Let the flavour of Veganuary continue

Vegans have become the true game-changers starting the year 2020. It would not be wrong to say that the year started off with Veganuary as vegan has become the most uttered word so far. Joker-star Joaquin Phoenix’ Oscar speech on Monday must have taken his non-vegan fans by surprise as it described the pain animals, especially cows, go through to keep our coffee mugs flowing.

After the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards dinner switched to vegan menus, The Academy Award of Merit in early January announced inclusion of a plant-based menu for the vegan celebrities.

Veganism is more than a trend the world over. It is a movement that has been led by athletes like Novak Djokovic, Virat Kohli, Peter Siddle to stars like Joaquin Phoenix, Aamir Khan, Kangana Ranaut and many others.

For all Chandigarhians, who wish to give this new and sustainable trend a try, here are some vegan recipes from local chefs. So, follow in the footsteps of your favourite celeb and why not go vegan for a month? It’s Veganuary guys!

Tofu with chilli & greens

Ingredients (Serves two)

• 300gm of pok choy or gai lan (about 1 large or 2 small heads), roughly chopped
• 300 gm block of silken tofu
• 1tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 1tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve
• A pinch of soft brown sugar
• 2 spring onions, julienned or finely sliced
• 2cm piece of ginger, julienned or finely sliced
• 2cm piece of carrot, julienned or finely sliced
• A large pinch of chilli flakes
• Sesame oil
• Cooked wholegrain rice, to serve

Method

• Put the greens in the base of a shallow bowl that will fit into a large steamer or use a lidded wok where you can fill the base of the wok with water and put a heatproof trivet in the bottom to place a bowl which stays above the water.
• Place thickly sliced tofu on top of the greens. Mix the rice wine, soy sauce and sugar with 2tbsp water and pour over the tofu. Cover and steam for five minutes or until the tofu is soft.
• Heat the oil in a small pan, add the spring onions, carrot, ginger, and let it all sizzle for a minute. Then add the chilli flakes and a splash of sesame oil. Once hot, pour carefully over the tofu. Serve with rice.

Aloo aur chana tulsi korma

Ingredients (Serves two)

• 2tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1tsp fresh or dried chilli, to taste
• 9 garlic cloves (approx 1 small bulb of garlic)
• 1 ginger (thumb-sized), peeled
• 1tbsp ground coriander
• 2tbsp ground cumin
• 1tbsp garam masala
• 2tbsp tomato purée

For the curry

• 2x400gm cans chick pea, drained
• 200gm diced potato
• 400gm chopped tomatoes
• 100gm creamed coconut
• ½ small pack coriander, chopped, plus extra to garnish
• 100gm basil

Method

• To make the paste, heat a little of the 2 tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan, add 1 diced onion and 1 tsp fresh or dried chilli, and cook until softened for about 8 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine nine garlic cloves, a thumb-sized piece of peeled ginger and the remaining oil, then add 1 tbsp ground coriander, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp garam masala, 2 tbsp tomato purée, ½ tsp salt and the fried onion. Blend to a smooth paste – add a drop of water or more oil, if needed.
• Cook the paste in a medium saucepan for 2 minutes over a medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
• Tip in two 400gm cans of drained chickpeas, 200gm diced potato and a 400gn can of chopped tomatoes, and simmer for 5 minutes until reduced.
• Add 100gm creamed coconut with a little water, cook for 5 minutes or more, then add ½ small pack of chopped coriander and 100gm basil, and cook until wilted.
• Garnish with extra coriander and basil and serve with rice or bread (or both).

—Chef Japvir Vohra

Spaghetti Alla Campania

Ingredients n 280gm whole-grain spaghetti

• 800gm fresh blanched tomatoes or use 1 large tin of chunky tomato sauce
• 1/3cup chopped Kalamata olives
• 1/3cup capers
• 1tbsp caper brine (from jar of capers)
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, to taste

Method

• In a medium saucepan, combine the tomato sauce, olives, capers, olive brine, caper brine, garlic and red pepper flakes. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, stir it occasionally and cook it for further 20-25 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from heat, and stir in the olive oil and almost all of the chopped parsley, reserving some to sprinkle on the finished bowls. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and salt, if required.
• While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook your spaghetti to Al dente (firm to bite). Drain and return it to the pot.
• Once all of your components are ready, pour the sauce over the pasta and stir to combine. Stir in the zucchini noodles, if using (if you plan on having leftovers, store extra zucchini noodles separately, as they leech water once they come into contact with salty ingredients). Divide into individual bowls and top each bowl with a light sprinkle of parsley. Serve immediately.

Vegan portabella avocado salad 

Ingredients

• 100gm portabella mushroom caps
• 2 cloves garlic (pressed or minced)
• 2tbsp lemon juice
• 4tbsp olive oil
• 1tbsp honey
• 1tsp chopped fresh thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• 100gm beetroot (boiled and thinly sliced)
• 1 ripe avocado (thinly sliced)
• 100gm iceberg
• 20gm pine nuts

Method

• Whisk lemon juice, honey, minced garlic, thyme, olive oil and salt and pepper, whisk it till it becomes fine and smooth emulsion. Keep this in the fridge. Take a sauté pan and sauté portabella mushrooms on a high heat for 2-3 minutes, slice them and leave it to cool. Tear iceberg into small pieces and put the leaves in cold water to become crunchy and firm. Drain the water and rinse the leaves to avoid water in salad.
• In a bowl, add beetroot slices, portabella mushrooms, and iceberg and tossed in salad dressing.
• Serve it in a salad bowl, top it with avocado slices, pour the remaining dressing over the avocado slices and garnish it with peanuts.

—Chef Sharad Nautiyal

(Compiled by Sheetal)