Veganuary 2023

Veganuary 2023 kicks off the New Year with the opportunity to – “try something new”.

There is a general trend that’s been increasing its stand since the lockdown days of COVID that more consumers are reducing how much animal protein they consume. Vegetarian and flexitarian diets have become normalised in many households. ‘Dads’ may once have been the last bastion of ‘meat-free Mondays’ are more readily go with the flow on balanced diets.

Worth noting that 60% of Stokes’ products are registered with the Vegan Society, so many more being suitable for Vegetarians.

The SIAL Food Trends White Paper (2022) sits so well with our ethos of FOOD MADE BETTER reflects a fundamental need to balance quality and price, towards a more complex equation: value for money.

So, to summarise – ‘enjoyment drives food choice’: TASTE; ‘they want their experience to be healthy’: QUALITY; ‘…and ethical’: RESPONSIBILITY.

Happy New Year

Rick

Originating in China some 2,000 years ago, Tofu is made from processed soybean curd. After the soya milk has been curdled, the curds are pressed into a solid block. When cooled and solidified, it forms a block of tofu.

Texturally satisfying, its star quality is its wonderful ability to absorb flavour.

The easiest tofu to get on with is firm tofu as opposed to silken. Most of our recipes use the former

Versatility & Preparation

Even with firm tofu, you get the best results by pressing and draining it to remove any excess moisture. Some advocate freezing it before using it to firm it up to a texture that absorbs flavour better still.

Because of its spongy texture, it literally soaks up flavours from a marinade. Even simple marinades lift tofu to its dizzy heights of ‘delicious’ even before we begin to cook with it – just a simple brush with our Sweet Chilli Sauce  sauce will take ‘um’ to ‘yum’ in moments.

Pan-frying Tip: coat with a little cornflour before stir-frying to give it an extra crispy finish.

Baking Tip: for a meat-like texture and firm, crispy finish, marinate the tofu and bake on a high heat for 20 – 25 minutes.

Grill & BBQ Tip: as with steak, chicken and vegetables, cube the tofu into even sizes (for even cooking), skewer them, brush with Stokes goodness (try our NEW Habanero HOT Sauce) and grill for 15 minutes turning frequently.

Sweet Chilli Tofu Stir-Fry – recipe HERE.

Spiced Lentil Dhal

VIDEO LINK

This is a superb video recipe showing you just how easy it is to cook up a real meat-free treat. It’s a real winter warmer too.

Follow Resident Chef, Andy, as he rolls up his sleeves … then it’s your turn:

Shop, Chop, Cook, Serve – it’s delicious…

…particularly served with our Spiced Mango Chutney.

Spiced Mango Chutney

Made with mango pieces and an aromatic blend of spices, giving this beautifully balanced chutney a mild, gentle warmth. Perfect as an accompaniment to delicious Indian cuisine; curries, samosas, and bhajis.

NEW Recipe – especially created for Veganuary 2023.

Traditionally Japanese in origin, Resident Chef, Andy, recommends using a good dash of Stokes Hoisin Sauce added to the vegetable broth as it gives an aromatic depth of flavour, complementing the other ingredients.

Our Hoisin Sauce is a rich sweet sauce made with yellow bean sauce, soy sauce and little red chilli. This oriental classic will certainly have you coming back for more.

The easiest way to find our Vegan & Vegetarian products on-line is to:

1. click on our SHOP /All Products,
2. scroll down,
3. select Vegan or Vegetarian options,
4. and all will be revealed.

Enjoy trying something different – today.