Art by Liz Clements via Supersonic Electronic

 

Good condiments really bring a mix-and-match style dinner together. I whipped this up last night in a fit of inspiration; it is my first ever pulled-outta-my-own-head victorious cheesy sauce. Superproud of this one! It is so flavourful and, if I do say so myself, moreish as hell. A bright yellow umami bomb.

We poured a generous helpings over roasted potato pieces and steamed broccoli, which were part of yesterday’s dinner feast alongside lentil-stuffed cubanelle peppers. It was a total hit.

I love love love the vegan possibilities for creamy food; being able to eat sauces like this one, without having to deal with the bloated ickness of dairy consumption, is the fucking best. A whole world of amazing body-loving condiments has opened up since I reoriented the way I eat.

 

Miso-Cashew Cheesy Sauce

 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp white (shiro) miso
1/4 cup hot water
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp nutritional yeast*
1 1/4 cups soy milk
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp raw cashews

 

What to do:

In a small bowl, whisk together miso and water.

Briefly heat olive oil in small saucepan, over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, making sure it sizzles a little but being careful not to let it brown.

Add turmeric and mix well. Turn heat to low. Add chickpea flour and nutritional yeast, quickly stirring to form a dry mixture. Very slowly add the miso/water blend, stirring constantly as you do so.

Add milk, in 1/4 cup batches, to the saucepan, stirring thoroughly to prevent lumps. Add cashews and salt.

Turn heat to low and cook sauce, stirring very regularly, until it thickens, 2-4 minutes. Keep an eagle eye on this thang until it thickens and be careful not to let it get to a full boil you just want a bubble here and there.

Set aside to cool for ten minutes before blending until smooth. Transfer back to a saucepan, cover, and gently reheat just before needed.

Any leftovers will keep well, refrigerated, in a sealed container for a few days – thin it out with a little water when you reheat and viola! Sorted.

Makes 2-3 good helpings.

 

* You’ll be able to find nutritional yeast on the shelves at health food stores, wholefoods supermarkets (and some of the big chains, if you are lucky). My fellow Wellingtonians can pick some up from Commonsense Organics or New World Chaffers.