Top Five Recipes for National Vegetarian Week

By MiNDFOOD

Top Five Recipes for National Vegetarian Week

Top Five Recipes for National Vegetarian Week. Celebrate National Vegetarian Week with our top five tasty and nutritious vegetarian recipes. 

 

VEGETARIAN PAD THAI

Lightly coated in cornflour and stir-fried in a wok until crisp and golden, firm tofu makes this dish a healthy and nutritious meal that can be ready in minutes.

Serves 4

200g dried rice noodles

300g firm tofu, drained, cut into 3cm cubes

1/3 cup cornflour

1/3 cup water or vegetable stock

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp tamarind puree

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

5 spring onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1-2 small red chillis, thinly sliced (remove seeds, if preferred)

2 eggs, whisked

2 cups bean sprouts, trimmed

Fried shallots, to serve

Coriander sprigs, to serve

Thai basil sprigs, to serve

Lime wedges, to serve

Place noodles into a large bowl and cover with hot water. Stand for 8-10 minutes or until noodles are just soft. (Do not soak too long or the noodles will break into pieces when added to hot wok). Drain. Lightly coat cubes of tofu in cornflour.

Combine water, chilli sauce, tamarind puree, lime juice, brown sugar and salt in a jug.

Heat a wok over a high heat and add the vegetable oil. Add half the tofu and stir fry for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Cook remaining tofu and transfer to plate.

Reheat wok, adding more oil if required. Add onion, garlic and chilli. Stir fry for 1 minute. Push onion mixture to the side of wok and add eggs. Cook for 1 minute. Add noodles, tofu and sauce to wok. Toss with a large spoon in each hand until well combined and heated through. Remove from heat and toss through sprouts. Transfer pad Thai to serving bowls. Sprinkle with fried shallots. Top with coriander sprigs and Thai basil. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

 

GNOCCHI WITH BROAD BEANS AND BURNT BUTTER SAUCE

With just two ingredients, it couldn’t be easier to create these little balls of gnocchi that, when served with seasonal broad beans, create a delicious and filling vegetarian dish.

Serves 4

1kg desiree potatoes

2 tsp sea salt flakes

white pepper

¾ cup plain flour, plus extra to dust    

750g fresh broad beans, podded  

60g butter, cut into cubes

1 cup grated pecorino cheese, to serve

1 Place whole potatoes into a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender when tested in the centre with a skewer. Drain and stand for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Peel skin from potatoes and mash. Press potato through a sieve or potato ricer. Season with salt and pepper.

2 Add flour and stir until well combined and slightly sticky. If mixture is too sticky add a little more flour, 1 tbsp at a time. Do not add too much flour or the gnocchi will be heavy. Divide dough into 4 portions and roll each piece on a floured surface into 2cm-thick long logs. Cut each log into 2cm pieces. Gently roll, 1 piece at a time, over the back of a lightly floured fork forming ridges (this helps the sauce cling to the pasta).

3 Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add beans and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl. Remove skins if necessary. Cover to keep warm. Return water to the boil. Add half the gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes or until gnocchi floats to the top of the water. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to bowl with broad beans. Repeat with remaining gnocchi.

4 Heat butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. When butter has melted continue to cook until butter turns a rich golden brown. Spoon pasta and beans into serving bowls. Spoon over butter sauce. Top with grated pecorino and serve.

 

TOFU BURGER

Tofu is a perfect substitute for meat in classic dishes ranging from burgers to cheesy bakes. Mixed with chickpeas and coriander leaves, this recipe is a tasty alternative to a meaty classic.

Serves 4

300g packet firm tofu, drained

400g can chickpeas,

drained, rinsed

¼ cup sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

¼ cup olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 small carrot, peeled, grated

2 cups wholemeal breadcrumbs

1 cup coriander leaves, roughly

chopped – optional

cup plain flour

1 Lebanese cucumber

4 wholemeal bread rolls, split,

toasted if preferred

mayonnaise, to serve

4 butter lettuce leaves

sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Place tofu onto paper towel. Cover with paper towel and stand for 10 minutes. Pat dry. Cut from tofu. Mash and place in a bowl. Cut remaining tofu into 1cm cubes and set aside.

Place chickpeas, chilli sauce and fish sauce into a food processor; process until finely chopped. Transfer to bowl with mashed tofu.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and carrot and cook until soft. Cool and add to tofu mixture. Add breadcrumbs and coriander; combine. Fold in tofu. Divide mixture into 4 and press into patties. Lightly coat in flour.

Using a vegetable peeler, form ribbons on cucumber.

Heat remaining oil in a frying pan. Add patties and cook for 3 minutes each side. Top base of rolls with mayonnaise, lettuce, patty, cucumber and chilli sauce. Cover with top of roll or place top on the side. Serve.

 

ZUCCHINI ROLL-UPS

A great vegetarian recipe designed to make the most of the humble zucchini, which anyone can grow in their garden.

Serves 4

1 large red capsicum

2 long red chillies

3 garlic cloves

1 lemon, juiced

¼ cup olive oil

4 large zucchini, trimmed

1 tbsp olive oil, extra

1 large brown onion, finely chopped

100g button mushrooms, finely chopped

350g fresh ricotta

cup finely grated parmesan

¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts,

roughly chopped

1 egg, whisked

2 tbsp thyme leaves

¼ cup finely grated parmesan, extra

1 Preheat oven to 200˚C. Place capsicum onto a baking tray. Cook for 30 minutes. Add chillies and garlic to tray and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until capsicum is blackened. Cool. Remove skin and pulp from capsicum. Roughly chop and place into a small food processor. Remove skin from chillies and garlic. Add to capsicum with 2 tbsp lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Process until a smooth sauce forms. Spoon into the base of 4 individual baking dishes.

2 Heat a chargrill pan over a high heat. Using a vegetable peeler, run length of zucchini, forming ribbons. Add 4-5 zucchini ribbons to chargrill pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until charred. Transfer to a plate and char remaining ribbons.

3 Heat extra olive oil in a frying pan. Add onion and mushrooms. Cook for 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Transfer to a large bowl and cool. Add ricotta, parmesan, pine nuts, egg and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

4 Place a zucchini ribbon onto a flat surface. Place 1 tbsp cheese mixture onto one end of zucchini ribbon. Roll, enclosing filling. Place standing up in baking dish on capsicum sauce. Roll remaining zucchini and filling. Sprinkle with extra parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is firm and parmesan golden.

 

MEDITERRANEAN VEGETABLE PIE

This vegetable pie is easy to make and tastes great. Serve with a simple garden salad for a fantastic evening meal.

Serves 4

2 cups plain flour

1/3 cup finely grated parmesan

125g butter, diced and chilled

1 egg

1 tbsp cold water

4 small green zucchini, trimmed, sliced diagonally

4 baby eggplant, sliced diagonally

1 small red capsicum, deseeded, cut into 2cm pieces

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges

olive oil cooking spray

275g baby roma truss tomatoes

1 egg, whisked

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 220˚C. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. Place flour and cheese into a food processor. Process for 30 seconds or until combined. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and water. Process until mixture comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead until mixture comes together.

Form into a 3cm-thick disc. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

Place zucchini, eggplant, capsicum and onion onto prepared tray. Spray with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until just tender. Cool.

Roll pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper until formed into a 34cm round. Place on second baking tray. Pile vegetables and tomatoes onto pastry, leaving a 4cm border. Fold border towards centre of pie. Brush border with egg wash. Sprinkle pie with salt and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp. Cut into wedges and serve.

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