vegan Mexican

Tacos al pastor recipe

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Ingredients:

  • Large​​ chunk​​ of​​ seitan​​​​ (use​​​ this​​ recipe​)
  • 1​ ​Ancho​ ​chile
  • 1​ ​Chipotle​ ​chile
  • 1​ ​Roma​ ​tomato
  • 1​ ​teaspoon​ ​pink​ ​salt
  • 1⁄4​ ​cup​ ​apple​ ​cider​ ​vinegar
  • Fist-sized​ ​bunch​ ​of​ ​coriander​ ​plus​ ​a​ ​few​ ​sprigs to​ ​serve
  • 1⁄2​ ​white​ ​onion
  • 1​ ​tin​ ​of​ ​pineapple​ ​chunks​ ​in​ ​syrup
  • 1⁄4​ ​cup​ ​golden​ ​sugar
  • 1​ ​cup​ ​achiote​ ​paste*
  • 1​ ​teaspoon​ ​garlic​ ​powder
  • 1​ ​teaspoon​ ​ground​ ​cumin
  • 1⁄2​ ​teaspoon​ ​ground​ ​celery​ ​seed
  • 1​ ​teaspoon​ ​dried​ ​oregano

*If​ ​you​ ​cannot​ ​find​ ​achiote​ ​paste,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​buy​ ​annatto​ ​seeds​ ​and​ ​make​ ​your​ ​own​ ​with​ ​​this​ ​recipe

Instructions:

-​ ​Place​ ​to​ ​two​ ​dried​ ​chiles​ ​in​ ​a​ ​small​ ​pan​ ​and​ ​pour​ ​in​ ​enough​ ​water​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​them
-​ ​Bring​ ​water​ ​to​ ​the​ ​boil​ ​then​ ​switch​ ​off​ ​to​ ​allow​ ​chiles​ ​to​ ​soften
-​ ​Meanwhile,​ ​place​ ​all​ ​of​ ​the​ ​other​ ​ingredients​ ​​except​ ​​the​ ​achiote​ ​paste​ ​and​ ​seitan​ ​in​ ​the​ ​blender
-​ ​Once​ ​the​ ​chiles​ ​in​ ​the​ ​pan​ ​have​ ​softened,​ ​remove​ ​them​ ​and​ ​pat​ ​them​ ​dry
-​ ​Unless​ ​you​ ​want​ ​this​ ​dish​ ​extra​ ​spicy,​ ​carefully​ ​remove​ ​the​ ​seeds​ ​from​ ​the​ ​chiles​ ​and​ ​place​ ​the​ ​flesh​ ​in the​ ​blender
-​ ​Blend​ ​the​ ​ingredients​ ​for​ ​a​ ​few​ ​minutes​ ​until​ ​a​ ​smooth​ ​paste/liquid​ ​is​ ​formed
-​ ​Pour​ ​liquid​ ​into​ ​a​ ​medium-sized​ ​saucepan​ ​and​ ​place​ ​on​ ​a​ ​medium​ ​heat
-​ ​While​ ​that​ ​heats,​ ​take​ ​your​ ​seitan​ ​and​ ​roughly​ ​chop​ ​into​ ​cubes
-​ ​Place​ ​seitan​ ​chunks​ ​in​ ​a​ ​large​ ​bowl​ ​and​ ​pour​ ​in​ ​the​ ​heated​ ​liquid.​ ​Set​ ​aside​ ​to​ ​marinade
-​ ​Meanwhile,​ ​place​ ​the​ ​chopped​ ​pineapple​ ​in​ ​a​ ​large​ ​flat-bottomed​ ​non-stick​ ​pan
-​ ​Brown​ ​pineapple​ ​chunks​ ​on​ ​both​ ​sides​ ​then​ ​set​ ​aside
-​ ​In​ ​a​ ​large​ ​frying​ ​pan,​ ​place​ ​the​ ​seitan​ ​chunks​ ​and​ ​any​ ​remaining​ ​liquid​ ​and​ ​place​ ​on​ ​a​ ​high​ ​heat
-​ ​Cook​ ​until​ ​the​ ​liquid​ ​reduces​ ​and​ ​the​ ​seitan​ ​chunks​ ​start​ ​to​ ​brown
-​ ​Serve​ ​seitan​ ​chunks​ ​on​ ​warmed​ ​corn​ ​tortillas​ ​with​ ​the​ ​pineapple​ ​chunks,​ ​guacamole,​ ​chopped​ ​white onion​ ​and​ ​fresh​ ​coriander/cilantro

Recipe​ ​and​ ​photo​ ​remain​ ​property​ ​of​ ​Sean​ ​O’Callaghan​ ​and​ ​may​ ​not​ ​be​ ​reproduced​ ​without​ ​permission. ©​ ​fatgayvegan.com

Deep fried toffee apple pies

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Oh my.

Super-adored street food specialists Club Mexicana have just posted the champion of all teaser photos on their Instagram account.

Check it out.


Can you even cope with that?

As the post states, Club Mexicana will be serving up these delights at Hawker House this weekend. The street food market takes place very close to Canada Water Underground station on Friday and Saturday night. Click here to see the location on Google Maps.

Eat well this weekend, stay happy and keep doing what you can to improve outcomes for animals without relying on sexist, racist, homophobic or body shaming techniques! xx

nye-2017

Day of the Dead menu

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This is my favourite event that I put together.

Every year around this time I am filled with such excitement as I start putting together the finer details for my vegan Day of the Dead dinner party.

Not only is it fun devising a menu filled with delicious Mexican treats, it is also an opportunity to get dressed up and spend time with some of my best friends on the planet.

As you might know, Julio (of Sean y Julio fame) makes the journey every year to be with us for this event and for the past few years has been joined by his partner Carlos. Julio and Carlos are extremely special people to me and it a true joy to have them join me in London once a year.

Yes, yes. Whatever. I have friends. You wanna hear about the menu, right?

This year’s Day of the Dead dinner is getting supercharged thanks to the help of Mexican food ingredient specialists Cool Chile Co.

Our multi-course extravaganza will be decadent and packed solid with world class ingredients thanks to Cool Chile. Did you know they have a giant tortilla machine here in London? You should really get over to their website to check out the huge range of quality ingredients they have on offer. From no-fuss bean kits to blue corn tortillas, Cool Chile will have you cooking flawless Mexican cuisine in no time.

Wanna see the menu?

dotd-16-menu

Once again we have kept the menu completely gluten free.

I’m so pleased to be introducing the mushroom pie for this event, while also keeping much loved favourites from some of our earlier menus such as the flautas.

The 2016 version of this event takes place on Tuesday November 1. We have a sitting at 5pm for early birds and an 8pm sitting for those who cannot get away from work until a bit later. Book here.

It is a sit down dinner, you are welcome to bring your own vegan alcohol and of course you are encouraged to dress up if the mood takes you.

The 5th annual vegan Day of the Dead dinner is being hosted inside Black Cat Café in Hackney and I thank them profusely for their hospitality.

Gather your loved ones, book tickets now and I’ll see you all on November 1, 2016 for a night (and a meal) to remember. This event sells out every year, so please be quick to avoid disappointment.

nye-2017

Killer Tomato

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Have you heard the one about the vegetarian food stall on Leather Lane called Killer Tomato? Sorry, there isn’t a punchline as this is no joke.

Get to Leather Lane.

UPDATE As of late 2014, Killer Tomato now serves meat. Read more here*

Do you like a hot sandwich stuffed with hearty filling and smothered in spicy sauce. Yes? Here you go, then. Killer Tomato food stall has got what you want. Owner/operator Matt serves up Mexican inspired, meat free handhelds during the working week on this bustling market street and if you ask him nicely, he will point out his vegan options.

I fell in love with his Drowned Sandwich during my visit. The baguette featured fresh avocado, delectable refried beans with chipotle, crunchy radish and lashings of chile de arbol sauce. Nobody in the UK does a vegan sandwich anywhere near this quality. I would eat it everyday.

It’s a shame the entire menu isn’t vegan (change the record FGV, huh?). Matt’s food is so incredibly tasty and inventive, I seriously doubt anyone would miss the cheese included in some of the sandwiches and salads.

Follow Killer Tomato on Twitter for news of the rotating menu and feel free to ask Matt what vegan items he is serving. He told me he adores interacting with customers and answering questions about his food.

Now drool.

Read more