Plant-based braai recipes you need to try

Heritage Day, September 24, is often celebrated around a braai with family and friends. For South Africans who are looking to reduce their meat consumption for health, environmental or ethical reasons, the right recipes can make all of the difference this year.

Bean burger with beetroot mayonnaise
Ingredients
For the patties:
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, crushed or pureed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 3 tbsp soya sauce or tamari
• 80g oat flakes
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
• 5 tbsp bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp white flour
• Salt and pepper

For the beetroot mayonnaise:
• 50ml soya milk
• 1 beetroot
• 150ml rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp mild mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
For the patties:

Rinse the kidney beans and drain them. Then transfer into a bowl and mash with your hands or a potato masher.
In the meantime, roast the onions in the oil for a few minutes. Add all other ingredients to the bowl with the mashed beans and mix well.
With wet hands, form patties and put them on a baking tray layered with baking paper. Bake at 200°C for about 10 minutes and let them cool.
To finish cooking them, roast in the pan or in a grill pan for two to three minutes.

For the beetroot mayonnaise:
Using a stick blender, blend the beetroot and soya milk until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until it reaches a mayonnaise consistency.
Add salt and pepper to taste and chill in the fridge.

Pepper-crusted seitan-steaks

Ingredients
For the seitan steaks:
• 240g white beans, cooked
• 1 medium beetroot, cooked
• ½ tsp liquid smoke
• ¼ tsp chili powder
• 1 garlic clove
• 30ml red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 180ml warm water
• ½ tsp lemon salt (replace with regular salt and lemon zest)
• 200g gluten powder

For the pepper crust:
• ½ tsp crushed peppercorns
• ¼ tsp salt flakes
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• 2 tsp mustard
• 2 tsp maple syrup

Instructions

For the seitan steaks:
Put all the ingredients, except for the gluten, in a food processor and blend until smooth. Put the mixture into a bowl, add the gluten and knead for two minutes until firm and elastic.
Divide the mixture into four equal pieces and flatten with your hands. Let the steaks rest for about one hour. Boil a little water in a big pot with a fitted steamer.
Reduce the heat to low and put the steaks inside the steamer. Steam for about 20 minutes and then flip and steam for another 20 minutes.
Remove the seitan steaks from the steamer and allow them to cool in order to firm up. (At this point you can refrigerate the steaks and use them later. They will last in the fridge for at least one to two days and can be frozen for one to two months).

For the pepper crust:

Rub each steak with salt flakes and crushed pepper and add it to your braai grill. Alternatively, you can also prepare it in a pan with a little bit of oil.
Cook on each side for two to three minutes, turning twice. To make the glaze, mix the soya sauce, mustard and maple syrup in a small bowl until smooth. Once the steaks are crusted and nicely browned, gently pour the glaze over the steaks and stir to combine. Serve immediately.

To find more plant-based recipes, visit: https://proveg.com/za/plant-based-braai-recipes-ebook/