As a hungry new mama with not a whole lot of time on my hands I begrudgingly pulled it out and ... I can honestly say they are magic. Throw everything in them in the morning and come dinner time there is a healthy, nourishing, HOT meal ready to go and most often a clean kitchen to boot.
I’m thinking 2021 is the year to make slow cookers cool again.
Whether you are full-time vegan or considering adding a meal or two a week, including plant-based meals in your repertoire need not be hard or require unusual or expensive ingredients.
Of the following recipes, three use high-quality pre-prepared (convenience) products such as curry pastes and spice blends, one requires you to start from scratch (with enough flavour base to store for future meals) and one requires almost no ingredients at all.
In all of them you can sub out different vegetables depending on what you have on hand or add extra veggies to up the nutrients. Leftovers can be happily frozen once chilled and popped back into the slow cooker from frozen for several hours to be enjoyed again. Easy!
Indonesian tempeh jackfruit curry (Gulai Nangka)
Serves 6
1 tin young jackfruit drained, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 block tempeh, rinsed and cut into 1cm cubes
2 star anise
5 cardamon pods
5 heaped Tbsp Gulai Nangka paste
2 Tbsp rice bran oil
1 tin coconut milk
2.5 tsp vegan chicken stock powder (Massels’ is great)
200g fresh green beans topped and tailed (frozen works too!)
200g bag baby spinach
1.5 litres water
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
Gulai Nangka paste
8 shallots, peeled
3 large red chilli, chopped
1 bulb of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
4cm fresh ginger, roughly chopped
2 small pieces fresh turmeric, roughly chopped
5 bay leaves
5 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemon grass stalk, bruised and roughly chopped
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp tamarind paste (or 1 tbsp lime juice)
place all ingredients in a blender and blend to a paste
Method
In a large saucepan saute the gulag nangka paste in 2 Tbsp rice bran oil on a low heat for around 10 minutes till fragrant then scrape into the slow cooker.
In a fry pan fry tempeh in 1 tbsp rice bran oil for 5-7 minutes until golden. Place in the slow cooker.
Add to the slow cooker the jackfruit, star anise, cardamon,coconut cream, chicken stock powder, sugar and water and set on low for 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. 15 minutes before serving add the green beans and spinach, to ensure they stay vibrant and crisp. Season to taste.
Serve with rice, fresh red chilli, coriander leaves, crushed salted peanuts and a wedge of lime.
Smoky beer and molasses beans
Serves 6
1 red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tin black beans,drained
1 tin kidney beans, drained
1 small can/bottle Mexican beer
1 Tbsp molasses
1/2 sachet taco seasoning
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp liquid smoke
1-2 tsp vegan chicken stock powder (depending on how the salty taco seasoning is)
3 cups water
Method
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. Just before
serving blend half the beans with a stick blender (add a bit more water if necessary), leaving the
other half whole.
Serve on rice, baked potato or corn chips with coconut yoghurt, avocado, coriander, fresh
chopped chilli, grated vegan cheese and a lime wedge.
Nourishing turmeric congee with fried mushrooms
Serves 6
Congee is so simple and nourishing and is so easy to digest it’s perfect when you're feeling fragile after a sickness ,or to give to little ones. This is one of our family’s faves to have on hand and top with sauteed veggies from the fridge or even just a splash of soy sauce, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, red chilli and coriander.
1 cup white rice
2 litres water
3 tsp vegan chicken stock / or homemade veggie broth
½ tsp turmeric powder
Method
Place in slow cooker with the lid on high for 2 hours then reduce to low for 8 hours until the rice has broken down and is a porridge-like consistency. You may need to add a little water to thin before serving.
Top with sliced and fried Portobello mushrooms, a splash of soy sauce, crispy shallots and some spring onions.
Tofu thai red curry with lychees and grapes
Serves 6
block tofu, drained, pressed and cut into 1cm cubes
1 jar thai red curry paste (make sure it doesn’t have shrimp or fish paste in it)
2.5 tsp vegan chicken stock
1 tin coconut cream
400g pumpkin, diced
1 eggplant diced
1 carrot cut into ½ cm rounds
200g green beans topped and tailed (frozen is fine!)
1 tin lychees, drained
200g large green grapes, halved
3 cups water
Method
Place all ingredients except for the green beans and grapes into the slow cooker, being careful not to break up the tofu.
Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. Fifteen minutes before serving add the green beans and grapes.
Serve with rice or rice noodles, chopped salted peanuts, fresh chilli, mint, coriander and crispy shallots.
The easiest pumpkin Dahl in the world
Serves 6
3 cups pumpkin, skinned and diced
1 cup split red lentils, rinsed
2 tins Indian-flavoured tomatoes
1 tin coconut cream
3 tsp mild indian curry powder
3 tsp vegan chicken stock powder
4cm piece fresh ginger grated
3 bay leaves (optional)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
1 red chilli finely chopped (optional)
Method
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker with 500ml water. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 4-6 hours. Taste and add salt if needed.
Serve on rice or crunchy roast potatoes with roti, coconut yoghurt, fresh chilli, fresh mint and coriander
