Go Nuts

RECIPES & IMAGES AMBER BREMNER

I have a whole nut and seed department in the fridge (they last longer there) because they’re an absolute staple in a plant-based diet. Nuts provide healthy fats, protein and fibre, but most importantly—texture and flavour. Cashews are my go-to for creamy dishes, including desserts, while walnuts are the winner for roasty, toasty, bold flavours and a bit of crunch.

Gochujang Bean & Walnut Balls

Gochujang is a Korean chilli paste made with fermented chillies and soybeans. It’s salty, spicy (but not too spicy) and adds a deep umami flavour that really hums in this Korean style take on vegan meatballs. The balls are made with a base of black beans, toasted walnuts, oats and chia seeds (which act as an egg replacer in this recipe). Once baked, they’re boldly flavoured, warming and hearty, tender on the inside and a little crunchy on the outside. You could use a food processor to save time, but I prefer to do it by hand so that the mixture has some texture and bite. Gochujang is widely available in the Korean section at supermarkets.

BEAN AND WALNUT BALLS

1 tbsp chia seeds 3 tbsp water ½ cup walnuts 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup porridge oats ¼ red capsicum, very finely chopped 2 tbsp gochujang 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated 2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated cooking oil or oil spray

GOCHUJANG GLAZE

3 tbsp gochujang (available at Vetro Hamilton) 3 tbsp maple syrup 3 tbsp rice vinegar 1½ tbsp soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated

Preheat oven to 220°C. Mix chia seeds with water and set aside for 10 minutes. Toast walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until browned in places and fragrant. Let the walnuts cool for a few minutes then finely chop. Roughly mash black beans, then add all other bean and walnut ball ingredients (including walnuts and soaked chia seeds). Mix thoroughly and ensure everything is evenly distributed. Roll into 20 even sized balls (about 1 tbsp per ball) and place on a baking sheet. Brush with a little oil, or spray with cooking oil, then bake for 20–25 minutes or until browned and firm.

While the balls are cooking, make the gochujang glaze. Put all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until glossy and slightly thickened. Set aside until ready to serve. Spoon a little glaze over each ball and enjoy as a snack with a cold beer, or serve with rice, slaw or kimchi and make a meal of it.

Tomato & Cashew Soup

This is a simple soup recipe that’s ideal to help use up a glut of home grown tomatoes (or cheap seasonal produce from the shops). Soaked cashews blend with roasted tomatoes to create a silky, creamy and perfectly smooth tomato soup. This soup is vibrantly coloured and tastes purely of full flavoured tomatoes— intentionally a blank canvas that can be swung in any direction by adding spices or toppings to your heart’s content. Here I’ve taken inspiration from Indian tadka, serving the soup topped with spices and curry leaves tempered in hot oil.

SOUP

1 cup (150g) raw cashews 1.5kg ripe tomatoes (about 12–13 medium sized) 3 cloves garlic, skin on 3 cups vegetable stock ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper ½ tsp sugar ½ tsp white wine vinegar

SPICE AND CURRY LEAF TOPPING

2 tbsp cooking oil (I used grape seed) ½ tsp black mustard seeds ¼ tsp cumin seeds ¼ tsp fennel seeds ¼ tsp chilli flakes (or more if you like it hot) 20 fresh curry leaves (approx.)

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cover cashews with hot water (from the tap is fine) and set aside to soak. Halve tomatoes and arrange cut side up on a lined baking tray with a rim. Poke garlic cloves between the tomatoes. Roast for an hour, until the tomatoes lose some of their moisture and start to colour in places. Drain and rinse cashews. Remove skins from garlic cloves, then put the garlic, tomatoes, cashews and vegetable stock into a blender. Blend for a few minutes, until the soup is perfectly smooth and creamy. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender. Pour the soup into a saucepan and simmer for 5–10 minutes. Taste and add salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar to balance the flavour of the tomatoes—which will vary depending on their ripeness. Be amazed at how just a little acid (vinegar) can brighten it up, without tasting pickled. Serve soup topped with a drizzle of the spiced oil and fried curry leaves (pictured) or go your own way with a dollop of basil pesto or yoghurt, some croutons or chopped herbs. To make the curry leaf topping, just before serving heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add spices and cook, stirring, until the spices become fragrant and begin to sizzle and pop a little. Add the curry leaves and fry for another 30 seconds or so, until you can see them change colour and crisp up.

Amber Bremner Quite Good Food www.quitegoodfood.co.nz

Amber Bremner is the author of popular plant based food blog Quite Good Food. A champion for cooking and eating food that makes you feel good, she believes small changes in the way we approach food have the power to make a difference.

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