Rainbow Tapioca Rice Balls in Coconut Milk

• Ingredients
  • 60g (1/2 cup) rice flour
  • 30g (1/4 cup) tapioca flour
  • 5g (2 tbsp) icing (powdered) sugar
  • 60-80ml (1/4-1/3 cup) boiling water
  • 1-2 tsp flavour essence or extract (I used raspberry but have also used vanilla)
  • Food colouring
  • 140ml (2/3 cup) coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • A pinch or two of salt

• Directions/Method
  1. Combine the flours well in a medium bowl, along with the icing sugar before adding the flavour extract of your choice. Slowly add the hot water, about a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve a soft but pliable dough (just firm enough to not stick to your hands too much). Kneed for 5 minutes, adding a few drops of food colouring to suit your colour preferences. Divide the dough into smaller portions and add kneed in a few drops of different colour dyes to each if you want a rainbow effect.
  2. Roll the dough into small 1/4 inch-1/2 inch balls and drop into boiling water for 3-5 minutes. You’ll know when they’re done when they beging to float a little bit. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Heat the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan just until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and serve on the rice balls (refrigerate first if you like a cold dessert).

Brandy Coconut with Sticky Thai Black and White Rice

• Coconut Rice Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup each black and white sticky rice
  • 3-4 tbsp palm sugar
  • 120ml (1/2 cup) thick coconut milk (use 2/3 cup if you like it soupier. Is that a word?)
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch or two of salt

• Brandy Coconut Ingredients
  • 1/2 fresh grated coconut
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar
  • 1/5 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp brandy
  • pinch of salt

• Directions/Method
  1. Soak the rice together overnight in enough water to cover. The next day strain the rice and place in a square of muslin or thick cheesecloth and steam for 15-20 minutes.
  2. While the rice is steaming, make the brandy coconut. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for 5-10 minutes, until the liquid is dried up. Set aside.
  3. Combine all of the ingredients for the coconut rice in a saucepan and heat, again just to melt the sugar. Do not boil or the coconut milk may curdle.
  4. When the rice is finished, add it to the hot coconut milk. The rice will soak in some of the milk (but it’ll still be a little soupy). Spoon into two bowls, top with the brandy sugared coconut, and drizzle with additional coconut milk if desired.
  5. Refrigerate and serve cold.

Vegan Thai Style Pineapple Fried Rice

• Ingredients
  • 170g brown rice (about 1 cup), cooked per its packet’s instructions
  • Oil, to fry
  • Approx 70g (2.5 oz) firm pressed tofu, sliced into 1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces.
  • 1/4 cup cashew or cashew pieces
  • 55g (heaped 1/3 cup) finely diced shallot
  • 50g (1 small) thinly slice carrot
  • 70g cut broccoli pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium onion, cut into thick slices or wedges
  • A few thin slivers of bell pepper
  • Three or 4 mushrooms
  • A handful or two of bean sprouts
  • 120g (two or 3 handfuls) Chinese leaf, sliced in 1/2 inch strips.
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 150-200g chopped pineapple (1 to 1 1/2 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tsp palm sugar
  • 2 tsp lime juice
  • salt, to taste
  • Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

• Directions/Method
  1. First you’ll want to fry the tofu, shallots, and cashews, so heat about an inch of oil in a pan or wok to a medium-high-ish heat. Line two plates with paper towels. Add the tofu pieces to the oil and fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on one of the plates. Fry the cashew pieces until they turn a couple of shades darker, and place with the tofu. Finally, tip the diced shallots into the fat and fry until crispy-golden (be careful not to burn). Remove and set aside on a the second bowl.
  2. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, and lime together in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. Heat some oil in your wok and add the broccoli, onion, carrot, pepper, and mushrooms. Stir fry for a minute or two until the mushrooms reduce in size and the veg begin to brown a little. Add the Chinese leaf, sprouts, garlic, and pineapple. Toss in the tofu and cashew nuts too. Stir fry for another minute before tipping in the rice.
  4. Quickly mix the vegetables and rice before adding the soy/lime/sugar liquid. Mix fervently for a minute or two to avoid burning, ensuring you get the wok spoon or spatula under the rice and veg to turn frequently.
  5. Plate the fried rice and top it with a sprinkling of the fried shallots. Serve with chilies, soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds, and any other favourite Asian condiments.

Coconut Rice with Lemon-Agave Stir-Fry

• Ingredients
  • 150g brown rice
  • 3/4 C vegetable stock
  • 1/2 C coconut milk
  • 250g sweet potato, cut into chips + 1 tbsp oil
  • 125g broccoli heads
  • 100g courgette, cut into batons
  • 1/2 medium sized red onion, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 inch ginger, grated
  • oil for wok
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp agave nectar
  • Pinch of chili flakes (optional)
  • 1-2 tbsp quality soy sauce

• Directions/Method
  1. First preheat the oven to 200C (400F) and then start the rice. Be sure to follow the instructions given for the rice you’re using. For a basic brown rice, the cooking time should be about 30 minutes and the quantities provided above will be accurate. Adjust liquid content as needed, using a similar ratio of stock to coconut milk. To cook add to saucepan and simmer, covered, on low.
  2. Cut the sweet potato into thick chips and toss in the tablespoon of oil. Once the oven is pre-heated, bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the sweet potato is just browning around the edges.
  3. While the sweet potato is cooking, prepare the vegetables for the stir fry. Cut the broccoli heads into small-ish pieces, the courgette into 2-3 inch batons, and the onion into 1/4 inch slices.
  4. In a small bowl mix the lemon juice, agave, soy sauce, and chili (if using). If you don’t have agave you can also use regular sugar, but be sure it dissolves evenly in the lemon juice.
  5. Heat your wok until near smoking and add a couple tablespoons of oil. Add the broccoli and stir-fry about one minute before adding the courgette and onion. Fry for another 3-4 minutes before turning the heat down a little and adding the garlic and ginger. Stir fry a further 20-30 seconds and finally add the lemon-agave sauce.
  6. Serve the stir-fry on a bed of the coconut rice, arranged with the roasted sweet potato chips, and enjoy while steaming hot!

Creamy Risotto with Roast Asparagus

• Risotto ingredients
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 225g risotto rice
  • 1.5 litres homemade vegetable stock
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • vegan butter
  • Avocado, diced (optional)

• Roasted Asparagus ingredients
  • 125g asparagus
  • olive oil
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • sea salt
  • pepper (optional)

• Directions/Method
  1. Preheat the oven to 200 C. In an oven proof dish drizzle the asparagus generously with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Place in the oven for about 20 minutes.
  2. While the asparagus is roasting, you can make the risotto. Begin by frying the onion and garlic in olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan until soft. Add the risotto rice and fry for a minute.
  3. Turn down the heat to a medium simmer. Add the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring often, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15-20 minutes. How will you know if/when it’s done? Taste it! It’s like pasta in that you need to sample the goods to check the texture and consistency to see if it’s ready.
  4. Remove from heat and split the risotto between two dishes. Add thin slices of non dairy butter on top of the rice (I used about 1 tablespoon each).
  5. Remove the asparagus from the oven and place on top of the risotto. Sprinkle lemon juice over the asparagus.
  6. If using, add avocado cubes.
  7. Serve and enjoy!