Peter Mwaniki

How to Prepare the Ideal Thai Vegan Dinner Thai cuisine uses lots of fresh vegetables in its preparation and features four essential flavors; savory, spicy, salty, and sweet. The high vegetable content in Thai dishes makes them vegan, as luck would have it. While most Thai dishes incorporate a few fish pieces, the good news is it is easy to convert Thai recipes to vegan. Whether you are in a Thai restaurant or looking to make a Thai vegan dish at home, note that fish-based seasoning and dairy products disqualify a dish as vegan-based. If you are looking for perfectly satisfying Thai vegan foods made with fresh ingredients and vegetables, read on for some of the best vegan recipes like pineapple fried rice, Thai red curry with tofu and eggplant, and vegan Thai basil fried rice. 1. Pineapple Fried Rice Thai vegan pineapple fried rice is among the toothsome and easy vegan dishes to prepare. The dish has sweet and savory flavors featuring tamari, veggies, curry powder, and pineapple. To enrich the delight, you can add cilantro and roasted cashews. How to make pineapple fried rice Ingredients One red onion Crushed garlic, ginger, and red pepper 3 Carrots 250 g pineapple chunks 250 cooked rice 100 g thawed peas 100 g roasted cashew nuts Fresh cut cilantro and green onions Curry powder and tamari mixture Instructions 1. Stir-fry the cubed red onions until browned. 2. Add crushed garlic, ginger, red pepper, and cubed carrots; keep carrots stir-fried until soft. 3. Add the cubed pineapples and fry until brown. 4. Pour in the green onions, thawed peas, and rice. 5. Add the curry powder mixture to the rice and mix well. Cook for about 5 minutes until the heat spreads throughout. 6. Top the food with roasted cashews, green onions, and cilantro, and serve hot. You can make the pineapple rice recipe with the regular long-grain rice. Sticky rice will work perfectly if you want creamier and sweater results. Sticky rice is not only rich in zinc and fiber, but it is also famous for its chewy texture. If you prefer pineapple fried rice with a firmer texture, use day-old or cold rice as it is drier than newly cooked rice. 2. Thai Red Curry with Tofu and Eggplant The Thai vegan recipe collection is not complete without Thai red curry with tofu and eggplant. It is a tasty yet simple recipe to make and features mainly bell pepper and eggplant, simmered in spicy coconut milk broth and topped with a basil leaf. The dish takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook, making 30 minutes. Ingredients One sliced red onion 2 cups coconut milk One tablespoon of red curry paste One eggplant sliced into strips One sliced red bell pepper ½ cup basil One pound drained and pressed tofu 1 tbsp cooking oil Instructions 1. Add curry paste and coconut milk to a pan and stir to blend into a mixture. 2. Add vegetable oil into a large skillet, spread the eggplant strips over medium heat, and cook all sides until browned. Two to three minutes for each side works. 3. Once ready, add the eggplant strips to the pan with curry paste and coconut milk, and add the sliced onions. 4. Leave the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. 5. Meanwhile, prepare the tofu by cutting it into strips or cubes. Place the tofu on the skillet with vegetable oil. Cook each side for about 5 minutes; you want the tofu stir-fried to brown. 6. Transfer the stir-fried tofu into the pan with the curry and coconut milk broth. Add the red pepper and simmer until tender; 5 minutes work. 7. Add basil for added flavor before serving. The curry goes well with sticky rice, fried rice, regular rice, and even brown rice. 3. Peanut Sauce and Thai Spring Rolls If you crave crispy vegan food, Thai spring rolls with peanut sauce will make a mouth-watering Thai dish. You have probably come across pre-made spring rolls at whole foods, but they are easier to make at home than you think. More so, they are more affordable when made at home. You can make satisfying, crunchy, refreshing spring rolls at home with longer shelf life with fresh ingredients. They are even better when dipped in peanut sauce. Ingredients One red bell pepper sliced into strips One sliced cucumber One package of rice paper wrappers One sliced avocado 1 cup shredded carrots Basil leaf and fresh mint 1 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced One bag of spring lettuces Instructions 1. Pour about 150 ml of water into a bowl and sip a rice paper wrap in the water to soften and remove. 2. Place the wrapper on your work surface and place greens on it. You can arrange the greens depending on what you want to see at the top of the roll. 3. Fold the rice paper wrap around the veggies tightly and fold it like a burrito. Continue folding the paper over the mound of veggies until it is all sealed. 4. Repeat the process for more rolls until you work on all the veggies. 5. Cut the rolls in half if you want to eat them and store the rest in the refrigerator. 6. Serve with peanut sauce. 4. Vegan Thai Basil Fried Rice The gluten-free, vegan food will quickly become your favorite. It is easy to make and rich in basil and sauce flavors. The Thai vegan food features marinated tempeh or tofu and veggies. You use garlic, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and molasses to boost the flavor profile. Ingredients Fried Rice Five crushed cloves of garlic Two tablespoons oil ¼ cup carrots, thinly sliced ½ cup broccoli and mushrooms ½ white onions, thinly sliced Two red chilies ½ cup red bell pepper, chopped ½ cup green onions ½ cup chopped Thai basil leaves 2 cups cooked rice Red paper flakes for garnish Black pepper and salt Sauce Marinade One tablespoon water Three tablespoons of soy sauce One tablespoon of rice vinegar One tablespoon sugar Two tablespoons of orange juice One tablespoon molasses 250g tempeh or tofu, cubed Instructions 1. If you want to use tempeh, you should steam it for about 10 minutes. 2. mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and add tofu or tempeh, depending on what you want to use, to marinate for 15 minutes. 3. Add oil to a skillet and heat until hot. Add the chilies and garlic and allow to cook until golden. Add bell pepper and stir to mix. Add the white onions, veggies, carrots, and zucchini and allow to cook for 2 minutes. 4. Pour in the tempeh sauce and cook for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Add in basil and half of the sliced green onions and cook for two minutes. 5. Add rice, add salt and black pepper, and toss to distribute the seasoning. Cook for about 2 minutes, and add soy sauce if necessary. 6. Garnish the dish with red pepper flakes and the remaining green onion and serve hot. You can use the tempeh or tofu stir-fried if you like. You can also use brown rice to add dietary fiber content to the dish. 5. Tofu Pad Thai If you are a Pad Thai enthusiast, then you will love this Tofu Pad Thai delicious flavors. It is an easy recipe that will be ready in record time. It is a stir-fry vegan dish that features protein-rich tofu and rice noodles carrying tongue-tingling, sweet and spicy flavors. To give the Thai vegan dish its bold color and the unforgettable Pad Thai flavor, tamarind mixed with coconut sugar and aminos, lime juice, and chili garlic sauce must feature in the recipe. Ingredients Sauce 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice 1 ½ tablespoon tamarind concentrate 3 ½ tablespoon coconut sugar 1/3 cup coconut aminos 1 ½ tablespoon chili garlic sauce Noodles 230g Pad Thai rice noodles Stir Fry 1 cup firm tofu, cubed 1 cup bean sprouts 1/3 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped 1 cup green onions, chopped One tablespoon oil Two cloves of garlic, minced One tablespoon of coconut aminos 1 Thai red chili, chopped For Serving Cilantro Peanut sauce Bean sprouts Chili garlic sauce Shredded carrot Lime wedges Instructions 1. In a small cooking pot, add coconut aminos, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, coconut sugar, and tamarind, and simmer under medium heat. 2. Prepare the stir fry ingredients (chopped peanuts, pressed tofu, bean sprouts, green onions, and minced garlic). 3. Add the Pad Thai noodles and cover with boiling water in a large bowl. Stir and cover them to cook for about 5 minutes. 4. Drain the noodles and to prevent them from sticking, pour some oil and toss the noodles. 5. Place a large skillet over medium heat, and add oil, tofu, and fry for about 4 minutes. Turn occasionally to ensure even browning. After the tofu browns, add coconut aminos, Thai chilis, and garlic while tossing gently. 6. When the garlic browns slightly, add the noodles, green onions, bean sprouts, Pad Thai sauce, and peanuts. 7. Cook under medium heat and regularly toss until the sauce is well-spread. 8. Serve garnished with peanut sauce, lime wedges, chili garlic sauce, cilantro, and shredded carrot. If there are leftovers, store them in the fridge for not more than four days. There are many tamarind sauce forms, such as paste, concentrate, and paste. They often have different results, but the concentrate works well. 6. Pad Thai Salad Pad Thai salad gives you the delicious Thai flavors packed in Thai vegan salad comprising healthy greens. Thai dressing brings out incredible flavors and comprises garlic, chili, lime, ginger vinegar, almond milk, and almond butter. If you want a crunchy meal version, consider using kale or shredded cabbage. You can refrigerate it for about three to four days, and it makes the perfect meal for gatherings and lunches for the week. Ingredients One halved lime 20 basil leaves Three freshly sliced radishes 120g finely sliced kale Two sliced spring onions Three tablespoons of roughly chopped roasted peanuts 350g rice noodles 230g finely sliced purple cabbage Coriander leaves Pad Thai Dressing One tablespoon of sesame oil Three tablespoons of brown sugar One tablespoon of rice vinegar ¼ tbsp chili flakes, dried 1 tbsp tamarind puree 2 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin One clove of chopped garlic Instructions 1. Prepare the dressing. Heat the rice vinegar, sugar, chili flakes, sesame oil, tamarind, and garlic in a pan for about 1 minute over low heat. 2. Once the sugar dissolves completely, add the olive oil, season the dressing, and set aside. 3. Put the cabbage and kale and sprinkle sea salt in a large bowl. Squeeze lime juice into the bowl, massage the content, and leave for 10 minutes for the lime juice and salt to tenderize the cabbage and kale. 4. Boil salted water in a pan and cook the rice noodles for about 5 minutes. Run the noodles in cold water and set them aside to drain. 5. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and kale, dressing, and rice noodles, and toss the mixture to coat completely. Season the mixture, pour in the basil leaves, radishes, coriander, and spring onions, and toss to mix. 6. Transfer the content into a serving bowl and top with peanuts. 7. Serve with lime wedges on the side. Vegan Thai Iced Tea There are many delicious Thai beverages you can find in malls. The bright orange vegan Thai iced tea is among the popular drinks, which, fortunately, you can make at home. Thai coconut milk is probably the best plant milk you will ever try, and it consists of coconut milk and water. Coconut milk has various health benefits too. Ingredients Ice cubes 2 tbsp black tea 1 ½ cups boiling water ½ cup coconut milk, full fat 2 tbsp cane sugar Instructions 1. Put water and black tea in a bowl and let it stand for about 10 minutes. 2. Strain the tea and mix it with sugar and coconut milk. 3. Place ice cubes in a glass and pour the tea mixture. 4. Serve when fresh. If you have leftover tea, store it in the refrigerator tightly sealed for not more than two days without ice cubes. You can use sweeteners and any other plant milk for the recipe. Bottom Line Vegan eating is a growing trend, and Thai dishes have proved to be delightful. The recipes are rich in delicious Thai flavors; savory, sweet, spicy and salty. With the many flavors to explore through Thai vegan dishes like Pad Thai salad and Tofu Pad Thai, you will never get bored in the kitchen and dining area. Did you enjoy the recipes? Pin the write-up for reference and explore our vegan cookbooks for more plant-based dishes inspired by cuisines across the globe.