The sauce of it all...

..in which I go off on one about flavour

Seitan and tofu are all well and good, but like meat, I see them more as vehicles for flavour than tasty treats in their own right. Ask a meat eater to describe the taste of chicken or cow, and I believe they’ll be hard pressed to describe the flavour. Our minds are tricked into thinking of the added flavours - herbs, spices and sauces.

A bad vegan meal might be simple baked tofu or seitan, without any flavourings, seasoning or sauce. My plan is always to ramp up the flavours, in a nation (Britain), where flavour seems to comprise ketchup, salt and white pepper. Of course, there’s mustard and horseradish, but the default seems to be bland with a capital Beige.

Cornish pasty? Bland, bland bland. Sunday roast? Brown stuff in brown gravy. Fish and chips? Beige batter with beige fried starch. Apple pie? Most of the time, it’s more like apple sigh. You might love some of these, but I’m just pointing out the ‘classics’ in the UK are mostly boring.

If I ever buy chips from the local chippie, which does happen, I tend to cover them in something like all purpose seasoning, chicken seasoning, bbq seasoning or Old Bay, air fry them for at least another five minutes, then add a whole bunch of other seasonings, chopped spring onions, tomatoes, olives, pickles, sriracha, etc etc etc, to flavour them up.

We’ve had hundreds of years to utlise all the herbs and spices that started trickling into the country as a result of rampant colonialism….the least we could do is learn how to use good seasonings, herbs and spices in our dishes!

Anything used to replace meat is often as bland as meat. Tofu, on its own, has a fermented sort of tang - and I’m a great one for popping a bit of Tofoo in my mouth while chopping it - but leave it marinating for a while and it takes on another dimension.

It’s a great tip to buy your tofu in bulk - my local Asian supermarket does giant chunks (400g) for a couple of quid — half the price of boxed supermarket versions. (And Aldi does a great little piece for just 99p). So if you do buy a giant piece, chop it up, put it in a jar, and cover it in your favourite sauce. Then it’s in the fridge and ready to be thrown on top of rice, noodles or veggies for a super quick meal.

Life’s too short to eat underseasoned foods. Tofu benefits from a lavish splash of soy, and seitan needs a good saucy drench to make it tasty.

My go to sauce for everything is simple enough - paying attention to the amazing Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat (even though she’s big into meat, I love her enthusiasm and skill). You need soy, vinegar, a spicy element like chopped chilies, sambal oelek or gochujang, and a splash of oil (or water/stock/cocount cream) to bring it together. Throw this over anything, and you’ll get people telling you to open a restaurant.

Another go-to is a stock recipe I picked up from Gousto - a great company we used over winter, until we got bored of their vegan recipes.

You put a stock cube (and Gousto uses its proprietary magic white powder), a tablespoon of tomato paste, and a tablespoon of coconut cream in a measuring jug, then add 500ml of boiling water. It needs a good stir. If I don’t have a stock cube, I’ll add miso. Sometimes a spoon of Marmite.

This gloop adds umami, and a creamy richness to any dish. Honestly, you could put chopped carby veg in a small oven proof dish, cover it with this stock, bake it and it’ll just taste amazing.

I have a very good friend who has an aversion to ‘wet’ food. She HATES sauces. Absolute weirdo. I get the horror of wilted spinach leaking cold, green water all over your toast or country style potatoes at breakfast, but otherwise, a sauce is a vital ingredient in most dishes, to me.

So go ahead, get saucy!

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RECIPES

Fakeaway Orange Chicken

We enjoy beating the system (and rising delivery charges) by making ‘fakeaways’ at home, and this is a cracker. It’s zingy, tasty, and needs to be eaten with good rice. It’s also a nicely high protein dish...and, it’s all about that sauce!

You’lll get four portions from this, so it’s good to freeze for a mid-week fakeaway, too.

Warning: This recipe calls for marination time…you can dodge it, but it’s better to leave the soy in the sauce for a good few hours.

Ingredients

• 1½ cup uncooked rice

• 1¾ cup water

• 1 225g bag of soy chunks (I use Natco brand)

• 3-4 cups vegetable broth or vegan chicken-style broth

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Orange Sauce

• 1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

• 2 tbsp orange zest

• 3 tbsp coconut sugar (it’s worth using this, it tastes SO good)

• 4 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tbsp vegetarian hoisin sauce (increasingly available everywhere, thankfully)

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp ginger, grated

• 1 tsp sriracha sauce/ spicy sauce of your choice (optional)

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 1 tbsp water (combine with the cornstarch to make a slurry)

• 2 spring/green onions, sliced

• 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds

Preparation

• Rinse rice in a sieve until the water runs almost clear.

• Place rice and 1 ¾ cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.

• Once boiling, turn the heat down as low as possible and cover with a lid.

• Cook on low for 12-15 mins, without removing the lid. (Don’t mess about with it, but keep a close eye - you might need to add a splash of (boiled) water, buyt trust the process.)

• Meanwhile, put your soy pieces (or seitan/ ready made fake meat) into a large bowl and cover with the veg broth or vegan chicken-style broth and set aside to soak for 10 mins.

• After 15 mins, remove rice from heat. Use a fork to fluff up the rice, otherwise it’ll turn into a big lump, and let it sit for 5 mins to dry out. Cover until ready to use.

• Prepare the sauce by whisking together the orange juice, orange zest, coconut sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and if you like it spicy - sriracha.

• Transfer half the sauce to a large bowl or plastic zipper bag. Don’t do a me, and use it all.

• Drain the soy pieces well and press them firmly in a teatowel to remove as much moisture as possible.

• Add your rehydrated soy pieces to the bowl/ bag with the sauce and toss to coat. Marinate it for at least 1 hour to overnight. Want to eat it now? Allow it to marinate until you’re too hungry to wait any longer.

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat.

• Add the saucy soy to the pan and cook until heated through and slightly crispy.

• Remove your crisped-up soy pieces from the pan and reduce heat to medium-low.

• Add the reserved sauce to the skillet along with the cornstarch slurry, and cook, stirring frequently (wirh a wooden spoon) until the mixture thickens - about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

• Add cooked soy pieces and chopped spring/green onions and toss to coat.

• Divide your cooked rice between bowls, and top with the cooked soy pieces.

• Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sliced green onions.

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Thai Peanut marinade

This is a sexy sauce, perfect for making one of those tofu jars I mentioned above, or for leaving seitan/ tempeh, aubergine or even potatoes in it, if you want to get all Western about it.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsps of good peanut butter (Manilife is a current fave, but it’s so thick I call it cooking peanut butter. Sometimes, a cheap, generic smooth peanut butter is just as good, and waaay cheaper))

• 2 Tbsps soy sauce

• 1.5 Tbsps lime juice (fresh is much better than the stuff in a bottle)

• 2 teaspoons of agave syrup, or your fave sweetener

• 1 tsp garlic powder (or fried garlic pieces if you have them to hand - I found some in a packet the other day)

• 1/2 tsp ginger powder

• 1/2 teaspoon of Thai vegan green curry paste (optional, but ramps it right up)

Preparation

• Mix everything up in a jar, bag or bowl. Give it a good stir - you might even want to use a blender.

• This should be enough to marinate a standard 250g tofu block - but be sure it’s firm or extra firm, we’re not making tofu soup. Press the tofu before adding to the marinade.

• Throw in your seitan, tofu, or other fake meat/ veggies, and marinate it for as long as you like.

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Coconut Curry Marinade

Elevate your curries by adding a handful of plant-based meat marinated in this wonderful sauce to the top.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of coconut milk

• 2 Tbsps soy sauce

• 2 Tbsps curry powder ( I like the hot ones)

Preparation

Mix, add your fake meat and let it soak up the goodness for as long as you like.

Quick Steak

Just a reminder of how to make a decent steak using seitan. You make them in advance, and marinate them in a sauce overnight for extra tastiness.

Ingredients

• 90gms of vital wheat gluten

• 100gms/ half a can of cooked lentils

• 45//50 ml water

• 15ml nutritional yeast

• 15ml tomato paste

• 15ml soy sauce or 15ml of miso paste and 15ml water

• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon of chilli powder

• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

• 1/2 Tablespoon of bbq seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)

• A pinch of black pepper

For the marinade

• 50g water

• 30ml oil

• 30ml soy sauce

• 15ml maple syrup or agave

Preparation

• Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine. Scrape the sides as needed until everything is well mixed. If you don’t have a porcessor, use a masher to combine everything.

• Turn the mixture out and knead it. It might be a bit crumbly, but keep kneading it for a few minutes until it comes together into a tight ball. The more you knead it, the tougher the steaks will be, so knead it just until it comes together.

• Cut the dough into two or four, then use a rolling pin to roll out each section into ½" thick steaks. The dough will be very tough and stretchy, but keep working it until you get your desired steak shapes.

• Almost fill a large pot with water, add a steamer basket and bring to a boil. Put the steaks in the steamer basket and cover with a lid. Steam for 25 minutes, flipping the steaks halfway through so they steam evenly. They will double in size - so be wary of the size of your pot! I’ve learned to make them fairly small.

• In a large ziplock bag or air-tight container, mix together all the marinade ingredients. Remove the steaks from the steamer and coat in the marinade. Let marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes before cooking, or for as long as several days when refridgerated.

To serve

When you are ready to eat the steaks, heat a frying pan, grill pan, or barbecue. When hot, fry or grill the steaks a couple of minutes on each side until grill marks form. Brush the steaks with leftover marinade while cooking to keep them juicy, and also right before serving.

++This recipe was orginallly found on itdoesn’ttastelikechicken.com

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Stuff You Should Know (and Care About)

speciesunite

A post shared by @speciesunite

Turkiye’s Weird Animal Killing Law

So I was in Turkiye a few weeks ago, having a wonderful time. And one of the things that hit me was the care that everyone affords to all the free-roaming cats and dogs - everywhere. There’s feeding and water stations, and a beautiful co-existence going on. It feels like a country where these animals are afforded the level of freedom and respect all animals should have.

Then, on returning home, there was a real ‘needle scratching across the record’ moment, when I discovered plans for a new animal culling law. It mandates the rounding up of approximately 4 million stray dogs, neutering them, and placing them in shelters. Dogs deemed aggressive or diseased will be euthanized.

The law has rightly sparked outrage among animal rights activists who fear it could lead to mass cullings due to insufficient shelter capacity and vague euthanasia criteria. Opposition parties are challenging the law, arguing it could be used to pressure municipalities they control​.

Australia Bans Live Sheep Exports

Due to declining demand for imported sheep and growing concerns about animal welfare, Australia's Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry announced a permanent phase-out of live sheep exports. This move reflects increasing awareness and advocacy for animal rights. Hurrah!

The decision impacts farmers by removing a revenue stream, potentially prompting some to leave the industry, or even better, turn to growing sweet, sweet veggies. The recent UK ban on live animal exports signals a global trend, suggesting that similar measures might soon be adopted by the EU and other countries. Here’s hoping!

World’s largest dairy company launches massive plant-based milk factory

Lactalis Canada, a branch of the world’s largest dairy company, has converted its 33,150 sq ft plant into a dedicated vegan hub, to make plant milk - supported by a C$1.4 million ($1.02 million) grant from the Ontario government​.

The move aligns with Lactalis's environmental goals. The company aims for net-zero emissions by 2050. The shift to plant-based products is part of its strategy to reduce its significant environmental footprint​, with a spokesman saying they are following consumer trends!

Milking cows involves significant ethical issues, including the repeated impregnation of cows and separation of calves from their mothers shortly after birth. The environmental impact of dairy farming, including high greenhouse gas emissions and substantial water usage, further highlights the benefits of choosing plant-based alternatives for a more compassionate, sustainable lifestyle.

Cause of the Week

Help Paul Watson

As well as trying to take action to help reverse the Turkish dog law, I’m very concerned this week that Paul Watson, a compassionate, ardent anti-whaling campaigner, has been arrested. Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd and co-founder of Greenpeace, was arrested in Greenland on July 21, 2024. Danish authorities detained him when his ship docked in Nuuk for refueling, acting on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan in 2012. Watson was on the way to intercept the new Japanese whaling factory ship Kangei Maru in the North Pacific.

This warrant stems from Watson's direct action tactics against Japanese whaling ships in the Antarctic region, which include interventions that Japan deems illegal.

Watson's arrest has sparked a call for his release from his organization, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, which argues that the charges are politically motivated. Watson, known for his confrontational approach to marine conservation and his role in the television series "Whale Wars," now faces potential extradition to Japan.

Whata f++cked up world we live in, honestly. Find out more about how you can help, here. Sign the PETITION, here

Finally - thanks for reading! If you cook anything, hate anything, love anything or want to share something, get in touch.

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Love and sauces,

Will