the dish. A rice dish with basmati rice, turmeric and plain paprika may well be tasty, but it won’t be paella. Also, don’t go overboard on the paprika – it is a strong flavour, and it can easily.
For the rest of the ingredients, I would say that there is a bit more flexibility. The herb of choice in many recipes seem to be rosemary, and I think it complements the other ingredients nicely. Traditional recipes would have some form of chicken. If you fry and season oyster mushrooms correctly, they have a meaty flavour and texture and make a great substitute in this application. I’ve rounded of the ingredients with red bell peppers, green beans, and artichokes. I also added some canned fava beans – they are a bit hard to find, so substitute them with another bean. My choice would be borlotti beans.
The pan makes the paella
While I don’t think you need to rush out to buy a specific paella pan to make a good version of the dish, you do need to give some thought to the utensil. You need to aim to have a fairly thin layer of rice in the finished product – maybe 2-3 centimetres (about an inch). The purists prefer a fairly thin carbon steel pan. I have cooked mine in a traditional pan, as well as a carbon steel pan, and I was happy with the results of both. You want to avoid a deep, high sided pot.
I think now is also the time to talk about another component of the paella – the layer of toasted rice at the bottom of the paella. This is called the socarrat. Seasoned carbon steel seems to work well to encourage the crust to form, while also not sticking too badly that you can release the crust to eat it.
Vegetarian paella with artichokes
Equipment
- paella pan, or another large, flat pan
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 400 g oyster mushrooms
- 2 large red sweet peppers
- 2 large plum tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch saffron
- ½ cup boiling water to soak saffron in
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 jar artichokes
- 1 bag green beans
- 1 can fava beans
- sprig rosemary
- 2 cups paella rice
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 whole Lemon cut into wedges to serve
Instructions
Do your mise en place
- There are times when I just prep things on the go, but this recipe really responds well to having everything ready to go when the pan goes on to the heat. Things move quickly, and it pays to have things ready.
- Soak the saffron in boiling water. This is important, or the flavour and colour won't stpreadthrough the dish as it should.
- Remove any tough stems from the oyster mushrooms
- Cut the top of the red peppers, halve them, then slice into strips lenght wise.
- Chop the tomato into a very fine dice. It should pretty much be a pulp.
- Slice the green beans into pieces.
- Heat your stock.
- Drain the artichokes and canned beans
Start frying
- Heat olive oil in the pan. Add the mushrooms, frying them until they are well brown. Press down on them with a spatula to get even browning and to release moisture. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
- Remove the mushrooms to a plate, and add the red peppers. Fry the peppers until they have coloured a bit. Return the mushrooms to the pan, and add the tomato and garlic. Stir for a minute, then add the artichokes, green beans, canned beans and smoked paprika. Stir to mix. Add the paella rice, and stir to mix the rice with the other ingredients. Now, add the vegetable stock and saffron water.
Cook the rice
- Bring the liquid to a boil, and then reduce the heat a little (you want a vigorous simmer). Don't stir the rice. You may need to turn the heat down just a little as the liquid evaporates. All the liquid should be absorbed by the end, and the rice should be cooked but not too soft. You can add a little more water or stock if the rice is not cooked to your liking by the time the liquid has evaporated. This should take about 20 mins.
- When the liquid has evaporated, turn the heat low and let the rice toast for a minute or two. Here you have to rely on your senses -it should smell toasty not burnt. Remove from heat and serve!
Buckwheat salad with marinated celery, mushrooms and asparagus
This buckwheat salad makes a great light meal. The earthy flavours of buckwheat are complemented by crunchy celery, mushrooms and asparagus. This is an elegant main dish salad that is vegan and gluten-free. If you marinate the celery the previous night, or in the morning, this dish can come together in under half an hour, making it perfect for weeknights. It also stores really well, making it a great meal prep dish.
Marinating celery
Celery is definitely an underrated vegetable. It can be so much more than just something to serve as a dip carrier. In this recipe, I marinate the celery for a few hours in vinegar and mustard, which lifts the flavour of the celery to the next level. It retains its delicious crunch, and the bits of celery gives wonderful bursts of bright flavour. This pairs so well with the earthy buckwheat, the umami of the mushrooms, and the delicate asparagus flavour.
Why use buckwheat?
I know it may seem that buckwheat is just one more thing to keep in the pantry, but I do think it is a worthwhile addition. Buckwheat can be used in place of rice in most recipes, and it is a pretty good upgrade – it has about 56% more protein than rice by weight (11.7g vs 7.5g per 100g). It is rich in copper, magnesium and manganese. Now, let’s be clear – I’m not saying you should not be eating rice, but it is good to increase the variety of foods in your diet. Not only does it give you a better chance of getting the micronutrients you need, but you are also feeding your gut bacteria a variety of types of fibre.
Ingredients and substitutions
Mushrooms: I used a mix shitake, enoki and king oyster mushrooms in this recipe – that is the mix that my supermarket sells. I think it works really well in this recipe, but most combinations of mushrooms would work. I won’t use brown mushrooms, as it would make the salad look a little dirty.
Asparagus: If it is isn’t asparagus season, broccoli would also work well in this recipe.
Buckwheat: Brown rice or pearl barley would work well as substitutes, but please adjust the cooking times accordingly.
I have opted not to use olive oil in the marinade, but if you are OK with a slightly higher calorie version of the dish, feel free to add some. It will be tasty.
Serving the salad
If you eat it immediately after cooking the buckwheat and asparagus, it will be slightly warm. The celery will hold up to the heat and stay crunchy, but it also tastes great cold if you serve it the next day.
Buckwheat salad with marinated celery, mushrooms and asparagus
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 small red onion
- 2 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 1/3 cup sherry vinegar You can substitute another good quality vinegar such as red wine vinegar, raspberry etc
- 300 g Raw buckwheat groats About 1¾ cup
- 2 small punnets Mixed mushrooms (about 300g) About 2 small punnets
- 1 bunch asparagus (170g)
- ¼ cup pomegranate aerils optional
Instructions
Marinade the celery
- Finely chop celery (you will need about 4 sticks to make a cup of chopped celery). Peel the onion, halve it and slice fine half rings.
- Mix the mustard into the vinegar and add a pinch of salt. Add this to the onion and celery and marinate for at least an hour, or up to a day.
Roast the vegetables
- Slice the asparagus into 2.5 cm / 1 inch sections. Slice the mushrooms. Place these on a baking tray lined with a silicone sheet (or lightly oil a baking sheet). Season with salt and black pepper. Roast the vegetables at 220°C (430°F), stirring once.
While the vegetables are roasting, cook the buckwheat
- Bring the buckwheat to a boil with about 3 cups of water and ½tsp salt. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let it cook for about 20 minutes.
Assemble the salad
- Let the mushrooms and asparagus, as well as the cooked buckwheat, cool slightly. It does not have to be completely cool – just give it a few minutes. Mix the buckwheat, mushrooms, asparagus, and the marinated celery and onions, as well as any leftover marinade. Give it a taste, and season with some more salt and black pepper. Garnish with pomegranate. It is optional, but adds a nice touch.
Nutrition
The best vegan clafoutis
This really is the best vegan clafoutis recipe. It has a perfectly creamy, custard-like centre and golden, puffy top and edges. You may think this isn’t possible in an egg-free clafoutis, but trust me, this recipe delivers!
Clafoutis has now reclaimed its place as one of my favourite weekend breakfasts. Yes, it is technically a desert but I’m definitely a dessert for breakfast person. It is a great way to use the last of the week’s fruit before our weekly shop. The blender batter takes minutes to make, and while you need about 20 minutes for it to bake, you are not chained to a stove during this time.
What is a clafoutis?
Clafoutis is a traditional french dessert, typically eaten in the summer when cherries are abundant. Some people describe it as a cross between a cake and a baked custard, although most recipes tend more towards the custard side.
Why this recipe works
The vegan alarm bells tend to go off when you hear “custard” because custards rely on eggs for thickening, creaminess and flavour.
When we gave up eggs, clafoutis was probably one of the things I missed most. I tried several other recipes for vegan clafoutis (most of these are based on silken tofu), and while they weren’t necessarily bad, they did not have that wonderful clafoutis character.
This recipe uses mung beans as an egg replacer. You may be sceptical, but this is the same stuff that goes into Just Egg, which is not available where I live. Just Egg uses mung bean protein isolate, but here we are using the whole bean. The soaked beans blend into a very smooth batter that behaves like eggs in the most amazing way when cooked. Also, the mung beans add more protein than three eggs and add fibre too.
I’ve added baking powder to the recipe. Conventional clafoutis does not contain baking powder, as the eggs bring the puffiness. The clafoutis will collapse when it comes out of the oven (just like its egg-based cousins), but I still think it makes for a nicer end product.
I have used a very moderate amount of sugar in the batter. If your fruit is not very sweet, or if you just have a sweet tooth, you can increase the amount of sugar. Also, where I live granulated sugar is vegan. Although I have not tested the recipe with other sweeteners, I’m fairly confident that you will be able to substitute this without issues.
What fruit can I use in clafoutis
The traditional clafoutis uses cherries, but this preparation is so flexible, it lends itself to a variety of fruits. My personal favourites are figs, raspberries and plums. Apples are also good, but they need some pre-cooking. Do not use too much fruit – this will make the clafoutis too wet.
Clafoutis variations
This batter is incredibly versatile. In addition to varying the fruit as described above, you can also vary flavour additions. Some of my favourite variations include:
- Replace the vanilla with about a 1/4 teaspoon almond essence. This is especially good with cherries.
- Vary the alcohol in the recipe – Kirsch is great with the cherries, I enjoy rum with peaches or calvados with apples.
- I’ve also made raspberry and chocolate clafoutis, by adding 1-2 tbsp of cacao powder to the batter.
How to serve the best vegan clafoutis
I often have this for breakfast, cut into quarters, and topped with a light dusting of icing sugar and perhaps some toasted flaked almonds. If you are having it for dessert, a little vanilla ice cream would be great.
Related recipes
If you have mung beans left over, try this recipe for vegan South African pancakes.
The best vegan clafoutis
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow mung beans, soaked
- 2 cups soy or other plant milk
- ½ cup cake or all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar This quantity is for moderate sweetness. Add more if you prefer more sweetness
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp brandy
- 2 cups cherries
Instructions
- Soak the yellow mung beans for at least an hour or overnight.
- Drain and rinse the mung beans, and add to a blender cup
- Add about half of the soy milk (if you have a big, powerful blender you can add all the soy milk at once – it does not quite fit in even the largest of my Nutribullet cups
- Add the sugar, salt, baking powder, vanilla and flour. Blend until smooth.
- Add the rest of the milk and stir until well combined
- Prepare the fruit, depending on what you are using. If you are using cherries, some people prefer to keep the stones in. Lately, I've been using defrosted black, sweet cherries, so there is not real prep there. If you are using stone fruit or apples, cut in about ⅛ chunks.
- Spray a large cast iron (30 cm/12 inch) pan with non-stick spray (or grease the pan). It is also possible to split this into two individual servings, which will cook a little quicker. You can also bake this in a pie or tart dish of similar size.
- Pre-heat the pan, then add the batter and the fruit. Then, pop the clafoutis into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes at 200 °C / 390 °F. The clafoutis will puff a little, but it is normal for it to deflate when taken out of the oven. The center should be custardy.
- You can either serve the clafoutis immediately, or let it cool a little, but you should eat it while it is still warm. It is great sprinkled with a little icing sugar
Vegan pannekoek
This vegan pannekoek (pancakes) recipe has a secret ingredient that gives it great flavour and a rich texture. The pancakes taste exactly like traditional South African pancakes but are dairy and egg-free. So what is the secret ingredient? Mung beans! At the moment I am borderline obsessed with how these magic lentils mimic eggs in certain recipes. I’ve tried other egg-free vegan pannekoek recipes, and they were just not the same. This recipe is not only a good vegan recipe, it is so good I would recommend it to anyone. The batter is much easier to work with. This version is an absolute joy and it is definitely worth getting your hands on the mung beans. I will be posting more recipes using these soon!
These pancakes are similar to English pancakes, crepes and Dutch pannenkoeken. However, I have formulated this recipe to give the thickness and consistency of South African pannekoek.
Pannekoek in South Africa
South African pannekoek are thin – much thinner than American pancakes. They are a little thicker than a crepe, and also contain baking powder, which traditional crepes don’t have.
Pannekoek on a rainy day is a common family tradition. It has to be actually raining, not just cold or overcast! Then it is time to make a big batch of batter, and start making pancakes. This often involved juggling multiple pans, and taking turns at the stove, while the family gathers in the kitchen, eating fresh pancakes as they are made. If you have more self-control, you can make a giant stack of these pancakes before sitting down for a treat.
They are also a traditional staple of church bazaars, school fairs, and other community events. You will often spot a little pannekoek stand outside a supermarket. A pannekoek, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and then rolled up, is very festival or street food friendly.
Key ingredients for vegan pannekoek
Ok, let’s first talk about the elephant in the room (bean in the batter?). The idea to use mung beans is from the US based egg replacer Just Egg, which is based on mung beans. This is not available in South Africa as far as I know, but why not go to the source? For this recipe, you want the yellow split mung beans. Look for these at an Asian grocer (I found them online). I have not tried these with the green bung beans. It may well work, but the colour will be a bit off. The yellow ones give a very egg like experience when blended.
The other ingredients are pretty standard. I replaced the milk with soy milk, but any plant milk will work. Most pancake recipes include a little vinegar. This is supposed to keep them from being rubbery. I think it probably also balances the flavour a bit.
Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a blender to blend the mung beans. You also need a good pan. My go to for this is a non-stick crepe pan (a crepe pan has a very shallow rim, making it easier to flip). This is not absolutely necessary, but it is nice. It is usually nice to have two pans on the go at a time, because it can take a while to bake a batch.
Tips
When making the batter, don’t add all the liquid at once. it is easier to get a lump free batter when the batter is thicker. Most recipes indicate that the batter should rest for about 30 minutes, although I have not found this to be necessary for this recipe. The final batter should be thin enough to easily coat the pan with a little tilting of the pan. Don’t be afraid to add a little water to the batter if it feels too thick. You want to very lightly oil the pan between pancakes. I use cooking spray, but you can keep an oiled paper towel handy, and give the pan a quick wipe. The lore says the first pancake will always flop, so don’t panic if it happens! The next one will work.
Serving pannekoek
The traditional way to serve pannekoek is to make a big stack on a plate, and then sprinkle the top one with cinnamon sugar, give it a little squeeze of lemon juice, and roll the pancake.
They can also be filled with savoury fillings, but I am definitely more of a sweet pannekoek person. Also, while other things like chocolate spreads, jam and sauces are great fillings, I feel that is more crepe territory.
Other South African recipes to try
Vegan buttermilk and oat rusks
Vegan pannekoek
Equipment
- crepe pan or other good shallow frying pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup dry mung beans
- 1 cup soy milk to blend with the mung beans
- 2 cup flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1¼ cup soy milk to thin the batter
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Soak the mung beans for at least an hour, or overnight
- In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt and baking powder.
- Blend the mung beans with the soy milk until smooth (There are two quantities of soy milk in the recipe – the first one is to blend with the mung beans)
- Add the blended mung beans to the flour, and whisk until the batter is lump free.
- Slowly add the rest of the soy milk (listed separately in the ingredient list)
- Add the sugar, vinegar, and melted coconut oil.
- Slowly add the water, whisking to mix.
- You can let the batter rest for 30 minutes at this point, but I don't find that it is necessary with this recipe.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray, or wipe with some paper towel soaked in oil.
- Add a ladleful of batter to the pan, and tilt the pan to allow the batter to cover the entire pan with a thin layer. It should be a little thicker than a crepe. If the pancakes seem too thick, add a little more water to the batter.
- Put the finished pancakes on a plate and keep warm. Keep stacking pancakes until the batter is finished. You may find that the pancakes dissappear while you bake. If that happens, make the eater take a turn at the pan and have a few yourself
- Serve with cinnamon sugar and lemon wedges.
Nutrition
Vegan Tikka Masala
This vegan tikka masala features a silky, creamy tomato sauce, roast onions and peppers, and tofu. Blended cashew nuts are used to create a luxurious creamy sauce. It is one of my favourite Friday night treats – this is exactly what I crave after a long week. Nothing says it is the weekend like a curry, naan and a beer.
What is Tikka Masala?
The first important thing to note is that Tikka Masala is, most likely, not a traditional Indian dish. It likely originated in the UK (although not all sources agree). It is somewhat similar to butter chicken, in that the meat-based versions feature chicken pieces in a creamy sauce.
Recipes vary significantly. The common elements in traditional versions include marinated, roast meat and vegetables (done in the tandoor if it is a restaurant version), and a creamy tomato sauce. The version that I used to get from my local curry place had lovely sweet roast onions and peppers alongside roast chicken. I definitely wanted to retain the roast vegetables in my plant-based version. Use smoked tofu, because I feel like it gives in a little of that roast, smoky flavour that comes from the high temperatures of the tandoor oven. Vegan Tikka Masala can really be just as flavourful as the original.
Spices
Most versions feature Garam Masala, Cumin and Turmeric, as well as some form of chilli powder. In addition to these, I also include black pepper and paprika, for added depth of flavour and bolder colour. My chilli powder of choice is Kashmiri chilli. It has a beautiful, deep red colour and great flavour. It is well worth getting – I use it in many curries.
Creaminess
Traditional versions use quite a lot of heavy cream, yoghurt or both to create the creamy sauce. I opted to use cashews, as I believe they give more of a buttery flavour than coconut milk. Also, I always have cashews on hand and you are never stuck with half a container going bad in the fridge. I buy cashews in bulk and keep them in the freezer. You want to buy the raw, unsalted kind. I also use a smooth tomato puree, because I like the final sauce to be silky rather than chunky.
Substitutions and variations
Tofu is a great fit in this recipe. It is reminiscent of paneer, and it works really well in this flavourful sauce. However, you easily substitute this with some other options. Cauliflower works well. If you use cauliflower, roast it with the onions and peppers. Chickpeas are another good option. Simply add a can to the sauce.
What to serve with the Tikka Masala?
I love serving it with some freshly made garlic naan. It is also great with some plain basmati rice, but it really doesn’t need much more than that.
Vegan Tikka Masala
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
For the roast vegetables
- 4 Small sweet peppers
- 1 Large red onion
Make the sauce
- 1 Large onions
- 2 Clove garlic
- 1 Thumb sized piece of ginger
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp Fenugreek
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder Substitute half the amount cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp Coarse ground black pepper
- ½ cup Raw cashew nuts
- 1 jar Tomato puree
- 1 Block Tofu Use smoked if you have it
- ⅓ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Coriander / cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Roast the vegetables
- Heat the oven to 200°C /392°F
- Halve the peppers length-wise, and deseed the peppers. Cut each half in quarters. Peel the onions, half them lengthwise as well and cut into quarters. Lay these out on a baking tray and pop them into the oven. Roast them until the edges of the onions are dark and the skins of the peppers start to blacken.
For the sauce
- Meanwhile, start the sauce. Chop the onion, garlic and ginger (keep separate, becasue you want add the onions first).
- Add a little oil to a pot, and add the cumin seeds and the fenugreek. When you hear them popping, add the onions. Saute until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, and saute a minute or two longer.
- Add about a cup of water, and the cashews. Now add all the spices (turmeric, cumin powder, garam masala, black pepper, paprika, and chilli powder)
- Simmer the cashews for about 10 minutes to soften them. Let them cool slightly, and blend until smooth. If you don't want to wait, mix in some of the cold tomato puree.
- Return the blended mixture to the pot, and add the tomatoes if you have not done so in the previous step. Bring to a simmer.
Combine the dish
- Dice the tofu and add to the sauce. When the peppers and onion are roasted, skin the peppers if you prefer (I tend to leave the skin on) and add to the sauce.
- Let the sauce simmer for about five minutes, and taste. Add salt and the sugar to taste.
- Garnish with coriander/cilantro/dhania
Nutrition
Argentinian lentil empanadas
I’m always looking for interesting flavour combinations that add a bit of variety. These empanadas combine paprika, cumin, green olives and raisins. The lentils used in this vegan version works perfectly and adds a great earthy flavour. The crust is light and crispy, without going overboard on fat. I just love little hand pies – everything tastes better in a crust.
Making the vegan empanada dough
The dough is fairly most, so make sure you have plenty of flour on your surface as you work to prevent sticking. Most traditional recipes use egg, hence I opted to include some mung bean egg. I will do a more detailed recipe for making mung bean egg in the future, but in short, you soak a cup of yellow split mung beans overnight in water, and blend this up with half a cup of plant milk until smooth. This will make a lot, but I’ve been using this in many recipes. You can also make a scramble with this mix.
I’ve use a 50/50 mix of wholewheat and white flour. You can go all white or all whole wheat, but you will have to adjust the liquid appropriately – whole wheat flour is thirstier.
The dough is reasonably forgiving of re-working, so roll out the offcuts to make more circles. Or, sometimes I just cut squares and avoid waste altogether.
Argentinian lentil empanadas
Equipment
- Large cookie press
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup white bread flour
- 180 g coconut milk
- 1/4 cup mung bean egg see notes, or use extra coconut milk
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the filling
- 150 g dry brown lentils about 3/4 cup
- 1 onion
- 1 stick celery
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 large red or yellow bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tbs miso paste
- 1 tbs wine or sherry vinegar
- 1/4 cup stoned sliced olives
- 50 g raisins (about 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C/356°F.
- Get the lentils cooking in salted water or stock. This should take about 20 minutes
- First, make the dough. Combine all the ingredients and stir until just combined. Give the dough a very quick knead. Don’t overwork the dough. The dough will be somewhat soft, but should not be sticky. Cover the dough with plastic (or put in in a sealed container, and let it rest in the fridge while you work on the filling
- Dice the onion, slice the celery, grate the carrot, and dice the sweet pepper. Mix all these veg and saute until soft. When the onions are sweet and translucent, add the garlic. Garlic gets too bitter if it browns too much IMO. Your lentils should be nearly done by now. If not, pause at this stage until they are done.
- When the garlic has been in for a minute or two, add the cumin, paprika, and oregano. Let the spices cook for 30 seconds or so, then add the drained lentils. Now add the miso, raisins, and olives, vinegar, and a splash water (about a quarter cup, depending on how moist your lentils were. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cook for 5-10 minutes. You want the mixture to be fairly dry.
- Take your filling of the heat. Ideally, let it cool for a while.
- Roll out the dough, until it is about 5mm thick. Punch out circles of about 10cm. This is bigger than most cookie cutters – I use my nutribullter cup. Put a heaped tablespoon filling in the center of the circle, fold over, and seal with a fork
- Brush the pies with a little soy milk. Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown
Notes
Nutrition
Tempeh Bulgogi
There are some dishes that are super easy to veganize. This is one of them! Since the marinade is really flavourful, you (or your guests) won’t miss the meat in this dish. Another bonus is that the marinade ingredients really are pantry staples.
Traditionally, you would serve this with Asian pear. I have never had asian pear, but nectarines are a great substitute. If you happen to be stuck inside your house, there is a lot of room for improvisation here. Instead of lettuce cups, a Bulgogi bowl with rice, sesame, nectarine, spring onion, and perhaps some bok choy would also be great. You just need something a sweet and some crunch to complement the Bulgogi.
Tempeh Bulgogi
Ingredients
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbs water
- 2 Tbs sugar
- 2 Tbs rice vinegar
- 1-2 tsp chilli paste
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 220 g tempeh
- 1 head Romaine or cos lettuce
- 3 tbsp Sesame seeds
- bunch Spring onion
- 3 Nectarines
Instructions
- Mix the soy sace, water, sugar, chilli pate, sesame oil and garlic. Marinate sliced tempeh for 15 – 30mins
- Prepare the lettuce and garnishes: seperate the lettuce leaves, finely slice the spring onion and slice the necatrine. Lightly toast the sesame seeds
- Remove the tempeh slices from the marinade and fry in a hot pan. Baste occasionally with reserved marindae. You should aim to get a nice browing on the slices
- When the tempeh is done, serve with the garnishes. To eat, take a lettuce leave, some tempeh, spring onion, nectarine and sprinkle a bit of sesame seeds
Nutrition
Cornbread (Mieliebrood)
This South African mieliebrood (cornbread in Afrikaans) – has plenty of flavour, and has just the right hint of sweetness. It is an easy recipe that is absolutely foolproof. The original recipe was a family recipe handed down from my mother, and I have many fond childhood memories of this being served as a side dish at family braais (grilling). The version I give on the recipe card is a vegan mieliebrood, but I’ve added notes describing the original.
South African mieliebrood
It is surprisingly hard to unambiguously explain what corn product to use to a global audience. Cornstarch is a very fine powder, made out of the starch part of the corn kernel, and is used for thickening. Corn flour is a fine powder, similar to other flours. Cornmeal (also known as maize meal) is coarser than most flours and is often used in cooking as well as baking – think Polenta. Should be simple, right? Except sometimes cornstarch is called cornflour, and I’m sure there are other regional variations as well. This recipe calls for a maize meal/corn meal.
In South Africa, we eat yellow corn on the cob, but cornmeal is always white. If you don’t have white cornmeal, it will work just as well with polenta. Cornflour is not commonly available, so I have not tested it with cornflour.
The original had a lot of eggs, sugar and oil. I haven’t completely eliminated the oil and sugar from this version, but I’ve reduced it significantly. This is not quite healthy, but I still love this as an occasional treat. The combination of cornmeal and cream-style sweetcorn gives a great corn flavour.
Serving mieliebrood
While I love eating this fresh and warm from the oven, but it keeps well for a day or two and it make a great breakfast. It is a great side dish at a barbecue and it also goes really well with chilli.
I often make one big, round mieliebrood in a round casserole, but when I watch what I eat I make individual portions in a brownie tin to make portion control a little easier. I have to warn you – this bread is seriously delicious and it is hard to stop at one slice.
Substitutions
To make this cornbread vegan, I’ve substituted the eggs in the recipe with applesauce and ground flax seeds. If you would like to make the original version, omit the flaxmeal and applesauce; increase the sugar and oil to half a cup each, and add three eggs.
Vegan Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornmeal Use polenta or Mieliemeel
- 1 tbs baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 jar 225g/8 oz applesauce
- 1 can cream style sweetcorn
- 2 tbs flaxmeal
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F
- Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt and stir to ensure the baking powder is incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the apple sauce,cream style sweetcorn, flaxmeal, olive oil and sugar and mix. Add this to the dry ingredients. Stir until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. Don't overmix
- You can either make one large bread of twelve individual ones. I use an individually portioned brownie tin, but a cupcake tin will work just as well. The individual portions helps to remind me to not finish the whole thing in one sitting. Remember to coat with non-stick spray.
- Bake at 180°C/360°F. For individual portions, this will take about 25 minutes (the time will depend on the shape of your baking tin) For a large bread, it will take about 45 minutes. Test with a skewer 5 minutes before the indicated time.
- Let the bread cool before slicing, as it will be pretty crumbly when in comes out of the oven.
Nutrition
The best chilli non carne
This is my go to recipe for a vegan chilli, a.k.a. chilli non carne. It has an amazing depth of flavour and just the perfect texture by combining beans and grains. Cocoa and molasses and that special something to the recipe
Chilli is one of my go-to meals. A quick version can be a good week night meal, but this version really benefits from a slower cook. This recipe is the results of years of experimentation and is rich and complex. The bulgur wheat may seem like an odd addition, but it is an excellent stand in for ground beef. It really soaks up the flavours and brings everything together. The other slightly odd ingredient is cacao. It gives this chilli a lot of depth and complexity, so please don’t skip it.
Chille non carne
Ingredients
- 2 large onions
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 tbs cumin
- 2 tsp fennels seeds ground up
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 – 1 tsp cayenne
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp cacao
- 2 cans tomato
- 1 can black beans
- 1/2 cup uncooked bulghur wheat
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon molasses
Instructions
- Dice the onion and saute until soft and lightly browned. When the onion are nearly done, add the garlic. After a minute, add the cumin, fennel, coriander and smoked paprika. Stir and let the spices toast for a minute or two until they become fragrant. Add the tomatoes before the spices burn or stick
- After the tomatoes, add the beans, bulgur what, vegetable broth and molasses. Season with salt to taste. Simmer for 30 – 45 minutes.
Nutrition
Home smoked tofu without a smoker
This method allows you to make homemade smoked tofu without a smoker. It is quick, and easy and cleanup is effortless. You don’t even need wood chips – tea and rice will be the smoking medium
What equipment do I need?
A suitable pot or wok. I use a carbon steel wok I’ve had for years. Any cast iron pot will also work. I’d avoid stainless steel pots, as the dry heat you will be applying may damage the pot. You will need a lid that fits on the pan or wok.
- A cooling rack, metal grill, or metal trivet that you can place inside the wok. The food will rest on this grill, and you will need some space between the smoking medium at the bottom of the wok and this rack.
- Enough foil to line the wok
- Rice and tea leaves to act as a smoking medium
- How to smoke tofu
Begin by lining your pan or wok with foil. Use enough so that there is at least two to three cm (about 1 inch) excess over the edges. Add a handful of rice to the bottom of the wok, and about 3-4 teabags of tea. You can also use a few heaped teaspoons of loose leaf tea. The rice helps to regulate the burn of the tea leaves.
Position your rack above the smoking medium. I have a round steel trivet that works really well with my wok – the curvature of the wok means that there is an inch or so gap between the rice/tea mixture and the trivet. If you are using a flat bottomed pan, you will need something to lift the rack from the bottom of the pan. One option is to use an inverted foil tray with holes pocked into it.
Place the food on top of the rack. Do not let the food touch the sides of the pan, as the bits that touch the sides will burn. This is what my setup looks like at this stage. The tofu shown here is marinated, but you can smoke it plain.
Put a lid on the wok. Fold the excess foil over the lid to improve the seal. Place on high heat. After about 5-10 minutes, you will see a little smoke escaping. Reduce the heat medium. I use about a 20 minute smoking time. If you prefer a milder smoked taste, check the tofu after 10 minutes and taste a piece. If, at this stage, you feel you would like a stronger smoky taste, just check if there is still some unburnt tea before returning the wok to heat.
Tea smoked tofu
Equipment
- Wok
- wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 blocks tofu
- 1 handful rice
- 4 tsp tea
Instructions
- Press the tofu for about 30 minutes. I do this by placing the blocks between two cutting boards, and putting my nice heavy cast iron mortar and pestle on top of this.
- Slice the tofu into 1 cm / half inch slices. Baste with a marinade if using.
- Line a suitable (see notes above) wok/pot with foil, and use enough to wrap back over the lid to seal. Put the rice and tea in the bottom. Put your rack on top of this, ensuring that there is some space betweem the rice and tea mixture and the rack. Read the notes above the recipe for more details
- Place the tofu slices on the rack. Make sure the tofu is not touching the sides of the wok. Cover with the wok lid and seal with foil. You can also place a wet tea towel around edges
- Put the wok on high heat. Reduce the heat after about five minutes. Smoke for 10-20 minutes, depending on how smoky you want it. On your first attempt, you may want to start with about 10 minutes. You can always reseal the pot and smoke it again if needed.