Vegan for Life (17 page)

Made in the same way that cheese is made from cow’s milk, tofu is produced by adding a curdling agent to soymilk. Though it is the source of many jokes in the Western world, tofu has a long and sacred history in the East. It’s believed that the first tofu shops were located within the walls of Buddhist temples and the first tofu makers were monks. There is still a sense of the sacred attached to tofu and tofu-making in many parts of Asia today. It has been used for nearly 2,000 years in China and is a daily staple in most Asian households. Throughout Asia tofu is made fresh daily from soybeans in small shops and sold on the street by vendors.

If calcium sulfate is used in the manufacturing process, tofu is a good source of calcium. The protein content varies depending on processing, but some types, especially those that are more firm, are very high in protein.

Two properties give tofu great culinary versatility. First, its flavor is relatively bland. Second, it is a porous food that takes on the flavor of other foods and ingredients with ease. This explains why tofu is at home in spicy entrees or in creamy sweet desserts.

The key to success with tofu is to choose the right type for the job. If you are stir-frying chunks of tofu with veggies to serve over rice, choose firm tofu. Soft tofu is perfect to mash or puree as a filling for sandwiches or lasagna. And the tofu that is traditional to Japanese cooking, silken tofu, is a soft, custard-like food that can be blended or pureed for sauces, smoothies, or desserts. It is a great replacement for the cream in creamed soup recipes.

Frozen tofu takes on a chewy, spongy texture that makes it a useful meat substitute. Freeze it right in the unopened package. Then defrost, squeeze out the liquid, and chop or shred it.

Whole cookbooks are devoted to tofu, and we’ve included one of our favorites,
Tofu Cookery
by Louise Hagler, in the list of resources at the end of this book.

The word “kara” refers to the hull of the soybean, and the addition of “o” turns it into “honorable hull.” This is the portion left behind when liquid is squeezed from the soaked soybean to make soymilk. It’s high in protein and fiber and is sometimes used to give a protein boost to baked goods like muffins or cookies. In Japan, okara is sometimes sautéed with vegetables and served with rice. You may be able to find okara in natural foods stores, but the best place to track it down is in an Asian market.

In Indonesia, it’s spelled
tempe
, and it is an ancient cultural staple of cooking in that part of the world. Today, tempeh-making is still a home-based art in which whole soybeans are treated with a “starter” and wrapped in banana leaves to ferment. Tempeh can be made from soybeans only or soybeans in combination with grains. The texture is tender and chewy, and the savory flavor is sometimes described as “yeasty” or “mushroom-like” or just indescribably delicious. In traditional meals, it’s sautéed with vegetables and served over rice, sometimes with peanut sauce. Tempeh baked in barbecue sauce is a favorite with many vegans. Tempeh is a good source of protein, fiber, iron, and calcium. Contrary to popular opinion, however, it is not a good source of active vitamin B
₁₂
.

With a full-bodied flavor that is unmatched by any western condiment, miso captures the essence of Japanese cooking. This salty, fermented soybean paste (usually with addition of other beans or grains) comes in
different colors—white, red, and brown—and the flavor varies greatly among types, with some being more fruity or wine-like than others. In fact, in Japan, miso production is regarded in a similar fashion to wine-making in other parts of the world. Miso is very high in sodium and a little goes a long way. Use it to make broths and sauces.

Made from whole soybeans fermented with a bacterial culture, natto has a distinctive aroma, flavor, and texture, which is often described as “gooey.” It is a popular breakfast food in Japan, served with rice, but has not made its way onto many American menus. It may be the only known plant food that is high in vitamin K
₂
.

Made from defatted soy flour, TVP is a dried granular product that can be rehydrated with boiling water and used in place of ground beef. Plain TVP tastes best when cooked in tomato sauce and is good for pasta dishes or chili. In her cookbook
Vegan Comfort Food
, Alicia Simpson recommends rehydrating 1 cup dry TVP with 1 cup of dark vegetable stock and 1 tablespoon of hickory liquid smoke. TVP is a very inexpensive source of protein with a long shelf life, and it’s a good source of protein, fiber, and calcium.

Many veggie meats use soy protein as a base. For those who are just making the transition to veganism or who are too busy to cook, veggie meats made from soy protein isolate can be life-savers.

Vegans love to say that giving up animal foods didn’t shrink their food horizons; it expanded them. Is it true? We asked seventeen friends—health professionals, activists, athletes, cookbook authors, and a few teens—to tell us their favorite dinner that they cook at home. Their answers are proof positive that nobody knows good food like a vegan!

 

 

 

“If I’m really feeling up for it, and have the ingredients, I might go all out and make the recipe for Pineapple Cashew Quinoa stir-fry from the cookbook
Veganomicon
. (We love quinoa, what can I say?)”

 

 

 

“This lasts for days and changes in that time. I used to use beef bones in the old days, which makes me feel so sick to think of them clanging around in the bottom of the pot. I instantly weaned from that rich, bloody flavor by adding a couple of tablespoons of Marmite or Vegemite but now love to add a small can of medium-hot Mexican green chili peppers and tomatoes at the end.

I use a base of Manischewitz dry minestrone soup mix and just shove in any fresh and/or frozen veggies, usually potatoes, broccoli, a bag of mixed peas, carrots, tomatoes, or cauliflower, but really any vegetables, some garlic or not, some onion for sure, and bring it to the boil and then let it simmer. I am Phyllis Diller in the kitchen—shouldn’t be there. But I love this, can thermos it to work, take it on the train, pour it over rice, leave the Mex spice bits out, and add lentils or more peas or corn, and then before it all disappears, spice it up. Love it with a warm baguette, with crackers or croutons, on toast or rice. And my old dog, Ms. Bea, worshipped it. It’s dirt cheap too.”

 

 

 

 

Louise, who works with the hunger relief organization Plenty International, says that this menu is a hit in her nutrition classes in Mexico.

 

 

Reed says that sushi is a meal she doesn’t make very often, because it’s time-consuming, but both of her teenage daughters, Leah and Sarah, choose it as a favorite.

 

“I cook the rice (using the Nori-Maki Sushi recipe and instructions in Nava Atlas’s
Vegetarian Celebrations
) and prepare bowls of fillings. Everyone makes his or her favorite filling combination, rolls the sushi, and we slice it. Here are some favorite fillings:

“We often have peanut sauce and soy sauce for dipping the sushi. I usually make a stir-fry using whatever vegetables are around. Watermelon slices in summer or chocolate chip cookies from
Joy of Vegan Baking
for dessert.”

 

 

 

 

Jon is always on the road, so we let him share a restaurant meal instead of one that he cooks at home.

 

“My favorite meal is the vegetarian platter from Ethiopian restaurants. You get to choose from a number of items. I opt for split peas, collard greens, sliced cabbage with carrots, red lentils, and string beans with potatoes. Additionally, various places throughout the United States offer tofu dishes and/or mock meats. All of these selections are cooked in sauces teeming with garlic, ginger, onions, etc. No silverware is required; you scoop the food up with
injera
, a slightly spongy bread made from teff flour. Ethiopian restaurants can be found in virtually every major metropolitan region throughout the country. In short, it is the stuff of the gods.”

 

 

 

 

Bryanna has been studying food and cooking for forty years and has written eight vegan cookbooks. Her favorite menu is the following Italian-style autumn dinner. The recipes are all from her cookbooks
Nonna’s Italian Kitchen
and
World Vegan Feast
.

 

 

“We make awesome food on a consistent basis in this household! We are big fans of combining foods to make one big meal (stir-fry, pasta with peanut sauce and veggies, etc.). But this is a favorite dinner with vegetables on the side.”

 

Newscaster and host of
CNN’s
Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell

 

“My favorite meal is kasha with soy butter. Kasha is a warm cereal eaten in Eastern Europe. It’s generally made of buckwheat groats. That may not sound tasty but it is. It will make you as strong as a horse! Kasha is so simple to make: Just get some from your local health food store or coop, add some water, and turn up the flame on your burner. Voila! Add soy butter to taste. It is hearty, nutritious, and delicious! FYI, this is one of the oldest porridge-style meals in Eastern Europe, so get back to basics and try some kasha!”

 

 

 

 

Sam gave us two menus and his mom said that he makes these himself.

 

Author of cookbooks including the acclaimed
Veganomicon