The 30-Minute Vegan - Mark Reinfeld [68]
3. To serve fondue style, place the tofu in a bowl when done cooking and top with the green onion. Place the bell pepper in another bowl. Serve with toothpicks for dipping.
Variations
• Replace the peanut butter with almond butter.
• Replace the tofu with tempeh.
• You can also replace the tofu with seitan. Instead of marinating and roasting, simply sauté one 8-ounce package of seitan in 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• For an even more authentic Thai flavor, add to the peanut sauce 1 kaffir lime leaf, and 1 tablespoon of peeled and minced fresh galangal ginger.
If You Have More Time
Create the kebab of your dreams by using your favorite veggies. Try with mushrooms; onions; red, yellow, and orange bell peppers; and cherry tomatoes. Place on skewers with the tofu and place on a baking sheet. Broil on high for 10 minutes. Serve with the peanut dipping sauce.
COCO RICE AND BEANS
Yah, mon, this is a classic Jamaican combination. The key to creating the ideal consistency is to make sure to use the correct quantity of water and coconut milk. Serve with Jamaican Vegetable Medley (page 213), Baked Plantains (page 186), and Gingered Collard Greens (page 177) for a Caribbean feast.
SERVES 8 TO 10
2 cups white basmati rice
1¾ cups water or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas,
drained and rinsed
(1½ cups cooked beans)
1. Place the rice, water, thyme, salt, and coconut milk in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl with the beans. Gently mix well and enjoy.
Variations
• Leave out the beans and thyme for simple Coconut Rice.
• Experiment with different bean and herb combos, such as black beans and cilantro, red beans and Italian parsley, or white beans and basil. Use 2 tablespoons of minced fresh herbs for these variations.
• Add 1 tablespoon of peeled and minced fresh ginger or garlic to the rice while cooking.
• For Coco Spinach Rice, replace red beans with garbanzos and stir in one 10-ounce package of frozen spinach or 2 cups of tightly packed fresh spinach, ½ cup of chopped roasted cashews, and 1 tablespoon of curry powder. Add more salt or soy sauce to your liking.
• For a Sweet Coco Rice, omit the thyme and black-eyed peas and add 1 medium-size mango, cubed when the rice is done cooking. Serve warm with some coconut milk sweetened with agave nectar.
If You Have More Time
This recipe works well with other grains, such as brown basmati, short or long grain brown rice, and millet. Follow the grain cooking chart on page 24 for quantity of liquid and cooking time. Make sure the coconut milk is counted as part of the liquid.
CHAPTER 10
Wholesome Suppers
Enjoying vegan cuisine as the main course often requires a gentle shift in perspective from the typical approach that utilizes plant-based food solely as a side dish. If you’ve been doing this for some time, you know the benefits. If you’re new to vegan foods, it’s a shift you will find to be quite rewarding. An immense variety and depth of flavors await you in the form of a vegan centerpiece. This chapter also highlights the world’s cuisines, so get ready to experience a bounty of culinary delights from all around the globe.
We selected dishes that range from the super simple, to the more complex. The Tofu Saag and Seasoned Steamed Veggies can easily be completed in less than thirty minutes. Others such as Live Un-Stir-Fry and Macadamia Nut-Crusted Tofu will encourage you to multitask and will reward you with depth of flavor. Please remember that with practice, you will get faster and