The Secret Formula logo

Archives for April 2016

Russian Salad (Vegan)

By Leave a Comment

A bowl full of goodness.

This is one salad that is hearty, filling and chock full of nutrients while being delicious (even  the versions with just potatoes and hardly anything else!)

A great way to feel satiated and refreshed this summer.

Just the thing for a light, al fresco lunch in the blazing summer.

For me, this is particularly high on nostalgia because it used to be one of my favorite things to order long ago at a restaurant called Casa Piccola (now non-existent), one of the few places in Bangalore where one would find continental type of dishes, a tad homely in style, but such menu choices were few and far between, those days.

So naturally, one of the first things I wanted to use my home-made Vegan Mayonnaise (with Aquafaba) was this.

This is my version, with plenty of fruits and veggies along with my favorite potatoes.

If not ultra strict, it even works as a ‘phalahari, or fasting food.

A delicious way to get a dose of fresh nutrients!




Ingredients: (4 large servings)

Boiled (Waxy) Potatoes – 5 or 6 medium sized, peeled, cut into chunks.
Lightly-steamed/Blanched Vegetables – 4-5 cups (carrots, french beans, peas), peeled and cubed
Crunchy apple (tart or sweet) – 1 small, cut into chunks.
Pineapple – 1 cup, cut into chunks
Vegan Mayonnaise (see here for how to make) – 3/4 cup (or to taste)
Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
English Cucumber – 1 cut into chunks
Olives – 1-2 Tablespoon
Pickled gherkins – 6 small, sliced
Capers – 1 Tablespoon
Celery – 1-2 sticks finely chopped
Fresh Parsely – 1-2 Tablespoon finely chopped
Salt and freshly milled pepper – to taste

(All  ingredients and quantities flexible and optional, depending on preference.)










Method:

Mix everything well together. Add the vegan Mayo dressing, and toss it all together till the pieces are nicely coated.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Serve cold (or just slightly cool, as I like it).

Vegan Mayonnaise – with Aquafaba (Version 1)

By Leave a Comment

   Quick and easy, home-made, vegan mayo.

Yum.
Rich.
Creamy.
Perfect.
And no egg!

No nasties, either.  (Remember that ingredient list of a commercially made mayo jar?!)

It is so simple and easy to make, and far more delicious than the store-bought version, with the possibility of tweaking the taste endlessly as desired.

What’s not to like?

This vegan version is made using aquafaba, or chickpea water, (see here for more) which is the egg replacer, along with vinegar and oil.

(Adapted only very slightly from Peanut Butter and Vegan.)


Ingredients:

Aquafaba – 3 Tablespoons
White wine vinegar – 1 Tablespoon (Can be apple cider vinegar)
Mustard powder – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – 1/2 teasoon
Sunflower oil – 3/4 to 1 cup (Or any neutral-tasting oil, like Safflower)

Method:

1. Using an immersion blender (or a mixie jar – if the quantity is enough get whizzed) blitz the first four ingredients – ie, the aquafaba, the vinegar, the mustard and salt) briefly…….

…….. till well mixed.

2. Slowly drizzle the oil into the mixture, little by little, while keeping the blender running (Or add into the blender jar in small installments, and blitz).

The mixture will begin to thicken.

3. Once thick enough to hold, stop adding oil.




That’s it. It’s done!

Makes a great gift, too. (Along with storage and shelf-life caveats, of course.)

Notes:

  • Refrigerate to store. I have no idea what is the shelf life of this mayo, but I do know that cooked chickpeas are quite perishable,
    Though it’s not advisable to store for too long, the flavours really do meld well with time.
    This is especially true when mixed into a cold salad.
    So it’s a balance between using discretion about the perishability, and allowing the flavours to marinate. 😀
    (I kept mine in the fridge for around three days – the mayo seemed fine. It also was fine in one salad that had just this dressing, but didn’t keep too well in another salad where i mixed it in half and half with hung (greek) yoghurt – though that had tasted great when freshly made.)
  • The consistency of this one might be a tad thinner than the commercial versions.  It will thicken slightly on refrigeration.
  • And since there are no chemical preservatives either (that’s the whole point after all!), I wouldn’t really keep more than two days even refrigerated.
    So this quantity (around 3/4 to 1 cup, depending on how much oil got used) is a good amount to make.
  • The main (predominant) flavours really come from the vinegar and the mustard. (I used premium, white wine vinegar and yellow mustard, freshly powdered).

    I’ve also tried versions with other spices and condiments to vary the flavours, it’s immensely “tweak-able” – and they all work really well. (Coming up, sometime soon!).

  • Though the oil is not an important contributor to the flavour (and deliberately so), it IS the main ingredient by volume in this condiment, constituting the bulk of it. Good to remember if planning to use by cupfuls! 😉

(Try it in this delicious Russian Salad)