h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I find that vegetarian (and even vegan) cooking is the easiest thing in the world. I don't call myself vegetarian (and shouldn't because I eat meat regularly) but nearly all of my cooking ends up vegan just because it's so easy and good. Here's a few of my standards.

Curries:
I cover the bottom of a frying pan in oil
Then add lots of spices (a few tablespoons of each makes me sweat just a little)
(for first-timers, buy some curry powder and take note of the ingredients, then just buy those from a bulk spice store)
Cumin
Coriander
Cayenne
Garam Masala
Turmeric
Black Pepper
etc.

Fry lots of onion and garlic in the mixture for a bit
Then add your main ingredient(s) and simmer (adding liquid as needed) for about an hour

I like plain old chick pea (garbanzo) lentil or spinach curries, but you can try whatever suits you. As for the liquid, water works, as does soy milk or coconut milk (just don't add too much at a time or you will end up with a soup).

Curries go very well with rice, couscous, quinoa, or any other grain (quinoa has a lot of protein to complement the beans for a healthy vegan meal).

Soups:
I tend to make very thick soups as they don't require a pre-made stock (soup base).

Start with a bit of oil, onions, garlic, and spices in the bottom of a large pot.
Add a bit of water and simmer for 5 or 10 minutes
Add vegetables, coarsely chopped
Fill with just enough water to cover vegetables
Simmer for about an hour

I find this works very will with turnips, beets, corn, or cauliflower. You can be as subtle as a sledgehammer in your use of spices, or just add salt and let the flavour come from the veggies.

Salads:
Cook some grains and allow to cool (I'm in love with quinoa, but couscous is a good one, and I imagine rice would work as well)
Rinse some canned beans (chick peas are wonderful)
Chop veggies into small pieces (you can also use a grater, or veggie peeler for interesting textures)
Carrots
Green beans
Snow peas
Cucumber
Peppers
Onions
etc.

Mix up a dressing (I like oil and vinegar with garlic, salt and pepper)
Combine


I also have a lot of fun looking through cookbooks for ideas, such as cottage pie (shepherd's pie) made with beans instead of ground meat. Experiment! Improvise! Enjoy!

Since this seems to be a hot topic, I thought I'd add my two cents.

And they are: Meat substitutes aren't worth eating. Learn to cook with beans and tofu. They taste much better and don't leave you with that creepy "what did I just eat?" feeling. Just cook a good flavourful meal and don't worry about recreating the meat eating experience. Trust me. (That being said, if you can make a tasty meal using meat substitutes, go right ahead)

Also remember that the common carnivore's meal which consists of meat, veggies, and grains in equal proportions (if that) is completely out of balance. You don't have to give up meat to eat healthier, just be sensible about it. You don't need more than around 100 grams of meat a day (I just pulled that number out of my pantaloons, so don't quote me on it). What fills you up should be full of nutrients and fiber, not proteins, fats, and sugars.

blackbean and garilc veges are my current fav.vags like bok-choy ; choy-sum ; wombok ;

"Meat substitutes aren't worth eating. Learn to cook with beans and tofu."

You've eaten tofu in its natural state and you like it?

Tofu comes in different styles and qualities, just like cuts of beef. Cheap firm tofu is good for dishes that cook long and slow, like curries (spinach and tofu is a good one) or soups. You can buy special dessert tofu which is good for making smoothies or custard-like dishes. You can even buy firm tofu that's good enough to eat plain right out of the package.

One of my favourite uses for tofu is to take a slab of firm tofu and make a sandwich with spinach, cheese, fresh herbs and mustard. Another good one is a grilled tofu and hummus sandwich.

Mmmm. Tofu.

But my point is, it still has to be flavoured.

Tofu sucks... I'm sorry to say so, but it's a truth we have to face.

And now this is settled, here's some vegetarian recipies. My mama makes these and she is not a vegetarian...

Bean soup (winter recipy)

500 gr dry white beans
3-5 big carrots
a couple of celery stalks(if possible with lots of fresh green leaves on)
100 gr celery root (optional)
3 ripe tomatoes for sauce (but since u will be cooking this during the winter: a can of good (Italian) quality pealed tomatoes, about 400 gr)
flat parsley
a medium size onion
a red pepper (the vegetable, not the spice)
a dash of oregano, 4 bay leaves
salt, fresh black pepper
olive oil (do not be stingy on the oil...)

Put the beans to soak overnight in water. Strain them and put them to boil in a large pot with plenty of water and a spoonfull of bicarbonate (trust me on this... beans are good but so is a social life). While they're cooking prepare the vegetables. Chop the red pepper in long stripes and then little squares, the onion and parsley really fine, the carrots in thick round slices and the celery root in little sticks. After 30' strain the beans and keep them in the sieve. In the pot put the olive oil, the onion, parsley, red pepper and the carrots. Let them fry in a very low heat with the lid on (they fry/steam). When the onion has become translucid add the tomato sauce, the black pepper and the bay leaves; mix and let the sauce thicken in low heat. Then add the chopped celeri stalks, the celeri root and the beans and add 2-3 pints of water to cover and cook all the vegetables. Cook in medium heat for about an hour, check from time to time and add more water if necessary. Add the salt 5' before the soup is ready and stir. The soup is even better next day when is reheated and has thickened.
The non-vegans can accompany the soup with feta cheese (sheep's milk), homemade bread and red wine. The vegans will just have to do with bread and wine (do they drink alcohol? no idea)

Stuffed rolled eggplants

2 big eggplants
300 gr pealed & chopped tomatoes
a dash of white wine
fresh basil
a teaspoon of chopped garlic
mozzarella cheese (the yellowish one used for pizzas, not the white that tastes like tofu)
gratted parmezan cheese (fresh!)
olive oil
salt and black pepper according to your taste

Cut the eggplants in long 1 cm-thick slices (eeh, less than half an inch) and fry them in a pan with a bit of olive oil until golden and soft. Do not put a lot of oil because they'll absorb it. The best is to use a skillet and only brush it and the eggplant slices with oil, they're better than grilled. Cook the tomatoes, basil and garlic with a bit of oil in high heat. Add the wine and continue to stir until it has evaporated. Take it off the stove and let it cool a bit while u chop the mozzarella in sticks. Preheat the oven at 210°C. Put a bit of the sauce and mozzarella on the eggplant slices and roll them. Keep them closed with a toothpick and roll them in the parmezan cheese. Place them one next to another in a tray and put them in the oven under the grill until the mozzarella has melted and the parmezan is golden.
For vegans: substitute the mozza with sautéed mushrooms and the parma with crouton bread crums.

Stuffed peppers and tomatoes

3 green sweet peppers
3 big tomatoes
1-2 big potatoes
2 medium-size onions, chopped
3 tea cups rizotto rice (white round grain)
100 gr pine nuts
chopped flat parsley
400 gr tomato sauce
fresh mint and dill
oregano, salt and black pepper
olive oil

Wash the peppers and tomatoes and empty them. Keep their 'lids' and reserve the flesh of the tomatoes. Fry the onion in olive oil in a deep pan - I use a wok with a lid - until translucid and then add the tomato sauce, the reserved fresh tomato and the herbs. Let the sauce simmer for a while and then add the rice, the pine nuts, a bit of oregano and black pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Let the rice half-cook in low heat, stirring and adding a bit of water from time to time. Put the emptied peppers and tomatoes in a tray and stuff them with the half-cooked rice. Put the green 'lids' of the peppers on the stuffed tomatoes and the red tomato lids on the peppers. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Chop the potatoes in thick chunks and place them in between the peppers and tomatoes to keep them upright in the tray. Add a bit of salty water and oil enough to cover the potatoes and put in the oven on high heat (330°C, gas mark 7). Check from time to time and add water if necessary. Depending on the thickness of the peppers it takes 1.15'-1.30' to cook.
Accompanied by feta cheese, tomato/cucumber/olive salad, humus and chilled retsina wine...

I'll give you the zucchini croquettes recipy tomorrow, I got to get back to work...

cheers!

Eggplant's aubergine, isn't it?

Yep, eggplant=aubergine. I had a great veggie sandwich in New Mexico last time I was there: roasted eggplant, spinach, basil, sundried tomatoes, and a b it of cheese, all on foccacia. Wonderful.

I don't find tofu "bland" or "tasteless". I like the flavour of tofu. I find it very refreshing on its own, and since it doesn't assault your tastebuds with a brightly coloured blunt instrument, you can use it in nearly any dish you like, flavoured or not.

Subtlety is an art rarely mastered in any popular modern western art-form. A good movie does not have to be more thrilling than the last. Simple music can make me weep. Hyperbole won't win my vote.

I don't have to face your "truth".

Of course, you don't have to face mine either.

But there *is* a difference between simplicity and plain old blandness

The ... taste of tofu; a contradiction in terms.