‘Speedy BOSH!’: Quick and easy vegan recipes from spicy stuffed aubergines to the ‘ultimate’ mac and cheese

Spicy stuffed aubergines

A cheeky twist on the classic dish imam biyaldi, these stuffed aubergines are to die for.

Imam biyaldi roughly translates to “the priest fainted”, and folklore tells us that a priest was so impressed by the dish upon first eating it that he swooned. 

Our version is definitely delicious enough to make a holy man topple… The mince and onion stuffing browns brilliantly and packs a spicy punch, while the traditional tahini and mint dressing cools the whole thing down. If you’re a fan of aubergine, this is a must-try! We prefer to use a new, tasty brand of plant-based mince for this, available chilled in most good supermarkets.

Serves 2

2 aubergines

2 tbsp harissa paste

Handful of flaked almonds

1 fresh red chilli

Handful of fresh mint

Handful of fresh coriander

80g pomegranate seeds

Salt

For the stuffing

2 tbsp olive oil

½ onion

200g soya mince

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ground cumin

For the tahini dressing

100g tahini

1 tbsp dried mint

100ml water

1 lemon

Salt

Preheat grill to max. Line a baking tray. Frying pan on a medium heat. Kettle boiled. Whisk.

Grill the aubergine: Cut the aubergines in half lengthways and lay them flesh-side up on the baking tray. Score the flesh in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to pierce the skin. Brush the scored flesh with the harissa paste and sprinkle with salt. Place under the hot grill to cook until soft, about 13-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the stuffing mixture: Add the olive oil to the hot frying pan. Peel and dice the onion and add it to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes until soft. 

While the onions are cooking:  Hydrate the soya mince according to the packet instructions. Drain, pressing the mince with the back of a spoon to remove excess water. Add the mince and the ground spices to the onions and cook until golden and fragrant. Taste and season to perfection.

Make the dressing: Combine the tahini, mint and water in a bowl. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice. Whisk to a pouring consistency, adding extra tahini if the mixture is too loose, or extra water if it’s too thick. Taste and season with a little salt, to taste

Serve: Take the tray out of the oven and transfer the aubergines to a serving dish. Tip the flaked almonds onto the tray and toast very briefly under the grill. Finely slice the chilli and tear the leaves from the fresh herbs. Tip the spiced stuffing mixture over the aubergines. Drizzle with the tahini dressing. Scatter over the herbs, chilli, pomegranate seeds and toasted flaked almonds, then serve.

Tofu satay kebabs with fresh herbs

We’ve both fallen in love with Thailand and its incredible food. The peanutty deliciousness of satay sauce is one of the cornerstones of Thai cooking. Firm tofu is a great partner for it; it’s packed full of protein, has a robust texture and takes on flavour beautifully. 

The marinade for this recipe is both sharp and spicy, which really helps bring the tofu to life, while the cornflour coating offers up a cracking crunch and the satay sauce is, well, enormously satay-sfying! The aromatic fresh herbs and lettuce leaves kinda make them feel like Thai Tacos! Hmm, maybe that’s what we should have called them. Either way, you’ll love them.

Serves 4

280g firm tofu

½ lime

2 tbsp tamari/dark soy sauce 

2 tbsp sriracha

4 tbsp cornflour

2 tbsp coconut oil

For the satay sauce 

1 lime

2 tbsp water

3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sriracha 

1 tsp Chinese vinegar 

To serve

2 limes 

2 heads of little gem lettuce

4 spring onions

Small handful of fresh coriander

Small handful of fresh mint 

Small handful of Thai basil

Handful of dry roasted peanuts 

1 fresh red chilli

Sea salt 

Medium frying pan on a medium heat. Line a plate with kitchen paper. Small food processor. Mortar and pestle or rolling pin.

Start with the tofu: Slice the tofu into 12 fingers and place in a bowl. Squeeze the lime half over the tofu, then sprinkle over the tamari or soy sauce, sriracha and cornflour and toss to coat. Add the coconut oil to the hot frying pan. Transfer the tofu fingers to the hot oil and fry on all sides until golden. Remove to drain on the kitchen paper.

Meanwhile, make the satay sauce: Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice into the food processor. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and blitz until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Prepare the wraps and garnishes: Cut the limes into small wedges. Separate the lettuce leaves and arrange them on a serving platter. Sprinkle with pinch of sea salt and a squeeze of lime from one of the wedges. Snip the spring onions over the lettuce. Arrange the fresh herbs and lime wedges around the platter. Bash the peanuts in a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin and put them in a serving bowl. Transfer the tofu to a serving plate. Finely chop the chilli and scatter it over the tofu.

To serve: Bring everything to the table and let everyone assemble their wraps as they like. Tuck in!

Ultimate vegan mac and cheese

There’s something about creamy, cheesy pasta that just works. Mac and cheese is perhaps the perfect example of this, and that’s why it’s become a vegan street food classic all over the world. This speedy version is exceptionally creamy, incredibly cheesy and wonderfully crunchy. Coupled with a fresh salad it’s the stuff of dreams. Choose a vegan cheese you like the taste of and stick with it, then you know it’ll taste good.

Serves 4-6

300g macaroni

750ml unsweetened plant-based milk

50g cashew nuts

40ml olive oil

1 garlic clove

40g flour

100g dairy-free cheese

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp Dijon mustard

50g fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Preheat grill to high. Large saucepan of salted water on a high heat. Medium saucepan on a medium-high heat. Power blender. Large ovenproof frying pan. Microplane or fine grater. Whisk.

Cook the mac: Bring the pan of salted water to the boil. Add the macaroni and cook for 1 minute less than stated on the packet instructions. Drain

Meanwhile, make the nut milk mixture: Put the almond milk and cashews into the medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow to cool. Transfer the mixture to the power blender and blitz until smooth

Make the sauce: Put the frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil.  Peel the garlic and grate it straight into the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes until just starting to brown. Add the flour to the pan and whisk until it combines with the garlicky oil to make a paste.  Cook for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low. Slowly pour in a little of the nut milk mixture and whisk until completely combined. Keep adding more, little by little, whisking until all the nut milk is incorporated. Cook for 2 minutes. Grate the dairy-free cheese. Add the nutritional yeast, mustard and cheese to the pan. Stir to mix, adding a splash more almond milk if the mixture is too thick. Taste and season generously with salt and pepper. Drain the cooked macaroni. Take the pan of sauce off the heat and tip in the drained pasta. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Make the topping:  Put the breadcrumbs, olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper into a bowl and stir to mix. Scatter the crumbs over the pasta

Finish: Place the pan under the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it, until the topping is crispy. Serve.

‘Speedy BOSH!’ by Ian Theasby and Henry Firth is out now : £16.99