Vegan Bibimbap Bowl

by Liz Child

Bibimbap means mixed rice and we are totally in love with the concept and flavours of these colourful Korean bowls. We eat versions of this so often, it’s our go-to dinner when we are stuck for inspiration. They’re a great way to use up leftovers or odds and ends from your veg drawer too. Eat with hot sauce and kimchi – a spicy, sour fermented cabbage full of flavour and so much goodness for your guts – we stock a really good one or search here in the blog to make your own. Traditionally topped with a raw or fried egg, we prefer some scrambled tofu. Here’s the very loose and flexible recipe which you should totally make your own. Enjoy!

Liz x

Ingredients

  • Cooked rice (hot or cold)
  • kale, garlic, salt
  • mushrooms, soy sauce
  • carrots, sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice, sesame seeds
  • scallions
  • silken tofu, salt, pepper, turmeric
  • kimchi
  • hot sauce

Method

  1. Cook rice or use leftover rice and make a cold bowl.
  2. Rinse your kale and strip out the tough stems. Finely slice the stems and place in a pan with a little oil and some sliced garlic. Sauté gently until they start to soften, then add the wet leaves and a sprinkle of salt. Stir fry to wilt the leaves, you may want to add a little splash of water to help them wilt.
  3. Slice the mushrooms and sauté with a little oil until they start to colour. Then add a splash of soy sauce and let the mushrooms cook for a few minutes until they are dark and delicious.
  4. Grate or julienne carrots. Mix them in a bowl with a splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a squeeze of lime. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  5. Scramble tofu by stirring silken tofu in a hot pan with some butter, salt, pepper and a pinch of turmeric. Break it up into lumps and sauté until it’s hot through.
  6. Slice your scallions and assemble your bowls. Start with rice then top with a portion of all the other sides. Stir and dig in!

Teriyaki Aubergine Rice bowl

by Liz Child

We have some new organic, Asian sauces on our list now to make your meals even easier (and more delicious!) We are currently obsessed with teriyaki. It is sweet and salty and so full of flavour. Use it to marinade veggies or tofu and bake or stir fry. Here’s how I made this delicious week-night supper.

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 2)

Method

  1. Turn your oven to 200C and find a small baking dish.
  2. Get your brown rice on to cook (brown rice takes longer than white so if you are using white rice, start it after the aubergine is in the oven). Rinse the cup of rice through a fine sieve then add it to a small pot. Add 2 small cups of water, put the lid on the pot and turn it onto the highest setting. As soon as it comes to a boil, turn it to the lowest setting and leave the lid on. Let the rice simmer, it should absorb all the water in around 30 minutes or so and be perfectly cooked through. Keep an eye on it.
  3. Cut the aubergine in half, lengthways, then score the flat surface deeply with a small, sharp knife. Cut diagonal lines into the white, spongey flesh and then criss-cross the other direction. Careful not to cut too deeply.
  4. Spoon over the teriyaki sauce and, using the back of the spoon, rub it into the cuts to effectively marinade the aubergine. Place the aubergine, cut sides up, into the baking dish then bake until soft – this usually takes around 20-30 minutes depending on the size of your aubergine.
  5. Meanwhile stir-fry the broccoli and tofu together with the sesame oil and soy sauce/tamari.
  6. Then plate up, divide the rice, stir fry and baked aubergine between two bowls. Top with sesame seeds, chilli flakes and kimchi as you like. I also added shredded nori seaweed and an extra drizzle of soy sauce to my bowl. Enjoy!

Miso Aubergine with Rice, Beans & Greens

by Liz Child

We have a new product in our grocery section that is absolutely delicious. These sachets of umami pastes which are basically organic miso with added ingredients like ginger, garlic and chilli. They are flavour bombs and we love them as a marinade for aubergine in this simple, hearty supper. The paste can be used to marinade skewers of tofu and mushrooms for the barbecue too, or even as a stunning broth base for a light miso soup. How would you use them?

Liz x

Find lots of organic groceries here to be delivered along with your fresh fruit and veg.

Ingredients (serves 2)

  • rice for two (I bring 1/2 a mug of brown rice with 1 mug of water to a boil in a pan with the lid on, then turn down to the lowest setting and simmer until the rice has absorbed all water)
  • 1 aubergine
  • 2 tbsp umami paste
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 garlic cloves – sliced
  • 1 bunch of rainbow chard – stalks separated and sliced
  • 1 tin of black beans – drained
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C and get some brown rice on to cook – see ingredients list for my super-simple method.
  2. Cut the aubergine in half lengthways and score the cut side deeply with a small, sharp knife. Spread a tbsp of umami paste onto each half and make sure you get it into all the cuts. Place the aubergines in a small roasting dish in the oven to cook while you prepare the greens and beans.
  3. Separate the stalks from the rainbow chard and slice them. They take longer to cook than the delicate green leaves. Put them in a pan with the vegetable oil and sliced garlic. Sauté until just starting to soften.
  4. Then add the drained tin of black beans to the pan and turn the heat off until the rice and aubergine are cooked through.
  5. When the aubergine is soft (this usually takes around 20 minutes), remove it from the oven and sprinkle it with sesame seeds. Return the dish to the oven for 5 minutes to toast the seeds.
  6. Meanwhile turn the heat back on under the beans and add the greens and a splash of soy sauce (around 2 tbsp). Stir and wilt the greens. Then serve.
  7. Divide the rice between two bowls. Add the garlicky beans and greens and a half of the aubergine to each bowl. Enjoy as it is or with a side of kimchi.