Veganomicon_ The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [144]
Note: when using mole in cooked dishes, it’s recommended to thin it a little with vegetable broth. If using as a dip or condiment there’s no need .
Some ideas for using this mole: Prepare Potato and Kale Enchiladas (page 162), substituting the mole for the enchilada sauce. Thin the mole with ½ cup of vegetable broth before using.
Drizzle onto tostadas, nachos, and tacos. Tuck into black bean burritos.
Serve the mole (warmed, thinned slightly with vegetable broth) over fresh steamed winter squash, green beans, or asparagus.
Mole makes an interesting dip alongside salsas and guacamole with tortilla chips (don’t thin the mole with broth).
MUSHROOM GRAVY
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
We don’t need to tell you what to do with it, do we? Smother it on absolutely everything!
2 cups vegetable broth
¼ cup flour (use ⅓ cup for a thicker gravy)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon salt
Several dashes fresh black pepper
¼ cup white cooking wine (or any non-sweet wine will do)
MIX the flour into the vegetable broth until dissolved and set aside.
Preheat a large non stick pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes, until mushrooms are tender.
Add the garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Sauté for another minute. Add the wine and turn the heat up to bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute, then lower the heat and add the flour vegetable broth mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes. If not serving immediately then gently reheat when you are ready to serve.
5-MINUTE MANGO CHUTNEY
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS CHILL TIME
This is totally inauthentic but so what, it’s really yummy! And after you’ve prepped everything, you only need to cook it for five minutes. Serve with any Indian meal, on a curry, or on Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes (page 60). I like the sourness of the asafetida, but you can use any Indian-y sort of spice instead—such as curry powder or garam masala.
➣ Asafetida is a pungent spice (a resin from sap, if you want to be technical about it) that hasn’t quite caught on in the American kitchen just yet. You can find it in a fancy-shmancy gourmet store or in Indian markets. Definitely seek it out; one great bonus is that the tin it comes in is usually very cool looking and colorfully decorated.
2 teaspoons peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1 large mango, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces (you should get a little under 2 cups of fruit)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon asafetida
PREHEAT A small saucepan over medium-low heat. Put the oil, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in the pan. Sauté for about 1 minute. Add the mango, sugar, and water. Turn heat up to medium, cover and cook for 3 minutes, until it’s boiling. Add the red wine vinegar and asafetida, and cook for another minute, uncovered.
Chill until ready to use. We put it in the freezer and stir it often for about 130 minutes; it’s usually good and cold by then.
SPICED YOGURT SAUCE
SERVES 2 TO 4
TIME: 10 MINUTES , PLUS CHILL TIME
This easy, quick sauce is the perfect companion to any Indian meal, authentic or otherwise. Cool and refreshing, it contrasts nicely against warm and spicy foods.
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1½ cups plain soy yogurt
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, or to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
IN A small bowl, combine the soy yogurt, garam masala, salt, lemon juice, and cilantro.
In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds over medium-low