Sushi, Nigri & Tamagoyaki (Vegan)

Makes 3 servings

Sushi (Vegan)

If you like Shushi, look no further, this is the only recipe you need.
I have done the hard work for you and tried various ratios of sugar, salt and rice vinegar to make the perfect Sushi rice. All is left is for you to have some fun and explore some different variations like Nigri and Tamagoyaki.
What is the secret to a good Sushi? In my experience using special Sushi rice makes all the difference, along with the right seasoning and a bamboo matt to roll the Sushi.
This recipe will make: two Sushi rolls (which cut into slices will make you about 8 pieces of Sushi each), 5 pieces of roasted red pepper Nigri and 5 pieces of tofu Tamagoyaki.
If you only want to make the sushi rolls, that will make 4-5 sushi rolls.
Let me know if you give it a go by tagging @apinchofzing on Instagram.

Ingredients

Sushi rice
250g sushi rice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Fillings and toppings
Sushi rolls:2 nori sheets, 1 small carrot, 1 piece of cucumber, 1 piece of avocado and a little bit of Wasabi
Roasted red pepper Nigri: half a nori sheet, half a roasted red pepper in vinegar
Tofu tamagoyaki: half a nori sheet, 100g tofu, turmeric, salt, pepper and oil for frying

Other ingredients for serving
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Toasted sesame seeds
Pickled ginger

Special utensils
Bamboo sushi mat

Method
Step 1. Prepare the rice
Wash the sushi rice in cold water to remove some of the starch.
Soak the sushi rice in cold water for 15-30 minutes. Drain the rice. Add to a pot with 330ml cold water and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes with the lid on.
Mix the rice vinegar, salt and sugar to make the Sushi seasoning.
Mix the Sushi seasoning with the Sushi rice and cover the pot with a damp cloth. Leave to cool down a little bit while preparing the fillings and toppings. Don’t take too long as the rice still needs to be warm to handle.

Step 2. Prepare the toppings and fillings
Chop the carrot, cucumber and a avocado into sticks.
Cut the roasted red pepper in small rectangles.
Cut the tofu in small rectangles. Season with salt, pepper and turmeric. Coat in corn flour and shallow fry on both sides until crispy.

Step 3. Assemble the sushi
I will not go into too much detail here, probably best to watch a video on onlie, but here are the basic steps:
1. For Sushi roll 1: lay a nori sheet on the bamboo mat, layer some warm sushi rice, add a small line of Wasabi and layer with 2 carrot stick and 2 cucumber sticks. Roll and cut into slices.
2. For Sushi roll 2: Lay another nori sheet on the bamboo mat, layer some warm sushi rice, add a small line of Wasabi and layer with 2 carrot stick and 2 avocado sticks. Roll and cut into slices.
3. For the roasted red pepper Nigri: cut the nori sheet in 5 strips; wet your hands with water, put about a tablespoon of rice in your palms, squeeze and shape. Place a red pepper rectangle on top. Wrap around with a nori strip.
4. For the tofu Tamagoyaki: cut the nori sheet in 5 strips; wet your hands with water, put about a tablespoon of rice in your palms, squeeze and shape. Place a tofu rectangle on top. Wrap around with a nori strip.

Serve with soy sauce and any of your favourite serving ingredients. Enjoy!

Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to Tim Anderson.

Butter tofu curry (Vegan)

Makes 4-6 servings

• 

Such a lovely well-balanced curry: fragrant, creamy and not too spicy.
This is one of my favourite Indian curries; I make it all the time, so it’s time it made an appearance on my blog.
This curry is easy to make and packed with veggies. Once you taste this curry you will never use shop bought curry paste again. Great served with rice and naan bread.
If I am entertaining and want to go all out, I will make my own rice and naan bread to go with it, maybe even some Baked onion bhajis.  However, if I am short for time, microwave rice and shop bought naan bread will do the trick.
Let me know if you give it a go by tagging @apinchofzing on Instagram. I hope you enjoy curry night!

Ingredients

Tofu
280g extra firm tofu
1 tsp liquid smoke
3 tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic granules

Veggies
1 small broccoli
1 small cauliflower
1 bunch of fresh coriander (chopped)

Butter curry sauce
2 tbsp dairy free butter
1 onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves
a thumb size piece of fresh ginger
1 chilli (chopped)
400ml tomato passata
200ml Oatly crème fraiche or Greek yogurt

Method
Step 1. Prepare the tofu.
Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to drain the excess water or use Tofoo tofu, which is ready to use and doesn’t need pressing. Preheat the oven to 200C. Line a baking tray with parchment. Chop the tofu in bite size cubes and place in a bowl. Add the liquid smoke, soy sauce, spices and mix. Place the tofu cubes in the baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. 

Step 2. Prep the veggies
Break the cauliflower and broccoli into florets. Add to a pan of boiling water and cook to your liking. You can also steam or roast the veggies if you prefer.

Step 3. Make the butter curry sauce
1. Place a large deep frying pan over medium heat with the butter. When the butter is melted, add the chopped onion and cook until starting to soften (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
2. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli to a food processor with a bit of water and whizz until it turns into a smooth curry paste.
3. Go back to the frying pan and mix in the tomato puree. Add the spices and cook until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add in the curry paste and cook for 3-5 minutes.  Pour in the passata, bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 20-30 minutes, but remember to stir occasionally.
4. Stir in the Oatly crème fraiche until combined and remove from heat.
5. Stir in the cooked tofu, broccoli and cauliflower. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and enjoy with rice and naan bread.

Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to BOSH!

Butter tofu curry (Vegan)

Egg mayo sandwich filler (Vegan)

Makes 6-8 sandwiches

Too good not to share, this vegan egg mayo is legit; it tastes like the real deal, but it is cruelty free. 

I know it’s hard to believe, but you can make eggless egg mayo in 5 minutes. It’s actually quicker and easier to make than the traditional egg mayo because you don’t  have to wait for the eggs to boil. The secret for the eggy taste is the black salt, also know as Kala Namak. Yes, it’s as easy as that.
I found the black salt in an international food shop, but I am sure you can also find it online.
Top tips:
> the colour of the black salt is not actually black, it looks like regular white salt. 
> black salt is not that salty, so make sure to add regular salt to this dish, in addition to the black salt.
This is now my favourite way to use tofu, so give it a go and let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 pack of silken tofu
1 pack firm tofu
1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 generous teaspoon whole grain mustard 
3-4 tablespoons vegan mayo
1/2 teaspoon black salt (Kala Namak)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Crumble the firm tofu with your hands in a bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix using a wooden spoon, until you get the texture of egg mayo. I like to add rocket and water cress to my sandwich. Even better on sourdough bread, because everything is better with sourdough bread. 
You don’t need to press the tofu for this recipe. 

Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to nadiashealthykitchen  

Mushrooms and dill sandwich filler (Vegan)

Tasty sandwich filler with mushrooms and dill.

It may not sound like much, but this sandwich filler is super easy to put together and tasty. Very simple, so don’t cut any corners, every ingredient is important.
The inspiration comes from Romania, where this is fairly common.
To make it even more special, try having it with some fresh sourdough bread. Like many others, I got into sourdough baking during lockdown number 2 and have been eating more sandwiches.

If you are looking for something different to put in your sandwich, give this a go. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cans sliced mushrooms in water
1 bunch of dill (chopped)
4-6 tablespoons vegan mayo
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Drain the sliced mushrooms and add to a medium size bowl.
2. Mix in the chopped dill, mayo, salt and pepper. Taste and season again if needed.
3. Enjoy with fresh sourdough bread.

Thanks for the recipe go to my mum.

Cauliflower and Corn Quinotto (Vegan)

Makes 4 servings

Cauliflower and Corn Quinotto – Veganised

Peruvian-style quinoa risotto with smoked cheese, roasted cauliflower and baby corn.
I first had this dish at Las Iguanas and loved it so much that I had to recreate it myself!

This became one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and it’s not surprising. This is such an accomplished dish, with complex flavours. It is amazing how quinoa can become so creamy & delicious! I cook this dish quite often for myself, but I also find it great for entertaining; always gets raving reviews.

Following your feedback, I have veganised and simplified the recipe, without any comprise on taste. I hope you enjoy this improved version. Remember to tag @apinchofzing on Instagram if you give it a go.

Ingredients

• Olive oil for roasting and frying
• 1 large cauliflower
• 175g baby corn
• 2 Echalion shallots – chopped
• 2 garlic cloves – finely chopped
• 1 cup of quinoa (rinsed)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 & 3/4 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 tablespoons Oatly creme fraiche
• 100g Applewood vegan smoked cheese – grated
• 165g sweet corn (from a can)
• Ancho chilli flakes
• Coriander
• Puffed quinoa (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Chop the cauliflower into bite size pieces.
2. Roast the cauliflower and the baby corn with olive oil and a salt, at gas mark 7 for about 30 minutes (until golden brown and fully cooked).
3. While waiting for the vegetables to roast, heat a frying pan with some olive oil and sweat the chopped shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the quinoa and cook for 5 minutes to toast the grain.
5. Pour in the wine and cook until reduced.
6. Pour in the vegetable stock and stir from time to time until the liquid has been absorbed. My vegetable stock was salty already, so I did not add more salt, but make sure to taste and adjust to your taste.
7. In a blender, add half of the roasted cauliflower and the soy milk and whiz until smooth, to make a cauliflower puree.
9. Once the quinoa has absorbed the vegetable stock, stir in the cauliflower puree, Oatly creme fraiche, vegan smoked cheese & the can of sweet corn.
10. Remove from heat. Add chopped coriander and Ancho chilly flakes (regular chilli flakes will be fine too). Season to taste with salt and pepper.
10. Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with roasted cauliflower, roasted baby corn, chilli flakes and more coriander. Puffed quinoa is also a nice garnish. Enjoy!

Cauliflower and Corn Quinotto

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Makes 6-8 servings

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Earthy mushrooms and lentils, topped with velvety mash!

I have been looking for ways to incorporate more lentils in my diet, since reading the book ‘How not to die’ by Dr. Michael Greger. Great book, highly recommended and so is this dish.
Transforming a traditional dish to a healthier version is a great way to transition to eating more plants.
While most pies end up being baked, I chose to keep it simple and just layer the ingredients, without baking the pie afterwards. I am a big fan of mash and I find that baking or grilling the pie makes the velvety mash dry out.
I think this pie would be really nice served in individual pie dishes, so I may try that next time we have someone over for dinner.
I hope you enjoy this delicious and nutritious pie!

Ingredients 

• 1kg potatoes (Maris Piper)
• 1 cup warm soy milk
• A couple of knobs of Flora buttery
• Salt to taste
  
  
• Oil for frying 
• 1 onion – chopped
• 1 teaspoon of lazy garlic
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 1 chilli pepper – chopped
• 600g mushrooms – chopped
• 1 can of green lentils (400g)
• 1 can of chopped tomatoes (400g)
• 100g fresh peas from the pod
• 250ml hot water 
• 1 bunch fresh parsley – chopped
• 1-2 sprigs rosemary – chopped
• A pinch of Cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste 

Method

1. Peel and chop the potatoes. Cook the potatoes into a large pan of boiling water until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Add the Flora buttery, soy milk and salt; mash until smooth. 
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onions and garlic. Fry on medium heat until starting to soften (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the tomato puree and chopped chilli pepper; stir until combined.
4. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until all the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates.
5. Add in the chopped tomatoes, green lentils, fresh peas and water.  Simmer until the sauce has thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and add the chopped parsley and rosemary.
6. Pour the lentil mixture into a large dish and pipe the mash potato on top. Enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal!
   Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to Tesco Real Food.
   

Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

Tricolore pasta bake (Vegan)

Makes 8 servings

Tomato and spinach pasta bake

Rich tomato and spinach pasta bake.
I’ve been making this dish since I was a student because it is easy to make with only a few ingredients; and it’s incredibly delicious.

My husband also loves this pasta bake and requests it regularly.
Good thing making this 5 layer pasta bake is no where near as time consuming as a 5 layer lasagne. When I am short for time and have dinner guests, I put all the layers together the day before, store it in the fridge and bake it on the day.

I love this dish because it’s so delicious without using overly processed ingredients and it doesn’t involve making time consuming pasta sauces.

I usually use tagliatelle pasta, but you can use any shape you like. Remember to season every layer with salt to bring out the flavours.
Simple, clean ingredients that come together beautifully! Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 500g pasta
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 250g baby spinach
• 100 curly kale
• 3 x tins chopped tomatoes
• 200g Jalapeno vegan cheese (grated)
• Salt to taste

Method 
1. Cook the pasta al dente and drain the water.
2. To make the spinach and kale puree, wilt the spinach and kale in a large pan with 100ml water and half of the chopped onion. Cover with a lid until the spinach and kale wilt. Season with salt and whizz in a food processor until smooth.
3. Preheat the oven to 180c. Use a large oven proof dish to layer the ingredients as it follows:
Layer 1: a tin and a half of chopped tomatoes, a quarter of the chopped onion, salt and a handful of cheese.
Layer 2: half of the cooked pasta.
Layer 3: the spinach and kale puree and a handful of cheese.
Layer 4: the rest of the cooked pasta.
Layer 5: a tin and a half of chopped tomatoes, a quarter of the chopped onion, salt and a handful of cheese.
4. Bake for one hour. Remove from the over and leave to sit for 30-60 minutes before serving. This will allow the ingredients to set and will cut better.

Tomato and spinach pasta bake

Peanut butter stir fry noodles (Vegan)

Makes 4-6 servings

Not just a stir fry, but the best stir fry!
Stir fry noodles with spicy peanut butter sauce, toasted sesame seeds and fresh coriander.

A symphony of big bold flavours that work together in perfect harmony.
This is one of my go to recipes because it’s so tasty and quick to put together. Not to mention, a great way to eat my veggies. 
I have been making this dish for many years, so I thought it’s about time I share it on my blog. The sauce is a little bit spicy, so feel free to use less Sriracha if you are not keen on spice. You can use any stir fry veggies you like. I usually get a shop bought bag of stir fry veggies and add whatever veggies I have around to it. I had a can of bamboo shoots and water chestnuts laying around in my cupboard, so I add them this time; they brought a lovely crunch to the dish.
When it comes to noodles I usually use rice noodles, but I also try other varieties as long as they are vegan. I was using udon noodles when I photographed the dish and they were great.
Give it a go and let me know what you think 🙂 

Peanut butter sauce ingredients
¼ cup light soy sauce
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
Juice of 1 lime

Other ingredients
1-2 tablespoons sesame oil for frying
400g stir fry veggies
1 bunch fresh coriander
300g noodles
toasted sesame seeds for serving

Method 
1. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the peanut butter sauce and set aside.
2. Cook the noodles to the instructions on the pack and drain.
3. In a large pan, heat up a little bit of oil and add at the stir fry veggies. Cook on medium-high heat until cooked to your liking (5-10 minutes). Stir in the peanut butter sauce and cook for another minute until the peanut butter melts. Remove from heat. 
4. Add the noodles to the pan and mix until the noodles are coated in the sauce.
5. Chop the coriander and add it to the pan. Serve with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Peanut butter stir fry noodles

Pearl barley risotto – Vegan

Makes 4 servings

Pearl barley risotto, incredibly creamy and simple to make.
Barley is rich in vitamins and minerals, so I made it easy to include in my diet. Pair this with some steamed broccoli and you have a delicious nutritious meal.
The subtle flavours of lemon, pea, mint and basil make this risotto truly special.

I don’t usually cook with pearl barley, but turns out I rather like it.
Sharing is caring, so don’t miss out on this lovely dish.

Ingredients

• Oil for frying
• 1 onion – finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
• Zest of one lemon
• 200g pearl barley
• 1.2l vegetable stock
• 140g garden peas
• 1 mint sprig
• 2 tablespoons Oatly crème fraiche
• 1 small bunch of basil – finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• A head of broccoli (steamed or boiled) for serving

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic and lemon zest for 5-10 minutes (until soft).
2. Rinse the pearl barley in cold water to remove some of the starch.
3. Add the pearl barley to the frying pan and half of the vegetable stock, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking.
4. Use half of the garden peas to make a quick pea and mint puree by whizzing peas with 3-4 mint leaves in a blender. Add a splash of water as needed.
5. Once the pearl barley stock is absorbed, stir in the leftover vegetable stock, the leftover the garden peas, pea puree and continue to cook until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the Oatly crème fraiche and basil. Add salt to taste (my vegetable stock is already salty, so I don’t usually have to add more salt).
7. Enjoy with steamed broccoli.

Tofu bacon (Vegan)

Makes 7 slices

Lunch just got better! It’s never been easier to make to make a decent vegan sandwich.

I used to find cooking tofu challenging, but with some practice I mastered it.
Top tip: you need big bold flavours because tofu itself is a blank canvas.
Also I love the Tofoo Co Naked Tofu because it doesn’t need to be pressed for hours before cooking and has great taste and texture.
I like my tofu baked or fried. This recipe involves frying it in a griddle pan, but you can find my recipe for baked tofu in the Yasai Samla Curry recipe.
You can also bake the tofu bacon instead of frying it. You will need to give it 20-30 minutes in the oven at 200C.
Have a great lunch break!

Ingredients

• 280g extra firm tofu
• 1 tablespoon agave syrup or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper paste
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic granules

Method

1. Drain the tofu and use paper kitchen towels to absorb extra moisture.
2. Slice the tofu and use paper kitchen towels to absorb extra moisture from each slice.
3. Mix all the ingredients to make the marinade. Place the marinade and tofu slices in a shallow dish and leave to marinate for 10 minutes. Turn the tofu slices and marinate for another 10 minutes on the other side. Feel free to marinate for longer if you have the time.
4. Heat a griddle pan and fry the tofu slices with the leftover marinade for 5 minutes on each side, until crispy and golden.
5. Use the tofu to make a sandwich with your favourite bread, vegan mayo and veggies. Enjoy!

Tofu Bacon (Vegan)