Bento favourite: miso recipes

These are some of my favourite recipes with miso, perfect for a tasty umami-rich addition to your bento box.

Miso-roasted eggplant (nasu dengaku)

What you need (4 servings):

2 large eggplants, cut into 2cm cubes

40 ml vegetable oil

sea salt, to taste

2 spring onions, thinly sliced, to serve

toasted white and black sesame seeds, to serve     

        

Miso dressing:

4 tbsp white or red miso

1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar

40 ml mirin

20 ml sake

40 ml water

Heat the oven to 200ºC (fan oven). Toss the eggplant in the vegetable oil and season with a little salt. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and roast for 20 minutes, or until the eggplant is slightly browned.

Meanwhile, mix together the miso dressing ingredients. Pour over the roasted eggplant, tossing it on the tray to coat well. Continue to roast for a further 5-10 minutes, or until the miso sauce starts to caramelise.

Remove the eggplant from the oven. Serve with spring onion and toasted sesame seeds.

Original recipe

Negi miso

What you need: 

1 finely chopped leek

1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup (120ml or 150g) smooth miso paste

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp mirin

1/2 cup (120ml) vegan kombu dashi (or 1/2 cup water with 1/2 tsp. of vegan dashi stock granules)

Sauté the leek in the oil over medium heat until limp and translucent.

In the meantime, combine the miso, sugar, mirin and dashi stock in a bowl. Add the mixture to the pan. Stir and cook until the sauce is glossy and thick. Take off the heat and let cool.

Alternatively, continue stirring and cooking this down until it forms a stiff paste to use as an onigiri filling, or cook it down for a longer time until it turns quite dry. Be careful not to let it burn.

Original recipe

Miso chicken

What you need (2-3 servings):

1 package (200g) vegan chicken pieces

2 tbsp miso

2 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the chicken pieces until browned.

Meanwhile, mix together the miso, mirin and soy sauce in a small bowl. 

Pour the sauce into the pan and stir until all the pieces are coated in the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Serve with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Adapted from a recipe in 'Yum-Yum Bento Box' by Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa

Bento favourite: spinach goma-ae

Spinach goma-ae is a simple and tasty dish that is usually eaten at room temperature, making it a perfect side dish for a bento box.

What you need (4 servings):

200g fresh spinach

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

1½ tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp sake (optional)

½ tsp mirin  (optional)

To make the dressing, heat a frying pan or skillet on the stove, add the sesame seeds and toast them on a medium-high heat. When they are fragrant, turn off the heat and move the pan off the stove.

Transfer the (re-) toasted sesame seeds to a mortar and grind them coarsely with a pestle. Leave some seeds whole for texture.

Add the soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin, and mix it all together. Set aside.

Add water and salt to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the spinach and blanch for 30-45 seconds until completely wilted. Drain and run the spinach under cold running water until cool.

Once the spinach is cool enough to handle, collect the spinach and squeeze the water out. Cut the spinach into 1-inch (2.5 cm) length, add to the dressing and mix well.

Keeps in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Also suitable for freezing.

Tip: The dressing pairs well with green beans, bimi or green asparagus too.

Original recipe

Bento favourite: vegan tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki is a Japanese rolled omelet, which is a popular Bento staple. My favourite vegan version is made with a chickpea batter.

Omelet mix (yields 2 cups)

What you need (dry mix):

1 cup chickpea flour (a.k.a. gram flour)

2/3 cup tapioca flour or cornstarch

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 - 1 tsp kala namak (Indian black salt)*

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp curry powder

Sift all ingredients together, mix and store in an air-tight container.

* You can use regular salt instead, but it won't have the eggy taste of kala namak.

For 1 omelet (2 servings):

1/2 cup dry mix

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water

1/2 tsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp (rice)vinegar

Oil for frying

In a small blender or bowl, mix together dry mix, water, vegetable oil, soy sauce and vinegar into a thin batter.

Heat a bit of oil in a skillet or frying pan, and pour the batter into the pan. Spread the batter around into a thin omelet. Cook until the the top of the omelet is completely dry and turn off the heat.

Fold 1/3 of the omelet to the middle. Fold the opposing 1/3 of the omelet also to the middle, you now have 3 layers.

Line a sushi mat with a piece of cling film.

From one of the open ends, roll up the layered omelet. Transfer the roll to the sushi mat. Roll up the sushi mat + cling film tightly, making sure to twist the ends of the cling film so the roll is tightly sealed. Let the tamagoyaki cool inside the sushi mat.

When preparing your bento, cut the tamagoyaki in even slices and place in your bento box.

The dry mix keeps for several months in an air-tight container.

Once cooked, the tamagoyaki keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Original recipe omelet mix (Dutch)

Summer salads

Some of my favourite veganized salads that are perfect for summer barbecues.

Southern Style Coleslaw 

What you need:

1/2 cup vegan mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp celery seeds

1 200g bag of shredded white cabbage or mixed cabbage

1/2 150g bag of carrot julienne

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Add the vegan mayo, dijon mustard, Apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder and celery seeds to a large bowl and stir to combine. Add cabbage, carrot and raisins (optional) and mix well.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving, mix again right before serving. 

Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Original recipe

Ensalada Rusa

What you need:

450g waxy potatoes

2 large carrots

1 tsp salt

1 apple (any variety)

1 small red onion, minced

2 tbsp vinegar

1/2 cup green peas, blanched or canned (optional)

1/4 cup chopped gherkins (optional)

1/2 cup vegan mayo

Salt to taste, to season

Peel the potatoes and carrots, place them in a pan and cover with water. Add 1 tsp of salt, bring the water to a boil and boil the potatoes and carrots for approx. 20 mins.

Drain the water and let the potatoes and carrots cool to room temperature.

Cut the potatoes, carrots and apple into small dice and set aside.

Put the minced onion in a small bowl and add the vinegar. Let it rest until it's time to mix with the rest of the ingredients (at least 10 minutes). Discard the vinegar. This will make the onion less pungent.

Mix potatoes, carrots, apple, onion, gherkins and peas in a large bowl Add vegan mayo and gently mix to combine. Season with salt to taste.

Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Original recipe

Vegan Daging Semur & Nasi Kuning

One of our national supermarket chains launched vegan 'beef stew' pieces, which was the perfect opportunity to make this classic Indonesian stew.

Vegan Daging Semur (or Smoor)

What you need:

400g (2 packets) vegan 'beef stew' pieces (or the equivalent of reconstituted beef-style TVP)

75 ml kecap manis

200 ml vegetable broth or mock beef stock

Splash of rice vinegar

3 onions, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced 

1 cm fresh ginger, grated

1,5 tsp ground nutmeg

5 cloves

2 bay leaves

1 tsp sugar 

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sambal ulek

Pinch of salt & pepper

Oil, for frying

Heat some oil in a pan with a thick bottom and add nutmeg, salt & pepper, cinnamon and sambal ulek.

Fry the spices for a few seconds, then add the chopped onion, minced garlic and grated ginger. Sauté until the onion has softened.

Add the vegan 'beef stew' pieces and stir to combine. Cook the pieces for a few minutes, then add the kecap manis, rice vinegar, broth, sugar, cloves and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Let the pieces simmer according to packet instructions (I used my pressure cooker and cooked the stew 20min on high, with natural release).

Original recipe

Nasi Kuning

Nasi Kuning is yellow rice that is traditionally served on special occasions.

What you need

300 g pandan rice

80 g santen, grated

4 kaffir lime leaves (djeruk purut)

1 stalk of lemon grass (sereh), bruised

1 salam leave (Indonesian bay leave)

2 tsp turmeric 

1/2 tsp salt 

Add the rice to a pan and sprinkle the santen on top. Add salt, turmeric and enough water (up to your 1st finger joint). Stir to combine, then add kaffir lime leaves, lemon grass and salam leave.

Bring the water to a boil and boil the rice according to packet instructions.

Original recipe

Vegan Afternoon Tea Part I: My favourite sandwiche recipes

I like to treat friends & family to an afternoon tea on special occasions, and these are some of my favourite sandwich recipes.

No afternoon tea is complete without the Perfect Cucumber Sandwiches!

What you need (for 9 finger sandwiches or 12 triangles)

1/2 cucumber, peeled
Salt
6 thin slices of good white bread (such as pain de mie)
Unsalted margarine, at room temperature
White pepper

Cut the cucumber with a mandoline into very thin slices. Put them in a colander or sieve, sprinkle lightly with salt and leave for 20 minutes. Taste to check you haven't oversalted them: you can rinse them at this point if so.

Lay out a few pieces of kitchen paper on the work surface, place the cucumber slices on them, and pat dry with more paper.

Thinly butter each slice of bread. Arrange the cucumber on half the slices, overlapping each round, and sprinkle with ground white pepper. Top with the remaining slices.

Remove the crust and cut 3 fingers or 4 triangles each. 

Tasty alternative: instead of margarine, I like to use Oatly cucumber & garlic dairy-free spread. These are my mom's favourite :-)

Original recipe

Carrot & Raisin Sandwiches

I had these at a tea house once and liked them so much that I wanted to make them too :-)

What you need (for 6-9 finger sandwiches or 8-12 triangles)
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
2 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped mint
4-6 slices white sandwich bread (such as pain de mie)
3 tbsp hummus

Mix the carrot with the raisins, olive oil and vinegar. Season and add the mint.
Spread hummus on 2-3 slices of bread, top with the carrot mix and remaining 2-3 slices. Remove crust and cut into 3 finger sandwiches or 4 triangles each.

Original recipe

Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Sandwiches

My friend's favourite!

What you need (6-9 fingersandwiches or 8-12 triangles)
4-6 slices sandwich bread (such as pain de mie)
Dairy-free margarine
3 tbsp dairy-free pesto
1-2 roasted red peppers from a jar, dained and sliced in strips
Pinch of salt & pepper

Spread half the sandwich slices thinly with the pesto and the other slices with margarine. Arrange the pepper strips onto the pesto and top with the buttered bread slices. Remove crusts and cut each sandwich into 3 fingers or diagonally into 4 triangles.

Original recipe

Vegan 'oviebollen' (oven-baked oliebollen)

I don't know anybody who doesn't eat 'oliebollen' at New Years in the Netherlands! Traditionally, they are deepfried, but in 2016 one of the leading brands of supermarket baking products, Koopmans, introduced a ready-made mix for 'oviebollen', a.k.a oven-baked oliebollen.
Sadly, their mix is not vegan, so I decided to try this method with a from-scratch recipe and the results were surprisingly tasty!

What you need (12 pcs):

• 250g flour
• 250ml tepid water
• pinch of salt
• 20g fresh yeast or 7g dried yeast
• 15g sugar
• 100g raisins, soaked
• oil 
• flour for dusting
• powdered sugar, for serving

Pour the water in a large mixing bowl and add the yeast, stirring to dissolve. Stir in the sugar, then mix in the flour and salt to form a batter. Stir in the raisins. Cover the bowl with a clean, moist cloth and leave to rise in a warm spot for 30-45min.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (gas 4 / 190°C fan oven). Grease and dust a muffin pan, then use an ice cream scoop to divide the batter into the holes. Drizzle 1tsp oil over each hole and bake for 20min. Remove the 'oviebollen' from the pan immediately (be careful, hot!) and let them cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve the 'oviebollen' dusted with powdered sugar.

Rhubarb crumble bars

These rhubarb crumble bars are absolutely yummy!

 

What you need (12-16 bars)

- 1½ cups all-purpose flour

- 1½ cups oatmeal oats
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup refined coconut oil, softened
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 360g rhubarb compote (or 1 jar)

Preheat oven to 175°C. Combine flour through salt in large bowl. Combine ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.Reserve 1½ cups of the crumb mixture. Press the rest onto bottom of a greased square / rectangular baking pan (a brownie pan is perfect for this). Spread compote over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

 

Based on this recipe.

 

 

Easy peasy chocolate-date truffles

These chocolate truffles are delicious and super easy to make!



What you need:
- 10-12 Medjool dates
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp rum flavouring
- dessicated coconut (to roll the truffles in)

De-seed the dates and put them in a food processor with the cocoa powder and rum flavouring. Process into a smooth paste (depending on how soft your dates are this can take anywhere from seconds to a couple of minutes). Once done, take a piece of the paste and roll it between your (wet) palms to make truffles. Roll them through some dessicated coconut and store in an air-tight container. Serve at room temperature.


Based on this recipe.

Dal Palak & homemade vegan naan

After my Aloo Palak spinach epiphany, I felt bold enough to branch out to other spinach recipes. I love dal, so it was a natural choice to try out a spinach dal recipe.
I made some adjustments to the original recipe, so this is by no means authentic, but it's pretty darn yummy nonetheless.
I recently also made my own naan for the first time, so I'm including that recipe here as well.

Dal palak (4-5 servings):
1,5 cup toor dal (yellow lentils)
200g frozen spinach, thawed.
4 cloves of garlic, minced (or 4 tsp garlic paste)
2 medium onions, chopped
2-3 tsp sambal oelek (or more to taste)
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 vegetable stock cube
1 tbsp oil

Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones etc.
In a large pot, heat the oil and add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once they start to pop and give off scent, add onion, garlic and sambal oelek. Saute until onion is translucent, then add lentils and spinach.
Add ca. 1l (2 pints) water and crumble in the stock cube, stir everything together and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer the dal approx. 45 min, covered. The dal is done when you can easily crush the lentils. I like a thick dal, so I usually cook it uncovered for a bit to reduce the liquid. Using a spatula or masher, mash part of the the dal.
Serve warm with rice, naan or roti.

Tip: I like to make this dal in a stovetop pressure cooker. Saute the ingredients in the pressure cooker as described above. After adding the water, close the lid on your pressure cooker and bring to high pressure (2). Cook for 7-10 minutes, then use natural release.

Original recipe

Naan (serves 4):

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp warm tap water
3/8 tsp dry active yeast
6 tbsp warm non-dairy milk (I used Alpro unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt (I used Alpro unsweetened soy yogurt)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
Oil for brushing

In a bowl, disolve the sugar in the warm water. Add the yeast and stir to disolve. Set aside for approx. 10 mins or until the mixture starts to froth and rise.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder & coriander powder (if using).
When the yeast mixture is foaming, add the warm milk and yogurt, stirring to combine.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and combine with a spatula. When the ingredients are combined, finish mixing the dough with your hands to form a ball. Do not overknead.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and leave to rise for an hour at a warm place.
Divide the dough into 4 parts and roll each part into a thin oval on a floured surface.
Thoroughly heat a skillet. Brush oil on both sides of the bread.
Add one piece of bread to the pan and cook 1-2 min, covered. Bubbles should form on the bread.
Flip the bread and cook another 1-2 min. Repeat with the rest of the naan.
Serve warm. These naans freeze well too.

Original recipe

Vegan pannenkoeken

Dutch pancakes are different than American pancakes. In America, pancakes are thick, fluffy, smaller and generally eaten for breakfast. In the Netherlands they are larger, thinner and usually eaten for lunch or dinner. They can be served with sweet or savoury toppings and traditionally contain eggs. However, eggs are not necessary at all or can be easily substituted should you want to.

Basic pancake recipe (9 pancakes):
500g (2cups) selfraising flour
Approx. 1ltr non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
2tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6tbsp water (egg replacer, optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)
Oil or margarine

In a large bowl, sift together flour and salt (if using), add the flaxseed mix (if using) and then gradually add milk while using a handmixer until the batter is the desired consistency (aim for a thin custard-like batter).
Thoroughly heat a skillet and add some oil/margarine. Add a full ladle of batter to the skillet and swirl the pan to spread the batter. Flip the pancake once the top of the pancake is solid and the edges start to colour. Cook a few more minutes on the other side.
Serve warm or cold with a topping of your choice.

Some ideas for toppings/add-ins:
- good ol' fashioned molasses (my favourite)
- (powdered) sugar
- cinnamon-sugar
- jam
- chocolate spread with sliced banana (see below)
- add grated apple, soaked raisins and cinnamon to the batter and cook pancakes as usual

Peanut butter stirfry

Very quick and tasty stirfry!

What you need (2 servings):
400g bag of pre-cut Asian-style veggies (or use your choice of cabbage, onion, leek, red pepper, sugar snaps, bean sprouts etc)
200g button mushrooms, sliced
100-120g rice noodles (I like Terrasana black rice noodles)
1tsp sambal oelek
1tsp garlic paste (or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced)
1tbsp peanut butter
1tbsp sweet red chili sauce
2tbsp low sodium soy sauce
2tbsp warm water
1/4tsp ground ginger
Oil
Roasted peanuts, cashews or fried onions, for serving (optional)

Cook the noodles al dente in a pot. Drain and set aside.
In a microwave-safe cup, mix together peanut butter, chili sauce, soy sauce, water and ginger (this will go easier if you heat the ingredients for a few seconds first). Set aside.
Heat a drop of oil in a wok and add sambal and garlic. Add the mushrooms and stirfry a few minutes. Add the other vegetables and cook until done to your liking. Stir in the peanut sauce and cooked noodles until everthing is coated in sauce. Serve warm, with some roasted nuts or fried onions sprinkled on top.


Based on this recipe

Japanese plain white rice, sushi rice & Onigiri

Cooking Japanese rice is an art in itself. It takes quite a bit of effort, especially the rinsing and soaking before cooking.

Plain white Japanese rice (4 servings)
320g (1 1/2 cup) Japanese sushi rice
410ml (1 3/4 cup) water for cooking
water for rinsing

Add the rice to a fine sieve and put the sieve into a bowl. Place the bowl in your sink, under the tap.
Run the tab over the rice and gently rub the rice between your fingers. The water will turn white.
Lift the sieve and discard the rinsing water. Repeat several times until the water remains clear.
Drain the rice in the sieve for at least 15 minutes, but preferably 30 minutes.

Add rice and water to a pot or rice cooker and let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes, but preferably up to an hour. (you can leave it soaking in the fridge overnight or during the day if necessary)

Set a kitchen timer for 12 minutes, bring the water to a boil and boil the rice over medium heat with the lid on. (or just switch on your rice cooker. Note that soaking is not necessary for some high-end rice cookers since it is included in the cooking time. Check the manual to make sure). Turn the heat off and let the rice steam for 10-20 minutes, then stir the rice with a rice paddle.

Original recipe

For sushi rice, proceed as follows:
Transfer the hot, cooked rice to a bowl. Mix 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp fine sugar and up to 1 tsp finely ground salt in a small cup. Add the vinegar mixture to the hot rice and rapidly stir the rice with a rice paddle, using a cutting motion. Let it slightly cool and prepare your sushi.

Original recipe

Tip: freeze the rice in 1 cup portions. Use microwave-safe plastic wrap, tear off ca. 30 cm off the roll and scoop the - still warm - rice in the middle (the condensation will prevent the rice from drying out when reheating). Make a bundle of the plastic wrap and shape the rice into a flat ball. Freeze and store the rice balls in a large zip lock bag. One cup of rice is enough for 1 large or 2 small sushi rolls or 2 onigiri or 3-4 inarizushi.

Onigiri
Onigiri are rice balls made of salted rice, sometimes with a filling. They are often shaped into round disks or triangles.

1/4 tsp fine salt
1 cup cooked white rice, hot
2 strips of nori seaweed (15x2,5cm), toasted

Using a rice paddle, stir the salt into the hot rice. Divide the rice into 2 portions and put 1 portion into the lined bowl. Moisten your hands with a bit of water and pick up one portion of rice. Shape the rice into a disc or triangle. Wrap the disc/triangle with a strip of nori,

Tasty tempeh

It's taken me the longest time to appreciate tempeh but I've finally found some recipes that I really like. The first two recipes are actually quite similar, with only a few ingredients that are different. The third works well to sooth the Babi Pangang (Indonesian sweet & sour pork) cravings I occasionally get.


Tempeh Kering (ca. 4 servings)

1 400g package of tempeh
5 red chilis, finely chopped [less spicy? I used 1tsp sambal oelek instead]
5 shallots, chopped (or sub ca. 2 medium onions)
3 cloves of garlic (or 3 tsp garlic paste)
1 piece fresh laos/galanga (or 1,5 tsp jarred galanga)
0,5 tsp tamarind pulp
2 tbs palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tl sugar
Salt to taste
Oil, for deep frying

Cut the tempeh into small strips. Heat the oil in a wok and deep fry the strips in batches, until they are golden and crispy. Let the tempeh cool on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil. Discard most of the frying oil, leaving a little bit in the wok.

Make a curry paste from the shallots, garlic and laos, using a pestle and mortar, blender or food processor. Heat the wok and saute the curry paste for 3 mins on a medium heat. Add the chilis and cook another minute. Add tamarind, sugar and salt and cook 3 mins on a low heat to let the sugar caramelize. Add the fried tempeh and stir to coat well. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
Serve warm or cold with stir frys, roti & massala potatoes or on a hard roll with pickled cucumber.

Based on this recipe (note: Dutch)

Surinamese tempeh (ca. 4 servings)

1 400g package of tempeh
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic paste)
1/2 Madame Jeanette chili, finely chopped [I used 1-2 tsp sambal oelek instead]
70g tomato puree (= 1 small can)
2 tbsp ketjap manis
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tbsp Surinamese massala curry powder (=/= garam masala!)
1/2 tsp salt (or less, to taste. Remember that the ketjap is salty too)
100-150ml water
oil for deep frying

Cut the tempeh into small strips. Heat the oil in a wok and deep fry the strips in batches, until they are golden and crispy. Let the tempeh cool on kitchen towels to absorb excess oil. Discard most of the frying oil, leaving a little bit in the wok.

Sauté onion, garlic and chili (or sambal) for about 5 mins. Add tomato puree, ketjap manis, tamarind, curry powder and salt and stir to combine. Add fried tempeh and mix with the sauce. Add a splash of water to prevent from sticking to the pan and burning the sauce. Stew for a few minutes.

Serve warm or cold with roti & massala potatoes or on a hard roll with pickled cucumber.

Original recipe (note: Dutch)


Tempeh Pangang (3-4 servings)

400 g tempeh
300 ml water
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 4 tsp garlic paste)
2 cm ginger, grated (or 2 t sp ginger paste)
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tbsp raw sugar
1,5 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp flour
oil

Prepare a marinade of soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Cut the tempeh into thin strips, add to the marinade, making sure the tempeh is well coated and refrigerate for at least an hour.
For the sauce, sauté the onion in some oil for 2-3 mins. Add water, chili flakes, sugar and the vinegar. Allow to boil for a few minutes, then add the tomato paste and flour, stirring continuously to prevent  lumps forming. Add the tempeh with the marinade and continue to cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve with atjar (Indonesian pickles) with boiled rice or nasi goreng.

Quick & easy:
Instead of making the sauce from scratch, use a storebought jar of pangang sauce. 

Original recipe

Easy vegan granola

Most granola available in stores contains honey (at least it does in my neck of the woods), so when my local supermarket decided to discontinue my preferred honey-free option, I thought: "Why not make my own granola?"
This recipe is so easy that I wonder why I never tried it before!

Makes 8-10 servings:
2c oats
1/2c almond flakes
1/2c maple syrup

Add-ins of choice, such as:
Sultanas or raisins
Dried cranberries
Freeze-dried strawberries
Shredded coconut or coconut flakes
Dried banana chips (not salted, obviously...)
Crumbled apple chips
Flax seeds
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds

Preheat oven to 200°C. Prepare a baking sheet with baking parchment.

In a bowl, mix oats, almonds and maple syrup. Spread mixture out thinly on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15mins until the oatmeal is lightly browned. Let the granola cool completely (it will crisp up), crumble and mix in add-ins of choice (I used raisins and shredded coconut). Store in an airtight container.
Enjoy with (non-dairy) yogurt for breakfast.


Based on a Happy Herbivore Mealplan recipe.

Dutch holiday loaf

In the Netherlands, it is customary to eat a special raisin bread with almond paste filling for Easter and Christmas. This is a vegan version, and a friend of mine thought it was much better than the store-bought varieties!

What you need (for 1 large loaf or 4 small loaves):
- 100g raisins or sultanas
- 100g currants (or extra raisins)
- 2 tbsp lemon zest (I used store-bought zest from Dr. Oetker)
- 3 tbsp rum or water
- 1 package ready-made almond paste (Dr. Oetker) or make your own (see recipe below)
- 7g dry yeast
- 200ml non-dairy milk
- 60g unsalted vegan margarine
- 125g caster sugar
- 430g flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp soy yoghurt (or pureed silken tofu)
- sunflower oil
- additional non-dairy milk
- flaked almond (optional)
- icing sugar

Mix raisins, curants and lemon zest in a bowl, add rum or water and soak, covered, for 2hrs until all liquid has been absorbed. (Prepare the almond paste if making from scratch, see recipe below).
Melt the margarine and mix in milk, sugar and yoghurt. Let it cool to approx. body temperature, then stir in the yeast.
In a large bowl, stir together flour and salt, then make a dip in the centre. Mix in the milk mixture and knead for approx. 10 mins. until the dough is soft and elastic. Add a bit of flour if the dough is too sticky. Shape the dough into a ball, brush a bit of oil on top and let it rise, covered, for 1 - 1,5 hrs. at a warm spot.
Knead the dough, then flatten in on your work surface. Sprinkle the soaked fruit on top, then fold over the dough and gently knead it until well-mixed. Shape the dough into an 20cmx30cm (8"x12")oval. Knead the almond paste and shape it into a 30cm (12") roll. Put it on top of the dough, then fold over the dough so the almond paste is sealed inside. Let the loaf rest and rise for another hour.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (circulation oven: 170°C). Brush a bit of milk on top of the loaf and sprinkle on some flaked almonds, if desired. Bake the loaf for 30-35 mins. until golden brown.
Once the loaf has cooled, sift some icing sugar over the top. Cut into slices and serve with margarine and sugar.

Note:
This bread freezes quite well. Instead of 1 large loaf, consider making 4 smaller ones (each is enough to generously serve 2 people) and freezing the leftover loaves. Put the icing sugar on top after defrosting the loaves.

To make your own almond paste, you´ll need:
100g almond flour
100g sugar
2 tsp lemon zest
3 tbsp water

Mix all ingredients into a thick paste. Store at a cool place until ready to use.

Based on this recipe.

Easy Aloo Palak

I´ve never been particularly fond of spinach, because, let´s face it, it doesn´t really look that appetizing when cooked into oblivion. As a matter of fact, Aloo Palak doesn´t look that appetizing either, but I´ve become a bit more daring in recent years so I decided to sample a bite when my mother ordered it in an Indian restaurant a couple of months ago. Turns out spinach doesn´t taste like spinach when you pair it with plenty of spices, and anything potato is always good news!

Here´s what you need (for 2 moderate servings):
- 1/2 package frozen spinach in cubes, thawed

- 1/2 package (ca. 250g) pre-cooked potato wedges or pommes parisienne

- approx. 50ml. water

- pinch of salt

- 1 tbsp oil

- 1 small onion, diced

- 1 tsp ginger paste or fresh ginger, minced

- 1 tsp garlic paste or fresh garlic, minced

- 1/2 tsp coriander powder

- 1/4 tsp each of ground cumin, curry powder and salt

- 1/8 tsp each of chili powder and turmeric

- pinch of cinnamon

- 2 1/2 tbsp non-dairy cream (I prefer rice cream)

Put the thawed spinach with water and pinch of salt in a blender (the Magic Bullet is ideal for this) and blend smooth. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the potatoes until they are slightly browned. Add the onions, ginger and garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the spices and sauté for a minute (add a splash of water if the spices stick). Pour in spinach and mix well with the spices and potatoes. Cover and simmer 7 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cream. Turn heat to medium/low. Cook uncovered 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Serve with rice, roti and/or chapatis.

Based on this recipe.

Vegan Bento No. 7 | Sandwich Bento

On a recent trip to Japan I went on a major bento shopping spree, and also managed to get my hands on several hard to find (outside Japan, anyway) sandwich bento boxes.
Sandwich bento boxes differ from other bento boxes in the sense that they:
1) have mesh sides so prevent the bread from getting soggy
2) are collapsible (very efficient on your way back home when you've finished your sammies)

I broke in my newly acquired bento box with a focaccia sandwich, consisting of:
~ basil & garlic bake-off focaccia bread
~ homemade arugula pesto
~ grilled aubergine & courgette slices
~ sliced tomato
~ fresh arugula

Vegan Bento No. 6 | Green Pasta Salad Bento

This bento proves that you don't need any cutesy, expensive bento boxes to make a bento lunch: it is a 'regular' sandwich lunch box, that, due to its size, is perfect to carry a salad for lunch.
It consists of:
~ Fussili pasta salad with sauteed courgette and green pepper, capers, tossed with homemade arugula pesto
~ cherry tomatoes
~ seedless grape medley


To make the arugula pesto, you'll need:
a handful of arugula leaves
a clove of garlic. minced
1 tsp nutritional yeast
approx. 1 tbsp of roated pine nuts
approx. 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Add all ingredients except oil and seasoning in a blender. Switch on the blender and slowly pour in the olive oil until all ingredients are liquidized and you have a smooth pesto sauce (you may need a bit less or more to achieve the desired consistency). Add seasoning to taste and pulse once more to blend well.

Vegan Bento No. 5 | Farfalle Pasta Salad Bento

I wanted to participate in a pasta-themed bento contest, so I made several pasta bentos in preparation for the contest. This was the first one, it consists of:
~ farfalle pasta salad with grilled courgette and aubergine, sauteed onion, garlic, mushrooms and sweet pepper, tossed with tomato tapenade
~ sliced cucumber
~ cherry tomatoes
~ vegan banana muffin (using the veganized version of this recipe)

Vegan Bento no. 4 | Roasted Potato Bento

When making dinner the night before, I saved some potatoes and nuggets to use for this bento.
It consists of:
~ rosemary & garlic roasted potatoes with ketchup & (vegan) mayo for dipping
~ Provençal vegan nuggets
~ bean stirfry made with green beans, sugar snaps, shelled edamame, onion and tomato

Vegan Bento No. 3 | Dried Fruit Bento

Bento no. 3 consists of:
~ blanched shelled edemame
~ stirfried bok choy, onion and mushrooms in soy sauce
~ (heirloom) carrot kinpira
~ Japanese white rice with gomashio (salted black sesame seeds)
~ dried fruit medley (a.o. apricot, raisin, apple, cranberry) for dessert

Vegan Bento No. 2 | Sidedish Bento

For this 2nd bento, I used leftovers from the 1st bento, and added some extras as well.
It consists of:
~ Japanese white rice with (heirloom) carrot-sesame furikake
~ blanched shelled edemame
~ leftover mushroom, onion & carrot teriyaki
~ instant cucumber pickles*
~ leftover pepper kinpira*


* Just Bento Cookbook recipe