making savory soy curls

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

Today's Making Monday recipe is Soy Curls. This is a take on my Tender Soy Curls recipe that is from Everyday Vegan Eats; it is adapted to use the Easy Savory Broth Mix.

Butler's Soy Curls are terrific in recipes and it is a healthier, tastier alternative to textures soy protein. With a caveat. You really should cook them properly.  

First, they should be rehydrated with flavor - for that I use the Easy Savory Broth Mix as the base. Then you can use them in recipes that have liquid, but for recipes that are not too moist, Soy Curls are amazing when they are slightly crisp. Here I show you the easier way of doing that. 

I use this recipe to make my Curried Chicken-free Salad Sandwich, the upcoming Sriracha Buffalo Sandwich and the upcoming Stromboli. It is also perfect in my Shawarma!

Either prepare the Savory Soy Curls and use in recipes right away or rehydrate, drain and store. It is best to air-fry right before use, but you can always re-crisp them after storing. I find it best freshly air-fried, but it is your call and you can certainly experiment. 

I have an extra large air-fryer, so I fry it in two batches, but with smaller air-fryers you might have to do it in more batches. Shake the basket every 5 minutes or so to crisp them evenly.  

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Making Savory Soy Curls

Makes about 4 1/2 to 5 cups 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

5 cups water

1 1/2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix

1 (8-ounce) bag Soy Curls (about 6 cups)

Oil spray

1. Rehydrating Curls: Add the water and broth mix to a medium pot, bring to boil, add the Soy Curls and reduce to simmer. Simmer until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Drain, if needed. Store the curls in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before air-frying or sautéing. 

2. Air-Fry: Preheat the air-fryer to 400F. Add the Rehydrated Curls, spraying with oil. Season with salt. Air-fry in batches, shaking the basket every 5 minutes. Cook until crisp as you like it, about 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the amount of Curls added to the air-fryer. Use in recipes. Alternatively, sauté in batches with oil in a large skillet over medium heat, until crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pin it!

vegetarian, vegan, meatless, plant-based

making easy simple seitan loaf

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

This seitan recipe is definitely where you should begin with your seitan skills. It is simple, easy and very delicious. It does not have the unique seitan flavor that comes with over cooking, so it can adapt to the recipe you put it into much better than other recipes I've seen. 

The ingredients list is simple and the instructions are straightforward, but it is still tender and very tasty. This seitan is more neutral in flavor and therefore can be used in a variety of recipes. 

There is nothing odd or particular about this recipe and you can make it by hand or pop it into a bread machine or food processor (use the plastic blade).  

Most of my dishes that need seitan use this recipe (like Kettle Goulash , French Dip or Picatta), unless I need something stronger flavored or need a different texture, like the Pulled Seitan for my Pot Roast Charcuterie.  

There is a definite strategy for keeping the odd seitan flavor down - don't raise the temperature of the cooking liquid above boiling. If you do, the seitan has a strong, odd flavor. That means, no steaming it, either, because steam is hotter than boiling water.

Make sure you use vital wheat gluten like this one HERE, otherwise you will not make seitan, but perhaps bread. That is the brand I buy when I am out, otherwise, I order a 25 pound bag from Azure Standard, who deliver to most places monthly. 

When you measure your gluten flour, stir it before measuring or sprinkle it into the measuring cup. That way the flour is not packed. If you just scoop, you can over measure by as much as a half a cup! That will lead to dense, rubbery seitan.

Get your fingers a little messy and make seitan - it tastes better, with a better texture and better price than buying seitan in little packages. 

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

       

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Making Easy Simple Seitan

Makes 1 loaf or 8 cutlets; doubles easily 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Broth mixture: Add the ingredients to an instant pot and  bring to boil on the saute setting, or bring to boil in a pot on the stove and transfer to a slow cooker. 

4 to 6  cups water

1 tablespoon tamari 

1 bay leaf

2. Liquid mixture: Add the ingredients to a measuring cup and mix:

1 cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

3. Flour mixture: Add the ingredients to a medium bowl and mix:

1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten (stir flour before measuring)

2 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

3/4 teaspoon salt

4. Knead: Mix the Liquid mixture into the Flour mixture and knead for 3 to 5 minutes to develop the gluten.  Either form into a loaf about 1.5 inches thick or slice into 8 pieces and roll as thin as you like (1/4 -inch thickness is ideal for cutlets).

5. Cook: add the loaf or the cutlets to the simmering Broth mixture and reduce the temperature to barely simmering. In a slow cooker, cook on medium to high, covered.  Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until firm to the touch. Cool before using. Freezes well. Keep in the fridge in the broth for up to 1 week.  

NOTE: If cooking on the stove top make sure not to boil the broth while cooking the seitan or the seitan will have a unique flavor. Keeping the cooking below boiling keeps this unique flavor to a minimum.

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pin it!

vegan vegetarian meatless plant-based

making savory tofu

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

Today's Making Monday recipe is this meatless, vegetarian, and vegan Savory Tofu. This is an easy take on my Marinated Tofu recipe that is from Everyday Vegan Eats; it is adapted to use the Easy Savory Broth Mix.

This tofu can be fried in the air-fryer or pan sautéed. It is perfect for any place you would like a chicken-style flavor and bite. Since the tofu is not marinated overnight or for a long period of time, it can be ready for use in a dish anytime.

The tofu can either be stored in the marinade for later frying or fried up and stored. It is perfect for snacking or adding to salads. 

This recipe takes a neutral tofu and transforms its texture and flavor in no time. It is easy and fast to make, so anytime you need a flavorful protein, head to this recipe. 

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

(Printer-friendly doesn't seem to be so friendly. Just select the text between the arrows (including the white space to add margin on the top), right-click, select Print, and now it's printer-friendly. Can also be saved as PDF:  choose Save as PDF in Destination drop-down, instead of a printer.)

Making Savory Tofu

Makes about 2 1/2 cups; doubles easily 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Tofu: Press the tofu for 15 minutes, up to overnight. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes.  

14-ounces firm or extra firm tofu

2. Liquid flavoring: Add the ingredients to a medium pot, bring to boil, add the Tofu and reduce to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set the tofu aside with the liquid for 10 minutes, or store the tofu with the liquid for up to 5 days. Keep in the refrigerator once cooled. 

2 cups water

1 tablespoon Easy Savory Broth Mix

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes

1/4 teaspoon salt

3. Sautee: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the drained Tofu and cook, stirring as needed, until golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, spray with oil and air-fry 400F for 5 to 10 minutes. Use in recipes or serve as is. If storing for later use, store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.

1 tablespoon olive oil

© 2021 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pin it!

making breakfast tofu

Overview

Time: 15 minutes
Dishes: large pan 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I want to share with you what we enjoy for breakfast on most days. Either my husband or I will make our meatless, vegetarian and vegan breakfast sandwiches, which takes about 10 minutes from fridge to table. To make these delicious English Muffin (or bagel, or breakfast burrito, or toast if you like) sandwiches fast, I prepare a package of tofu at the beginning of the week, as the base for the sandwich.

The Breakfast Tofu takes about 15 minutes to cook, hands-off most of the time, and keeps for about 7 days. It is easy to make and not fussy at all. Below is the step-by-step.

Easy Sandwich:

1) Toast the English muffin and vegan sausage patty in the air-fryer for 8 to 10 minutes, 375-degrees.

2) Heat a slice or two of tofu with a slice of vegan cheese in the microwave for 1 minute.

3) Slice onion, jalapeno, tomato (or whatever) while everything cooks.

4) Spread vegan mayo, avocado or salsa on English Muffin.

5) Assemble and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Making Breakfast Tofu

Makes 10 to 12 slices; doubles easily 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Tofu: Rinse the tofu and slice into 10 to 12 slices. Do this while the tofu is in the package container to keep the tofu together and make it easy to transfer to the pan.

1 package tofu (any type except silken)

1. Sauté: Add oil spray to a large pan set over medium heat. Add the Tofu slices, cramming them into the pan. Cook the slices until golden on the bottom, about 5 minutes. 

Oil spray

2. Flavoring: Sprinkle the turmeric and nutritional yeast evenly over the Tofu. Add salt to taste. Pour the water over the Tofu slowly and evenly. Use a spatula to gently loosen the tofu from the bottom of the pan. If using black salt, keep in mind that the black salt will also add saltiness. Add black salt after tofu is cooked because heat dissipates the flavor of black salt. Adding the water slowly and evenly will mix the yeast and turmeric efficiently. 

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

1/16 teaspoon (half of ⅛ teaspoon) turmeric 

Salt

1 cup water

3. Cook: Cook the Tofu in the Flavoring until the liquid evaporates, about 4 to 7 minutes. Store until needed, up to 7 days, and season with black salt after reheating, if desired,. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

Pin it!

holiday roast

  

Overview

Time: 3 to 4 hours, mostly hands-off ; more time-consuming than difficult
Dishes: large bowl, measuring cups, roasting pan, medium pot 

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

I have been wanting to post this meatless, vegetarian and vegan recipe for the Holiday Roast for a long time (years!), but I guess the holidays get in the way. This year, with my girls spread to different parts of California (son and his hubby are with us through the pandemic), I *really* wanted to get this recipe out there.

So, yes, it is very late - but not too late - you can still make this. The oddest ingredient is the grain coffee (or instant decaf coffee will do). The recipe is very doable.

Game Plan:

Umami Flavoring

Easy Savory Broth Mix

Roast (takes about 3 hours to cook)

Glaze (make while Roast cooks)

Gravy and other accompaniments

 

I will update with current photos and video (hopefully!). 

Helpful tip: the flavor of your gravy is in the roux, so cook it to golden brown.

I will be very available for blog questions, so don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or issues.

Enjoy!

Umami Flavoring:

Easy Savory Broth Mix:

Roast Dry and Wet Ingredients:

Wet Ingredient in Blender and Blended. Notice how smooth the tofu is:

Kneading Roast: First stir the batter together and then start kneading.

Troubleshoot: Depending on your vital wheat gluten and on measuring, you might need to add a few tablespoons of extra gluten flour to make the mass kneadable. Don't add too much (max is around 3 tablespoons - the third photo is where I added 2 tablespoons of extra gluten because it was not holding together), but be able to knead it together. 

It should still be tacky and sticking a bit to your hand as you knead. Also, the gluten flour takes a few minutes to absorb all the liquid so don't stress if it looks like it won't be a cohesive mass.

The last photo is what the gluten looks like after 8 minutes of hand kneading. You can go longer if you want. 

Cooking Broth:

Forming and Wrapping the Roast: There are two kinds of cheesecloth - either one is fine.

Wrap like a burrito and tie as best as you can. Not tight and not loose. The gluten will expand.

Add Roast to Pan. Roll the roast in the liquid to moisten the cheesecloth. Cover with parchment and then foil. Seal tightly and bake.

Glaze: 

Glaze the Roast: Once the roast is cooked, unroll and place on baking sheet. I glazed it twice, but did not flip it. One-sided glaze for us.

This is from a reader:

"This is how we did. First time making our own Thanksgiving meal. Thanks for the detailed instructions!" 

~ K.D. A.D. and C.H.

For Best Printing, Highlight the text between the notations, right click and select Print:

Highlight from the title Complete Holiday Roast Recipe ----->

COMPLETE HOLIDAY ROAST RECIPE

The recipe, as written, is for 8 servings. For a large family, make it as Holiday Roast and double the ingredients where noted.

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Umami Flavoring Makes 3/4 cups

1.  Combine: Mix in a small bowl. Transfer to a mason jar and store in the refrigerator.

1 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup instant grain or decaf coffee

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup tamari

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic granules/powder

1 teaspoon onion granules/powder

Easy Savory Broth Mix Makes 1/2 cup; doubles easily 

1. Blend: Add the ingredients to a blender. Use the flat blade, if possible:

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

3 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried sage

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

2. Blend well into a powder. Transfer to an air-tight container and store away from light.

3. Use: Add 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of water. Mix well. 

4. Optional: add an equal amount of nutritional yeast to the recipe. For instance, if making a cup of broth, add 1 teaspoon of Savory Broth Mix to 1 cup water PLUS 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast. 

 

Glaze (double recipe for Holiday Roast) Makes 1 cup

1. Onion: Heat a medium pan over medium heat. Add and cook for 3 minutes:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced onions

4 garlic cloves, minced

 

2. Liquid: Add the rest of the ingredients to the Onion mixture. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until it reduces to 1 cup, about 15 minutes:

1 cup apple juice or 3 tablespoons applesauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup tamari

1/4 cup sweet rice wine (not vinegar)

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2-inch ginger

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3 tablespoons whiskey (optional)

3. Heat Roast: Heat oven to 350-F. If the Roast is cold, cook for 30 minutes to heat first, on a baking sheet.

4. Glaze Roast: Set oven to 350-F. Baste the Roast with the prepared glaze and bake for 15 minutes. Flip Roast and glaze and bake for another 15 minutes. Repeat if more glaze is desired.

Gravy (double recipe for Holiday Roast) Makes 8 servings

1. Base: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook for 4 minutes:

3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter

1/2 cup minced onions

3 garlic cloves, minced

 

2. Roux: Add the herbs and flour and cook until the flour smells nutty and is golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly:

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Easy Savory Broth Mix

 

3. Broth: Add the broth slowly, while whisking the Roux to prevent lumps. When all the broth is added, bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Simmer the mixture until it is as thick as you like, about 5 to 10 minutes. Thin with vegan milk, water or broth, if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper:

2 cups vegetable broth

Salt and black pepper, to taste 

Roast (double recipe for Holiday Roast)

Makes 8 servings

1. Dry Mix: Combine in a large bowl and set aside:

2 3/4 cup (350 grams) vital wheat gluten (stir gluten before measuring)

1/2 cup chickpea flour

 

2. Blender Mix: Combine in a blender. Blend well and add to the Dry Mix in the large bowl:

1 cup water

1 (14-ounce) firm tofu

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Umami Flavoring

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons Easy Savory Broth Mix

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion granules/powder

1 teaspoon garlic granules/powder

3. Knead: Combine the Blender Mix and Dry Mix in the large bowl. Knead for 10 minutes. This is easier in a bread machine or stand mixer, but doable by hand. Take a break half-way through. Set aside while you prepare the broth.

4. Cooking Broth: Combine in a roasting pan and set aside:  

4 cups vegetable broth

5 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon paprika

5. Form: Form the gluten into a 6-8-inch long log and roll in a cheesecloth. Tie with twine and add to the Cooking Broth. Cover tightly with parchment paper and foil and put in oven. Bake at 300-F (no need to preheat) for 3 hours. Flip the roast every hour.

 

6. Cool or Glaze. Unwrap Roast to cool or Glaze.

 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

<----  Highlight through the copyright line, 

right click and select Print