You don’t need to tell Katy Beskow how much easier it is to be a vegan nowadays. When she gave up meat and dairy in 2006 it was a struggle to find decent ingredients, let alone inspiring recipes, and she spent ages carefully reading the small print on the backs of packets. It made for laborious shopping and even more laborious cooking and eating.
Fast forward to the present and supermarket shelves are full of ingredients that wear their vegan labels with pride, from smoked tofu to vegan “cheese”. You still have to get in the kitchen and cook them, though. “You can’t just rely on vegan convenience food,” Beskow says. “It’s only by cooking from scratch that you can create balanced meals and gain the confidence to experiment with new ingredients.” She hopes these quick and easy recipes will give vegans and those who just want to ease off on meat the head start that she wished she’d been given 15 years ago. Tony Turnbull
1. Cauliflower korma
This recipe is a regular in my kitchen – I love whipping up this creamy curry once a week. I tend to have the basic ingredients in the store cupboard and cauliflower is the perfect korma companion, ready to soak up all those lovely flavours of spices, coconut yoghurt and coriander. Serve with pilau rice.
Serves 4; suitable for freezing
Ingredients
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 rounded tbsp mild dairy-free curry paste
1 x 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk
1 x 400g tin green lentils, rinsed
A small handful of sultanas
Juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
A generous pinch of sea salt
2 rounded tbsp coconut yoghurt
A small handful of coriander, roughly torn
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cauliflower and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin and curry paste and cook for a further minute.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and green lentils, then loosely place a lid over the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and stir through the sultanas. Squeeze in the lemon juice and season to taste with sea salt. Stir through the coconut yoghurt and scatter over the coriander before serving.
Easy tip Sultanas give a pop of sweetness, but if you prefer you can add a generous tablespoon of mango chutney.
2. Soy, lime and peanut stir-fry
This is one of my go-to recipes when I need something quick and tasty. There’s no need for a separate sauce as the chilli flakes, soy sauce and lime deliver on flavour. Serve with rice.
Serves 2 generously
Ingredients
1 tbsp sunflower oil
10 Tenderstem broccoli florets
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
½ tsp dried chilli flakes
4 cavolo nero leaves, torn, stems removed
8 sugar snap peas, halved diagonally
2 tbsp light soy sauce
Juice of half an unwaxed lime
2 spring onions, finely chopped
A small handful of coriander, roughly torn
2 tbsp salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Method
1. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Throw in the broccoli, carrot, pepper and chilli flakes and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the cavolo nero and sugar snap peas and stir-fry for a further minute.
2. Stir in the soy sauce and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until it reduces.
3. Remove from the heat and squeeze through the lime juice. Scatter with spring onions, coriander and chopped salted peanuts.
Easy tip These vegetables all cook quickly, making this stir-fry ready in under 15 minutes. Other quick-cook vegetables include green beans, cauliflower florets, mushrooms and asparagus.
3. Easiest ever dal
Over the years I’ve simplified my favourite dal recipe (due to being too lazy to wait for it to cook). This is ready in 30 minutes.
Serves 4; suitable for freezing
Ingredients
300g dried red lentils
2 tbsp medium dairy-free curry paste
A pinch of ground turmeric
A pinch of ground cumin
A pinch of dried chilli flakes
1 litre hot vegetable stock
1 x 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime
A generous pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp coconut yoghurt
Method
1. Add the lentils to a large pan along with the curry paste, turmeric, cumin, chilli flakes and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Pour in the coconut milk and cook for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly, until the lentils break down and become creamy.
3. Remove from the heat and stir through the lime zest and juice. Season to taste with sea salt, then stir through the coconut yoghurt.
Easy tip Use this as a basic recipe. You can add carrot and coriander, caramelised onions or spinach. Serve with Bombay potatoes (see below).
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4. Bombay new potatoes
These potatoes are fantastic with my easy dal, but also chilled with a green salad.
Serves 4
Ingredients
500g new potatoes
3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp paprika
A handful of cherry tomatoes
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
A handful of coriander, roughly torn
A pinch of sea salt
Method
1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil over a medium-high heat, then tip in the new potatoes. Boil for 20 minutes until tender.
2. Drain and rinse with cold water until the potatoes are cool enough to cut in half. Ensure all the water is drained away.
3. Return the pan to the heat and spoon in the sunflower oil. Sprinkle in the mustard seeds and fennel seeds and cook for 2 minutes until they start to brown.
4. Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder, paprika and cherry tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat the potatoes in the spice mix and avoid sticking.
5. Remove from the heat and scatter over the red chilli and coriander. Season with sea salt.
5. Spanish chickpea and olive stew
Chickpeas, olives and peppers are simmered in a smoky, herby sauce and topped with crunchy toasted almonds. Toasting the almonds in a dry pan takes just a couple of minutes, but it’s well worth it for the extra layer of flavour it brings.
Serves 4; suitable for freezing
Ingredients
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, diced
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
A handful of pitted black olives
A generous pinch each of sea salt and black pepper
A generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 rounded tbsp flaked almonds
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large pan or heatproof casserole dish, add the onion and pepper and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, smoked paprika and thyme and cook for a further minute.
2. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and chickpeas, then simmer over a medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the olives and cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir through the parsley.
4. Toast the flaked almonds in a dry frying pan until lightly golden and fragrant. Scatter over the stew just before serving.
Easy tip If you have any leftovers, stir in hot vegetable stock, then blitz in a blender or food processor for a tasty soup.
6. Creamy coconut noodles
Creamy and rich with a hint of Thai spices, these simple noodles make the perfect lunch. They are easily transported and reheated in a glass jar (reheat without the metal lid) or plastic container for your very own instant noodle pot.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 x 400ml tin full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp vegan Thai red curry paste
1 carrot, peeled and grated
300g ready-to-wok egg-free noodles
4 sugar snap peas, sliced lengthways
A few drops of light soy sauce
A generous handful of coriander, roughly torn
Unwaxed lime wedges, to serve
Method
1. Heat the coconut milk in a large pan until simmering, then stir in the curry paste and grated carrot.
2. Carefully separate the noodles, then add to the pan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until softened and the coconut broth has thickened.
3. Add the sugar snap peas and soy sauce and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until the sugar snaps are al dente.
4. Remove from the heat and scatter with coriander and lime wedges just before serving.
Easy tip Ready-to-wok noodles are found in most supermarkets. Unlike the chilled version they are often egg-free, but check the label before buying.
7. Satay salad
The creamy peanut sauce is addictive. Don’t forgo the final topping of spring onions, coriander and crushed peanuts, which lifts this salad to another level.
Serves 1 generously
Ingredients
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp light soy sauce
A pinch of dried chilli flakes
A generous handful of watercress
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
A handful of sugar snap peas, sliced diagonally
Juice of half an unwaxed lime
1 spring onion, finely sliced
A small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
1 tbsp roasted and salted peanuts, roughly chopped
Method
1. Mix together the peanut butter and soy sauce with 3 tbsp boiling water to create a creamy sauce. Stir in the chilli flakes and set aside.
2. Toss together the watercress, carrot and sugar snap peas, then stir through the lime juice. Arrange on a serving plate, then drizzle over the satay sauce.
3. Sprinkle over the spring onion, coriander and peanuts and serve fresh.
Tip Due to the varying oil content in each brand of peanut butter, you may need to add a little extra boiling water, as it thickens as it cools.
8. Bloody Mary
Serves 2
Pour 100ml vodka and 500ml chilled tomato juice into a jug, stir in a few drops of Tabasco and (vegan) Worcestershire sauce and sea salt. Mix. Add celery sticks to serve.
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Extracted from Easy Vegan Bible by Katy Beskow, published by Quadrille (£22)
