Vegan MoFo #22: Baighan Bharta with Lentils and Saffron Rice

Maybe I shouldn't really call this baighan bharta, since the traditional recipe doesn't include lentils; then again, it does often include a shocking quantity of ghee, which I don't, so maybe it all balances out in the end. In any case, here is another Indian dish featuring eggplant in a rich, filling stew to be eaten with or over rice. Since I was making it for a main course, the lentils were tossed in for protein; I cooked them separately, then added them to the almost finished product so they'd retain some texture. This recipe is pretty mild in terms of seasonings, but we tend to eat a lot of hot pickle with our Indian food, which more than makes up for it; you could certainly throw in some cayenne or other heat source if you want it spicier, though. The saffron rice is a fairly basic rendition, to which any number of things can be added: raisins, slivered nuts, peas, finely chopped carrots, you name it. I kept it simple here because there was a lot of other stuff going on with the stew, and we had aloo gobi on the side as well, but go ahead and get as crazy with it as you like!

Baighan Bharta with Lentils
Ingredients:
~ 1 tbsp. hot mustard oil
~ ½ tsp. each: cumin seeds, black mustard seeds
~ 1 tbsp. garlic
~ 1 tbsp. ginger
~ 3 cups chopped onion
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, cumin, garam masala, curry powder, fenugreek
~ ½ tsp. each: coriander, turmeric, chili powder
~ 3 cups roasted, mashed eggplant
~ 1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
~ ½ cup frozen green peas

Also:
~ 1 cup green or brown lentils, cooked for 30-40 minutes in 2.5 cups vegetable stock, until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Directions:
~ In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil and cook the cumin and mustard seeds over medium-high heat, until they begin to sizzle and pop.
~ Add the onions, garlic and ginger, stir to combine, and cook another 5-10 minutes until the onions start to brown, adding a splash of water if necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Add the remaining seasonings, eggplant and drained tomato. Mix thoroughly, then lower the heat, cover, and cook about 10 minutes more.
~ Remove the cover, add the frozen peas and cooked lentils, stir to combine.
~ Raise the heat to medium and cook another 5 minutes or so, until the peas are bright green.
~ Serve hot over...

Saffron Rice
Ingredients:
~ 2 tbsp. Earth Balance (or oil; I just like EB here)
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 4 scallions, thinly sliced
~ 1.5 cups jasmine or basmati rice
~ 3 cups vegetable broth
~ 5-6 saffron threads
~ 1 tsp. salt
~ ½ tsp. cardamom
~ 1 cinnamon stick
~ A few grinds of black pepper

Directions:
~ Heat the broth to nearly boiling; add the saffron threads and cover for 10 minutes.
~ Melt the Earth Balance in a heavy-bottomed saucepan; add the garlic and scallions and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes.
~ Add the rice, salt, cardamom and cinnamon stick; cook for another minute or two, until the rice is completely coated.
~ Pour in the saffron/broth mixture and return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
~ Remove the cinnamon stick, fluff with a fork and serve.

Vegan MoFo #21: Ginger, Pear and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ginger is one of the best tastes and smells in the world: simultaneously warm, spicy, light and fresh. I use it a lot, in all kinds of things, and there's really no substitute for fresh ginger in a recipe (besides which, grating it is another of those excellent jobs to delegate to the person or people hanging out in the kitchen while you cook). I originally conceived of what turned out to be these muffins as a veganized, pear-centric update of an apple "brownie" recipe that my sister gave me ages ago. When I looked up the recipe, however, I decided that my eggless, butterless adaptation would be better suited to muffins than something that needed to be sliced. I've sung the praises of muffins before, but one of the greatest things about them is their portability: if there's a basket of muffins sitting on the kitchen table, there's a good chance people will just grab one or two as they walk by, as opposed to something they need to--GASP!--take out, uncover, cut or otherwise meddle with. These muffins are sweet, but not too sweet, and made a nice snack with the mid-afternoon cup of tea I find so salutary these days!

Ginger, Pear and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
~ 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
~ 1 tbsp. baking powder
~ 1 tsp. each: cinnamon, ground ginger
~ 1/2 tsp. each: nutmeg, allspice, salt
~ 3/4 cups (vegan) dark chocolate chips
~ 3 Bosc pears, diced (3 cups; any variety of pear would do)
~ 1/2 cup applesauce
~ 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
~ 1 tbsp. canola oil
~ 2 tbsp. freshly grated ginger root

Directions:
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
~ In a mixing bowl, sift all the dry ingredients together, then add the chocolate chips and stir to coat them with the flour mixture.
~ In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients (from the pears through the grated ginger root) and stir thoroughly.
~ Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Stir well to combine.
~ Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray, then spoon the batter into the cups; this is a pretty generous batch and should fill them all right to the top.
~ Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, until a knife or toothpick comes out clean.
~ Allow to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes more before turning out and eating, ideally warm.

Vegan MoFo #20: Tofu Omelet

Again with the brunch food! I actually made this last weekend, but never got around to typing up the stained, scribbled notes I took while cooking, which is why you're getting a Sunday brunch post on a Monday. And what's wrong with that, I'd like to know? Anyway, when it comes to omelets, I was never as big a fan of the eggs as of the fillings, and I have particularly fond memories of the western omelets my dad would sometimes whip up when I came in late at night as a semi-debauched teenager. I've looked at lots of recipes, but never had the courage to try a tofu omelet myself until recently. One piece of advice I will offer is to be patient, because this could take awhile if you don't want it to fall apart on its way out of the pan (which you presumably don't, or you'd just make tofu scramble and be done with it), and a nonstick skillet is a Big Help. I used what was on hand in the crisper for the filling, but one of these times I am definitely going to saddle up my culinary steed and tilt at the quixotic windmill that is dad's Western Omelet; watch this space!

The Filling:(Make this first!)
Ingredients:
~ 1 tbsp. oil
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1/2 cup chopped onion
~ 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
~ 1 cup sliced mushrooms
~ 1 ripe tomato, chopped
~ 1 tsp each: salt, tarragon, basil
~ Fresh black pepper

Directions:
~ Saute the garlic and onions over medium heat about minutes, then add the bell pepper, mushrooms, tomato and seasonings.
~ Continue cooking until the vegetables are cooked but still have some texture, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

The Omelet:
Ingredients:
~ 1 lb. extra-firm silken tofu
~ 1/4 cup plain soymilk
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
~ 2 tbsp. cornstarch
~ 2 tbsp. tahini
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, thyme, paprika
~ 1/2 tsp. turmeric

Directions:
~ In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth; it should have a consistency similar to pancake batter.
~ Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. When it's good and hot, pour the batter in and let it spread out across the pan.
~ Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 5-10 minutes, checking frequently. As the edges get firm, you can gently lift them with a spatula and tilt the pan ever so slightly, so the batter will run down the sides (remember doing this with eggs?).
~ When the omelet is set, spoon the filling onto one side, trying not to get it too close to the edges. Carefully loosen the omelet by sliding the spatula under it from each direction, and then fold one side over the other.
~ Remove from heat and carefully lift or slide it onto a serving platter.
~ This is pretty filling, and will serve 2-4 hungry people, depending on what you're having on the side. We had it with roasted potatoes, toast, ketchup and hot sauce, which meant we got two separate meals out of it, but that's just us.

Vegan MoF0 #19: Huevos-Free Rancheros

Avocados are good at any time of day or night, and this recipe came about because of a perfectly ripe one that I wanted to eat for breakfast this morning. So succulent and luscious was the pale green flesh of this beautiful fruit that it cried out for a fitting foil to showcase its loveliness. (Can you tell that I really love avocadoes? Because I do.) So I rooted around in the refrigerator and found the necessary components for what would be called huevos rancheros if it included huevos, which it most emphatically does not. What it does have is fresh, ripe tomatoes and peppers from the garden of my mother's friend, lots of yummy spices, refried black beans and Nature's Wonder Food, tofu. This is the kind of breakfast that could easily send you back to bed with the Sunday paper: so satisfying, delicious, and utterly worthy of a perfect avocado that it's hard to imagine ever being hungry again. In a good way!

Ingredients:
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 2 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 1 cup chopped onion
~ 1 cup diced green bell pepper
~ 2 cups sliced mushrooms
~ 2 cups diced fresh, ripe tomatoes
~ 3 thinly sliced scallions
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, cumin, cilantro, thyme, chili powder, smoked paprika
~ 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
~ 1/4 tsp. cayenne (more to taste)
~ Fresh black pepper
~ 1 15 oz. can refried black beans
~ 1 lb, firm tofu, mashed
~ 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Also:
~ 4-5 large flour tortillas
~ Sliced ripe avocado, or guacamole if you prefer
~ Salsa
~ Vegan sour cream, if you're into that sort of thing

Directions:
~ Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit
~ Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the flour tortillas on it. Lightly salt and pepper them, then bake for about 10 minutes, until slightly crisp but not too brown. Break into tortilla-chip size pieces and set aside.
~ In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic over medium heat for about 3 minutes.
~ Add bell pepper, mushrooms and seasonings, and cook another few minutes, until the mushrooms start to soften.
~ Add the chopped tomatoes and refried beans, then raise the heat to high and cook about 5 minutes more, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
~ Add the tofu, scallions and nutritional yeast. Stir to combine and cook another minute or two, until everything is heated through. Remove from heat.
~ Arrange tortilla pieces on plates, then spoon the bean & vegetable mixture on top. Serve with guacamole, salsa, vegan sour cream and hot sauce for a breakfast you won't soon forget, because you'll be full for hours. So go do the crossword puzzle or something!

Vegan MoFo #18: Let's Get Sconed Survey Challenge!

Okay, I think I have been very good about updating my blog for Vegan MoFo while keeping up with kids, animals, schoolwork and all the rest of it. That said, I have a big ol' paper and a presentation due on Tuesday, then more of the same the following week, so right now I need to prioritize those things. Since the "rules" are merely that one must strive to post something each day, I hereby give you my answers to the survey from Jess' fabulous blog, Let's Get Sconed. I hope to have some food for you over the weekend, but in the meantime, here's a little more about me, me, me (but enough about me; what do you think about me?)!

1. What was the most recent tea you drank?
Two Typhoo tea bags steeped a long time, with Lyon's Golden Syrup and Vitasoy unsweetened soymilk: it's how I start my day.

2. What vegan forms do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill!
I'm Desdemona on the Post Punk Kitchen, and I occasionally leave comments on other blogs, especially when I see a recipe I admire, want to make, or am astonished by (Deenifying Myself comes to mind here!).

3. You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first?
The lasagna I made last week was pretty amazing, so I'd probably choose that.

4. How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day?
In ordinary circumstances, I usually check the PPK, SuicideFood, and a few others (see my blogroll), but sinceVegan MoFo started it's been way more; it's a wonder I'm getting anything else done. Wait. Am I getting anything else done?

5. Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read?
Jess' Get Sconed!, from whence came this survey.

5. If you could hang out with a vegan blogger that you haven’t met, who would it be, and what would you do?
Too hard, there are so many; let's just say that I'd love to get to next year's Vegan Gathering!

6. If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trinity – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be?
Tofu – I can think of a million things right off the top of my head; it's Nature's Wonder Food.

7. If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be?
Frozen extra firm Nasoya, because that pointy plastic container could do some serious damage.

8. Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice!
~ Thai red curry stir fry with baked tofu, bell peppers, baby corn, water chestnuts, etc., over brown basmati rice.
~ Pumpkin baked ziti with tofu ricotta.
~ The tofu omelette I made last Sunday. Again.

9. What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing?
The panko-crusted seitan smothered with ginger and apples that Isa blogged a week or so ago. Definitely one of these weekends.

10. Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them?
I don't tend to wear a lot of clothing with writing on it, but I do have a "Vegan Chick" tank top; do my "Eat More Kale" t-shirt and "Domestic Terrorist" apron count?

11. Have you made your pilgrimage to the 'vegan mecca' yet?
Alas, not yet, but we have a friend who teaches at Reed, and keep our eyes peeled for academic conferences out that way.

12. What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it?
I suppose if we take the question to include occasions when you just have to make do or starve with the hunger, I'd have to say the medieval conference where my lunch was a "salad" of iceberg lettuce and hothouse tomatoes with no dressing, and a bottle of Diet Snapple Iced Tea. Boy howdy!

13. What made you decide to blog?
I like to write, I like to cook, and I enjoy other people's blogs, so I figured why not?

14. What are three of your favorite meals to make?
~ Chana dal with cucumbers and kale
~ Black bean and cornbread casserole
~ Lemony mushroom and asparagus risotto

15. What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck?
It's easiest to think of dishes I've made recently, so I'd say the butternut squash with pear and walnut stuffing, baked pasta with pumpkin and caramelized onions, or maybe a few different vegetable pies.

16. Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it?
Well, based on overall experience (food, atmosphere, sense of occasion, etc.) a few that come to mind are the Warehouse Cafe in Birmingham (England), Grezzo (Boston), and the Eden Cafe (Bar Harbor). I won't bother listing what we actually ate because it would take too long, but I will say that each of those meals stands out in memory as particularly wonderful for a variety of reasons.

17. What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is?
Fortunately, I can't remember the last time I was in a chain restaurant, so I can't say.

18. My kitchen needs a………
"Need" is such a relative word, but I'd like more cupboard and counter space, and a new stove. Oh, and a totally pimped-out VitaMix!

19. This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen:
Lima beans have been about the only member of the animal kingdom for which I have never been able to feel the love, but then I had some in a Jamaican stew and they were actually fine, so I dont know. Now, ask me about fruits, and I will answer without hesitation that just the thought of durian makes me want to throw up a little.

20. What's for dinner tonight?
No clue whatsoever. It's Friday and it's been a long week. Right now we're thinking take-out from our local vegan Chinese restaurant, The Buddha Hut...I'm thinking something in the way of spring rolls and Szechuan stir-fried tofu might be just the thing.

21. (In which I'm supposed to add my own question, so here goes) Why are you vegan?
Because it's the right thing to do. DUH!

Vegan MoFo #17: Yet Another Vegetable Pie

Maybe it's the English(wo)man in me, but I really love savory pies, especially if there's gravy involved, so when in doubt about what to cook, some sort of vegetable pie is one of my go-to options. This one came about because I wanted mashed potatoes but couldn't justify making an entire dinner of them. The filling is made from ingredients most people have in the vegetable crisper, and can be expanded or contracted easily to suit availability and personal taste: cauliflower, parsnips, even sweet potatoes could easily be incorporated into this pie with excellent results, so don't hesitate to experiment. This is a great comfort food dinner on a chilly evening, especially served with extra mashed potatoes and roasted carrots, parsnips, brussels sprouts, or other wintry vegetables. Add your favorite gravy and some cranberry sauce and hey, presto: it's Thanksgiving!

Ingredients:
~ 1 tbsp. olive oil
~ 1 tbsp. minced garlic
~ 2 cups onions and/or leeks, washed and chopped
~ 1/2 cup diced celery
~ 1/2 cup diced carrots
~ 4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
~ 1/2 cup frozen peas
~ 1/2 lb. firm tofu, mashed
~ 1/2 cup vegetable broth, mixed with 1 tbsp. corn starch
~ 1 tsp. each: salt, thyme, parsley, sage, marjoram
~ Fresh black pepper to taste
~ ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
~ 1-2 tbsp. vegan margarine
~ Paprika for garnish

Also:
~ 1 prepared single pie crust
~ 1 big batch of your favorite mashed potato recipe

Directions:
~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
~ In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and/or onions and garlic; sauté 2-3 minutes.
~ Add the celery, seasonings, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook another 10 minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Add the frozen peas, mashed tofu, fresh parsley and the stock/corn starch mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine, then continue cooking another 5-10 minutes.
~ Transfer into a prepared single piecrust and top with a thick layer of mashed potato.
~ Cover loosely with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes (I usually place the pie plate on a baking sheet to catch any errant drips).
~ Remove from the oven and drizzle with 1-2 tbsp. melted Earth Balance or other vegan margarine over the potatoes, then sprinkle on some paprika and lightly drag the tines of a fork around to make pretty patterns.
~ Bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and lovely.
~ Allow to rest at least 15 minute before slicing and serving with your favorite autumnal veggies (and gravy!).

Eggplant, Spinach, and Chickpea Curry

I love leafing through cookbooks, but I view recipes less as culinary gospel than inspirational models, and today's recipe is a good example. This particular dish had its basis in a recipe from Lord Krishna's Cuisine, but has become so unrecognizable that I won't even bother listing my changes except to say that even if you don't object to dairy, putting 10 tablespoons of ghee in anything is just over the top.

What I will say is that you should make this curry as soon as possible, because it is seriously delicious, as in "company-meal-for-skeptical-omnivores" delicious. I should also add that this recipe makes a lot of food, but it also freezes well and makes particularly excellent leftovers; in fact, I often make it a day in advance because it just keeps getting better and better.

Eggplant, Spinach, and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
~ 2 tbsp. canola (or other) oil
~ 1 tsp. each: mustard seeds; cumin seeds
~ 2 cups chopped onion
~ 1 tbsp. each: minced garlic, grated ginger

~ 1 tsp each: salt, coriander, fenugreek powder, cumin, curry powder, garam masala

~ ½ tsp. each: cinnamon, asafoetida, cayenne pepper

~ 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

~ 6 cups diced eggplant

~ 1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes, including liquid

~ 1 15 oz. can coconut milk (I prefer the high test to the "lite" here)

~ 1 lb. frozen spinach
~ 1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
~ 1 tbsp. canola oil
~ 2 tsp. panch phoran

Directions:
~ In a large, deep pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat; add the cumin and mustard seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the seeds begin to sizzle and pop. You might want to be wearing an apron while you do this. And safety goggles. (Just kidding...well, sort of.)
~ Add the onions and cook 5 minutes, until they're just starting to brown, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook a few minutes longer, adding a little water as necessary to prevent sticking.
~ Add the eggplant and the remaining seasonings, stirring to make sure the the vegetables are coated. Cook 5 minutes, until the eggplant begins to soften.
~ Pour in the canned tomatoes and coconut milk, stirring well to combine.
~ Add the spinach and the chickpeas, then cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every ten minutes or so to make sure it doesn’t stick or need more liquid. The eggplant should be completely broken down, and the liquid reduced to a thick stew.
~ In a small pot, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. canola oil, and fry the panch phoran for about a minute, just until the seeds begin to pop. Pour this mixture into the curry, and stir to combine.
~ Serve hot over basmati rice, with your favorite spicy pickle and/or chutney on the side.