Vegan dishes sacrifice meat but retain flavor

Whether our favorite dinner revolves around a thick, juicy steak or a fresh, raw salad, one thing holds true for all eaters: Food must be satisfying.

More and more, people are exploring vegan cuisine, dishes that are exclusively plant-based. Though at a glance it may seem that a vegan diet would limit taste options, the truth is that with the right approach the cuisine can deliver endless dishes with depths of flavors.

Here, two vegan cooks share distinct approaches to making vegan cuisine appealing to all eaters.

TRISHA “MAMA T” GONSALVES

As creative executive chef at Umeke Market in downtown Honolulu, Mama T feeds many a meat eater each day.

“They love our food. They know we’re the healthy choice,” she said of her regulars.

Umeke launched a vegan menu in March, and while it is chock-full of plant-based staples such as lentils and beans, it also incorporates local food items such as kalo and luau leaf in a diversity of dishes. Mama T’s mastery of seasonings makes for wide-ranging flavor experiences.

She shares that expertise in a weekly meal plan that she uses for her family. It involves cooking one food and transforming it into different tasty dishes.

The plan turns on lentils, a staple because they’re versatile and nutritious — 1 cup has 17 grams of protein.

>> Recipe 1 — Lentil stew: Mama T starts the week with the flavorful stew that incorporates a variety of vegetables and cooks up in a mere 20 minutes. (See recipe below.)

>> Recipe 2 — Mexican: Stewed lentils are added to sauteed garlic, onions and chili powder, then cooked until all liquid is evaporated. Serve them in a soft tortilla or on a tostada shell, then top with fresh veggies and hot sauce.

>> Recipe 3 — Lentil burger: The stewed lentils can be mashed and mixed with grains or breadcrumbs for a hearty patty. (See recipe below.)

Some of Mama T’s stand-ins for meat: seitan, kalo chunks and portabello mushrooms. For meatier flavor, add a few drops of liquid smoke.

LENTIL STEW

Courtesy Mama T Gonsalves

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 2 teaspoons chili or curry powder (or 1/2 teaspoon thyme)
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or sweetener of choice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups lentils, rinsed

In large pot, heat oil and saute onions, garlic, jalapeno and spice.

Add remaining ingredients and combine. Stir in lentils, bring to a boil and then lower heat and cook until lentils are soft, 20-25 minutes.

Serve over quinoa or rice. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (not including salt to taste and not including quinoa or rice): 350 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 59 g carbohydrate, 19 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 20 g protein.

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LENTIL BURGERS

Courtesy Mama T Gonsalves

• 1-1/2 cups lentil stew, drained in a colander
• 1 cup cooked brown rice (should be sticky consistency)
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil baking sheet and set aside.

In large bowl, combine all ingredients, working mixture until it resembles consistency of ground beef. If mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.

Form into 3-inch patties and place on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, then turn over and bake another 10 minutes. Follow with pan frying if you want them crisp. Makes 4 burgers.

Note: Cooked burgers can be frozen and pan-fried when you are ready to eat them.

Approximate nutritional information, per patty (not including salt to taste): 320 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 53 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 10 g protein.

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JENNIFER HEE

When Jennifer Hee followed a vegan diet, dining out was not much fun — salad often seemed to be the only option.

“When I eat, I want a meal. I want comfort food,” she said.

So at Juicy Brew, where she creates vegan dishes with her sister, Christina, Hee has developed a diverse menu that goes far beyond raw vegetables.

“There’s so much you can do with cooked food. You can prepare vegetables in so many different ways: steaming, frying, roasting,” she said. Plus, “you can’t eat starches that are raw. Kalo, ulu, rice all need to be cooked.”

Food there appeals to all types of eaters. A key to this is Hee’s understanding of what meats contribute to the taste of a dish.

“Meat has umami flavor, so you must add umami to have more depth of flavor,” she said of vegan cooking.

>> Sources of umami and how to use them: Hee has a list of go-tos — shiitake and konbu broth (she makes her own), vegan bouillon, tamari or shoyu, miso, nutritional yeast (deactivated yeast with a nutty, cheesy taste), liquid smoke and slow-roasted and pickled vegetables.

To incorporate umami flavors, cook components of a dish with them. When Hee prepares congee, or rice gruel, for instance, she uses shiitake-konbu broth for the gruel itself, and pickled veggies as a topping.

>> Go ethnic: Hee believes it’s difficult to replicate meats, so a more satisfying approach is to explore vegetable-centric ethnic cuisines.

“Think of Indian food. The dishes have lots of flavor because they use so many seasonings and herbs,” she said. “These dishes are satisfying just the way they are.”

Once you’re familiar with ethnic flavors, she recommends developing a good spice rack that will liven up your cooking.

ULU SALAD

Courtesy Jennifer Hee

• 3 cups cooked, cubed ulu (breadfruit)
• 1 cup diced jicama
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup cashews (optional)
• Sliced negi for garnish (optional)
• >> Dressing:
• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon agave, or sweetener of choice
• 2 tablespoons mild curry powder
• 1 tablespoon sweet chili sauce

To cook ulu, steam, then peel, remove core and seeds, then cube. In large bowl, place all salad items except negi if using. To make dressing, place all ingredients in blender and blend. Add dressing to salad and mix. Adjust seasonings as needed, and garnish with negi if using. Serves 6 to 8.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving (based on 8 servings plus optional ingredients): 420 calories, 23 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 51 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 5 g protein.

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This recipe works great as a savory addition to burritos, green bean casserole or shepherd’s pie, stuffed peppers, mac and cheez, stews and curries. It calls for soaked cashews, which are highly versatile and can also be used to make creme fraiche, icing, dressing and raw cheezcake.

Whenever possible, purchase cashew pieces in the bulk sections of natural food stores, as they are often less costly than whole cashews.

CASHEW CHEEZ

Courtesy Jennifer Hee

• 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews, soaked in water for at least 4 hours and then strained
• 1 vegan bouillon cube (such as Edward & Sons Not Chick’N bouillon, available at Kokua Market)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon miso
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast (available in natural food stores)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Blend all ingredients together in a high-powered blender.

Variation: To turn it into a nacho sauce, add a tablespoon (or more, depending on your spice tolerance) of canned green chili or chipotle in adobo.

Nutritional information unavailable.