Whether it’s down to health and environmental concerns or merely following in Beyoncé’s footsteps, veganism is on the rise around the world. Those who eschew all animal products (including leather, honey, eggs and dairy) are increasing in numbers in the UK, the US and in Australia.
Now, in the aftermath of World Vegan Day, we asked three well-known Australian vegan chefs for their favourite – and most delicious – vegan recipes.
Raw and Peace’s chocolate ganache tarts
Basic shortbread crust
3 cups cashews (dry)
¼ cup coconut oil, liquid
¼ cup coconut flour
Chocolate ganache
2½ cups cashews, soaked
3/4 cup cacao powder
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup agave
1½ cup water
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp psyllium
To make the shortbread, grind cashew nuts to a fine flour consistency in a high-speed blender. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add coconut oil and mix through with your hands. This will get sticky. Then add coconut flour slowly and knead into dough. Excess shortbread can be stored in a freezer bag in the freezer. You may need to add a little more coconut oil when working with it again.
Line some small tart cases with plastic wrap. Press shortbread mix into these – not too thick – using your finger to neaten off the edges. Set in freezer.
To prepare the chocolate ganache, place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend. Then pour into tart cases and return to freezer to set. Allow to soften in the fridge before serving.
The Naked Vegan’s stir no-fry with coconut cauliflower rice
Serves 4
A great working-week dinner option, this dish is colourful, filling and tasty, and really easy to prepare when you’re short on time. Just chop, whiz up some stuff and throw it all together.
Lime and tamari marinade
125 ml (½ cup) cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp cold-pressed sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
4 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
Veggie mix
125 g (2 cups) broccoli florets
1 red capsicum (pepper), seeded and finely sliced
90g (1 cup) julienned carrot
115g (1 cup) bean sprouts
30g (/½ cup) shredded bok choy (pak choy)
40g (½ cup) shredded savoy cabbage
½ red onion, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
Coconut cauliflower rice
500g (4 cups) cauliflower florets
45g (½ cup) finely desiccated coconut
½ tsp Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt
To serve
4 tbsp black or white sesame seeds
3 tbsp coriander (cilantro) leaves
Blend the marinade ingredients in a high-speed blender until well combined. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
Add all the veggie mix ingredients to the bowl. Toss together, then allow to marinate while you make the cauliflower rice.
Carefully pulse the cauliflower coconut rice ingredients in a food processor until the cauliflower resembles the texture of rice. Do not over-process, or the cauliflower will turn into a puree.
To serve, divide the coconut cauliflower rice among four bowls and top with the veggie mix. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds, garnish with coriander and serve.
Recipe from The Naked Vegan by Max Valcorza (Murdoch Books, $39.99)
Smith & Daughters’ paella
Sure, you’ve had paella before, but this happens to be the fifth-generation (maybe more) recipe of the grandmother of chef Shannon Martinez from Melbourne restaurant Smith & Daughters. If the Spanish immigrants knew their descendants would use this well-loved and travelled recipe to make vegan paella, they may have had second thoughts. But non-vegans can add anything to this paella – prawns, sausage, squid, seasonal vegetables. Just cook separately and add to the paella at the end.
Serves 4-6
1.25 litres (5 cups) vegetable stock
1 large pinch of saffron threads
60ml ( ¼ cup) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ green capsicum (bell pepper), diced
½ red capsicum (bell pepper), diced
1 tsp fine salt
2 tomatoes, tinned or fresh, diced (only use fresh if tomatoes are in season)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp smoked paprika
400g bomba or medium-grain rice
185g podded broad (fava) beans or substitute peas
Cooked seasonal vegetables, such as asparagus and peas in spring or pumpkin (squash) and olives in winter
Garnish
Lemons, cut into wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
Flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Place the stock in a medium-sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and drop in the saffron. Set aside to infuse for at least 5 minutes. You will see the stock turn bright yellow.
Heat the oil in a 30cm – or slightly larger – paella pan or ovenproof casserole dish over low heat. Add the onion, capsicum and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft and almost jammy. Add the tomato and garlic and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the sauce becomes thick.
Add the paprikas and stir to combine, then add the rice and broad beans and coat with the sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn translucent.
Preheat the oven to 150C.
Pour the stock over the rice and turn up the heat to high. Stir to make sure the rice is evenly spread across the pan, then simmer for exactly 5 minutes. Do not stir.
Transfer the paella to the oven and cook for 12–15 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the oven and stir through the cooked seasonal vegetables. Cover the pan with a clean tea towel and set aside for 5 minutes.
Place lemon wedges sporadically but evenly throughout the paella, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt flakes and chopped parsley.
Recipe from Smith & Daughters: A Cookbook (that happens to be vegan) by Shannon Martinez & Mo Wyse (Hardie Grant Books, $48)
