LIFE ON THE VEG
Katy Beskow’s ‘Vegan Fakeaway’ uses simple easy-to-find ingredients so you can make your favourite takeout at home
All-in-one biryani
This family favourite combines gentle spices, cashews, coconut milk and fluffy rice for an all-in-one dish that is ready in under an hour. I love the mix of vegetables used here, but feel free to use any vegetables that you have available at home.
Serves 4
400g basmati rice 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
½ head of cauliflower, broken into florets 10 green beans, trimmed and halved 2 tbsp frozen or canned sweetcorn Generous handful of cashew nuts 1 x 400ml can coconut milk 1 tbsp medium curry paste (ensure dairy-free) 1 tsp ground turmeric ½ tsp ground cumin ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 2 spring onions, finely sliced Generous handful of coriander, roughly torn Generous pinch of sea salt Juice of ½ unwaxed lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6.
Scatter the rice into a deep baking tray, along with the carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans, sweetcorn and cashews. Pour the coconut milk into a jug, along with 200ml cold water.
Whisk in the curry paste, turmeric, cumin and chilli flakes until combined. Pour the spiced coconut milk mix over the rice and gently stir through to ensure all of the rice is coated. Loosely cover the baking tray with foil, then bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the coconut milk has been absorbed by the rice and the vegetables have softened.
Carefully remove the tray from the oven and remove the foil. Scatter over the spring onions and coriander, then season with sea salt and lemon juice. Serve hot with wedges of lemon.
Get ahead
You can prepare the carrots, cauliflower and green beans up to a day ahead, then refrigerate for freshness.
One-pot harissa baked falafel
Shop-bought falafel are convenient, but rarely live up to the hot-from-the-fryer version. This 30-minute recipe elevates ready-to-eat falafel and delivers delicious Middle Eastern flavours – all in one pot. Load into toasted pitta breads, or use them to dip into the spiced sauce – the choice is yours.
Serves 4
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tsp harissa paste
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings 12 pitted green olives 8 ready-to-eat falafel (ensure vegan) Handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Generous pinch of sea salt 1 tbsp unsweetened soya yogurt 4 pitta breads, toasted
Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6.
Put the chopped tomatoes into a lidded ovenproof dish and stir through the harissa paste. Stir in the red onion and olives. Place the falafel in the tomato mix, ensuring the top half of each one is visible. This will allow them to brown and crisp gently.
Place the lid on the dish, then bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the falafel are golden. Carefully remove the lid and scatter over the parsley and sea salt. Spoon over the soya yogurt and serve hot with toasted pitta breads.
Take-out tip
Ready-to-eat falafel are available in the deli aisles at most supermarkets, but do ensure they are egg- and dairy-free.
Sticky orange and sesame tofu stuffed pancakes
This sticky orange tofu dish has a hint of chilli, crisp sesame seeds and a topping of crunchy, vibrant spring onions. Load into pancakes for a tasty version of this restaurant classic that all of the family will love. Have fun experimenting with extra toppings; bean sprouts add a lovely crunch and chives or mint enhance freshness.
Serves 4
For the pancakes
150g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp sunflower oil
For the tofu
1 tbsp cornflour 280g block of extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tbsp sunflower oil ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 3 tbsp orange marmalade 2 tbsp sesame seeds 2 spring onions, finely sliced generous pinch of sea salt
To make the pancakes, add the flour to a bowl, then pour in 120ml boiling water. Stir together to form a thick dough, then allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes until it is cool enough for you to comfortably handle.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour, then knead the dough for 5 minutes. Cut the dough into 8 even pieces. Lightly dust a rolling pin with flour, then roll each piece into a circle as thin as possible.
Use a pastry brush to grease a frying pan lightly with oil, then place over a medium-high heat. Carefully add each pancake to the pan, cooking for 30 seconds before flipping and cooking for another 30 seconds, ensuring each pancake doesn’t brown. Keep warmed.
Dust the cornflour evenly on a plate. Roll the tofu pieces in the cornflour, coating evenly. Add the oil to a separate frying pan and throw in the tofu. Cook over a high heat for 10-12 minutes, turning the tofu frequently to ensure even cooking. Sprinkle in the chilli flakes and cook for a further minute. Spoon in the marmalade and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and scatter with the sesame seeds and spring onions. Season to taste with sea salt. Spoon the tofu into the pancakes just before serving.
Get ahead
Make these homemade pancakes a few hours in advance and reheat before enjoying, or reduce the overall time of this dish by using shop-bought Chinese style pancakes, which can be found in large supermarkets.
‘Vegan Fakeaway’ by Katy Beskow (Quadrille, Hardback & eBook). Photography © Luke Albert