Vegan Leek & Potato Soup

 

 

 

 

Leek soup is an important dish in the cuisines of United Kingdom and Romania. It is a soup based on potatoes, leeks, broth (usually chicken) and heavy cream. I veganise this delicious soup and my family loves it! A little oatmeal is used to thicken this dish and also provide the extra protein and fibre to this tasty and nourishing soup, you will not taste the oat so no worries for the oat-heaters. Viola, another recipe to get oats into the stomachs of my family!

Leeks have a gentle sweetness that works anywhere you use onions and garlics. Leeks are also a good source of vitamin C and dietary fibre, the green parts contain beta-carotene too. Though leeks have received less attention than their fellow allium vegetables (e.g. garlic, onions, shallots, and scallions), research has linked it to not only lower risk of cancer but also numerous chronic diseases.

My other soup recipes:
☼ Vegan French Onion Potato Soup
☼ Vegan Curried Cauliflower Soup 
 

Dietary: Vegetarian, Vegan
Serves 2-3

Cooking Time: About 35 minutes

Ingredients
 1 Tbsp vegan butter or oil

 1/2 Tbsp non-gmo canola/coconut oil

 1 white onion, sliced

 3 garlic cloves, sliced

 1/2 tsp dried thyme or 1 small bunch English parsley

 1/2 bay leaf

 250g leeks, thickly sliced

 380g or 3 potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped

 750ml or 3 cups vegetable stock (I made my own)

 2-3 Tbsp rolled oats (optional, for thickening)
 1 tbsp nutritional yeasts (optional)

 

Seasoning

 Sea salt, to taste

 Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

 

Garnish

 Nutritional yeasts

 Leeks, thinly sliced
 Parsley or coriander sprigs

 

Method

1. Heat up butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in oil and cover the pot for 5-10 minutes in medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

 

2. Stir in garlic and thyme/parsley and bay leaf, sauté for 1 minute. Then add leeks and potatoes, stir to mix for another 3 minutes until aromatic.

 

3. Pour in stock, rolled oats and nutritional yeasts (if using), bring to a boil. Partially covered, simmer for about 20 minutes to allow flavours to combine.

 

4. Remove bay leaf. If you like some chunk in your soup, leave some potato, onion and leek in the pot, transfer the rest of the mixture to a food processor or simply use a handheld/immersion blender. Process until smooth, pausing the machine to scrape down the sides and under the blade, if necessary.

 

5. Return mixture to pot, bring to simmer. Add more broth if necessary for desired consistency. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Garnish and serve immediately.

 

Step 2: Add leek & potato. 



Step 2: Stir fry

 

Step 3: Add vegetable stock





 

Vegan Indian Tofu Potato Curry

 

If you love Indian food, you probably need no introduction to this curry. This is the first Indian curry that I added yogurt, it turns out to be so good! I think I am starting to get the hang of Indian curry, LOL. The tofu and potato are pan-fried or baked beforehand to give a flavourful crunch.

 
Dietary: Vegetarian, Vegan.
Serve 2
Slightly adapted from this book.
 
Ingredients
 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
 5 cloves garlic, peeled
 2 tsp size ginger, chopped
 1 fresh tomato, roughly chopped
 2 chilli, seeds removed

 1/2 cup or 120ml plain soy yogurt
 2 tsp garam masala
 1 tsp dried fenugreek seeds
 1 tsp chilli or cayenne powder
 1/2 - 1 tsp sea salt

 Canola oil for frying
 1.5 tsp garam masala (if baking)
 300g extra firm tofu, cubed
 1 medium potato, cubed

 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
 1/2 tsp asafoetida
 2 green cardamom pods
 1 tsp cumin seeds
 1 tsp turmeric powder

 1/2 cup or 120ml water
 2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
 

Method

1. In a food processor, process the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and chilli until completely smooth, pausing the processor to scrape down the sides and under the blade, if necessary.

 

2. Stir in yogurt, garam masala, fenugreek and chilli/cayenne powder and salt until well-combined.

 

3. For panfrying: Heat oil to about 1 inch in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in tofu and potato turning occasionally until they are golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels, set aside. For baking: Preheat oven to 180℃. Season with garam masala on the tofu and potato. Line them on the prepared baking pan, and baked for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, set aside.

 

4. Heat up oil in the same wok/skillet. Add mustard seeds, and once crackling, add asafoetida. Add cardamoms, cumin seeds and turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds or until seeds sizzle.

 

5. Add yogurt mixture and water. Bring to a boil, place the lid on the pan, simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens.

 

6. Pour in tofu and potato, simmer for another 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with brown basmati rice or naan.

 

'Cheater' Japanese Curry Rice



 

Before I master the homemade and from-scratch Japanese curry, I will have to make-do with this store-bought sauce mix, so it is considered my 'cheater' Japanese Curry recipe. Though this is medium hot, I still find it too mild for my liking, thus I added some chilli powder to feel that kick. Note that this brand is vegetarian but not vegan as there are milk content. To read more about the ingredients, click here. I always cook this curry rice and go with this Wafu Salad, a true full course Japanese meal for the day! My recipe has to adjusted and is slightly different from the packaging direction.

Dietary: Vegetarian.

Serve 2

 

Ingredients
 3pcs of the sauce mix block of House Vermont Curry
 1 medium onion, chopped
 2 tsp chilli powder (optional)
 1/2 medium carrot, chopped
 1 medium potato, diced
 1 cup shitake mushroom, chopped
 Olive/canola oil
 500ml water

Method

1. Cut carrot and potato into uniform bite size.

2. Heat up oil in a large skillet or wok. Sauté the onion and chilli powder (if using) until aromatic and lightly brown. Then add in carrot and potato, sauté for 2-3 minutes. Lastly, add mushroom and fry for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Pour in water and bring to boil. Simmer on low to medium heat for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, skimming foam from surface as necessary.

4. Break curry sauce mix into pieces and add 3 pieces into the mixture. Mix well while cooking over low heat for another 10-15 minutes or until curry thickens. Cook to your own preference, if you prefer it more soupy and thinner consistency, add more water.

5. Serve over cooked Japanese sushi rice or pastas. Serve!


Vermont Curry - Medium Hot

Where to buy?

In Singapore

☼ SGD5.90 for 250g.
Available at NTUC. 

Location: Various in Singapore.

☼ SGD6.10 for 250g.
Available at Giant Hyper. 

Location: Various in Singapore.  

 

☼ Also commonly available at most local (Asian) stores, at the Japanese section.

Online

Available online at Amazon.

 

Vegan Mexican Chipotle-Mayo Potato

The best and simplest potato salad is made of just-boiled potatoes dressed in your favourite sauce! Just whisk together the dressing in a bowl, and add into the potatoes.

 

Serve 2

Ingredients

 300g potato, boiled 
 2 tsp salt

Dressing
 1 Tbsp Tabasco Chipotle Sauce

 3 Tbsp vegan mayo 
 1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped 
 Fresh black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Let the potatoes cool until slightly hot. 

 

2. Whisk all the ingredients for dressing together, pour dressing into potato until well-mixed, and serve immediately.

  
Tips
☼ TABASCO® Chipotle Sauce is available at Mustafa, Singapore at SGD7.00 and major supermarkets.

Mayo-Mustard Potato Salad

This healthy and filling salad is perfect for pot lucks and picnics, easy to pack and bring out! Good alternative for side dish too.  

Serve 2

Ingredients

 600g potato (any colours)

Dressing
 1/2 Cup (90g) vegan mayonnaise
 2 tsp whole-grain mustard
 1 Tbsp Italian herb mix
 1 Tbsp parsley
 1/4 tsp sea salt
 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper

Method
1. Whisk all ingredients for dressing. Refrigerate.

2. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.

3. Let the potatoes cool until slightly hot. 

4. Pour chilled dressing into potato until well-mixed. Refrigerate if you prefer a cold dish or serve immediately if you like it warm.