Vietnamese Beaf Stew (Vegan of course!)

Exotic, savory, spicy and deliciously vegan! The shredded beaf brisket has just the right texture for soaking up the flavors of this stew. 

Stew Ingredients

  • 1 Stewing Beaf (Seitan and Beyond https://thegentlechef.com/gentle-chef-cookbooks/seitan-beyond-cookbook/)
    or Beaf Brisket (Crafting Seitan @ Amazon.com), pulled into bite-size shreds
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch or unmodified potato starch
  • Cooking oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
  • 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 4 cups Beaf Simmering Broth (either cookbook)
  • 2 cups coconut water/juice
  • 2 stalks lemon grass, light portion only, split
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons light brown sugar or agave syrup
  • 2 teaspoons sambal oelek or red chili sauce
  • 2 whole star anise
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • Sea salt or kosher salt, to taste as needed

Garnishes

  • Chili oil (optional)
  • Chopped Thai basil or sweet basil
  • Thinly sliced scallions
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Lime wedges

For Serving

  • Cooked wide rice noodles or jasmine rice

Preparation

In a large bowl or food storage bag, toss the shredded beaf/brisket with the starch until evenly dusted. Add the cooking oil to a cooking pot and place over medium-high heat. Brown the brisket in the hot oil and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.

In the same cooking pot, add 2 tablespoons cooking oil and place over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and five-spice powder and sauté an additional minute.

Add the broth and coconut water and remaining stew ingredients and stir well. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook for 30 minutes. Stir in the beaf and bring back to a simmer. Cook until the stew has thickened and the carrots are tender. Season with salt to taste as needed.

Remove the lemon grass, star anise and bay leaves and ladle the stew into serving bowls with rice noodles or jasmine rice. Drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of chili oil and garnish with the basil, onion, cilantro and lime wedges.


Print Recipe
Vietnamese Beaf Stew (Vegan of course!)
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe

Vegan Cheesy Chile Rellenos Casserole

My new brunch “go-to”, Cheesy Chile Rellenos Casserole is a quick and easy vegan version of the classic Mexican dish. Since it’s baked, there’s no deep-frying involved. Skinning and stuffing the peppers isn’t necessary either. The finished casserole can be stored in the refrigerator once cooled and reheated as needed. I like to serve it with skillet potatoes, or refried beans and rice. Garnish with fresh or cooked salsa if desired. Vegan eggless scramble is a nice addition for a breakfast/brunch dish too.

Ingredients

  • 6 Poblano or 8 Anaheim chiles, split length-wise with seeds and membrane removed
  • 2 medium sweet yellow onions, sliced thin
  • 1½ cup vegan shredded cheddar, homemade* or commercial
  • 1½ cup vegan shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella, homemade* or commercial
  • 2 or 3 slices day-old crusty bread
  • 1 teaspoon each onion and garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

*Delicious homemade vegan cheeses can be prepared with recipes from my Non-Dairy Evolution cookbook. See my website homepage for more information at: thegentlechef.com

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

Mist a large baking dish with cooking oil spray.

Layer the bottom of the dish with half the onions. Layer the sliced peppers evenly in the dish. Top with the shredded cheddar. Layer the remaining onions and top with the shredded white cheese.

In a food processor, add the sliced bread and seasonings and process into coarse crumbs. Top the casserole with the seasoned crumbs and seal the dish with foil.

Bake for 90 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Print Recipe
Vegan Cheesy Chile Rellenos Casserole
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine Mexican
Servings
Cuisine Mexican
Servings
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Zhoug, Tahini Sauce, Sumac Onions and Herbs

A whole cauliflower is marinated in Middle Eastern seasonings, roasted to golden brown perfection, dressed with a variety of tangy and spicy sauces and then garnished with an abundance of fresh herbs. The herb garnish not only lends beauty to the finished dish but is intended to be eaten with the cauliflower. Simply superb!

Ingredients
· 1 large whole cauliflower
· ½ cup grapeseed oil or other neutral cooking oil
· 1 teaspoon ground coriander
· 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
· 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (onion seeds)
· ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Toppings (recipes follow)
· Sumac Onions
· Zhoug
· Tahini Sauce

Herb Garnishes
· Parsley
· Cilantro
· Mint

Preparation
Remove the stem and excess core from the whole cauliflower, but be very careful not to remove too much, as it will separate the florets.
Whisk together the marinade ingredients and add to a sealable bag with the whole cauliflower. Seal the bag and shake to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (best overnight).
Preheat the oven to 400˚F/200˚C. Place the cauliflower in a baking dish and roast in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until nicely browned and fork tender. Brush with the marinade mixture occasionally during baking time. Transfer to a serving plate and dress with the zhoug and tahini sauce. Garnish with the sumac onions and a generous amount of fresh parsley, cilantro and mint.
Sumac Onions
Pickled red onions seasoned with tart and citrusy ground sumac make a lovely condiment for Middle Eastern cuisine. They make a superb condiment for vegan burgers and hot dogs too.
Ingredients
· ½ large red onion, thinly sliced
· 2 tablespoons white vinegar
· ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
· 1½ teaspoon ground sumac
Preparation
Bring the vinegar and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the sliced onions. Toss thoroughly and let cool. Sprinkle in the sumac and toss thoroughly again. Refrigerate in a sealed container until thoroughly chilled to blend the flavors.
Zhoug
Zhoug (pronounced zoog), is a spicy, green herb and chili condiment that originally hails from Yemen, but has become popular in Israeli and other Middle Eastern cuisine. The flavor and warmth of the spice cardamom is what makes this sauce unique. Spoon it over falafel, vegan shawarma, shish kebab, or grilled eggplant wraps. Use it as a condiment for roasted vegetables and grilled tofu. Swirl it into hummus or non-dairy yogurt.
Ingredients
· 1 bunch parsley, large stems removed
· 1 bunch cilantro, large stems removed (or additional parsley)
· ¼ cup olive oil
· 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
· 3 jalapenos, stems and seeds removed (or leave in some seeds for extra spicy)
· 3 large cloves garlic
· 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
· 1 teaspoon ground cumin
· ¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt, or more to taste
· ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Preparation
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until nearly smooth. Add a tablespoon of water if needed to lighten consistency. Season with additional salt if needed to taste. Refrigerate in a sealed container for a minimum of 1 hour to blend flavors. Use within 1 week.
Tahini Sauce
Tahini sauce is a deliciously rich, smooth and tangy condiment sauce made from tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, garlic and seasonings. It’s widely popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Ingredients
· 2 cloves garlic
· ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
· ½ cup tahini
· ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt, or more to taste
· ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
· 1/3 cup water, additional as needed
Preparation
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. The sauce should have a salad dressing consistency. Whisk in small amounts of water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with additional salt as needed to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use within 10 days.
Print Recipe
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Zhoug, Tahini Sauce, Sumac Onions and Herbs
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe

Vegan Tamales

In the photo, the tamales were filled with Tex-Mex seasoned shredded beaf brisket from my Crafting Seitan cookbook (available through Amazon). Vegan carnitas (from the same cookbook) would be delicious too. Other filling suggestions might be refried beans, or chopped and cooked mixed vegetables, with shredded vegan cheese; Tex-Mex seasoned textured vegetable protein or soy curls. Yields about 20 tamales.

Ingredients for the Masa Dough

  • 4 cups masa harina (do not use regular cornmeal)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 3 cups broth (vegan beef, vegan chicken, or vegetable broth)
  • 1 cup refined coconut oil, melted
  • 1/3 cup neutral vegetable oil

Other Ingredients

  • package dried corn husks
  • Fillings of your choice (about 4 cups of filling for one batch of masa dough)

Preparation

Immerse the corn husks in a large container of very hot water and let stand for a few hours to soften (you will need about ½ the package).

Prepare desired fillings and set aside.

To make the masa dough, add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Add the broth and oils and mix well to create a smooth thickened batter.

Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out.

Assemble the tamales: Lay a corn husk, glossy side up, on the counter with the wide end at the top. Scoop about ¼ cup of masa on to the top center of the corn husk. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and spread the masa using your fingers into a thin layer, about ¼-inch thick (be sure to only spread the dough along the top half of the corn husk to allow plenty of room to fold the bottom husk up when finished filling). Working with the sticky masa takes a little practice, so be patient.

Place about 2 generous tablespoons of desired filling in a line down the center of the dough. Avoid using too much.

Fold in one long side of the husk over the filling. Fold in the other long side, overlapping the first (like folding a brochure). Fold the bottom of the husk up.

Add water to the bottom of your conventional steamer or instant pot (electric pressure cooker). Use 2 cups for the pressure cooker; or a few inches for a steamer pot. In either case, don’t fill above the steamer rack. Lay a few extra corn husks on the bottom rack to keep the tamales from falling through and any boiling water from directly touching them.

Place the tamales standing upright, with their open end up, just tightly enough to keep them standing. If using a steamer pot, lay a few soaked corn husks over the top of the tamales before closing the lid.

Conventional Steamer Pot

Bring the water to a boil (in Mexico it is a common practice to place a coin at the bottom of the steamer and when the coin started to tap in the pot you know the water was boiling.) Set a timer for 50 minutes.

Pressure Cooker

Cook on Manual/High for 25 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, and then quick release.

Store leftover tamales in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

To freeze, allow the cooked tamales to cool, then place them in a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating

Reheat the tamales in a conventional steamer; or wrap chilled or frozen tamales in a few dampened paper towels and microwave until warmed through.  The wet paper towels will help them “steam” as they are reheated.

Print Recipe
Vegan Tamales
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Cuisine Mexican
Servings
Cuisine Mexican
Servings
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe

Lemon Tempeh

DSC00777This dish is the vegan variation of Chinese lemon chicken. The tempeh can also be subbed with pressed extra-firm tofu or vegan chikun. The sauce is lemony, sweet, savory and has just a hint of heat.

Ingredients for the Tempeh
• 1 package (8 oz) tempeh (or 8 oz pressed and cubed block tofu or vegan chikun)
• 2 T tamari, soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos™
• 2 T Shaoxing wine or sweet mirin (or water)
• 2 T unmodified potato starch, cornstarch or arrowroot powder
• 2 T all-purpose flour or rice flour
• toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

For the Sauce
• 1 T peanut oil or other cooking oil, plus more for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 cup vegan chikun broth or vegetable broth
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 T organic sugar, or to taste
• 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 1 tsp sambal oelek, Sriracha™ or other hot red pepper sauce
• 4 tsp unmodified potato starch, cornstarch or arrowroot powder, dissolved in just enough water to create a slurry
• sea salt or kosher salt, to taste

Preparation
Slice the tempeh in half crosswise and simmer in enough water to cover for 10 minutes. This will help soften the tempeh and remove bitterness. Drain on paper towels until cooled. Slice the tempeh into bite-size cubes. Place the cubes into a food storage bag and add the tamari and wine/mirin. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of a few hours and best overnight.

Drain the excess marinade from the bag and add 2 tablespoons starch and the flour. Seal and gently toss to coat evenly. Place on a plate to dry while the sauce is prepared.

Add the 1 tablespoon oil to a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the remaining sauce ingredients except for the starch slurry. Bring to a boil, whisk in the starch slurry and stir until thickened. Taste the sauce and add additional sugar or salt as desired. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm while frying the tempeh.

In a wok or deep skillet, heat 1-inch of oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, carefully add the cubed tempeh and fry until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Add the fried tempeh to the lemon sauce and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.

Print Recipe
Lemon Tempeh
Votes: 8
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!
Servings
Servings
Votes: 8
Rating: 3
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe

Greek Moussaka, Vegan-Style

DSC00743A hearty casserole, vegan Greek moussaka features layers of potato, eggplant, savory beaf crumbles cooked with onion, crushed tomatoes, parsley and red wine, and an enriched and creamy cashew-based Béchamel that’s baked until golden brown. My plant-based variation is an adaptation of a generational family recipe from the Greek village of Ardactos on the island of Crete. I tried to stay as true to the flavors of the dish as possible. This recipe requires several components, which can be prepare separately and then assembled prior to baking the dish; however, I’ve written the recipe so the dish can prepared seamlessly from start to finish.

Ingredients for the Eggplant Layer
• 2 medium eggplants (aubergine), about 3 lbs, peeled or unpeeled
• olive oil as needed
• coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• coarse ground black pepper

Ingredients for the Potato Layer
• 3 medium russet potatoes
• sea salt or kosher salt

Ingredients for the Meatless Meat Layer
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• ¾ cup water
• ½ cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc.)
• 2 T tamari, soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos™
• 1 T porcini mushroom powder
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce (pg. ) or commercial vegan equivalent
• 1 cup dry TVP/TSP granules (textured vegetable protein/textured soy protein)
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes (from canned)
• 1 T tomato paste
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• sea salt or kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste

Ingredients for the enriched Béchamel
• 2 and ⅔ cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• ½ cup (about 2.5 oz/71 g) whole raw cashews (pre-soaking unnecessary)
• 4 tsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 T mellow white miso paste
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Preparation
Slice the eggplant crosswise about ¼-inch thick. Place a colander into the sink and add layer of eggplant slices. Sprinkle generously with the coarse salt and repeat with layers of eggplant and salt (don’t worry about using too much salt as it will be rinsed away later). Let the eggplant drain about 30 minutes and up to 1 hour to remove bitterness. Rinse well and pat dry on several layers of paper towels.

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place layer of eggplant on the parchment. Brush with olive oil and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat the layers as needed. Bake uncovered in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove to cool.

While the eggplant is baking, peel and slice the potatoes about ¼-inch thick. Immediately place into a large cooking pot with plenty of cold water to cover. Add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a full boil. Drain in the colander and set aside to cool.

Next, add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat. Sauté the onions until tender and lightly golden. Add the water, red wine, tamari, mushroom powder and Worcestershire. Bring to a boil and add the TVP/TSP granules, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well, reduce the heat to medium low, cover the skillet and cook about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally.

To prepare the Béchamel, add all ingredients to a blender and process on high speed for 2 full minutes. Transfer to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Do not boil. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm.

Assembling the Moussaka

Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C (if not already heated).

Lightly oil a 9”x13” shallow baking dish. Arrange the potatoes in an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping as you layer. Spread about ⅔ cup Béchamel sauce over the potatoes.

Next, layer the eggplant slices as you did the potatoes and spread about ⅔ cup Béchamel sauce over the eggplant.

Spread the meatless meat mixture over the eggplant and top with the remaining Béchamel sauce. Season with a little coarse ground black pepper and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Let rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
DSC00742

Print Recipe
Greek Moussaka, Vegan-Style
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Servings
Servings
Votes: 2
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
Share this Recipe