VEGAN MAYO + CHOPPED GREEN BOWL

Whilst I am not vegan, I aspire to many of their values but often vegan food requires a little too much prep for a poor flavour payoff. Not this vegan recipe! It's faster to make than regular mayo and I should know, my family live on a constant supply of my wasabi aioli instead of buying Best Foods!

Personally, I do not love the overwhelming smell of the beancurd in tofu, so I always use raw garlic in this vegan mayo recipe. If you find raw garlic too powerful, use a tsp of garlic powder or roast some whole cloves with your roasted veges one night during the week and keep it in the fridge. A teaspoon of gluten-free onion soup powder from BIn Inn is a nice mellow alternative (or addition) to garlic.

You make vegan mayo the opposite to regular mayonnaise. You whip the mayo first, then you add the flavour until you can't taste the tofu. If you didn't squeeze the tofu well at the beginning you may need to add extra tofu to thicken it up or you can find any number of vegan thickening agents here.

Recipe for 500g of Vegan Mayo

2-3 raw cloves of Chinese Garlic (if using NZ garlic 1 or 2 small cloves max)

1 tsp raw sugar

1 lime or lemon juiced or skinned and quartered, seeds removed

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp himalyan salt

1-2t tbsp olive oil

1 x 500g tofu block

1-2 tbsp wholegrain mustard (I use Maille)

1-2 tbsp dijon mustard (I use Select)

1-2 tbsp dijonaise (I use Select)

Blend everything in your ninja except the tofu and the mustard until its a creamy consistency. Taste. Add a tbsp of each mustard and blend again. If more mustard is required, add another spoon. The mustard flavours will develop overnight now you have split the grain. Tip into a 500g and fridge. Keeps the same length of time as regular mayo.

Chopped Green Bowl

Full sprig of Coriander

Greedy handful of Mint

Half a telegraph cucumber, quarter sliced (see below)

Pumpkin seeds

(Avocado optional extra)

(Chopped green chilli optional extra)

Cut the lot into a bowl. Season with cracked pepper and more Himalayan salt. With the cucumber, cut an intersecting "x" shape down into the cucumber until halfway with a paring knife, then slice straight across the "x" into the bowl, Thai street food style.

Lazy Asian Dressing

Don't wash the ninja! Rinse it with the remainder juice of the lime or lemon or add

1/2 a lime or lemon juice

1/2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1/2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce

1/2 tbsp of Trident Sweet Chilli

Shake or blitz in the ninja again to mix. Pour over the salad and toss. Eat immediately. Enjoy! XX