Aubergine Archives - Feast of Plants

Restaurant Style Brinjal Bhaji

Feast of Plants — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 11:30:00 +0000

An Indian restaurant specialty with aubergine cooked in a wonderfully spiced sauce. Served with my own okra side and saffron rice the house ended up smelling like an Indian restaurant and it was amazing!

The post Restaurant Style Brinjal Bhaji appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Sabich Platter (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:00:17 +0000

Holidays are a thing of the past at the moment but I can’t express just how much I miss them. Looking back at our holiday snaps makes me yearn for a little bit of adventure and that joy of discovering new places. If there’s one place I’d love to visit just for the food, it’s Israel. Food from all over the world, coming together in one place makes the food scene unbeatable. What’s more, influences from the Middle East, Mediterranean and North Africa mean there’s a strong lean toward vegetables and Israel has the world’s highest ratio of vegans so finding tasty plant based food really isn’t hard. While everyone knows falafel, there’s one thing I love more and that’s Sabich. Traditionally, this is a sandwich with layers of hummus, fried aubergine slices, potato, and a boiled egg, all topped with with a selection of sauces like amba, zhoug and tahini. Stuffed into a fluffy pita this makes a sandwich like no other. Seriously, I just can’t express how tasty it is. To make this perfect for dinner I’ve turned it into a platter so everyone can have as much as as little as they want. Add in my own little touches and this makes for the perfect dinner for meal prep leading to a really effort but tasty dinner. Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients For the Cajun Hummus: 600g Butter Beans, cooked 5 Garlic Cloves 60ml Lemon Juice 60ml Tahini 60ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tsp Ground Cumin 2 tsp Cajun Spice 1 tsp Salt For the Marinaded Tofu: 400g Tofu, drained & pressed 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice 2 tbsp Oil 2 tsp Paprika 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 tsp All Spice 1/4 tsp Sugar For the Tahini Sauce: 6 Garlic Cloves 80ml Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin 125ml Tahini (aprox 150g) 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup Cold water Salt & Pepper, to taste For the Platter: 1 large Aubergine 2 Tbsp Cornflour 1 tsp Ground Cumin 1/2 tsp Ground Coriander 2 tsp Paprike, plus more for dusting 4 Medium Potatoes Pitta Breads For the Zhoug: 1/4 tsp Coriander Seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1/t tsp White Pepper 3 Small Cardamon Pods 4 Garlic Cloves 3 Red Chillies 1 tsp Salt 30g Fresh Parsley 30g Fresh Coriander 120ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil For the Israeli Salad: 3 Tomatoes 1 Cucumber 1 Red Pepper 1/2 Red Onion 30g Parley 30ml Lemon Juice 45ml Olive Oil Salt & Pepper, to taste Directions To make the hummus: This is incredibly easy. Put all the ingredients into your food processor and mix until light and fluffy. If making this ahead of time then hummus stores well in the fridge for up to 5 days and freezes happily – just remember to put it into an airtight container first. To make the tahini sauce: Put the lemon juice and garlic cloves into the blender. Mix until the garlic cloves have been broken down to stop the garlic from being too harsh. Add the rest of the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Gradually add in the water, a few tablespoons at a time, until you have a light, lightly thick sauce. Like the hummus, tahini sauce is quite happy to sit in the fridge for several days so this can be made ahead as well. To make the Zhoug: Traditionally, this is made using a mortar and pestle but personally I prefer using a mini food processor – use whatever you have to hand. Start by toasting the seeds. Place a dry pan on a medium heat and toast the seeds until they darken slightly. Put the spices into your processor and pulse until they start to break up. Add in the garlic cloves and chillies (removing the seeds if you want to control the heat) and pulse until a rough paste forms. Add in the herbs, olive oil, and salt and continue to pulse until the herbs are thoroughly chopped and the oil has formed an emulsion. Taste and check for seasoning before putting to one side. Zhoug is best fresh but it can happily be made ahead of time if needed and stored in an airtight container for a few weeks.. To make the Tofu: This one’s not complicated. Start by chopping the tofu into large, bitesize chunks. Firmly whisk together the rest of the ingredients to form a thick paste. Coat the tofu well and leave to marinade for 30 minutes before placing on a lined baking tray. To make the Israeli Salad: Firstly, finely dice the tomatoes, toss in a little salt, and leave to strain for about 10 minutes. Prepare the rest of the salad while you wait. All the vegetables for this salad should be chopped finely and about the same size – aim for 0.5cm square if you can. Finely dice the parsley as well. Once the tomatoes are drained, place everything into a bowl and toss well, adding seasoning to taste. Place in the fridge until needed. Putting together the platter: Peel the potatoes and cut into thick slices before putting into a large pan. Cover with salted water and simmer for 20 minutes, or until a fork easily pieces the slices. Drain well and very gently toss with a little oil before place onto a lined baking tray in a single layer. Pre heat the oven to 240 degrees (220 Fan/475 F). Put the tofu and potatoes into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. While the tofu and potatoes roast in the oven, thickly slice the aubergine. Toss together the cornflour and spices before coating each slice. Place a large frying on a medium to high heat with at least a centimetre of oil. When the oil is hot, fry off the dusted aubergine slices until a deep golden brown on both sides. Drain well once cooked. To serve, I lay it all out on a large serving platter with a swirl of hummus on once side. I like to spoon some of the zhoug onto the hummus before spooning everything else onto the plate. With the sauces and some warmed pita breads on the side, this is an unconventional dinner than will make everyone happy Notes This is the perfect meal for batch cooking. Everything can be made in advance and served cold so boxed into individual serves makes a truly brilliant lunch. Alternatively, if you’re prepping ahead of time most items can be done ahead leaving just the cooking for the day. Just 30 minutes of easy cooking and you’ll have dinner ready and waiting for you. Allergy Notes; This meal is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free. If sesame seeds are an allergen for you then go ahead and whip up the hummus without the tahini or using nut or seed butters instead.

The post Sabich Platter (Vegan & Gluten Free) appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Aubergine & Butternut Squash Curry (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 16:00:38 +0000

Some friends and I recently started a recipe exchange to help break down the monotony of lockdown. One of the ones that caught my eye was an aubergine curry with plenty of potential but not enough flavour. This is my version of this recipe, I’ve developed it to build the flavours. Now it’s an intensely flavourful curry that’s incredibly easy to make and perfect for midweek. Enjoy! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 600g Aubergine, roughly diced 1/2 Butternut Squash, peeled & roughly chopped 2 Onions, finely diced 4 Garlic Cloves, minced 2 tsp Garam Masala 1 tsp Coriander Seeds 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds 1 tsp Crushed Chillies 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Tumeric 1/2 Tbsp Fenugreek Leaves 400g tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400ml Coconut Milk 150g Fresh Spinach Sugar, to taste 1/4 Cup Coriander, chopped Salt & Pepper to taste OIl, for cooking Directions Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (180 Fan/400 F). Toss the chopped aubergine and squash in 2 Tbsp of oil and season well before placing into a roasting tin. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, the squash should be softened and the aubergines should start to caramelise around the edges. Place the whole spices into a mortar and pestle and pound until they’re lightly broken – if you don’t have a mortar and pestle then they’ll smash easily under a frying pan too. Put a heavy bottomed pan on a medium heat with a touch of oil. Add in the whole spices and fry off for a few moment, until the spices have darkened. Toss the chopped onions into the pan and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the rest of the spices including the fenugreek leaves along with the garlic and cook until fragrant. Now tip in the tomatoes, coconut milk, and cooked vegetables. Mix gently and bring up to a gentle simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, before removing the lid and simmering for another 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Stir through the coriander and spinach and cook until wilted. Taste and add sugar to taste if needed – the amount needed will vary depending on the tomatoes. Season to taste and serve with your favourite rice. Notes A friend of mine likes to add a tin of chickpea to this too. If you’d like to follow her example then I’d suggest adding them with the onions to allow them to colour a little before simmering. Want to try the original recipe? it’s here – let me know what you think of my version! Allergy Notes; This is vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free – enjoy!

The post Aubergine & Butternut Squash Curry (Vegan & Gluten Free) appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Aubergine, Broccoli and Crispy Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan, GF, NF)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 14:00:59 +0000

Aubergines get a lot of use in this house. Infinitely flexible, it’s a vegetable that works in so many cuisines and dishes. For this dinner, I wanted something quick but still tasty and aubergine is still my go to. We’ve ended up with a tasty dish that quick to make, bursting with flavour and with delicious contrasting textures. Starting with aromatics like garlic, ginger and chilli, finishing with a slightly sweet sauce. It’s a perfect dinner for when you’re in a pinch and need something fast. Enjoy! Makes: Serves 4-6 Ingredients For the Vegetables: 2 Aubergines, sliced into bitsize chunks 1 head of Broccoli, sliced into small florets 2 cups Chinese Cabbage, roughly chopped 1 large Onion, thinly sliced 1 Mild Red Chilli, diced 20g Ginger, cut into thin strips 3 Garlic Cloves, chopped into thin strips Oil for Cooking Salt & Pepper to taste For the Crispy Tofu: 200g Tofu, pressed and cubed 1/2 cup Corn Starch 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper 1/4 tsp Salt For the Sauce: 50 ml Mirin 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce Substitute (see allergy note below) 1 Tbsp Sake 2 tsp Maple Syrup Directions Prep before starting to cook, making sure everything is chopped and ready to go. In addition to prepping your veg, mix together the sauce and toss the tofu in the cornstarch and spices. If you have time, toss in tofu in multiple coats. Place a wok on a medium heat with a dash of oil. Fry off your tofu in batches, until it’s deep golden brown on all sides and crispy. Don’t crowd the pan as it’ll lower the heat too much and really, don’t touch your tofu until you really have to turn it – fiddling too much will lengthen the cooking time and can make it fall apart. Put your browned tofu to one side. Fry the aubergines chunks in batches, adding more oil as needed, until caramelised and beginning to soften. Remove from the pan and place to one side. Add more oil if needed before tossing the garlic, ginger, and chilli into the pan. stir fry until softened and just beginning to brown – be careful not to let the garlic burn. Remove from the pan and set to one side. Again, add more oil if needed before turning the heat up to high. When the pan is hot add in the broccoli and stir fry. Cook until the florets turn bright green so they are cooked but still crisp. Add in the onion along with the aubergines and cook until the aubergines are fully cooked and the onions have started to brown. Finally throw in the sauce and garlic, ginger, and chillies. Stir fry quickly until the sauce has thicken slightly and everything is well mixed. Serve immediately with some rice – enjoy! Notes This is one of our favourite dinner dishes. Packed full of veggies, and oh so quick to whip up it’s ideal for busy nights. Allergy Notes; I’m going to keep saying this – Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the few brands which uses gluten. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce, it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you. To make this gluten free, just use GF pasta per the note above. It Cashew nuts are a problem for you then there are plenty of tofu based ricotta recipes

The post Aubergine, Broccoli and Crispy Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan, GF, NF) appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Aubergine Banh Mi (Vegan & Gluten Free)

Feast of Plants — Fri, 29 May 2020 12:00:06 +0000

These spicy, crunchy sandwiches are a staple in Vietnamese food culture and are perfect on a warm summer’s day. It may seem complicated when you pick one up from a food truck but it’s actually quite approachable with lots of little bits that can be done ahead. In other words, its a recipe that’s made for lockdown, doing the odd bit here and there as working from home allows! The big benefit of doing this yourself is that it allows your to modulate the heat in this Sandwich. Traditionally, this is served with plenty of chillies and an extra layer of even more fresh chillies for those who want it. You prefer less heat? Go for it. You want to blow your head off? You do you. The traditional Banh Mi is all about the layers, you want to group your layers carefully so you get the proper interplay or flavours and texture as you go. However,this doesn’t have to be a sandwich if you’d rather not. Can’t find a baguette that will work for your food preferences? Then turn it into a Banh Mi bowl with noodles or rice stir fried with chillies and a touch of soy sauce. It’s completely customisable, make this work for you – I guarantee you’ll love it! Makes: Serves 2-3 Ingredients For the Pickles: 150g Sugar 180ml White Wine Vinegar ½ tsp Salt 2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil 225g Celeriac* 275g Carrot 1 tsp Crushed Chillies For the Seared Aubergines: 1 Medium Aubergines, thickly sliced 80ml Soy Sauce Substitute (see allergy note below) 6 Garlic Cloves, sliced 120g Red Onion, diced 2 Tbsp Vegan Fish Sauce 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup 1 Tsp Five Spice Powder 1 Star Anise 8g Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, soaked 3g Ginger, sliced 80ml Mushroom Soaking Liquid 2 Lime Leaves For the Sandwiches: 6-inch Baguettes, split lengthwise** Vegan Mayo Sriracha ½ a cucumber, cut into thin slices Fresh Coriander Fresh Mint Red Chillies, thinly sliced (Optional) Vegan Pate (see my last post here) Directions Starting with your pickles, mix together everything except the vegetables in a large, non-metallic bowl until the sugar completely dissolves. Slice your vegetables into thin matchsticks and toss with your vinegar mix. Put to one side and leave standing at room temperature for at least 2 hours. If you’d like to do this ahead of time then cover and chill once the vegetables and sat at room temperature. Your aubergines will need to marinade for at least 30 minutes so plan ahead here or, prep the night before, cover and place in the fridge for today. Start by shredding the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic. Heat your wok on a high heat with just a touch of oil and stir fry both the mushrooms and ginger till they just start to brown. Add about half a tbsp of your soy sauce substitute and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the edges are browned and slightly crisp but do not let the ginger burn. place into a blender jug along with the rest of your Soy Sauce Substitute, fish sauce, maple syrup, five spice powder, and mushroom soaking liquid. Blend until completely smooth. Pour this marinade over your aubergine slices in a bowl and add the star anise and lime leaves. Stir well then cover and place in the fridge to marinade for at least an hour. Once marinaded, shake off any excess from the slices and set the marinade to one side. Put your wok back on a high heat with a touch of oil until it starts to shimmer. Stir fry your aubergines on a high heat, stirring constantly, until the Aubergines start to sear and go completely soft. Stir in an extra tablespoon or so of your marinade then set to one side – we should now be ready to make your sandwiches. Lightly toast the cut sides of your baguette. Spread a thick coat of pate on the bottom half, and mayo on the top half. Drizzle liberally (or to your taste) with Sriracha, particularly on the top half. Now that your baguette is prepped and ready for it’s fillings, this is your layering order starting on the bottom half and working up to the top of the sandwich; Aubergine Slices Drained, pickled vegetables handful of your fresh coriander and mint cucumber slices Red chillies (if using) Repeat with each of your sandwiches as you finish prepping the bread. Serve with more sriracha on the side for those who feel they really need it. Notes *Traditionally this should really be daikon but we’re not huge radish fans. Feel free to sub in daikon or english radishes if you’d rather ** We’ve really struggled to find gluten free baguettes that work well for this. However we’ve now had success with these mini-baguettes but do let me know if you find something else you prefer! Allergy Notes; I’m going to keep saying this – Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the few brands which uses gluten. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce, it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you. If you need to avoid all soy products then double check your fish sauce as most vegan versions contain soybeans – if you can’t get one without then skip it from the sauce entirely. If the sesame seeds are an allergen for you then feel free to skip both the seeds and oil – the pickles will still work well!

The post Aubergine Banh Mi (Vegan & Gluten Free) appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Vegan Shakshouka (with no tofu in sight!)

Feast of Plants — Wed, 20 May 2020 12:00:25 +0000

Shakshouka is one of those classic regional dishes that has as many different versions as it does regions who lay claim to it. A rich, spicy, tomato sauce with poached eggs, and plenty of bread for dipping. Traditionally it’s most commonly used for breakfast (and a great hangover cure!) but it works wonderfully for any time of day and we always used to love it for dinner. It’s one of those meals that made taking that final step towards being vegan and giving up eggs quite hard, so today I wanted to have a go at tackling a vegan shakshouka. There have been plenty of attempts to veganise this dish but most of them use tofu to replace the eggs. Given how much we loved this dish I want to make it something we can have fairly regularly so tofu was out for us. Instead I’ve gone for something that compliments the spicy tomato base. I’ve designed this version to work well with frozen items or pantry staples (some of which I tend to prepare myself when batch cooking) so whether you want a quick dinner, a midnight snack, or something to help ease that hangover, hopefully this will be just the thing. We dipped in thick slices of a warm gluten free loaf and it was delicious – just what I’d been missing! Makes: Serves 3-4 Ingredients For the topping: 2 Aubergines* 230g Butter beans 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 3 Garlic Cloves, minced 1/4 Tsp All Spice 1/2 tsp Sumac 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice 2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped Salt & Pepper, to taste For the spicy sauce: 1 Tbsp Oil 2 Tbsp Harissa 1/2 Tbsp Tomato Puree 340g Peppers, sliced** 4 Garlic Cloves. minced 1 Tsp Cumin 1/2 Tsp Coriander 2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes (aprox. 800g) Salt & Pepper, to taste Directions Start with the topping, set your oven to 200°C (180ºC fan/400ºF). Roast the aubergines whole for 45 minutes to an hour making sure to pierce them a few times before placing on the roasting tray. When you take the aubergines out of the oven, the inside wants to completely soft while the skin will be starting to burn a little. Peel the aubergines as soon as you can bear it (the longer you leave them to cool, it harder it will be), and discard the skins. Put the aubergines and beans into a bowl together along with the rest of the topping ingredients and roughly mash everything together. Taste and season well – this works a lot better with a generous crunch of pepper. For the main body of the shakshouka, heat the oil in a wide saute pan over a medium heat and add the garlic, gently sauteing till the garlic just starts to soften. Now add your harissa, tomato purée, peppers, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Stir and cook on a moderate heat for about 10 minutes, or until the peppers have softened. Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Taste for seasoning. Make a few dips in the sauce and dollop in your aubergine topping, easing the sauce over the edges of the mix. Simmer gently with a lid on for another 10 minutes or so, until the sauce is thick and the aubergine mix is warmed through. Serve with thick crusty (gluten free) bread for dipping and a touch on parsley if you want to be fancy. Notes * I like to have a few roasted aubergines in my freezer (its the perfect thing to do if your aubergines are starting to turn). ** We tend to have a bag or two of sliced peppers in the freezer for quick dinners and this works equally well with frozen as with fresh. Allergy Notes; This is one of those rare recipes that is already vegan, gluten free, nut free, and soy free with no substitutes needed!

The post Vegan Shakshouka (with no tofu in sight!) appeared first on Feast of Plants.

Banh Xeo – Vietnamese Pancakes

Feast of Plants — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 12:00:00 +0000

A lot of my food isn’t really know for its cultural authenticity. I’ll take inspiration from the original sure, but very rarely does it stay true to that original recipe, and so it is here. A quick look around at your typical Banh Xeo filling will tell you that prawns and pork typically make the cut, make it vegetables only and the general consensus seems to be that this is fit for a very light lunch or a starter only but I think we can fix that. The filling for my pancakes is a salad of rice noodles, thinly sliced vegetables, some pickled vegetables, add in some aubergines that are tossed in spices and shallow fried till crunchy on the outside and even your most ardent carnivore friend won’t notice the meat is missing. Finished with a dipping sauce that is laced with chillies and garlic, tangy with vinegar, coriander, and sesame oil. This makes a meal that is both light yet filling and perfect for the emerging summer weather. If you want to make this a light lunch then i’d suggest leaving out the noodles. Don’t let the long list of ingredients scare you on this one – its easy and tasty! The only part of this that’s going to take some time is the pancakes themselves so plan accordingly, I’ve been known to whip up the batter the night before or in a spare 5 minutes so it has time to rest, and cook them over a conference call as they don’t need a lot of attention. Plan yours accordingly so it fits in with your day. Makes: Serves 4 Ingredients Pancake Batter 200g Rice Flour 1 1/2 tbsp Cornflour 250ml Vegetable Stock (with extra if needed) 250ml Coconut Milk (tinned) 2tsp Tumeric Salt, to taste (Optional – this depends how much salt is in your stock) Oil, for frying Rice Noodle Salad Rice Vermicelli Noodles, 3 sheets handful of beansprouts 3 Spring Onions, thinly sliced 2 Peppers, julienned (I like to mix my colours and go for one red and one yellow) 1 Carrot, julienned 1/4 of a Red Cabbage, thinly sliced Stir fry veg of your choice (I like a mixed of sugar snap peas, baby corn, and asparagus depending on what’s available) 30g Peanuts, roughly chopped 1/4 cup Fresh Coriander, roughly chopped 1/4 cup Fresh Mint, roughly chopped Aubergines 2 Aubergines, Sliced 1/2 cup Cornfllour 2 tsp Cumin 1 tsp Coriander 1 tsp Paprika, (plus more for garnish) 1/2 tsp Tumeric Salt & Pepper Dipping Sauce 3 large Garlic Cloves, finely diced 4 tbsp Rice Vinegar 2 tbsp Soy Sauce (I substitute this – see the allergy note below) 1 1/12 tbsp Brown Sugar 1 Large red Chilli, deseeded & finely chopped 1/4 Cup Coriander, finely chopped 2 tsp Sesame Oil Zest of 1 lime Directions The batter for the pancakes is best having rested for at least half an hour, if not several hours, so lets start there. Whisk together the dry ingredients so that they’re well combined then add the stock and coconut milk. Mix well so that you have a smooth batter, similar to single cream in texture. Put your batter in the fridge to rest. Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients and leave the flavours the get to know each other in the fridge while you grow the rest of your dish. Slice your aubergine slices about half a centimetre thick. Lay them down on a kitchen towel or paper towel and lightly salt them to draw out the moisture. After a good 10 minutes or so, dab off the moisture that the salt has brought to the surface, flip the slices and repeat. Mix together the cornflour, spices and a touch of salt and pepper to make up a coating for your aubergines and toss all your slices evenly. Shallow fry your aubergine slices till evenly brown on both sides, seasoning well with paprika and the salt and pepper as they come out of the oil. Bring your batter out of the fridge about 15 mins before you’re due to use it. It’s best if you let it come back u to room temperature before cooking as cold coconut can overly thicken the batter. Just before cooking check the batter and add extra stock if needed, remember you want it to be similar in consistency to single cream. I like to use a small, 8 inch frying pan to cook the pancakes – it makes perfect, almost taco sized pockets. Warm up your frying pan with a teaspoon of oil on a medium to high heat. When the pan is hot enough to almost shimmer, quickly lift the pan from the hob, add about a quarter cup of batter and swirl it evenly around the pan. Place back on the heat and cook on both sides for 2 minutes. When cooked, gently fold in half and place on your serving plate. I like to place them in a warm oven to keep warm and crispy while I finish cooking the entire batch. While cooking your pancakes, now is the ideal time to tie together your rice salad. The rice noodles I tend to get only need soaking for 3 minutes but check your noodle’s instructions, water will do for this but stock will add a little bit more depth if possible. Stir fry your vegetables of choice and toss all your salad ingredients together. This dinner works best served family style, letting everyone serve themselves, stuffing the pancakes with the salad, topping with the fried aubergine slices and drizzling or dipping with the sauce as wanted. Free to also have some sriracha or sweet chilli sauce to one side, enjoy! Notes I like to add quick pickled cucumbers to the toppings and I know others love using other pickled veg too – if you’d like my pickled cucumber recipe then let me know! Allergy Notes: This recipe is mostly allergy friendly but its important to note that Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the free brands which uses it. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you. If nuts are an allergin for you then skip the peanuts and swap out the sesame oil for either avocado oil or rapeseed oil. They’re both quite neutral tasting oils so it won’t have the same depth but it’ll still be tasty!

The post Banh Xeo – Vietnamese Pancakes appeared first on Feast of Plants.