Bánh mì

Bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich that's got really popular in many Western countries, but here in Barcelona a vegan one is impossible to get. So I make my own. To be honest I think mine are better than the one's I've bought in London, but then I like mine spicy and full to the brim with as much as I can fit in.

It's basically a French baguette stuffed full of fresh herbs, crunchy veg, normally some mayo, sometimes a pate (usually meat based) and dead animal. From what I understand there is no history of a veggie or vegan version in Vietnam. But in a country that has seen poverty at a level Westerners can't imagine over the last few decades, I'm betting a vegan version was made somewhere, by someone (no, it wasn't, but go with the flow!!). So, let it be vegan!

Here's how I make mine. Well, one version anyway! Feel free to play with the ingredients, if there's one thing about this, it's totally your own creation so have fun with it!

Ingredients:

• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin batons
• 1/2 daikon radish, peeled and cut into thin batons
• 1/2 cucumber (seeds removed), cut into thin batons
• 5 small red shallots, sliced thin on the round
• 1 or more jalapeno or other hot pepper (to your taste), sliced thin (or use pickled)
• Small handful of mint leaves roughly chopped
• Handful of cilantro (stems and leaves) roughly chopped
• 1 pound firm tofu (smoked is best), sliced thinly
• Handful of beancurd shreds or tempe

I often add some fried potato slices, this time I had some sweet potato.

• For the bean curd marinade
• Sriracha (Rooster) sauce
• Dark soy sauce
• Maggi liquid seasoning
• Finely minced/shredded lemongrass (or use bottled)
• Freshly ground black pepper

• Mix the marinade well, and then cover the tofu and leave to marinate for at least an hour
• 
  
• Peanut (or other) oil for pan--frying
• Vegan mayo to taste, seasoned with Sriracha or other flavoring as desired
• crusty baguette-style rolls

Fry the tofu in a small amount of oil until crispy, but still soft in the centre. You want a nice crust, but not so crispy its like leather! Then just assemble and eat!


Et voila! Enjoy!

Tom Yum Goong Jay - Thai Spicy Soup with Vegan Shrimp

I've finally found a couple of Thai supermarkets here in Barcelona, and my usual Chinese supermarket has started stocking lots of vegan goodies such as shrimp, bacon, Chinese BBQ pork, Yam sausages, the list goes on and on. But more about that later. For now, here's how to make one of my all time fave soups. Tom Yum Goong. 


Ingredients:

4 cups water
4-6 defrosted vegan shrimp, cut in half length ways (these can be left out)
5 tablespoons lime juice
6 bird’s eyes chillies or three larger red chillies (pounded or sliced)
6x 1cm slices fresh galangal (or 3 tablespoons from a jar)
6x kaffir lime leaves (3 bruised, 3 shredded)
2x tablespoons vegan nam prik pao (Thai roasted chili paste)
2x teaspoons mushroom soya sauce (or normal if you dont have this)
1x stalk lemongrass (use the white part only, pounded with a cleaver)
6x fresh mushrooms (ideally oyster mushrooms, but button mushrooms work fine)
Small amount of cane or coconut sugar
Handful of cilantro, with stems
I often also add in some sliced tomato, sliced red shallot and a clove of garlic


Combine the water, chillies, galangal, mushroom soya sauce, lemongrass, nam prik pao and sugar in a non-aluminium pan and bring to the boil. Simmer on a gentle rolling boil for 5mins. Add the lime juice, vegan shrimp, kaffir lime leaves and mushrooms. Bring to the boil again and simmer until the shrimp are cooked. This should take about 3mins. 

Before you serve the dish check for the right mix of sour, sweet and heat. They should be in balance so that no single flavour overpowers the other. Given how much chilli is used, you might be surprised how much sugar the Thai's actually use in their food to create this balance. But it is worth it! If you can try to get jaggery or palm sugar, it gives a much more authentic taste. Slightly sour/bitter, but still sweet. Not at all like Western sugar! 

To serve: Pour a tablespoon of lime juice in a small bowl, add some extra nam prik pao to taste (its very hot!!), some fresh cilantro and pour the soup over.

Eat and smile.


ps You may wish to have a box of tissues to hand :-)

Warm Crushed Potato, Asparagus & Seitan Salad, with Pimenton de la Vera, Lemon Juice and Garlic Dressing.

 I'm not a big fan of cold salads. Great as a side dish, but that's as far as it goes for me. Unless it's Asian salads. But that's another story.. So the only thing to do when I want a salad, is to make a warm salad. Clever eh? And not just any old warm salad. A spicy, smoky and munchable warm salad. Packed with crushed potatoes, garlic, pimenton.. you get the idea? So here it is!

Simple food for a simple bloke! 

So whats in it? Well, small waxy potatoes boiled in their skin in very salty water. Like really salty. Kinda like the Mallorcan seawater potatoes, but not left to boil dry and go all wrinkly. You do want them pretty soft, but not falling apart. Once cooked just slice whilst hot and douse in good extra virgin olive oil.

Meantime fry up some good seitan in marg/olive oil over a medium heat. Brown, don't burn! Once nearly done lob in loads of garlic, cook for a couple of minutes and lob in about one tablespoon of smoked Spanish paprika. I prefer the spicy version for this. Give it some kick! Stir for two mins to cook off, and add half a nice ripe, chopped tomato in and e.g. tinned sweetcorn. Stir and leave to mingle. 

Now stir fry some really fresh spring cabbage (any other cabbage will do) and cook over a very high heat for as short as possible. You need to cook it through, but with stir frying it takes no more than a couple of minutes. Add in some soya sauce or maggi and the other half tomtao (chopped) and mix. A squeeze or two fresh lemon is good now. Now just mix it all up, plonk ona plate and surround with fresh salad leaves. Just dress with a little good extra virgin olive oil and some lemon, grind of black pepper and away you go! 

BTW, this dish is best served in the sunshine. 

Let the sun kiss your food!

Add in a glass of plonko vegano and away you go. As you can see below this really does give a fantastic mix of tastes and textures, and the crispy seitan just rounds it up nicely!

ENJOY!

The Ultimate Vegan Burger? Maybe.

I've eaten a lot of vegan burgers all over the world, and some have been ok, some great. But let's face it, we can all make a GREAT burger at home, even from shop bought ingredients. This is my version in sunny Barcelona.

First you need a good burger. To be honest most of the commercial ones here are pretty grim. But I have managed to find one that is meaty in texture and tastes great. Sojasun are a big brand here. They make loads of vegan goodies. As far as I know all their products are vegan so that's a bonus!

Soyasun Burgers 2-50€

I prefer the provencale one, with the tomato & Basil version a close second. The also do a plain one and a curry version. They cost around 2-50€ for a packet of two. Not cheap, but then we healthy (pffft) vegans don't eat junk food that much do we? The burger is best heated up a in frying pan over a medium heat for 5mins, flipping half way. They do microwave ok but taste much better done properly!

So how else can you pep up a plain burger? Well, strips of tempeh (very popular in Spain) left to marinade in Sriracha (not so popular in Spain but in all good Asian stores) makes for a tasty addition. I just fry them in a little olive oil over a high heat. Smoked tempeh is widely available here too and well worth trying.

Tempeh soaked in Sriracha

But as everyone knows a truly great burger needs some cheeze yeah? Luckily we have cheezly over here, and its even in some shops as a kilogram log! How cool is that! The cost is 12€ per kg. BARGAIN and actually cheaper than the UK! A few thinnish slices help to smooth the passage of the wee beastie down the gullet!

Cheezly Mozz. From 12€ per kg

I also add fried onions, fried slices of potato, fried mushrooms, tomatoes, salad leaves, ali oli (yup, you can get vegan ali oli in most supermarkets here!) and of course some relish. Heinz or other. I used a commercial 1/4lb burger bun, toasted of course. Or make your own. Then it's just a question of building the little bugger up and opening wide. You could use a knife and fork, but really. Why would you? 

The final product self assembled!

Oh and don't forget to enjoy an ice cold beer with it!

Cheers and hope you have fun making your own version!

Well here I go with my first ever blog!

So after all these years on the tinternet, I've finally got a blog, and will be using it! First up will be a review of the recent Barcelona Dia De La Terra (Earth Day) Fayre (up tomorrow). In the mean time here's a picture of some real vegan food. No photoshopping here folks. There will be loads more food to follow. And yes, I will try and put in approximate weights and measures, but as I don't cook like that what you get is what you get!

Anyway. If you are reading this "hi," and hope you enjoy my mumblings to come!

Peas and love.