Veganuary: Recipes to enjoy as part of the pledge

More than 582,000 people from 209 countries and territories officially took part in Veganuary last year and campaigners expect this year to be even bigger as climate change is at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Veganaury searches are up a staggering 3044 per cent from last year, which shows the majority of people are taking part this month.

This collection of vegan-friendly recipes from Ocado are both brilliant for those who are after something easy to whip up, a recipe that the whole family will love or those who are short on time but don't want to compromise on flavour. From protein-rich sweet potato jackets stuffed with bean chilli and topped with jalapenos, to family-friendly BBQ pulled jackfruit.

Aubergine Katsu Curry with Pickled Radishes

Ingredients

100g radishes, topped, tailed and finely sliced

1½ tsp salt

3 tbsp mirin

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

3 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1½ cm ginger, peeled and grated

2 tbsp curry powder

10 tbsp plain flour

500ml vegan veg stock

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 aubergines, cut lengthways into ½cm-thick slices

200g panko breadcrumbs

Step 1

Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the radishes into a heatproof bowl, add 100ml just-boiled water, stir in ½tsp of the salt and add the mirin and vinegar, and set aside.

Step 2

To make the katsu sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion, carrots and sweet potato for 10 mins. Add the garlic and ginger, fry for 2 mins, cover then leave to steam for 5 mins.

Step 3

Add the curry powder, stir for 2 mins, then stir in 2tbsp flour. Add the stock slowly and bring to the boil. Add ½tsp salt, the soy sauce and ketchup, take off the heat and use a stick blender to blend until smooth.

Step 4

Line an oven tray with baking paper. Put 8tbsp flour on a lipped plate, then slowly mix with about 180ml water and ½tsp salt to make a thin paste. Put the panko on another plate. Cover both sides of each aubergine slice in the flour paste, shaking off any excess, then press into the panko. Lay the coated slices on the prepared tray and drizzle both sides with oil. Bake for 15 mins on each side, turn the heat up to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9 and cook for 10 mins more, until crisp.

Step 5

Just before serving, gently reheat the sauce for 5 mins (add water and salt if need be). Put 3 or 4 aubergine slices on each plate, douse in the sauce, and top with drained pickled radish. Serve with rice and salad leaves.

BBQ Pulled Jackfruit with Sweetcorn Salsa

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 red onions, diced

2 green peppers, finely sliced

400g jackfruit, drained and rinsed

2 tsp mild chilli powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tbsp Worcester sauce (vegan if required)

4 tbsp tinned sweetcorn, drained

2 avocados, diced

1 large handful fresh coriander, leaves finely chopped

2 limes, juiced

4 burger buns, sliced in half

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

½ tsp smoked sea salt

Step 1

To make the pulled jackfruit, heat the sunflower oil, red onions and green peppers in a large pan over a medium-high heat for 5 mins, until the onion begins to turn golden and the pepper softens.

Step 2

Add in the jackfruit, separating the strands with a wooden spoon. Stir through the chilli powder, smoked paprika, cinnamon and vegan Worcester sauce. Cook for 10 mins, stirring frequently.

Step 3

In the meantime, prepare the sweetcorn salsa. Add the sweetcorn, avocado and coriander to a bowl and stir through the lime juice. Allow to infuse for 5 mins.

Step 4

Brush the non-seeded side of the bread buns with olive oil and place onto a hot griddle pan or under the grill for 3-4 mins until just toasted.

Step 5

When the jackfruit is done, remove from the heat and scatter over the chopped parsley and smoked sea salt.

Step 6

To assemble, load the BBQ pulled jackfruit into the buns followed by the sweetcorn salsa, finishing with the top half of the seeded buns.

Plum and Cardamom Crumble Tart

Ingredients

1 tbsp milled flaxseed

130g gluten-free oats, blitzed to a flour consistency

130g plain gluten-free flour

1 tbsp xanthan gum

½ tsp sea salt

90g light soft brown sugar, plus 1tsp for sprinkling

1½ tsp ground cardamom, (or grind the seeds from 4-5 cardamom pods)

140g dairy-free butter, chilled and diced

800g plums, destoned and roughly chopped

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground nutmeg

Step 1

Mix the flaxseed with 2tbsp water in a cup; set aside for 5 mins to thicken. Meanwhile, put the oats, flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, 50g of the sugar and ½tsp of the cardamom in a bowl.

Step 2

Add the thickened flaxseed and the butter; combine with your hands until crumbs form. Put half the mixture into a 20cm round tart tin; use the back of a spoon to press it into the base and sides. Pierce all over with a fork and chill in the fridge for 15 mins. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.

Step 3

Meanwhile, take the remaining mixture and form a chunky crumble by scrunching some of it together with your fingers; set aside.

Step 4

Add the plums to a pan with 40g of the sugar, the cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining cardamom and stew for 10 mins on a medium-low heat, until the plums soften and release their juices.

Step 5

Remove the pastry case from the fridge and spoon in the stewed plums. Top with the crumble in a ring pattern, so that the fruit centre is exposed. Sprinkle the remaining 1tsp of sugar on top and bake in the middle of the oven for 40 mins, or until golden and the fruit is bubbling. Serve with dairy-free ice cream. It will keep, covered, in the fridge for 2-3 days; reheat at 195°C/175°C fan/gas 5-6 for 10-15 mins.

Vegan malt ice cream with honeycomb and chocolate sauce

Ingredients

400g coconut milk, plus 100g for the chocolate sauce

100g malt syrup

60g light brown sugar

1 tsp oil, to grease

150g caster sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g vegan dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Step 1

To make the ice cream, warm 200ml coconut milk with the malt syrup and light brown sugar for 1-2 mins, until the sugar has dissolved. Pour in another 200ml coconut milk, mix, then set aside to cool.

Step 2

Once cool, pour into an ice-cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you don’t have an ice-cream maker, pour the cooled mixture into a chilled tub and put in the freezer. Remove and give it a good stir every 20-30 mins for the next couple of hours, then leave it to chill in the freezer.

Step 3

For the honeycomb, line a small, metal roasting tin with foil, and lightly grease with a little oil. Tip the caster sugar and 50ml water into a large saucepan and put on a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and boil the syrup until it reaches a honey-brown colour, then turn off the heat and stir in the bicarb. Quickly pour out the bubbling, molten caramel into your prepared tin and leave it to cool.

Step 4

To make the chocolate sauce, warm the remaining 100ml coconut milk in a small pan, then stir in the chocolate until melted.

Step 5

To serve, put a couple of generous scoops of ice cream in a bowl, crumble over some honeycomb and finish with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Recipes courtesy of: Ocado.com