Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (7 page)

BEANS

Oh, beans, how the slow cooker loves you! Except kidney beans that is. Raw kidney beans (and fava beans, which I don’t use) contain a toxin, a lectin (
phytohaemagglutinin,
if you’re interested) that is destroyed by boiling for at least 10 minutes but not by the lower temperatures of a slow cooker. Dry kidney and cannellini beans
must be boiled
prior to slow cooking to avoid poisoning. For this reason I use only fully precooked (usually canned) kidney beans in these recipes. Most other beans are started from dry after a good long soak.

To soak beans, first pick them over and remove anything that is not a bean (stones, for example) or any that are completely shriveled up and hard; they will never cook to tender. Place the beans in a large container, cover with at least three times as much water as beans, cover, and allow to soak overnight. If the weather and your kitchen are cool, leave on the counter; otherwise, place in the fridge overnight to ensure the beans do not germinate. When ready to add to the slow cooker, drain and rinse well under running cold water, moving the beans around to ensure all get a rinse, then use as directed. If you need to soak beans for more than one day, please change the soaking water daily to prevent the beans from starting to decay.

A quick soak method can be used as well, handy for when you forgot to put the beans to soak the night before. Place the picked-over beans in a large bowl. Pour three times the amount of boiling water as beans over the beans, cover, and let stand for as long as possible, but for at least 1 hour. The beans will absorb some of the water, soften, and then can be drained and well
rinsed prior to adding to the recipe. (This method also works fine for nuts.)

I specify an overnight soak of at least 8 hours, but as you get to know your slow cooker (and beans), you may find that an even longer soak works better for you. Remember that all slow cookers have their individual quirks!

When I call for a quantity for dry beans, it is a
presoaked
quantity. You can use cooked beans instead with some changes to the recipe: reduce the cooking time to 4 to 6 hours and reduce the liquid, also. As a rule of thumb remove 1 cup; you can always add more back in if required later. When substituting cooked beans, use three times the amount of dry called for. Remember also that cans of beans are different sizes, but a 15-ounce can is about 1½ cups. And also keep in mind that canned beans won’t absorb as much flavor as dry ones.

You can skip the bean presoak if the (ahem) gaseous side effects of beans don’t affect you in a negative way, but otherwise, always soak as I recommend in all recipes calling for dry beans. The choice is yours. If this is a nonissue for you, then feel free to add the picked-over dried beans to the longer-cooking (more than 8-hour-long) recipes without soaking.

Several items can be added to beans as they cook to stop the flatulence, such as bay leaves, fresh ginger, kombu (seaweed), or asafoetida (herb). I use bay leaves in some recipes and ginger in others to complement the flavors of the finished dish. If you know which addition works best for you, please continue to use it. To further reduce the incidence of gas, cook your own dry beans instead of using canned and ensure your beans are always completely tender before eating.

Some ingredients retard the softening of the beans, so I usually add them later in the cooking process or cook the whole dish longer. These are generally items that are salty, acidic, or sweet, like tomatoes, lime juice, or sugar.

Some legumes, especially hard, dense ones such as chickpeas, in some slow cookers take a very long time to cook, sometimes 12 hours or even longer. Bean cooking time does depend to a degree on the age of the beans, which, unless you have dried them yourself, you will not know. Be prepared to increase cooking time as required.

To determine whether your beans are cooked properly, use the squish test (yes, that’s the technical term!). Between your finger and thumb or using a fork on the counter if the beans are too hot, press the bean lightly; it should break apart without too much pressure. If you’d like a second opinion, place a (cooled) bean in your mouth and press against the roof of your mouth with your tongue. If cooked, the bean will squish against your hard palate with no resistance. Sometimes in the same batch you’ll find some beans are more tender than others, so using this test on a few beans from different areas of the slow cooker is a good way to gauge if all the beans are done.

Soy Foods

I use soy foods as a main ingredient in the form of tofu (regular water-packed Chinese-style extra firm, vacuum-packed Japanese-style firm silken, and smoked), tempeh, soy curls, and TVP (textured vegetable protein, also known as TSP or textured soy protein) granules or chunks. I also use soy sauce and miso paste as condiments and flavor enhancers. Sometimes I use commercial soy dairy substitutes such as milk, creamer, yogurt, sour cream, and mayonnaise, although the final two highly processed items I use only sparingly or as garnish.

REGULAR (WATER-PACKED, CHINESE-STYLE) TOFU

I often require firm or extra-firm tofu (the ones used most) to be drained and pressed prior to using, which removes most of the water, enabling the tofu to absorb flavors from the other ingredients as it cooks and giving it a firmer texture. To drain, remove from the packaging, let the water run off, and squeeze gently with your hands. Once drained, either slice as instructed and then press, or press as a block. To press, place a clean dish towel on the counter, place the tofu on top, cover with another clean dish towel, and place a chopping board on top. Weigh down the board with thick, heavy, hardcover books, large cans, or that huge bag of rice you have—anything heavy but not so heavy it would squish the tofu completely. Leave for 30 minutes and check. If you feel the tofu is pressed enough, continue with
the recipe. If you would like more pressing time, change the dish towels so the tofu is sitting on the drier one and replace the pressing items. If you have that magical device called a TofuXpress, use it for perfectly pressed tofu. I don’t own this item but I sometimes wish I did!

SILKEN (VACUUM-PACKED, JAPANESE-STYLE) TOFU

No pressing needed. This smooth-textured tofu is perfect for blending and using when creaminess is required. In those recipes I often use silken tofu in conjunction with a firmer regular tofu to provide shape to the finished dish because silken tofu doesn’t really provide shape. Although you’ll most likely find this tofu sold in the refrigerator section with the other tofu, it doesn’t need refrigeration until opened.

SMOKED TOFU

I like to buy ready-smoked tofu because I love the texture that doesn’t change too much as it cooks. Alternatively, if you can’t find smoked tofu, use an equal quantity of pressed water-packed Chinese-style super-firm or extra-firm tofu instead, or use this simple recipe to create your own:

SMOKED TOFU

2 tablespoons maple syrup

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons liquid smoke

½ cup water

1 pound extra- or super-firm regular water-packed (Chinese-style) tofu

Combine the syrup, soy sauce, liquid smoke, and water in a bowl. Cut the tofu into ½-inch or smaller pieces and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Sauté the tofu in a dry pan to form a slight crust and use as directed for the smoked tofu in the recipe.

PROTEIN SUBSTITUTIONS

ALTHOUGH THE RECIPES
mostly use one main protein, be it beans, tofu, tempeh, TVP chunks (or soy curls), or seitan, there is no reason why you cannot mix and match to taste or for reasons of intolerance or allergy. All the protein sources will become tender in the same length of time, which is generally about 6 hours. Please don’t write off a recipe as being “not for you” just because you don’t like tempeh or are cooking for Auntie Jean who is gluten free. When you substitute, ensure the protein you are using is cut as specified in the recipe, and if you are substituting for soy curls (or TVP chunks), cut the protein into ½-inch pieces. At the end of the cooking time, you may need to thicken (or thin) the sauce since different absorption may have occurred.

TEMPEH

All the recipes were developed using soybean-only tempeh. You can use whatever you have on hand or prefer. Because the cooking time is already long, I do not presteam the tempeh, even though I’m usually firmly in the tempeh steaming camp. I find the extended cooking time rids it of any bitterness. If you want your tempeh to have a browned exterior in the finished dish, prior to adding to the slow cooker you can sear the pieces in a little oil in a skillet on the stovetop. Browning does not affect final cooking time.

SOY CURLS

I know not everyone has access to soy curls, but they are available online so try to get them if you can. They cook so wonderfully tender and absorb flavor so well. They do not need to be reconstituted prior to use because of the long cooking time. If you don’t have access to soy curls, my first preference for a substitute is TVP chunks, then extra-firm tofu or seitan cut into ½-inch cubes.

SOY SAUCE

I use regular soy sauce containing wheat, but if you are wheat sensitive or eat gluten free, please use a wheat-free soy sauce or even Bragg Liquid Aminos instead.

MISO PASTE

I use a mild white miso because that is my preference. If you have a favorite miso, use it. Miso paste is available in Asian supermarkets.

SOY CREAMER

Although I specify soy, you can use any nondairy creamer or even make your own using my recipe (
page 56
), which works just as well with nonsoy nondairy milks.

Other Ingredients

The following are used in a few recipes and are items you may not be completely familiar with depending on where you live and what you are used to cooking.

SEITAN AND VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN

In Basic Recipes, you will find recipes for slow-cooker-made seitan pieces and sausages. I use either homemade seitan or its store-bought counterpart with great success. As always, use whichever you prefer.

Seitan is made from vital wheat gluten, which is sometimes sold under the name of gluten flour (but not usually
high
gluten flour, which is used in bread and pasta). Confused? I recommend sticking with a brand you can trust, such as Bob’s Red Mill, until you are comfortable with what you are buying.

STOCK

I don’t always make my own, but see
page 43
for how to do so in the slow cooker. It is really very simple. If you are using a commercially made stock (or broth—both terms are used commercially and the products are pretty much interchangeable), choose one you like that isn’t too salty. You may, however, have to adjust salt to taste in the recipe. I use mushroom and onion stocks as
well as a generic vegetable one (either light or dark) and like the flexibility of commercially made cubes, powders, and pastes. Use ready-made stock if that is what you prefer.

MARMITE

Marmite is a thick, dark yeast spread that adds a savory
umami-
ness to recipes. Popular in parts of the world with a strong British tradition, in the United States Marmite is often found in specialty British stores, from online retailers, and in well-stocked supermarkets in the peanut butter aisle. To avoid sticking, spray the measuring spoon with nonstick spray before measuring. If you don’t have or don’t like Marmite, make a simple substitution: For every teaspoon of Marmite, use 1 teaspoon soy sauce and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon liquid smoke. Depending on the origin of the Marmite you use, it may or may not be gluten free.