Thai Vegetable Salad With Peanut-Butter Dressing

Each year, Spring sprinkles stardust over Washington, turning it into the most beautiful city in the whole world.

Okay, I haven't seen the whole world, but you get my drift? There isn't a better time to be here than right now, when temperatures are in the '70s, the thundershowers are too brief to spoil a whole day, and flowers paint an elaborate rainbow of colors across every street and yard.

Lawns have magically gone from brown to emerald green, the oaks and the maples are rapidly filling up with squeaky-new leaves that weave into a deep canopy over grey roads, and the dogwoods and azaleas are flaunting their short-lived but gorgeous blooms.



Spring's my favorite season, as it probably is everyone else's, because it's time to emerge from the chrysalis of our winter-weary homes and enjoy the greatest miracle we'll ever see-- the renewal of life. I, for one, can't help but feel a little stab of wonder each time I see a tiny green stalk push its head out of the earth, eager to breathe and grow.

It's also, of course, time to start pulling out all those weeds that have taken over the flower and vegetable beds and get bitten by little insects hiding in the grass, but let's not get into that here.



Coming to the point of this post, Spring is the time when all sorts of fresh veggies start crowding the market, making it a vegetarian or vegan cook's paradise. And although I am not a huge salad person, it's a time when I actually feel like mixing up a salad-- or two.

One of my favorites is this Thai salad, which has a healthy and robust peanut-butter dressing, is bursting with veggies and protein and is really good for you. Cutting all the veggies into juliennes or matchstick-sized pieces is a little time-consuming, but it is also therapeutic and if you make the effort you won't be sorry you did.



Enjoy, everyone, the recipe and the beautiful Spring!

This salad goes to Priya of Akshayapaatram who's this month's guest host of It's A Vegan World: Thai and who's been cooking up some of the most delicious Thai food I've ever seen. And it's great eye candy too!


Thai Vegetable Salad With Peanut-Butter Dressing

Shred into thin, matchstick-sized pieces and place in a large bowl:

1 zucchini

1 yellow squash

1/4 head of cabbage

1 carrot

(Feel free to use more or other veggies. Peppers of any color, scallions, green beans steamed until just tender, and even broccoli would work here)

Sprinkle over the veggies 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

For the dressing:

Place in a blender--

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1-2 tsp hot sauce like Sriracha

1-2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp roasted sesame oil

Give it a stir, adding some water to reach a pourable consistency.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables, and toss to coat.

Shred 10-12 leaves of basil or chop 1/4 cup of coriander/cilantro leaves and mix in.

I also added some tofu to the salad to make it a complete meal. It is optional. I boiled firm tofu in 1 1/2 cups of water to which I'd added a 1-inch piece of ginger, shredded, and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes, then cut into cubes and toss into the salad.

Let the salad stand a few minutes before serving.

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I have finally added a recipe index in the top right corner to help my readers better navigate the blog. All my recipes are now listed on one page. It's a work in progress, but it's a beginning and something I wish I had done a long time ago.

Now here's a picture of Lucy in her favorite perch. All the pictures, as usual, were taken by Desi.

Thai Curried Chickpeas With Coconut Rice

I've been going through coconut milk like crazy this month, not least because this past week I've been trying out Thai food for It's A Vegan World: Thai, started right here on Holy Cow! and hosted this month by Priya of Askhayapaatram.

I love coconut milk, so no complaints. Plus, although it does have a fairly high fat content, the fats in coconut milk are actually good for you, unlike cream or butter or other kinds of fat that usually give foods their richness.

My recipes for today are Thai Curried Chickpeas and Thai Coconut Rice, which are divine either by themselves or with each other.

I chose the chickpeas because for one, I don't run into too many bean dishes when browsing through Thai recipes, and for another, I'm mad about chickpeas. And although I love coconut rice the way I've done it for ages, the South Indian way, this recipe-- which is much more pared down-- is just as delicious. Some recipes I saw called for the addition of a sweetener like maple syrup or brown sugar to the rice, but I chose not to add those because I love the flavor of the coconut by itself. The addition of coconut oil to the recipe really packs a punch, so try not to skip it.

My recipe for Thai curry paste is very versatile, so feel free to experiment with ingredients that have a similar taste if you can't find the real thing. For instance, replace the lemon grass with extra lime juice, or use ginger instead of the galangal. Make sure you taste everything as you go along, and you won't fail!

Here are the recipes. Enjoy, everyone!

Thai Coconut Rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups long-grain rice like Jasmine or Basmati

1 1/2 cups coconut milk + 1 1/2 cups water

1 tbsp coconut oil

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan.

Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes until the grains start to turn opaque.

Add the coconut milk, water, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer until done for 15 minutes. Leave the lid on for at least another 10 minutes after cooking before you handle the rice.

With a fork, gently fluff up and mix the grains with any of the coconut-milk solids that might have separated to the top.

Thai Curried Chickpeas

Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas, washed, soaked for a few hours and then cooked until tender (or use 2 cups of canned chickpeas, drained and washed)

2 tbsp red Thai Curry Paste (recipe follows)

1 medium onion, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 tsp tamari sauce (use regular soy sauce if you can't find this)

1 medium tomato, diced

Juice of half a lime

1 tbsp sugar

10-15 basil leaves, cut into strips (use cilantro/coriander leaves if you can't find these)

1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onions. Stir-fry until they brown.

Add the garlic and 1 tbsp of the red curry paste. Stir until the paste has dissolved into the oil.

Add the chickpeas, tamari/soy sauce, sugar, lime juice and tomatoes. If the mixture is dry, add about 1/2 cup of water.

When it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer another two-three minutes. Add the coconut milk and warm through without bringing to a boil.

Add the remaining 1 tbsp of red curry paste and stir in.

Check if you need salt. Add the basil leaves and turn off the heat.

Thai Red Curry Paste

Ingredients:

1/2 onion, diced

3 red chillies

1-inch piece of galangal, sliced thinly (use ginger as a substitute)

1 stalk of lemongrass. Trim off the top and the hard outer leaves and slice finely

1 tbsp lime juice + zest of one lime

1 tbsp Thai hot sauce, like Sriracha

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground black or white pepper

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

Up to 1/4 cup of canola or other flavorless vegetable oil

Put all the ingredients in the grinder but add just enough oil to keep the blades moving. Add the rest of the oil if needed, to make a fairly smooth paste.

Freeze any remaining paste after use in an airtight container and thaw before using again.

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While my other dogs and cats usually cuddle up at night in their own beds, Opie prefers to take over ours. I think he looks like a lion when he yawns :)

Thai-Style Noodles In Coconut Sauce

When I go out with friends and work acquaintances for lunch, they invariably tread gingerly around the Vegan.

"Where would you like to eat?" they ask.

"Anywhere, really?" I offer.

"No, you decide. I'm fine with anything that's fine by you," goes the other person.

So, with the burden of decision-making on my shoulders, I usually respond, "How about Thai?"

I don't know anyone who's turned that down yet.

Thai food's a crowd-pleaser, an everybody-pleaser, really. After all, what's not to love? The delicious bite of chilli, the fragrance of herbs like basil and lemon grass, the creamy allure of coconut milk...what more can one ask for?

Plus, it's wonderful for a vegan because the Thai restaurants in my city, at least, offer several vegetarian and vegan options.

My dish for today is a mish-mash of many different recipes from Thai cuisine and one for which cooking purists might want to condemn me to death. But it's a dish I'd be happy to have for my last meal.

There's tofu in this recipe, and I marinate it for an extra flavor punch in sesame oil and screaming-hot Sriracha sauce. Yum.

Enough said. Here goes the recipe for my Thai-Style Noodles In Coconut Sauce. They are divine and delicious and to die for. And they go, of course, to It's A Vegan World: Thai, hosted this month by the beautiful blog Akshayapaatram. Thanks, Priya!

Thai-Style Noodles In Coconut Sauce

1 package extra-firm tofu. Swaddle it in paper towels or cheesecloth and place in a colander with a heavy pan or other weight on top. Let most of the water drain out.

In a glass baking dish mix together:

1 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce (use any other hot sauce or chilli powder if you can't find this)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp sugar

Soak the block of tofu on each side in the sauce, then place in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes. Turn over once halfway through baking. After the tofu has cooled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.

Cook 1 lb very thin whole-wheat noodles, like Japanese Somen Noodles, according to package directions and drain.

Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a wok.

Add:

5 cloves garlic, minced

Stir until the garlic starts to turn golden

Add:

1 red bell pepper, cut into very thin slices

1 zucchini, cut into thin strips

5-6 scallions, white and green parts chopped

Stir-fry until the veggies start to soften.

Now add 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste

1 cup coconut milk

1-2 tbsp tamari sauce (use soy sauce if you can't find this)

When the coconut milk's warmed, add the tofu and cooked noodles and stir together to coat.

Turn off the heat and garnish with 10-15 basil leaves, cut into thin strips

Add 1/2 cup of roasted, coarsely chopped peanuts

Stir to mix and serve hot.

Enjoy!

Berber Pizza

I found the recipe for this Berber Pizza in a book evocatively titled "A Platter of Figs" by David Tanis of the much-lauded Berkeley, Calif. restaurant Chez Panisse.

Although many of the recipes in here call for the addition of meat, I was pleasantly surprised to find one that sounded delicious and was really easy to veganize. The original recipe had some butter-- I just substituted with olive oil for healthier and, dare I say, equally tasty results.

This past week, I had an old friend and her family, including her charming two-year-old son, visit for dinner. I made this pizza, among other things, and the vote was unanimous-- we all loved it.

The Berber Pizza, which is from North Africa, is a covered pizza and the filling is so simple yet so delicious, it's almost mindblowing. Don't let the word "pizza" mislead you-- this is not your average takeout-style pizza. Instead it's elegant and unusual and what's best, it couldn't be easier to make. All you need are some onions and some everyday spices, and some flour.

Enjoy the recipe, everyone, and have a great week!

Berber Pizza

(Adapted from "A Platter Of Figs")

Ingredients

For the dough:

2 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I didn't try substituting with whole wheat even partially because I wanted to keep the crispiness of the crust)

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup olive oil

For the filling:

4 medium onions, sliced thinly

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and powdered

1 tsp coriander seeds, roasted and powdered

1 tsp red chilli powder, like cayenne

2 tsp ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1/4 cup chopped coriander/cilantro

To make the dough, mix the yeast and 1/4 cup of warm water and 1/2 cup of flour. Set aside until the mixture becomes foamy, about 10-15 minutes.

Now add four more cups of flour, salt, olive oil, and the remaining 1 cup of warm water.

Knead into a soft but smooth dough. Add more flour if necessary.

Cover and allow the dough to rest for at least 2 hours or even overnight, in a refrigerator.

To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a skillet. Now add the onions and stir quickly over high heat until lightly browned but still crunchy. Add the cumin, coriander, chilli powders and black pepper as well as salt to taste.

Stir in the coriander leaves and set aside to cool.

Punch down the risen dough and divide into six equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Set the dough balls aside to rest for 10 minutes, covered.

Roll out two of the dough balls into 8-inch discs, using a little flour if necessary.

On one disk, spread out a third of the onion mixture evenly.

Moisten the edges of the second disc by brushing on a smidgen of water, then press down on top of the other disc with the filling. Press the edges together to seal.

Roll out the pizza into a 12-inch round. Make two more pizzas the same way using the remaining dough balls.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the pizza on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake each pizza in the oven, one or two at a time, for 22-23 minutes or until lighty golden and crisp.

Brush the top with olive oil as soon as it comes out of the oven. I also brushed a mixture of 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp dijon mustard + 1 tsp garlic powder on one, and the added flavor was delicious.

Cut into wedges, and enjoy!

Carrot Rice and Creamy Potato Curry

Here's another subtly delicious yet robust combination for a quick weeknight dinner that's bound to leave you licking your fingers.

The Carrot Rice is a few-ingredient wonder flavored with the sublime aroma of cinnamon and cloves. It is such a treat, I have a hard time stopping myself from just scooping it out of the pot with my fingers and eating it until it's gone.

And the Creamy Potato Curry is delicately flavored with just red chilli powder, but that, along with the tanginess of the tomatoes and the sweetly creamy coconut milk, is a combination to die for.

Together, these two dishes are perfect for an effortless weeknight dinner, a quick but special meal for a weekend afternoon, or even for entertaining. They do look so pretty together.

Enjoy, everyone!

The carrot rice goes out to Trupti who is hosting the kid-friendly event, CFK: Rice. The event is the brainchild of Sharmi. Thanks, Trupti and Sharmi!

Creamy Potato Curry

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, boiled and diced

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 to 1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp cumin seeds

A generous pinch of asafetida (hing), optional

1 tsp canola oil

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 14-oz can of coconut milk

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan

Add the cumin seeds and asafetida. When the cumin sputters, add the onions and stir fry until brown spots appear.

Add the tomatoes and stir together until they start to break down.

Add the red chilli powder and potatoes and stir in.

Add the sugar and coconut milk and salt to taste. Warm through but don't boil the coconut milk.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve warm with Carrot Rice (recipe follows)

Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups long-grain rice, like basmati

2 cups grated carrots

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 tbsp canola or other vegetable oil

3-4 1-inch pieces of cinnamon

4 cloves

4 cups water

Salt to taste

Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat.

Add the cloves and cinnamon and stir fry for a minute.

Add the onions and stir fry until they start to brown.

Add the carrots, stir into the oil, then add the rice and stir.

Add the water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Then cover and cook on medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Let the rice stand, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes after turning off the heat.

Serve with Creamy Potato Curry.

Cinnamon Rolls with "Cream Cheese" Glaze

To dream of baking the perfect cinnamon roll is only human. But to actually sink your teeth into one fresh out of the oven is positively divine

For a long time after coming to the United States, I associated the smell of cinnamon rolls with shopping malls: not my favorite places. The reason being those ubiquitous Cinnabon chains known for their fluffy, delicious cinnamon rolls oozing with sticky frosting and a bazillion calories, no doubt. But there's nothing like the warm smell of fresh-baked cinnamon to kick up your cravings and make you think you're hungry when you're not.

Of course, after going vegan and giving up all things of dubious origin, I had to stop treating myself to those mall-bought cinnamon rolls. And I was forced to come up with my own version.


I will not claim these rolls are healthy: but some treats are not meant to be, otherwise they stop being treats. But I am pretty sure they are much healthier than anything you can buy. Plus, they are vegan and therefore free of any dairy or egg products, which-- I'd say-- makes them better for you.

And there's one more thing: they're delicious. Try 'em.
Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

(Makes 12 rolls)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast + 1/2 cup warm (NOT hot) water. Stir together and set aside.

In a large bowl, add: 1/2 cup hot, but not boiling, soymilk (plain or vanilla) 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/3 cup transfat-free vegetable shortening

1 1/2 tsp EnerG egg replacer + 2 tbsp warm water (use corn starch with the same amount of water as a substitute)

2 cups all-purpose flour

Mix at low speed if using a stand mixer, or by hand, for about 2-3 minutes until the ingredients are well mixed.

Add to this: The yeast mixture, and Another 1 to 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, a little at a time, to form a smooth dough.

Knead for a couple of minutes, by hand or on low speed if using a stand mixer.
Remove the dough to a bowl coated with oil and set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (I leave it in the unheated oven with the light on).

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and roll it into a rectangle on a floured surface, about 14 inches in length and 9 inches in width.

Brush the surface with canola oil. Mix together: 1/2 cup sugar 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped .

Sprinkle the sugar-walnut-cinnamon mixture evenly on the dough.
Now, starting at the 14-inch side, roll up the dough and press the edges together to seal them.

Cut the roll at about 1-inch intervals, to make 12-15 individual rolls.

Place the rolls side by side in a standard rectangular 9X12-inch pan brushed with oil. You can sprinkle some sugar mixed with ground cinnamon at the bottom of the pan, before putting the rolls in.

Set the rolls aside, again in a warm place, for about 45-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (if your rolls are rising in the oven, be sure you take them out before you preheat!)

Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until nicely browned. Remove and place on a rack to cool slightly when you can go ahead and frost them.

"Cream Cheese" Glaze:

1/2 cup vegan cream cheese, like Tofutti

1/3- 1/2 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together, adding a little sugar at a time, until you have a smooth glaze.

Drizzle or spread the glaze over the still-warm rolls and serve. Enjoy!

(Nutrition Estimate: Serving Size 1 cinnamon roll with Tofutti cream cheese glaze. Calories: 245; Total Fat 7.5 grams (Saturated Fat 3 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7 g, Monounsaturated Fat 2.5 g);  Carbohydrates 40.8 grams; Dietary Fiber 1.2 grams; Protein 3.9 grams)

Mushroom-Spinach Curry

I enjoy sharing all my recipes with you, but the ones that make me proudest are those quick weeknight dishes that take minutes to throw together, but taste incredible.

This spinach-mushroom curry is such a recipe. It takes a minimum of ingredients, is super-nutritious, and tastes great with either rice or chapatis or even any storebought bread.

Since it is a weeknight, I'll stay off the rambling. Enjoy, everyone, and a happy Tamil new year to all!



Easy Mushroom-Spinach Curry

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced button mushrooms (can use crimini)

1/2 16-oz package of frozen, chopped spinach, thawed (thaw in microwave if pressed for time). If using fresh spinach, use about 4 cups chopped.

1 tbsp sambar powder (I will post a recipe for this soon, but for now I am using some my sis-in-law made for me. You can use store-bought curry powder here too)

1 tbsp canola oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup coconut milk

Heat the oil in a saucepan.

Add the onions and saute on medium heat until brown spots appear.

Add the sambar powder and stir in.

Add the mushrooms, stir until they start to soften.

Add the spinach and stir until well mixed.

Add 1/4 cup of water and cook until the vegetables are tender, a few minutes.

Add salt to taste and coconut milk.

Stir thoroughly and take off the heat.

Enjoy!

Obama Dog Coming From Breeder?

One of the reasons I was so thrilled about the outcome of last November's elections was because I thought our new president was above being a "politician" with all the slimy connotations that word has come to assume.

But this morning I turn on the news and hey! I find out I could be wrong after all.

The buzz is, the Obamas have found their new puppy and it's NOT coming from a shelter-- it's coming from a kennel. A kennel in Texas with Kennedy associations.

And here's the slimy politician bit -- the six-month-old Portuguese Water Dog (a truly adorable fellow named Charlie) is being "rehomed" in the kennel because he was sold to someone else, and then brought back.

Now that sounds like the Obamas, who had repeatedly said they would prefer to adopt from a shelter, are trying to get away with a technicality.

How frustrating, Mr. President, because many of us animal-lovers honestly believed you to be a man of your word.

Rehomed or not, one fact that should not escape anyone who professes to love dogs-- or cats or any other animal-- is that patronizing breeders, who create more puppies and kittens and add to the burden of shelters that rescue animals, is wrong, plain and simple. There is nothing like a "reputable" breeder-- not when nearly 3-4 million healthy dogs and cats are killed in shelters each year because they have no homes.

Now here's something even more priceless: this dog the Obamas may be adopting comes from the same lineage as Sen. Ted Kennedy's Portuguese water dogs, and the Kennedy family is "presenting the new dog to the Obamas," according to TMZ, which first broke this story.

Lineage? WHO CARES?

Honestly, Mr. President, is this the 21st century in the developed world, and are we really moving toward change?

Right now, I'm thinking, not.

Of course, part of me is still hoping this news is wrong-- that some reporter jumped the gun, and the Obamas will still adopt from a shelter. Because by doing so, they would make a sea change to the jaundiced --and incorrect -- view that many people hold about shelter animals. If the president adopts from the shelter, it would not be a far stretch to assume that more Americans will be drawn to taking shelter animals home, giving these innocent creatures a chance at life that they well deserve.

Update: My hometown newspaper, the Washington Post, has this story about the Obama dog with the only mention of rescue animals coming in the last graf. Apparently the Obamas are throwing some money at the problem of homeless animals by donating to the Washington Humane Society. Now I foster-volunteer for this shelter, and all my dogs and cats have come from the WHS-- I know they need any money they can get. But a donation seems so lame, considering the president had a chance to lead by example.
I ran a search this morning on Petfinder to look for PWDs, since the Post story said they are not found in rescues-- my search for the DC region threw up 13 PWDs or PWD mixes in nearby states, each one more adorable than the next. Maybe the Obamas and the media -- that doesn't seem to get the real story here-- need to find another excuse?

Meanwhile, here are some pictures of my shelter mutts who have absolutely no lineage or pedigree whatsoever. And we couldn't be prouder of them!

Rye Bread

Sing a song of sixpence
A pocket full of rye
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie

I never could stomach blackbirds baked in a pie, even when they miraculously stayed alive to sing for the king afterward. But I sure can imagine a pocket full of rye.

In fact, I love this wonder grain known for its many nutritional properties and health benefits. The high-quality fiber found in whole-grain rye promotes heart health, fights diabetes, and does everything short of achieving world peace, or at least that was the impression I got after reading this site :)

But seriously, I love rye because it gives me a chance to incorporate another grain into mealtime, and also because I do enjoy rye bread. In fact, although rye bread tends to be more dense than breads made with wheat flours, I love the flavor and texture it has.

This bread needs a sponge starter which didn't take as long as a sourdough starter, but helps immensely in giving this bread its unique taste and texture. It does take a six-hour rise for the starter, though, so be prepared. The trade-off in flavor is totally worth the time.
I'm feeling very Friday-ish right now, as you can no doubt tell, because there are two wonderful days of leisure (sort of) to look forward to. I'm also really thrilled because as I write this, I'm listening to the amazing Gore Vidal make a lot of sense on the Bill Maher Show. I love hearing people who make sense, don't you?

With that, I'll leave you with the recipe for a delicious loaf-- or rather two-- of rye bread, and wishes for a great weekend. Enjoy, everyone!

Rye Bread
(Adapted from the Joy of Cooking)

For the sponge starter:

Mix together--
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water

Add 3/4 cup o bread flour. Stir rapidly with a wooden spoon until the batter starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl in elastic strands, about 1-2 minutes.

Cover the bowl, and allow it to sit at room temperature for about 6 hours. The sponge will triple in volume.

To make the bread:

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, place:

3 1/2 cups rye flour

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 1/2 cups water

Sponge starter

Mix together and then knead by hand for about 7-8 minutes, or on medium low-speed for the same time. The dough will be smooth.

Transfer it to an oiled bowl and turn over once to coat with the oil.

Cover and let the bread rise in a warm place for exactly 1 1/2 hours. Don't let it stand any longer because the loaf will get too dense and heavy.

Divide the dough into two, and shape each ball into an oval by pulling on the sides and tucking them under. Place the loaves next to each other, but with a few inches between them, on a large, oiled baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Cover loosely with a napkin and let the loaves rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

Half an hour before the loaves are ready for the oven, preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

A minute before you put the loaves into the oven, spritz the walls of the oven with water using a spray bottle.

Quickly score a cross into the top of each loaf using a very sharp blade. It's important to use a quick, single motion so as to not deflate the loaves.

Bake the loaves in the oven for 45 minutes or until such time as the bottom of each loaf sounds hollow when rapped.

Allow the loaves to cool on a rack.

You might also want to check out some other bread recipes on Holy Cow! like this vegan challah bread, and this crusty French bread.  Or go here for many more bread and quickbread recipes.

Vegan Mexican: The Roundup

So here they are, your lovely, lovely creations for Mexican month at Holy Cow! Many thanks to all of you who participated, and kudos for coming up with dishes that are definitely going to get cooked-- again and again-- in my kitchen.

Mexican food one finds in the restaurants can sometimes be terribly unhealthy and dripping in fat. Worse, it can be smothered in all kinds of animal products. But you have shown with these spectacular dishes that it's not only possible have great Mexican homemade food, but it's possible to have great-tasting and healthy Mexican food that you can eat without any guilt whatsoever.

Onward to next month, many of you already know that the talented Priya of Akshayapaatram is hosting the April edition of It's A Vegan World. The theme is Thai food, and remember, it has to be vegan. So don't forget to send her your recipes.
So long, lovely people, and keep cooking those wonderful-- and vegan -- foods! And now for the recipes!

Asha's vegan tacos


A&N's Mexican stuffed bread


Anu's Mexican green rice with black beans

Archy's roasted tomato salsa

Ashwini's Mexican rice with refried beans


Cham's refried beans in edible bowls

Deepa Hari's salsa

Lavanya's salad with kidney bean salad, corn and tofu

Madhu's tomatillo salsa

Mints' corn with chili lime

Mukta's black beans with brown rice

Pavani's bare burrito, and

Pavani's vegan tacos

Priya (Askhayapaatram) sends in a brown rice burrito bowl

Priyasuresh's guacamole dip, and
Priyasuresh's chilled avocado soup
Shree's chimichangas with mango salsa, andShree's Mexican rice

Soma's avocado and roasted corn salsaSuganya's black bean tortilla soup
Trupti's apple and grapefruit salsaUma's vegan chili con quesoUma Ramesh's vegetable enchiladasVarsha's banana cocoa soy smoothie
Vidya's salsa verde
Vidhas's Mexican rice
Yasmeen's soy chunks empanadasMy tortitas des alubias y papa
Refried beans with chipotle chilis

Mexican rice with chili-garlic potatoes
Mushroom and green pepper quesadillas
Empanadas with spicy bean filling

If I missed anyone, please let me know and I'll add you asap.