Vegan

Buffalo Cauliflower Mac from Vegan Mac and Cheese

https://www.chicvegan.com/buffalo-cauliflower-mac-from-vegan-mac-and-cheese/

Non-dairy cheesy, saucy macaroni perfectly complements spicy buffalo cauliflower in this Buffalo Cauliflower Mac recipe from Vegan Mac and Cheese by Robin Robertson. It’s the perfect dinnertime comfort food!

Vegan Mac and Cheese

When I get a new cookbook, I almost always gravitate to the macaroni and cheese recipe. If it has a delicious mac and cheese recipe, then I know it’s a good cookbook. That was impossible to do with Robin Robertson’s new cookbook, though, as it contains nothing but mac and cheese recipes!

Vegan Mac and Cheese is a comfort food lover’s dream come true. It contains more than 50 recipes for dairy-free macaroni and cheese. I know what you’re thinking, “Is it really possible to make that many different types of mac and cheese?” And the answer is yes! And wait until you see how creative they are!

Robin starts the book with a history lesson. The history of mac and cheese that is! She shares the low-down on veganizing this classic dish, reasons why you should make it yourself, the different types of pasta you should use, and a variety of ways to make dairy-free cheese sauces. She includes different topping and add-in ideas, too.

The Recipes

The recipes in Vegan Mac and Cheese are super creative! Robin uses global inspiration in such recipes as Italian Macaroni Pie, Mac and Thai, and Noodle Kugel. She adds veggies to macaroni in Broccoli Mac UnCheese, Spinach Artichoke Mac UnCheese, and Asparagus Mac and Hollandaise. There are also recipes for those who crave a heartier dish, such as Chili Mac, BBQ Jack Mac, and Shepherd’s Mac. She even plays with her food in such recipes as Mac UnCheese Balls, Waffled Mac and UnCheese, and Cheesy Mug Mac.

Chapters in Vegan Mac and Cheese Include:

Basic Mac UnCheese
Global Cheesy Mains
Mac and Veggies
Meaty Macs
Fun with Mac UnCheese

If you’re looking for creative ways to make everyone’s favorite comfort food, this is the book for you!

Buffalo Cauliflower Mac

Buffalo cauliflower has been making the rounds, so it should come as no surprise that it turns up in a mac uncheese. The cheesy, saucy macaroni is a perfect foil for the spicy hot cauliflower.

Ingredients

Sauce

1
large russet potato
cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
1
large carrot
cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
2 1/2
cups
(600 ml) vegetable broth
2/3
cup
(40 g) nutritional yeast
2
tablespoons
(30 ml) tamari
1/2
teaspoon
onion powder
1/2
teaspoon
garlic powder
Salt

Cauliflower

1
head cauliflower
cored and cut into bite-size pieces
Olive oil cooking spray
for the cauliflower
1
teaspoon
garlic powder
Salt
1/3
cup
(80 ml) hot pepper sauce
preferably Frank’s RedHot
4
tablespoons
(56 g) vegan butter
melted
1
tablespoon
(15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1
teaspoon
paprika

Pasta

16
ounces
(454 elbow macaroni
or other small pasta

Instructions

To make the sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the potato, carrot, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor. Add the nutritional yeast, tamari, onion powder, and garlic powder and season with salt. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the cauliflower: Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Spray the cauliflower with cooking spray and sprinkle with the garlic powder and salt. Roast for 20 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a large bowl and add the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, and paprika. Stir well to coat. Return the cauliflower to the baking sheet (you may want to use a new sheet of parchmenand arrange it in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes more.
To make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and return it to the pot.
Stir in the sauce and place the pot over low heat. Cook for a few minutes to heat through.
Add the buffalo cauliflower and gently stir to combine. Serve hot.

Recipe Notes

Photography: Jack Adams Photography

Vegan

Tofu Kondattam (South Indian Spicy Crispy Tofu)

Tofu Kondattam, a South Indian crispy spicy tofu is a fantastic side or appetizer! Tofu is crisped with spices then tossed in a thick sauce of aromatics, four types of chilies – Kashmiri chili powder, pepper, red and green chilies, curry leaves and Garam masala! Try this regional Indian recipe.

tofu kondattam in the pan after cooking and adding garnishes

I love this spicy crispy kondattam. This southern Indian spicy dish usually has chicken is marinated and then fried. I’ve made a version before, see my crispy Soy Curls Kondattam. For this version, I make it saucier and use tofu that is marinated and baked to get it nice and crisp without. Then, we make the sauce and toss all of that together for this amazingly flavorful dish that you can serve as a starter, side or as an entree.

Chicken kondattam is a spicy dish from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Traditionally, for this dish, chicken is marinated in a fiery red marinade and then fried to crisp. Then it is tossed with thick sauce of dried chilies, curry leaves, ground spices, and Kashmiri chili powder.

Tofu kondattam is really hot with four types of chilis bringing the heat: Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper, dried red chilis and green chilies! If you want it to be less hot, you can reduce the amount of dried red and the green chilies or choose milder versions. You can cut down on the black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder, as well. The color will change a bit, because the Kashmiri chili powder adds a lot of color to the dish, but there’ll still be plenty of flavor, even if you need to cut it a little bit.

This dish definitely tastes the best if you use real Kashmiri chili powder, because the chilies have a specific flavor profile. It will work with paprika instead, but for the real deal, get some Kashmiri chili powder.