r/australianvegans

Wanted something gooey for cheese on toast without buying a block of vegan cheese. This recipe is cannellini beans blended with plant milk, olive oil, lemon and tapioca starch, then stirred in a saucepan for a few minutes until it goes thick, glossy and stretchy like fondue. A couple of drops of liquid smoke at the end make it taste like smoked cheese.

Serves 4 · 5 min prep, 5 min cook, then 10 min to cool slightly

• 110 g cooked cannellini beans, drained
• 250 g full-bodied unsweetened plant milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• a generous pinch of salt (to taste, can be added also after cooking if not enough)
• a pinch of garlic powder
• 2 drops liquid smoke (optional)

1. Blend everything except the liquid smoke until completely smooth.
2. Pour into a saucepan and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens and turns glossy and stretchy. It starts thin and then thickens quickly, so keep scraping the bottom so it doesn’t stick and burn.
3. Off the heat, stir in the liquid smoke if you’re using it. 2 drops is plenty.
4. Let it cool until lukewarm, then spread it thickly on toast or use it anywhere you’d want melted cheese.

Keeps max 3 days in a closed container in the fridge. It firms up as it cools.

Recipe with step photos and video: https://veganhacks.food/en/recipes/smoked-melting-cheese/

Enjoy!

This is in Brisbane. The food was great! Wheelchair accessible and very friendly staff :)

I used this recipe for the sauce, but used Massel beef stock and Ayam vegetarian oyster sauce (its vegan).

https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/black-pepper-sauce/

Made these to stand in for chicken nuggets and they're now on regular rotation. The dough is tofu and chickpeas blended with oat flour and chickpea flour, coated in panko (also GF alternatives listed below) . They come out crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Makes about 15 nuggets, serves 3. It's 15 minutes prep plus 15 to cook.

Ingredients

• 200 g firm tofu
• 200 g chickpeas (drained weight, about one 400 g tin)
• 70 g oat flour (blitzed rolled oats work), plus extra if needed
• 60 g chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for the tray and drizzling
• About 100 ml water, added gradually
• 2–3 g paprika (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Panko or breadcrumbs for coating

Method

1. Blend the tofu, chickpeas, both flours, olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika until smooth.
2. Add the water a little at a time. You want a soft but workable dough. If it's too sticky, add oat flour a spoonful at a time.
3. Shape about 15 nuggets and press them into the panko. Put them on a tray lined with baking paper brushed with oil, then drizzle a little more oil on top. Don't skip the oil, because it's what makes them golden.
4. Bake at 180 °C fan for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway. You can also air-fry them at 200 °C for about 15 minutes. To pan-fry, use medium-high heat with about 1 tsp oil per nugget, roughly 4 minutes a side.

Serve hot with vegan mayo or your favourite dip.

Storage: they keep in the fridge for 3 days, raw or cooked, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Note: To make a Gluten Free version, swap panko with certified GF and the oats with overcooked white rice.

There's a full version with step photos, nutritional map and a video here: https://veganhacks.food/en/recipes/tofu-chickpea-nuggets/

Enjoy!