Category Archives: Recipes

Main dishes, Recipes

Easy scrambled tofu recipe, as enjoyed at National Vegetarian Week #NVW16

1 Comment
Big Veggie Brunch plate
Scrambed tofu and other vegan treats on a sample plate from the Big Veggie Brunch.

We had a wonderful time running the Big Veggie Brunch last week as part of National Vegetarian Week in Todmorden, offering free vegetarian and vegan breakfast foods to all. One of the most popular dishes was Andrew’s scrambled tofu. Here is the recipe for you to try it yourself!

Ingredients

  • Large block of plain tofu (cheaper stuff, e.g. from Chinese supermarket, works better for scramble due to higher water content)
  • Sunflower oil
  • Turmeric
  • Soy Sauce
  • Seasoning

Method

  1. Scramble the tofu using a fork on a chopping board (or directly in a wok)
  2. Heat in a large wok and mix in 1 tablespoon of oil
  3. Heat on a medium flame for approximately 12 minutes, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated and it has started to (very, very slightly) brown. The consistency should look like scrambled egg.
  4. Stir in 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1/3 teaspoon ground turmeric and other seasoning (e.g. ground salt/chilli/garlic) to taste

The yellow colour of turmeric with the salt of the soy sauce helps to make this look and taste a bit like scrambled eggs (but better, in our opinion). Feel free to change the flavours to whatever you like, perhaps Mediterranean herbs or Chinese five-spice.

Frying scrambled tofu
Cooking scrambled tofu (photograph by Estelle)
The Big Veggie Brunch images
The Big Veggie Brunch photo collage (images by Estelle and Phil)
Recipes, Sauces and condiments

GUEST POST: Vegan “butter”

Vegan butter recipe as asked for by a few people at the World Vegan Month party.

Vegan “Butter”

Vegan butterred toast by Emma
Emma’s vegan butter on toast, and (INSET) the original recipe from VeganBaking.net

A delicious light buttery taste and importantly it melts like butter on pasta or vegetables.   I couldn’t imagine asparagus without butter and sometimes olive oil is too plain or strong.   A bit of a faff for some people I should think.

Taken from www.veganbaking.net

  • 1/4cup +2tsp soya milk
  • 1/2tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2tsp coconut vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
  • 1/4+1/8tsp salt  (ie a pinch)
  • 1/2cup+2tbsp+1tsp (130g) refined coconut oil (melted and then cooled to room temperature)
  • 1tbsp canola or rice bran oil or light olive oil
  • 1tsp liquid soya lecithin,
  •      or 2 1/4 tsp soya lecithin granules
  • 1/4tsp xanthum gum
  •   or 1/2+1/8tsp psyllium husk powder

a)  Whisk together the soya milk, vinegars and salt and leave to stand until it has curdled.

b)  Measure melted coconut oil and the other oil into a food processor.   Add the soya milk mixture,  soya lecithin and xanthan gum.  Process for five minutes scraping down the sides half way through.

It needs to solidify as soon as possible after mixing for a smooth butter.

c)  Pour the mixture into a mould, eg  marg tub or large ice cube tray, and freeze for one hour until solidified.  Store for use in the fridge.

Emma

Side dishes

Scrambled tofu

Preparing scrambled tofu
Preparing scrambled tofu

Ingredients (basic version)

  • 1 large pack of Clear Spot firm plain tofu
  • soy sauce
  • turmeric
  • sunflower oil
  • pinch of salt

Method

  1. Mash the tofu with a fork in a bowl.
  2. On a low heat, add the oil to a large pan, then add the tofu and fry for 10 minutes, stirring very regularly. Add turmeric, salt and soy sauce at the end and fry for one more minute.
  3. Serve on toast or with vegetables.

Variations

  • Mediterranean (add garlic and herbs like thyme and oregano, plus sun-dried tomatoes and olives, when nearly finished cooking)
  • Indian (add garlic and garam masala (curry powder), plus chopped onions)
Scrambled tofu Med
Here’s a Mediterranean variation, with tomato, leaves and French dressing
Cakes

Chocolate mousse pie

Chocolate mousse-pie is servedIngredients

  • 12.3 oz silken or firm tofu
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tblsp non-dairy milk of choice (soya, rice, almond, other)
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 8 to 10 oz plain chocolate (without milk ingredient)
  • 2-3 tablespoons agave or other sweetener (optional)
  • optional: extracts, flavourings or liqueurs

Instructions

  1. Melt the chocolate (either over a pan of water on a stove or in a microwave).
  2. Put all ingredients into a food processor together and blend until super-smooth.
  3. Pour into a pie crust or biscuit base as desired. Put in the fridge to chill. The filling gets firmer the longer it sits. (It’s firmer if you use firm tofu and more like mousse pie if you use silken tofu.)
Main dishes

Fried tempeh

Serving tempehIngredients

  • I pack of tempeh (defrosted)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Equivalent amount of ginger
  • Soy sauce/shoyu – around two tablespoons
  • Oil for frying

Method

  1. Slice tempeh block into two slabs & then cut into fingers
  2. Crush and chop garlic
  3. Peel and chop ginger
  4. Place tempeh fingers in a dish
  5. Spread garlic and ginger over fingers
  6. Sprinkle soy sauce/shoyu lightly over the tempeh – don’t soak it or it will be too salty.
  7. Leave for 30 minutes
  8. Shallow fry fingers both sides along with marinade bits until browned to taste.
  9. Serve with stir fried vegetables and brown rice

Or try in a sandwich

Or use in a casserole

Or try something else

Main dishes

TLT (or vegan BLT) sandwiches

Making TLT sandwichesA vegan BLT can be called a TLT – tofu, lettuce and tomato. Here, it is made with locally grown lettuce and tomatoes (Incredible Edible Todmorden), using locally baked bread (Saker) and mayo that was made just minutes before.

Ingredients

  • 4 fluffy white buns/rolls/baps/etc. per person (I’m not getting into bread name politics!)
  • 4 thick slices of  firm bean curd/tofu (1 pack of Clear Spot Naturally Smoked Tofu)
  • 2 tomatoes, sliced
  • lettuce, washed and roughly chopped, (or spinach)
  • soy sauce
  • sunflower oil
  • egg-free mayo
  • Vitalite or other non-dairy marg, for spreading on the bread

Method

  1. Prepare the bread and slice the tomatoes.
  2. In a large pan, warm some oil, add the slices of tofu with some soy sauce. Gently fry both sides of the tofu for about 10-15 minutes per side. Meanwhile, add some mayo to the bread and wash and chop the greens.
  3. Make up the BLTs on the bread, in the order Vitalite, mayo, tofu, tomato, lettuce, more mayo. Serve immediately.
Vegan BLT
Here’s one I prepared earlier

Recipe from Impressive Food blog