Vegan hard cheese -- all you need is a blender and a stove!

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Pierre_is_a_cat
Pierre_is_a_cat Posts: 89 Member
in Recipes
Hi folks,

I just tried this out and it's super yummy. I got it from a friend and thought I would share. I think it's reasonable calorie wise too!

I used it on homemade pizza, and it melted AND browned. I think it tastes comparable to nutritional yeast in terms of flavour, so if you like that flavour try this out. This would also be crazy yummy when still warm as a dip with veggies sticks.

This makes a full cereal bowl full of cheese! In theory you can set this in any container. It would be fun to try this with nuts and dried fruit.

Ingredients
- 1 cup non-lite plant milk - soy, cashew (I used my own cashew milk -- easypeasy, soaked the nuts in water overnight, then used 1/3 cup soaked cashews and 1 cup clean water in lieu of the preprepared milk in this recipe)
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato (boiled them, rather than bake them so they're moist)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp soy sauce (I used Maggi seasoning)
- 2 tsp garlic powder or 1~2 cloves (I used 2 cloves and it was pretty strong, and I love garlic!)
- 1/2 lemon juice
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 cup water
- 2 1/2 tbsp agar agar (you can find this at many supermarkets, definitely at Asian grocers)

Instructions
1. Peel and boil sweet potato
2. In blender put milk (or nuts and water), cooked sweet potato, paprika, cumin, salt, soy sauce, garlic powder, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and blend until it's all mixed up.
3. In saucepan add 1 cup cold water and mix in agar agar powder, mix through then add to low/medium heat and mix for 5 minutes until thickened. I didn't need 5 minutes...more like 2!
4. Pour agar agar in blender, blend and pour in a dish to set.

Put in fridge for 30 minutes at least. After 30 minutes mine was still pretty soft in the middle.
Ready!

Store in fridge for 4/5 days.


Non-vegan spoiler?
(I know, I KNOW... you think this sounds disgusting. But if you don't mind, I request respectfully for you to please keep these kinds of comments to yourself -- it gets tiring hearing the same thing all the time. I'd just like to peacefully share this recipe with other people who choose not to eat animal products. Thank you. xx)


Replies

  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
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    I have a question (A genuine question, not trying to be snarky): Is there such thing as vegan soy sauce? I can't swear to it, but I really thought soy sauce contained anchovies.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    Have you tried regular potatoes? I feel like trying this but I don't like sweet potatoes.
    Susieq_1994 wrote: »
    I have a question (A genuine question, not trying to be snarky): Is there such thing as vegan soy sauce? I can't swear to it, but I really thought soy sauce contained anchovies.

    Could you be confusing it with worcestershire sauce?
  • Pierre_is_a_cat
    Pierre_is_a_cat Posts: 89 Member
    edited November 2016
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    Hi Susieq_1994 -- that's not a snarky question at all. :) Soy sauce doesn't have anchovies in it. Mostly it's fermented soy beans, water, salt and wheat. :) Maggi seasoning doesn't contain any animal products -- it's super tasty, but it's probably not as pure as straight soy sauce.

    Are you thinking of fish sauce? That's fermented fish (not sure which species, anchovy or otherwise).

    amusedmonkey -- never tried white potatos...but I bet it would totally work! If you try it, will you let us know? I imagine it would give the cheese a really nice, lighter colouring too.
  • thielke2015
    thielke2015 Posts: 212 Member
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    Susieq_1994 wrote: »
    I have a question (A genuine question, not trying to be snarky): Is there such thing as vegan soy sauce? I can't swear to it, but I really thought soy sauce contained anchovies.

    Tesco sell a vegan soy sauce.... its a bit pricy at 2-2.50 it is the kikamon soy sauce..... no fish sauce in there... it's the one we use

  • EttaMaeMartin
    EttaMaeMartin Posts: 303 Member
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    Susieq_1994 wrote: »
    I have a question (A genuine question, not trying to be snarky): Is there such thing as vegan soy sauce? I can't swear to it, but I really thought soy sauce contained anchovies.

    no anchovies in soy sauce.
  • joeyleerobbins
    joeyleerobbins Posts: 25 Member
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    Worcestershire sauce has anchovies
  • EauRouge1
    EauRouge1 Posts: 265 Member
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    Henderson's Relish is almost identical to Worcestershire sauce and is vegan, but you'd probably have to order it online unless you live in Sheffield.

    Thanks for the cheese recipe, I might give it a go next week. I'm going to try making vegan mozzarella tomorrow. I'm new to the whole dairy-free thing although I haven't eaten meat for quite a few years.
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    Have you tried regular potatoes? I feel like trying this but I don't like sweet potatoes.
    Susieq_1994 wrote: »
    I have a question (A genuine question, not trying to be snarky): Is there such thing as vegan soy sauce? I can't swear to it, but I really thought soy sauce contained anchovies.

    Could you be confusing it with worcestershire sauce?

    Ahh, I think I am. Thanks! :)
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
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    Haha, this whole thread turned into people reminding me about Worcestershire sauce! :D Sorry for the de-rail! :)
  • Cocoa_Jean
    Cocoa_Jean Posts: 35 Member
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    I cannot WAIT to try this!!! Vegan food items are finally coming down in price, but It would just be nice to make enough to experiment with some of my fav dishes. Thanks!

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