Weekend Cooking: Vegan Eats World

Title: Vegan Eats World
Author: Terry Hope Romero
Publisher: Da Capo Lifelong Books
Release date: October 2012
Length: 376 pages
I got this book: for review through NetGalley

Summary:
From Goodreads:
"What If the World Was Vegan? The true building blocks of cuisines across the planet are the spices, herbs, and grains—from basmati rice to buckwheat, coconut to caraway seeds. Apply those flavors to vegan staples such as seitan, or tofu and even straight-up vegetables, and the possibilities? If not endless, pretty darned expansive.

So what if the world was vegan? Your own cooking is the answer to that question; fire up the stove and make a green curry, simmer a seitan date tagine stew, or hold a freshly made corn tortilla piled high with chile-braised jackfruit in your hand. Chart your course in the great, growing map of vegan food history. Award-winning chef, author of Veganomicon, and author of Viva Vegan Terry Hope Romero continues the vegan food revolution with more than 300 bold, delicious recipes based on international favorites. With chapters devoted to essential basics such as Spice Blends; The Three Protein Amigos; and Pickles, Chutneys & Saucier Sauces, you can make everything from salads to curries, dumplings and desserts. Vegan Eats World will help you map your way through a culinary world tour, whether you want to create a piergoi party or Thai feast, easy Indian chaat lunch or Your International House of Dinner Crepes."

Personal opinion:
I know that almost everyone I know LOVES this book. But I am afraid I am the odd one out in this case. It is not that the book is bad. In fact the recipe I did try was delicious! But it is just not a book for me. The recipes are often long and require a lot of cooking time even though there are recipes that have a lot of down time. I like recipes that are quick and easy and I didn't find a whole lot of that in this book. Second of all, the book often calls for ingredients, that to me, as a vegetarian who cooks vegan about twice a week, aren't that common. So all in all this book overwhelmed me. Therefore I think this book will be great for the more experienced vegan, because the recipes do sound delicious, but not really for the newbie vegan. However on the Dutch vegan forum, they are doing monthly cookalongs from this book, so I might change my mind later on. Of course I will let you know when I do.

Purchase links: The Book Depository
Challenges: Foodies reading challenge, cookbook challenge
Other reviews: none yet.
If you have reviewed this book and want your link here, please leave a comment with the link, and I will add it :)

I will share a really tasty recipe for Ginger Peanut Squash Soup with my own spin of course.

Ginger Peanut Squash Soup (serves 6-8)
- 680 gr zucchini, diced
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1 spring onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- some chili powder to taste
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- a piece of fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 400 gr canned tomatoes with juice
- 2/3 cups peanut butter, chunky or smooth
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- some salt and black pepper

Sprinkle salt over the zucchini and leave it in a colander over the sink. Leave it to drain while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a large soup pan heat some oil. Saute onions for about 5 minutes. Then add carrots, garlic, ginger and coriander and stir fry for about 1-2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth with the bay leaves, some chili powder and tomatoes. Set the heat to medium high to bring the soup to an active simmer.
Scoop the peanut butter into a mixing bowl and scoop out 1 cup of hot broth out of the pan (avoid the bay leaves) and pour this over the peanut butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until you have a creamy sauce. Return the peanut sauce to the pot. Also drain the zucchini from the last moist and add to the pan. Bring the soup back to an active simmer, then turn heat to low, cover the pot and leave it be for about 15-20 minutes until the zucchini is tender. Stir in lime juice, some salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Turn of the heat and leave the soup be for 5 minutes. Optional you can stir in some cilantro leaves before serving.

You can serve it as is, or blend the soup, if you like that better. I will do that next time, because I like that more.

This post is part of Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Please hop over there for your dosis of food inspiration.

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