Robin Robertson’s Global Kitchen

“More, Please” Spicy Tofu

by Robin Robertson on April 12, 2011

When my omni sister and brother-in-law visited us recently, the talk turned to food, as it invariably does when anyone visits! My sister mentioned her favorite shrimp dish that she enjoys at a restaurant, and when she told me what was in the simple but delicious sauce, I knew I had to veganize it.

The traditional version of the sauce calls for mayo, Thai chili sauce, and a few drops of Sriracha. My adaptation uses Vegenaise (although I’ve also tried it with vegan sour cream and it’s good that way too. I use the same amount of Thai chili sauce as the original, but instead of just a few drops of Sriracha (what’s the point in that?), I use an entire tablespoon, sometimes more. (Of course, if you’re not a spice-hound like me, you’ll want to use less.) I’ve also tried it with a small amount of rice vinegar to add an extra dimension of flavor.

In my version, extra-firm tofu replaces the shrimp. I also prepared some roasted broccoli in the same way and it was fabulous, too. The original is served as an appetizer but I serve mine as the main course over brown rice.

We found the flavor so addictively good, it made us want some more, hence the name: “More, Please” Spicy Tofu.

“More, Please” Spicy Tofu

1/2 cup Vegenaise or other vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar (optional)
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1 x 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup cornstarch
Neutral vegetable oil, for frying
Chopped scallions and or fresh cilantro, for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the Vegenaise, chili sauce, sriracha, and vinegar, if using. Set aside.
Dredge the tofu in the cornstarch. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large skillet. Add the tofu and cook until lightly golden brown, turning once.
Transfer the tofu to the bowl with the sauce and toss gently to coat. Top with chopped scallions or cilantro. Serve hot.

In other news: The Blooming Platter Cookbook is now available!! Congratulations to Betsy DiJulio and Vegan Heritage Press on this fabulous new cookbook that is “A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.” I heard a rumor that Vegan Heritage Press will be hosting another cookbook giveaway soon, with this terrific new cookbook as the prize! Be sure to “Like” Vegan Heritage Press on Facebook and follow the VHP blog so you don’t miss out!

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Easy Vegan Coconut Custard Pie

by Robin Robertson on April 2, 2011

Thanks to all who joined in the fun on my FB page, trying to guess the secret ingredient which is: a box of Goya Flan Custard mix! As promised, here’s the recipe for the vegan coconut custard pie. With only three ingredients in the pie filling, this is one crazy-easy pie to make.
Now, I’m not going to say this pie is healthy, although I’ve made “healthy” versions before. What this version does have going for it (besides being quick and easy) is that it tastes remarkably like the non-vegan version my mom used to make — which was one of Jon’s favorite pre-vegan desserts.
One day when he was reminiscing about my mother’s coconut custard pie, I got the idea to try making it with the flan mix. I knew the flan mix was vegan and very “custardy” so I figured it would work — and it did! Instead of using healthy unsweetened coconut, I bought the sweetened kind that my mom used in her pie, to try to duplicate the flavor we remembered.

For nondairy milk, I generally use one can of unsweetened coconut milk and make up the rest with either almond milk or Mimicreme. For a firm texture, I use no more than 3 1/2 cups of liquid (rather than the 4 cups called for on the flan box).

I only lightly toast the coconut, but you could toast it a little longer if you want. Sometimes I pulse the toasted coconut a little in a food processor to give it a more coconut-y flavor. I’ve also added a few drops of coconut extract but I like it fine without it, too.

So there you have it. If you make this pie, be sure to let me know what you think of it!

Impossibly Easy Vegan Coconut Custard Pie

Note: Discard the caramel packet from the box of flan mix or reserve it for another use.

1 (5.5-ounce) box Goya Flan Custard mix
3 to 3 1/2 cups nondairy milk (any combination of: coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, Mimicreme, etc.)
1 (12-ounce) bag flaked sweetened coconut, lightly toasted
1 prebaked pie crust (homemade or storebought), cooled

Place the flan mix in a saucepan and slowly stir in the nondairy milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. (It will be thin.)
Remove from the heat and stir in about 2/3 of the coconut, then set aside to cool slightly. Pour the mixture into the baked and cooled pie crust. Sprinkle the top with the remaining coconut and press into the pie filling. Refrigerate for a few hours to chill and firm up.

Makes 8 servings

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Party Vegan Contest Winners!

by Robin Robertson on April 1, 2011

I thought I’d put out a plate of Fresh Berry Tarts from Party Vegan while we chat….

With nearly 200 comments, this Party Vegan Giveaway was the best contest ever. And just reading how everyone likes to “party vegan” has been a party in itself. So many great ideas — and all of them winners!

Alas, there can only be two contest winners (this time, at least!). And thanks to that wonderful and oh-so-random number generator at Random.org, here they are:

Winner #1: #108 – JL Goes Vegan – who likes to party vegan: “by throwing myself into the joy of cooking and enjoying simple, beautiful, vegan food!”

Winner #2: #59 – AllyChristine – who like to party vegan “anytime I make a great vegan meal! I love to share my love for vegan food.”

Congratulations to the two winners — please e-mail me with your addresses and I’ll get a copy of Party Vegan out to each of you right away!

To everyone else: The party’s not over yet! Stay tuned to my blog for more contests, recipes, and lots more, such as this hot tip: There’s another cookbook contest going on RIGHT NOW at the new Vegan Heritage Press blog — with 3 great cookbooks being given away plus a Grand Prize of all 3 books. Check it out now!

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Party Vegan Giveaway!

by Robin Robertson on March 25, 2011

Yes, it’s that time again! Time for another cookbook giveaway. This time the prize is not one, but two copies of my latest cookbook: Party Vegan!

Now that Spring has arrived, there are lots more reasons to party — not that you need a reason to celebrate with good vegan food. There’s Passover and Easter coming up, then there’s Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day, and on through the summer when we have more casual gatherings, potlucks, picnics, and cookouts. But everyday can be a reason to celebrate, too. Reasons like:

• TGIF — anytime there’s no work the next day is a reason to party!
• Game night — all you need is a board game and a bowl of popcorn.
• Pizza night — self explanatory!

To enter the giveaway: just leave a comment at the end of this post telling me your favorite “everyday” way to party vegan. That’s it!

For a second chance to win: Link to this post from Facebook, Twitter, or your blog and then leave a second comment here to let me know.

If you already have Party Vegan: You can enter too! (It makes a great gift — or you can use it for your own giveaway.) And, while you’re at it, consider telling others about the book by posting a brief review on Amazon.com. (thanks!)

Two winners will be chosen at random on Thursday, 3/31 at midnight and will be announced on Friday, April 1. So tell me, how do YOU like to party vegan?

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Hummamole: One Good Dip Deserves Another

by Robin Robertson on March 21, 2011

I wanted to make a dip to go with some chips and couldn’t decide between guacamole and hummus. So I took a vote of my fellow snack-ees. The vote was tied, two each. Solution? Hummamole!

This dip combines everything we love about both guacamole and hummus in one bowl. Both the hummus and guacamole lovers gave it a thumbs-up. Best of all, it’s fun to say “hummamole!” Another thing I like about it is that it’s higher in protein and less expensive to make than regular guacamole. (Avocados were $2 each in my supermarket this week!) You’ll find the recipe for Hummamole in my new cookbook, Quick-Fix Vegan which comes out in October and is available for pre-order now on Amazon.

In the meantime, check out Party Vegan for lots of other great dips. Hey, how about this Olive-cado Dip?

Olive-cado Dip
The piquant flavor of green olives combines with creamy avocados for a tasty variation on guacamole. Serve with your favorite chips. This recipe is from Party Vegan by Robin Robertson © 2010 John Wiley and Sons.

3 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup pitted green olives, finely chopped
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons minced red onion
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped, for garnish

1. Place the avocados in a medium bowl. Add the lime juice and mash with a fork.
2. Add the green olives, serrano, onion, cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with kalamata olives. Serve immediately.

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St. Patrick’s Day Colcannon Fritters

by Robin Robertson on March 15, 2011

It doesn’t have to be March 17^th to enjoy colcannon — it’s great any time of year. What’s not to love about kale and mashed potatoes in one dish? Of course, St. Patrick’s Day is always a good excuse to make it. This year, I’m enjoying colcannon two ways!

For dinner, I’m making Colcannon-Topped Irish Stew from Party Vegan. It’s hearty, delicious, and a great one dish meal that really needs no embellishment to make a great dinner anytime. If you’re planning a St. Patrick’s Day bash, you might want to include some of the other recipes on the menu, like the soup, salad, dessert, or a loaf of Whisky and Soda Bread.

We’ll be having the Pea Green Soup for lunch that day. Bright green in color (because it’s made with fresh or frozen green peas — not dried), it tastes like Springtime. Along with the soup, I’m serving some special St. Patrick’s Day colcannon potato pancakes. Most people are familiar with potato cakes or latkes made with raw grated potatoes. In my family, we always had that kind, but my mom also made a version using leftover mashed potatoes combined with a little onion, flour, and seasoning. We called this version “stove rags” because they were cooked on the coal stove, which is how my grandmother made them.

The Colcannon “Stove Rags” are an ideal accompaniment to the Pea Green Soup. As you can see in the photo, I even made a few mini-fritters to float on top of the soup. (You can see my little shamrock plant peeking into the photo, too!)

Here’s the complete St. Patrick’s Day menu from Party Vegan, that can be enjoyed in whole or in part on March 17 — or anytime! I call my menu “Potluck of the Irish.”

~St. Patrick’s Day Menu~
Pea Green Soup
Irish Whiskey and Soda Bread
Colcannon-Topped Irish Stew
Shamrock Vegetable Salad
Creamy Lime-Pistachio Parfaits

Here’s the recipe for colcannon fritters — if you have leftover mashed potatoes and kale (or leftover colcannon!) — they’re quick to make — and so good!

Colcannon Fritters
These are delicious served hot with a little vegan sour cream and Tabasco. If you’re making the Pea Green Soup, make a few mini-fritters to float on top of the soup.

1 1/2 cups cooked mashed potatoes
1 cup cooked chopped kale
1/4 cup minced scallions
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or tapioca flour, plus more if needed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Neutral vegetable oil, for frying

1. Preheat the oven to 250° F. In a large bowl, combine the mashed potatoes, kale, and scallions. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add a little more flour if the mixture is too sticky.

2. In a large nonstick skillet or griddle, heat a thin layer of oil over medium-high heat. Drop the batter by the heaping tablespoonful onto the hot skillet. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total.

3. Transfer the cooked fritters to a heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. Serve immediately.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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