Vegan BBQ Seitan

Quickie recipe! Just made it for a potluck at a vegan farm sanctuary in Michigan, SASHA Farm.

Vegan BBQ Seitan

* Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
* Cook Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes
* Ingredients:

• gluten (from recipe in previous blog entry), chopped into cubes
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/2 cup  cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup  vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup soy butter
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2  tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 bay leaf

* Recipe:

1. Combine all the ingredients but seitan. Blend in a blender until smooth.
2. Mix the seitan with the BBQ sauce.

Dim Sum: Char Siu Bao & Mango Custard

Dim Sum: Char Siu Bao & Mango Custard

* Prep Time: several days
* Cook Time: 45 minutes

* Ingredients (for gluten):

• 2 cups gluten flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1-1/4 cups vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 pieces kombu
• 3-4 slices ginger 

* Ingredients (for char siu sauce):

• 3 tbsp maltose*
• 3 tbsp agave nectar
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rose wine
• several dashes white pepper powder
• 6 drops red coloring
• 1 tsp five-spice powder
• 1 tsp sesame oil

 * Ingredients (for char siu stir-fry):

• 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup peas
• Vegetable cooking spray

 * Ingredients (for bun dough): 

• 1 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 package dry yeast
• 3 1/4 cups  all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp canola oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

 * Ingredients (for mango custard):

• 2 mangoes, peeled, pit taken out
• 1/2 cup ice
• 12 ounces coconut milk
• 2 tsp raw sugar
• 2 tsp agar agar powder
 

* Recipe (for gluten):

1. Combine the water, kombu, soy sauce, and ginger in a large pot. Bring it to a boil while you do the next steps.
2. Combine the rest of the ingredients inside a large bowl. Mix until well combined. Kneed for a bit.
3. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Kneed again, then let rest for another 15 minutes.
4. Spread dough on a cutting board, form into a log, and cut into 5-6 pieces.
5. Take out kombu from the pot.
6. Place pieces in pot and let simmer for 1 hour. Rotate them occasionally so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
7. When done cooking, rip apart the gluten into tiny pieces. Combine well with the char siu sauce.
8. Let marinate for 24-72 hours.

 * Recipe (for char siu sauce):

1. Combine all ingredients.

* Recipe (for char siu stir-fry):

1. Combine all ingredients in a large wok.
2. Place marinated seitan in the wok. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the onions are translucent.

 * Recipe (for bun dough):
 

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Let rise for 30-45 minutes in an oiled bowl.
3. Cover bowl with foil while rising.
4. On a flour powdered cutting board, cut strip pieces of the dough.

* Instructions to build char siu bao:
 

1. Get your steamer ready while you are doing the next steps. Use banana leaves or wax paper to line the bamboo steamer before you place bao's inside.
2. On floured cutting board, take one strip of dough, form into a ball, and then flatten. I just kept pressing until it was flat, but you could use a floured rolling pin too (this might be better and make the bun part less dense, as an after thought of making this recipe).
3. Take several teaspoons of the char siu stir-fry and put in the middle of your dough circle.
4. Form into a bao by taking the sides, bring them up to the top middle of the dough circle (making sure your mixture does not fall out), and pinch with your fingers at the top to secure.
5. Place baos into the steamer. Give them plenty of room from each other because they will expand and will stick together if you don't have enough room.
6. After 15-20 minutes in steamer (do not open the steamer while they cook), the bao's will be done. Enjoy!

* Recipe (for mango custard):
 

1. In a sauce pot, combine the agave and coconut milk. Bring to boil and then a simmer.
2. In a blender, combine the mango and ice.
3. Add the agar agar to the simmering coconut milk mixture. Whisk until dissolved.
4. Combine the mango mixture and coconut milk mixture in the blender. Blend.
5. Pour mixture into bowls and let it refrigerate for at least 1 hours before serving.

* Notes: Maltose is malt sugar. It is somewhat hard to find. I suggest looking in an Asian grocery store or a specialty store like Whole Foods. I ended up finding it at a home beer brewing store (it's what they use to make beer!) because Whole Foods didn't have it. It definitely makes this recipe so I highly suggest trying to get it, otherwise you could use agave nectar if worse comes to worse.

Maple Faux Bacon Cupcakes

Maple Faux Bacon Cupcakes

* Prep Time: 15 minutes

* Cook Time: 15-20 minutes


* Ingredients (for maple faux bacon cupcakes):

• 4 1/2 tbsp of soy butter, room temperature
• 1/2 tbsp of cooking oil
• 1 tsp liquid smoke
• 1 egg replacer (follow box)
• 5 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup minced faux bacon, cooked according to package*

* Ingredients (for maple frosting):

• 4 tbsp soy butter
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• clear/white sprinkles, sprinkle to top each cupcake
• coarse grain sea salt, sprinkle to top each cupcake

* Recipe (for maple faux bacon cupcakes):

1. Cook faux bacon in a fry pan. Mince 1/3-1/2 cup, leave 5-6 pieces uncut. Break those pieces in half. Set aside.
2. Beat the soy butter, the cooking oil, and liquid smoke fat until light and creamy. Add the brown sugar and maple syrup and beat well until combined.
3. Add the egg replacer and beat until incorporated.
4. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, and powder together in separate bowl.
5. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Combine with soy milk, mix well.
6. Fold in minced bacon and combine.
7. Scoop into cupcake papers and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

* Recipe (for maple frosting):

1. Combine butter and maple syrup until well combined.
2. Add powdered sugar until it becomes smooth.
3. Top each cupcake with a sprinkle of clear/white sprinkles, salt, and half a piece of faux bacon.

* Notes: I used Lightlife Smart Bacon.

Vegan Horseshoe Sandwich

The horseshoe sandwich is native to Springfield, IL. Read the Wikipedia page on it here: Horseshoe sandwich.

Vegan Horseshoe Sandwich



* Prep Time: 45 minutes
* Cook Time: 2 hour

* Ingredients (for vegan burgers):

• 3/4 cup textured soy protein granules
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tsp of egg replacer (arrowroot or EnerG)
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup white onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup carrot, shaved
• 1/3 cup green onion, minced
• 1/3 cup red pepper, minced
• 1/3 cup mushroom, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh thyme, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp sage

* Ingredients (for cheese sauce):

• 1 large red pepper roasted, peeled, and seeded
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp vegan Worcester sauce
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup beer (lager)

• 1-2 tbsp cornstarch with 5 tsp water (combined)
• soy milk (to desired consistency)

* Ingredients (other):

• olive oil
• 1 bag of frozen crinkle fries, cooked as package describes, add kosher salt while cooking
• white bread, sliced
• 4 vegan burger patties (see above)
• 1 cup vegan butter, melted
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 5 cloves garlic, pureed
• dash of paprika, top the dish!

* Recipe (for vegan burgers):

1. Simmer water and textured soy protein in a small pot until it becomes soft and water evaporates.
2. While the textured soy protein simmers, combine all remaining ingredients. Heat skillet on medium heat with olive oil.
   
3. Add the soy protein to the ingredient mixture until well combined.
4. Form into patties and place in skillet.
5. Fry each side until cooked (will take several minutes per side). Add more olive oil as you go.

* Recipe (for cheese sauce):

1. Roasted red pepper on broil until it is soft.
2. Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
   
3. Add seeded, peeled, roasted red pepper to cheese sauce mixture. Blend until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into pot on medium heat.
5. Add cornstarch and water mixture, bring to boil. Add the milk in slowly ; depending on how thick or runny you want the sauce, add more or less.
6. Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer. Keep stirring the mixture.
7. Continue stirring until you pour over sandwich.

* Recipe (for building sandwich):

1. Place crinkle fries on a baking sheet. Bake in oven as directed by instructions on fries.
2. Meanwhile, combined melted butter, garlic, salt, and pepper into bowl. Take piece of white bread and spread this mixture onto each side.
3. Place the bread with mixture on skillet with medium heat. Toast each side until brown.
4. Plate 2 pieces of bread, two patties, pile of fries, top with cheese sauce and dash of paprika.
5. Enjoy!