These spicy, feisty and flavorful Indian crisps are the perfect snack or side dish. You can also make them gluten free!
Crispy Indian Bitter Gourd Chips
This tandoori batter is unreal and I use it for literally everything – from vegetables to proteins like tofu and tempeh. And all credits to my mum because she has been making these for ages! She is indeed the pioneer of this dish in my household.
The amount of crisp these bitter gourd chips have is unbeatable! It’s also spicy and so addictive that we empty the bowl in minutes.
For this dish, you would need Indian pantry staples like curry powder (or sambhar powder), garam masala, chili powder and hing. We typically also use rice flour and besan flour for the batter but in this recipe, there are 3 types of flour used – maida (refined white flour), corn starch, and besan flour (chickpea flour).
You can substitute maida (refined wheat flour) with rice flour if you want to make it gluten free.
These spicy dumplings are a vegan version of traditional Chinese wontons filled with firm tofu, vegetables and drizzled with a hot chili oil sauce.
Vegan Chili Oil Wontons
Wonton is a traditional Chinese dumpling that typically has stuffings like meat and vegetables. In this recipe, I substituted it with firm tofu and added in vegetables like shitake mushrooms, cabbage and chopped spring onions.
The folding process may be daunting to some but it’s actually very simple! Make sure you get SQUARE shaped wonton wrappers and place some filling on the wrapper. Get ready some water to make sure the wrapper sticks when you fold.
Watch the full video below to learn how to fold the wontons to get the perfect shape.
These 15-minute black pepper tofu bites are savoury, spicy and super addictive. They can also be made gluten free!
This Black Pepper Tofu recipe cleared out in just a few minutes by my family because it made such an addictive snack! Made with a simple black pepper sauce, these tofu bites are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. If you think tofu is bland, fret not – this recipe is here to change your mind!
Simple 5-ingredient black pepper sauce
The black pepper sauce is very simple to make – all you need is light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, black pepper and hing. The addition of corn starch and water would help to thicken the mixture.
For gluten free option, you can use gluten free soy sauce. I really like the ones below by Lee Kum Kee and Kikkoman. I have also attached the images of other gluten free soy sauce alternatives like Tamari and Coconut Aminos below. You can get them at Amazon or your local asian grocery store.
Black Pepper Tofu Bites made in just 15 minutes
The spice level is adjustable and this recipe is also onion and garlic free, making it more friendly to my sensitive gut peeps (hot girls with stomach problems am I right!!)
These 15-minute vegan black pepper tofu bites are savoury, spicy and super addictive. They are also 100% gluten free!
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time10 minutesmins
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Fusion
Keyword: black pepper, tofu
Servings: 4
Equipment
1 Frying Pan
Ingredients
600g firm tofu
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2red chili
Black Pepper Sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce (gluten free)
1tbsp dark soy sauce(gluten free)
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
2 tspblack pepper
1 tsp corn starch
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp hing
Ganish
Toasted Sesame Seeds
Spring Onions
Instructions
Slice tofu into small cubes. Coat them evenly in corn starch. Heat up a pan and fry them until crispy. You can air fry or bake them as well.
Take fried tofu off the heat. Finely chop red chili.
Add sesame oil to pan and sauté the red chili. Add back the fried tofu and the black pepper sauce. Keep stirring and wait for the sauce mixture to thicken.
Top with toasted sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve!
Notes
Remember to opt for gluten free soy sauce for this recipe. You can also substitute it with tamari or coconut aminos.
You can replace rice wine vinegar with white vinegar or mirin.
If you are not allergic to onion and garlic, replace hing with 1 tsp of minced garlic and sauté it with the red chili.
Toasting away with unique toppings! Here are some of my pointers to make the best vegan toasts that are full of FLAVOUR!
Layering your toasts
I love to make sure that there are at least 3 layers to my toast and that can include a: spread, vegetable, protein and garnish. The garnish often elevates the dish to a whole new level.
Vegan Pesto Avocado Tempeh Bacon on Toast
For example, I’ve layered this slice of sourdough with some store-bought pesto, creamy avocado slices and crispy buckwheat tempeh bacon. One of my favorites til’ this day!
Adding a unique & punchy twist
I do not like going basic with toast. Basic toasts are great but adding a punchy twist to it is what makes it extra flavorful, super fun and easy to create.
For example, I added some curry powder to the scrambled tofu toast topping and it really made all the difference. I also topped it with vegan mayo and spring onions which was unconventional but a beautiful combination.
Vegan Masala Scrambled Egg on Toast
Keeping it simple nevertheless
Who wants to spend an hour making breakfast or lunch nowadays? Toasts are meant to be simple but that does not mean it has to lack in flavour. This Vegan Kimchi Toast can be made in 10 minutes and it’s the heartiest toast with a Korean twist you will appreciate. All toast recipes can be found below!
An insanely crispy bacon topped on a slice of toast and creamy avocado.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American, Fusion
Keyword: avocado, bacon, toast
Servings: 2
Equipment
1 Small Bowl
1 Frying Pan / Air fryer
Ingredients
200g tempeh
1 tbsplight soy sauce
1tsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp hing
1tbsp water
Toppings
2slicesSourdough
1 Avocado
1 tbsp Pesto
Instructions
Chop tempeh into rectangular slices, from 3 to 6 cm long. Anything in that range would work!
Prepare the marinade: soy sauces, smoked paprika, hing, water. Marinate the tempeh in the mixture for 5-10 minutes or overnight if you have time to spare.
Deep fry to get a crispy texture. You can also pan fry* or air fry* the tempeh to use minimal oil.
Notes
If you are not deep frying your tempeh, you can try pan frying or air frying for a slightly longer time to get a charred look and taste of the tempeh.
For gluten free option, substitute soy sauces with tamari instead. You can also replace your bread with gluten free bread.
Feta in itself is incredibly versatile and can be used in any dish that needs a salty and tangy companion. This vegan version is made with tofu and tastes so cheesy!
Vegan Feta Cheese
This vegan herbed feta cheese only takes 5 minutes to prepare and you can use it in dishes right away. However, if you happen to have more time on your hands, you can marinate the tofu for a few extra hours or overnight. The easiest way is to prep this at night and it’s ready to use the next morning! The texture of tofu is unreal because it mimics feta cheese in the best way possible.
If you’re using fresh tofu, you can store this for about 2-4 days. This recipe is 100% gluten free – make sure to check that the nutritional yeast you’re using is gluten free as well as some may use wheat.
You can use this feta tofu cheese in salads, pasta, on toast or on a cheese platter. You can also have them by themselves on a stick as a quick high protein snack. I topped it on some lightly toasted sourdough bread, added chopped sun dried tomatoes and drizzled some truffle oil on top. Perfection!
A close competitor of the great and famous HUMMUS – This roasted eggplant dip is for any smoky and feisty dip lover.
My hummus obsession didn’t die for years until I found its underrated but savoury & smoky cousin – Baba Ghanoush! Most of the smokey flavour comes from roasting the eggplant and the creaminess comes from sesame seed paste, also known as tahini.
This dip is also 100% gluten free and made from wholefoods only like fresh brinjals, sesame seeds, and whole spices like smoked paprika and freshly ground cumin.
I have omitted raw garlic to make this recipe more allergen friendly, but feel free to add in a clove or two for an extra boost of flavour!
A close competitor of the great and famous HUMMUS – This roasted eggplant dip is for any smoky and feisty dip lover.
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time40 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: baba ghanoush, meditarranean, middle eastern
Servings: 4
Equipment
1 Baking Tray
1 High Speed Blender
1 Bowl
Ingredients
2mediumbrinjals
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1lime
1 tbsptahini
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4tsp black pepper
salt
Toppings
Olive Oil
Smoked Paprika
Coriander
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200C.
Halve 2 medium brinjals (or 1 huge brinjal) and spray with olive oil. You can choose to omit the oil if you are making this recipe oil free.
Roast the brinjals for 30 minutes.
Scrape the flesh and leave the skins* out. Combine roasted eggplant into a blender with lime, tahini, smoked paprika, cumin powder, black pepper and salt.
Blend until a thick mixture is formed. Transfer contents into a bowl and make a dent or a depression in the dip with a spoon. Top with some olive oil, smoked paprika and coriander.
Notes
This recipe is 100% gluten free.
You can omit olive oil completely if you’re making this recipe oil free.
You can choose to include the skins while blending the mixture to keep this recipe low waste. Blend the skins first, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
100% vegan and gluten goodness! Make this healthy popcorn tofu at home in just 10 minutes. It’s crunchy, firm and juicy!
Crunchy Popcorn Tofu
Here with another tofu recipe because tofu is life! It’s also a great source of vegan protein.
This popcorn tofu recipe is simple and it cleared out in just a few minutes by my family because it made such an addictive snack! It can also be easily used in wraps and salads – like in my Vegan Pasta Salad with Ranch Dressing – as well as a meat substitute in dishes.
If someone had made this Gochujang Tempeh sandwich back when I was a tempeh hater, I would have folded. This gorgeous gorgeous Gochujang Tempeh is meat-y, spicy with a hint of sweetness.
Spicy Gochujang Tempeh Sandwich
Yes, I was a former tempeh hater. I didn’t like how it smelled and how it tasted but only then I realised, I was not preparing it the right way! Tempeh is an ingredient made by fermenting soy beans so it contains all the good stuff – aka Lactobacillus acidophilus (probiotics!). Since vegans don’t consume traditional yoghurt because it contains dairy, vegan fermented foods like tempeh, kimchi and sauerkraut are life savers indeed!
This Gochujang Tempeh actually contains pan-fried tempeh in gochujang sauce, JUST Egg, spicy mayo and crunchy Korean seaweed flakes. I used the one from Bibigo, a Korean Cuisine brand.
Bibigo Korean Seaweed Flakes
Unfortunately, I have not tried a gluten free version of this because store-bought gochujang contains gluten by default because it contains barley and wheat. However, Koko Gochujang does offer a gluten-free Gochujang so if you are able to find those in Asian stores, feel free to substitute that!
Here’s how I make my gorgeous gorgeous Gochujang Tempeh sandwich
If someone had made this Gochujang Tempeh sandwich back when I was a tempeh hater, I would have folded. This gorgeous gorgeous Gochujang Tempeh is meat-y, spicy with a hint of sweetness.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, Fusion, Korean
Keyword: gochujang, sandwich, snack, tempeh
Equipment
2 Frying Pans
Small bowls
Ingredients
Gochujang Tempeh
50gtempeh block
1 tsp gochujang
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
2tsp sesame oil
1tspwater(to mix)
sesame/olive oil (for frying)
Spicy mayo
1 tsp gochujang
1 tbsp vegan mayo
Toppings
1burger bun or sandwich bread
seaweed flakes
1JUST Egg(folded)
Instructions
Pan fry tempeh in a splash of olive oil or sesame oil until crispy on both sides. This should take about 5 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, fry the JUST Egg (folded version) until crispy and soft.
Add together the ingredients for the sauce – gochujang, soy sauces, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Pour the sauce mixture over the tempeh and coat evenly.
Prepare gochujang mayo by mixing gochujang with vegan mayo. Slice the burger bun into half horizontally.
Assemble the ingredients in this way: Bun/Bread > Spicy mayo > JUST Egg > Gochujang Tempeh > Seaweed flakes > Bun/Bread. Slice into half vertically and enjoy!
Notes
Unfortunately, I have not tried a gluten free version of this because store-bought gochujang contains gluten by default because it contains barley and wheat. However, Koko Gochujang does offer a gluten-free Gochujang so if you are able to find those in Asian stores, feel free to substitute that!
You can substitute rice wine vinegar for mirin or white vinegar.
You can use any type of bread to make this sandwich. Sourdough or plain white bread would be amazing!
These vegan, gluten free & refined sugar free fudgy brownies are so addictive, you may not want to share this one! 😉
Vegan Fudgy Brownies that are ACTUALLY healthy!
I’ve been craving snacks lately but I don’t prefer desserts with refined sugar because it leaves me feeling tired and lowers my energy level throughout the day. However, this lovely fudgy and chocolate-y brownie recipe is refined flour free, refined sugar free and gluten free.
There is also a misconception that any vegan dessert tastes subpar since we don’t use butter or eggs. But in this case, we don’t NEED any butter or eggs for the brownies to get a nice fudgy center and a crackly top. I hope I’ve convinced you to at least read on!
How to Make Oat Flour
And you probably guessed it right! I used oat flour to get these fudgy brownies. You do have to ensure your oat flour is gluten free because regular oats contain gluten or traces of gluten.
You can easily make oat flour at home by pulsing oats into a blender in intervals. Firstly, you have to choose the right type of oats. Rolled oats are the best and I got mine from Bob’s Red Mill.
I then pulsed it 5-6 times to get finely ground oat flour. It’s simple, easy, cheap and doesn’t require too much effort! Make sure you don’t blend it or pulse it for too long, if not it will no longer have the texture and look of regular flour.
Wet Ingredients – mashed banana, gluten free plant milk like soy, almond or cashew milk, vanilla extract, creamy peanut butter
Toppings – organic chocolate chips or cacao nibs
The peanut butter elevated the flavour profile of the brownie. You can also substitute this with any other nut butter, like almond butter or cashew butter.
Tips and Tricks to get the Perfect Brownies
1. Do not overmix!
When you add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture, do not overmix. Overmixing can cause the brownies to be more dense in nature after baking. We want a fudgy but also cakey texture once baked.
2. The more chocolate chips, the better
Chocolate chips often contain refined sugar so choose organic and healthy alternatives if you can. If that is not accessible to you, you can also try using raw and unsweetened cacao nibs or one that is sweetened with yankon syrup.
And mix IN the chocolate chips while setting some aside to top the brownie.
Storage
These brownies are fresh when stored outside for about 3 days and last up to a week in the fridge. You can microwave them for a few seconds or bake them for 5 minutes at 180C to retain the taste and texture when you eat them again.
Infusing Asian flavours into recipes is my favourite thing to do – this vegan sandwich is packed with flavour from the teriyaki tofu, vegan mayo and fresh vegetables.
Teriyaki Tofu Vegan Sandwich
Sandwiches are one of the easiest meals to make and are also great meal prep options! You just have to chop and prepare your vegetables, protein in advance so making it only takes 5 minutes.
For the sandwich, I used a baguette but you can use any type of bread. Personally, I would recommend plain, lightly toasted bread to make sure the flavours of the tofu stand out. This kind of reminds me of Banh Mi (a Vietnamese Baguette filled with pickled radish, carrots, coriander and alternative meat substitutes).
Ingredients Needed
Making a loaded sandwich is also a great way to use up any leftover vegetables. I layered my sandwich with:
Bread – baguette or any plain lightly toasted white bread sourdough works as well.
Veggies – we used locally produced lettuce mix from Just Produce, sliced tomatoes and thinly sliced carrots
Teriyaki tofu – pan-fried to crispiness and coated with a signature homemade teriyaki sauce
Sauce – I used the vegan mayo option by Heinz.
Toppings – I topped the tofu with toasted sesame seeds for an extra boost of flavour and crunch.
The Process
The teriyaki tofu follows a very simple process – you would have to coat the tofu in a dry corn starch mixture before pan frying it crispy. The homemade teriyaki sauce is simply made from ingredients like soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, & sesame oil. Topping the tofu with toasted sesame seeds gives it an extra boost of umami-ness and crunch.
I used a baguette instead of regular bread for this vegan sandwich
The recipe is gluten free if you use gluten free bread and substitute the soy sauces for gluten free tamari.
Storage & Serving
You can bring this to office for lunch – let the sandwich cool completely, then wrap it in parchment paper or aluminum foil and bring it in a lunch box.
I would recommend putting the sandwich together before you consume that day instead of preparing it days in advance because it may get soggy. You can prepare the ingredients in advance but put them together on the day of consumption or right before consumption.
You can keep the teriyaki tofu in the fridge for up to 2 days. I used fresh tofu so I try to consume it as soon as I can for the best and freshest flavour.
Cut tofu into long, rectangular blocks. Mix together corn starch, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
Coat tofu slices in corn flour mixture and pan fry until crispy (I used about 1 tbsp olive oil)
Mix the marinade ingredients – light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil. Pour over the tofu in the pan and give it a good mix. Take off heat immediately afterwards.
You can mix in some toasted sesame seeds if you're using the tofu for another dish.
Layer the sandwich with bread, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, tofu, toasted sesame seeds and vegan mayo in that order.
Cut the sandwich into half and it's ready to eat!
Notes
The recipe is gluten free if you use gluten free bread and substitute the soy sauces for gluten free tamari.
You can substitute rice wine vinegar with white vinegar or mirin.
This recipe will not work with soft or silken tofu, only firm tofu. You can freeze and thaw the tofu for an even firmer and chewier texture.
