Vegan Birria Quesadillas with Jackfruit

So this is a very hype and most "talk about" dish in Mexican food now a days. People travel far to get the taste of this dish. I was also amazed by all the recipes floating on Internet but when I made it , it was so easy to make and enjoy. Next time I will go for more spice and more chilies in the base. 

You can use mushroom , thinly sliced cabbage, carrot, tofu, seitan anything. I wanted to have it with jackfruit so I made it with frozen jackfruit but you can use canned too.

Don't go on the long list of ingredients , all are easily available in the pantry if you are a regular cook. 

Birria originated from the stat of Jalisco, its made with goat meat but they have it with beef too. 

Ingredients :

Sauce

3  dry California Chiles

3 dried chile de arbol

2 dried guajillo chiles

1 dried pasilla chile

1 white onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp. oil

2 cups broth or stock

1/2 can tomatoes

3 whole peppercorns

3 whole cloves

1 tsp whole cumin

1tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon powder

2 bay leaves

Jackfruit :

1 cup defrost jackfruit

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. oil

2 tsp. garlic powder

salt as per taste

Quesadillas :

6 corn or flour tortillas

1 cup vegan cheese

chopped cilantro and onion, Jalapenos for serving

Method for the sauce

Cut the dried chilies with scissors and remove the seeds and add all the chilies in a bowlful of hot water  for at least 30 minutes.

Mean time, in a pan, add oil and cook onions and garlic till its dark in color and little charred.

When chilis are soft, drain it and place it in a blender with roasted onion , garlic , 1 cup of broth, tomato all the seasoning and blend until it smooth. 

Transfer the sauce into a saucepan on medium high heat and add remaining broth and bay leaves and bring it to boil. Once its at a boiling point, reduced heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Remove bay leaves with tongs , taste and adjust the seasonings.

For the jackfruit:

Shred the jackfruit and take out what ever water in it. 

Add the oil in a pan and add jackfruit and cook it till its brown on the edges, I have added little bit of jackfruit direct in the sauce too. Add apple cider vinegar, garlic powder and salt and cook till its little crispy. 

Add those jackfruit in the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. 

To make quesadillas :

In a pan, add a drop of oil, dip your tortilla into the sauce and put the tortilla in the pan, add spoonful of jackfruit and cheese and fold it in half and cook till its crispy on one side and flip it on the other side and cook on the other side. 

When its done, serve hot with onions and cilantro , jalapenos and additional sauce for dipping.

 

Pad Krapow - Stir Fried Thai Basil - Vegan from Impossible burger

So I have made same dish  but Gluten Free Thai Basil Tofu Stir Fry - (Pad Krapow) and with tofu. But I wanted to try it make it with impossible burger patties, If you dont have that you can use soy granules too. Just soaked them in hot water and then take it out and remove water from it and use it in the recipe. This is such quick and flavorful dish that by using one pan you can make it and by the time your rice will be done too. I have added more spice but you can adjust as per your taste. This recipe includes Thai Basil which is a must, Thai green or red chilies and what ever other vegetables you like to use, just add one or two vegetables since the flavor comes from the granules and sauce. Leftover is easy to store in fridge and you can heat up in the microwave it.

Ingredients :

2 burger patties (defrosted)

6-7 green beans cut in big pieces

5 small Portobello mushroom cut in lengthwise

2 green onions white and green separates

few pieces of celery

2 Thai green chilies cut in small pieces 

1 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup fresh Thai Basil

1 medium sized onion cut in length wise

4 garlic cloves

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. Fresh grated ginger

1 tbsp. Chili flakes

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tbsp. Vegan fish sauce

2 tbsp. Oil

Method:

In  a pan , add oil and sauté onion, garlic and ginger on high heat until its softened.

Add the granules and chili flakes and stir well and cook over medium high heat for a few minutes

Add the vegetables and green chili  and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Now add stock and soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce and cook till you get nice thick sauce . 

Add basil too.

Check the seasoning and adjust it if necessary. 

Serve hot with jasmine rice or plain rice.

Chile Relleno casserole from Impossible Plant meat

So Poblano peppers are my favorite and I love Chile Rellenos. I made it Baked Chile Relleno , Chile Rellenos Enchiladas with Salsa Verde ,  Airfried Jalapeno Chile Rellenos Taco and many more. Do check out. 

But this time I got Impossible Burger meat  so wanted to make casserole from that and it turned out super yummy. It doesn't take much time but the flavor is spot on. Just cooked meat with roasted poblanos and layered with corn tortilla or if you want you can use flour tortilla too. For the sauce I have used Herdez Roasted poblano salsa , it has some heat in it so added sour cream vegan or regular and spread it.

Ingredients : 

3 roasted poblano peppers, removed skin and seeds

half pack of Impossible burger meat

1/2 red onion chopped

8 corn tortillas

2 cups  of roasted poblano salsa

1 cup of sour cream

3 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 tbsp. paprika powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. taco seasoning

1 tbsp. oil

1/2 tbsp. oregano

salt as per taste

1 cup or as needed cheese - your choice of shredded cheese

to serve - chopped fresh cilantro leaves , white onions and jalapenos - optional but gives a best flavor

Method:

Roast the peppers and deseed them and removed the skin and chopped up and keep it aside.

Heat a pan, add oil in it.

Add garlic and sauté for few seconds. add onion and meat and cook for 2 minutes. 

Add peppers and cook till the meat is brown.

Add all the spices and mix it together. 

Cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Once done keep it open so it cool down little bit.

Mean time mix your roasted poblano sauce and sour cream and keep it ready.

Take your baking dish, put the corn tortilla on it then spread meat mixture, sauce , cheese , put another layer of tortilla, meat, sauce , cheese.

Final layer is only tortilla and cheese. 

Bake it at 400 F for 8-10 minutes. I used my air fryer for this. so adjust as per your oven.

When its done, take it out , sprinkle cilantro-onion- jalapeno mixture on top  and let it cool down for 8-10 minutes before you cut it.

When its warm enough to cut it , then cut it and serve it sliced avocado or side salad.

Filipino Tofu Adobo

This is a vegan version of classic Filipino dish which is normally cook with chicken or pork. When pork is used, its fat gives nice flavor and stickiness to the sauce but since here we are going to use tofu, we will use more oil to give that greasy finish. Tofu just like eggplant, absorb all the flavor from the sauce and become perfect to finish it with rice. This adobo usually cook with peppercorns, bay leaves and lots of onion and garlic in savory and sour sauce with little sweet from the sugar.  There are lot of ways to cook adobo also, Mine is simple but you can add potatoes and carrots too if you want. Only thing is that will increase your cooking time. Adobo has soy sauce and vinegar  , two essential elements for this dish. I have used fresh tofu in this one but frozen tofu will give you nice meaty texture. 

Ingredients :

1/2 block of firm tofu cut in squares

4 tbsp. oil

7 cloves of  garlic finely chopped

1 medium size onion cut in match sticks

1 tbsp. whole black peppers

3-4 dried bay leaves

2-3 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2-3 tbsp. white vinegar

1 tsp. dark soy sauce

1/2 tbsp. sugar

White rice to serve

Method :

Pressed the tofu and take out the extra liquid. Cut the tofu in square pieces or your desired shaped.

Heat non stick pan and add a generous amount of oil. Deep fry  or pan fry tofu in oil until is crispy from all sides and golden brown.

Take out the tofu and in the same leftover oil , add garlic, onions and whole black peppers. Cook till onions are little tender.

Add the bay leaves, soy sauce, vinegar and vegetable broth. Mix it and simmer till its boil.

Add now sugar and dark soy sauce , taste and adjust the seasoning. I tasted it this point and feel like drinking it as it is. 

Add the tofu in it and let it cook for 10 minutes in sauce, If your broth is less , add more. 

The longer tofu soak up the sauce, it will be the tastier .

Serve it with white rice. 

Enjoy