Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (63 page)

Read Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Online

Authors: Isa Chandra Moskowitz,Terry Hope Romero

Tags: #food.cookbooks

Use the largest nonstick skillet you have (at least 11 inches in diameter) or a wok. Have all of your ingredients chopped and easily within reach. Place the cashews in the dry pan and heat over low heat, stirring them, until lightly toasted, 4 to 5 minutes.
Remove the cashews from the pan, raise the heat to medium, and add the peanut oil, scallions, and garlic. When the garlic starts to sizzle, add the sliced chile pepper and ginger. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and peas. Stir-fry for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the bell pepper is softened and the peas are bright green. Add the basil and mint, and stir for another minute before adding the pineapple and quinoa.
In a measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, vegetable stock, and mirin. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Stir to incorporate completely and coat the quinoa. Continue to stir-fry 10 for 14 minutes, until the quinoa is very hot (it helps to use two spoons/spatulas to scoop the quinoa around).
Serve with lime wedges and additional soy sauce, to season individual servings to taste.
LENTILS AND RICE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SPICED PITA CRISPS
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
if served without pita
TIME:
1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
 
 
This is referred to as Mujadarah or Enjedra and a dozen other names in the Middle East.Terry says she could live for months on the simple and scrumptious meal of rice, lentils, and onions, and be assured she has damn well tried.Try it and be amazed how few ingredients can make something so yum. It’s a different version of comfort food; here spiced red lentils transform into creamy, golden mash that just melts right into the fragrant rice and rich caramelized onions. Serve alongside braised chard or kale.
 
➣
Substitute brown, green, or black lentils for the red lentils. Unlike red lentils, these varieties hold their shape so this dish will have more of a pilaflike consistency, but is still delicious.
3 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced into thin
rings (about 2 pounds)
¾ cup olive oil
1 cup long-grain basmati rice (brown or white),
rinsed
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoon ground cumin
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 400°F.
In a large, deep baking pan, toss the onion rings with the olive oil to coat. Be sure to separate the rings and spread them out in the pan. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often. The idea is the get most of the onion rings deep brown, crisp, and even burned on the edges. The deeper they roast, the sweeter they’ll taste. When done, remove from the oven and set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the rice, cinnamon stick, ground cumin, and allspice. Bring back to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Uncover and add the lentils, stir gently only a few times (too much stirring can break the rice grains); cover, bring to boil again, lower the heat to low, and cook for an additional 45 minutes, until the liquid is completely absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside the covered pot for 10 minutes.
Use a fork to gently fluff the lentils and rice. Remove the cinnamon stick. Gently fold the caramelized onions into the lentils and rice, making sure to drizzle on any remaining olive oil from the roasting pan. Stir thoroughly. Serve warm or at room temperature.
SPICED PITA CRISPS
 
SERVES 4
TIME:
15 MINUTES
 
 
Crunchy, easy to make, and great with any dip or spread, too. A nice way to use up pita that’s just a little past its prime.
4 white or whole wheat pitas
Olive oil for brushing
1 teaspoon or more per pita of the following spices;
pick just one and stick with it, or be like a crazy
person and experiment with these mixtures:
Garam Masala
Garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt or
Lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt
 
PREHEAT THE oven to 350°F.
Slice open a pita along the edges, and carefully open and separate each half. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with your seasoning(s) of choice. Spread the pitas on cookie sheets (a little overlapping is okay) and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Watch and be careful not to burn.
Cool on the cookie sheets and store in plastic bags.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH MEXICANA WITH TROPICAL AVOCADO SALSA FRESCA
 
SERVES 4 TO 6
TIME:
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
 
 
If you throw the word
Mexicana
on something it automatically connotes that there’s black beans and corn in it, right? Okay, good. This is baked spaghetti squash tossed with mildly spicy black beans and corn, topped off with a fruity salsa fresca. We used pineapple, but you can use mango or papaya, if you prefer. Spaghetti squash gets its name because, when cooked, the flesh divides into pretty strings that resemble, you guessed it, spaghetti. It’s a good idea to make the roasted squash a day in advance; that way you can have this dish on the table in under half an hour.
 
➣
Our testers had good results microwaving the spaghetti squash instead of baking it. Since we don’t have microwaves (as we keep repeating), we weren’t able to test that, but do an Internet search for how to microwave a spaghetti squash and have at it. Is it wrong for a cookbook to tell you to Google something? Probably, but no more wrong than having a microwave.
1 spaghetti squash (use one in the 3-pound range)
 
Tropical salsa fresca:
1 cup chopped tomato (½-inch chunks)
1 cup chopped pineapple, mango, or papaya (½-inch
chunks)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into ½-inch
chunks
¼ cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
 
Bean mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, cut into small dice
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1½ teaspoons chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup red cooking wine
1 cup fresh or frozen corn (if frozen, partially thawed)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
(1½ cups)
2 teaspoons hot sauce, or to taste
 
FIRST, BAKE the squash: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half across its waist (widthwise). Scoop out the seeds. Prick the squash halves with a fork five or six times. Fill a baking dish with about an inch of water and place the squash cut side down in the dish. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork.
 
 
Meanwhile, prepare the salsa:
 
In a small mixing bowl, toss all those ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
 
 
Then prepare the bean mixture:
 
Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onions and jalapeño in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and coriander seeds, and sauté 2 more minutes. Add the remaining spices, salt, and the wine, raise the heat, and boil for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
Lower the heat and add the corn, black beans, and hot sauce. Cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, until the corn is heated through and the wine has reduced.

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