There's nothing fishy about these vegan fishcakes

Three healthy vegan spins on summer dinners (and one breakfast) from Britain's Bosh! boys.

Thai no-fishcakes

Remember that delicious, just-one-more dippiness of Thai fishcakes? Well we made them vegan, using jackfruit instead of fish, so you can still enjoy the gorgeously subtle spiciness of fishcakes with the freshness of the dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the jackfruit fishcakes

• 2-3 medium potatoes (about 500g)
• 3 spring onions
• 4cm piece fresh ginger (about 15g)
• 1 nori sheet, optional
• 400g can young green jackfruit in water
• 10g fresh coriander
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp vegan Thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp soy sauce, plus extra to taste
• salt and black pepper

For the Thai-tare sauce

• 1 lime
• 15g fresh ginger
• 10g fresh coriander leaves (reserved from the fishcakes)
• 1 tsp vegan Thai red curry paste
• 1 tsp soy sauce

To serve

• 1 lime
• ½ small fresh red chilli
• 100g mixed salad

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 220C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
   
2. First, prep the potatoes. Peel then cut them into 2.5cm chunks and put them in the large pan of cold salted water. Put the pan over a high heat, bring to the boil and cook for 8-12 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes, tip into a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.
   
3. Trim and thinly slice the spring onions. Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon, then grate. Snip the nori sheet (if using) with scissors into small pieces. Drain the jackfruit, rinse under a cold tap and pat dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper. Pull the jackfruit into pieces with two forks, so it resembles flaked tuna. Separate the coriander leaves and stems and chop the stems.
   
4. Now, make the fishcakes. Put a frypan over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the spring onion and ginger and saute for a couple of minutes, then add the jackfruit, coriander stems and nori (if using).
   
5. Saute for a further 5 minutes, stirring often, then add the red curry paste and soy sauce. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. When the jackfruit is lightly browned and tastes fantastic, add the mashed potato, mix well and fry for another 5 minutes, until the potato has browned slightly. Remove from the heat, taste and season to perfection with salt, pepper and a splash more soy sauce.
   
6. Leave until cool enough to handle, then use your hands to form the mixture into six evenly-sized patties. Place them on the lined baking tray, put in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes until lightly browned.
   
7. While the fishcakes are baking, make the Thai-tare sauce. Halve the lime and squeeze the juice. Finely chop the reserved coriander leaves. Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon, then grate. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to form a paste. Add water if required, to get a dippable, quite loose consistency.
   
8. Cut the whole lime into wedges and chop the chilli. Serve the fishcakes with the sauce, a small mixed salad and lime wedges.

Serves 2

Nasi goreng

A classic fried rice dish from Indonesia, this meat-free version has all the delicious traditional umaminess from the added tomato puree, maple syrup, peanuts and soy sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 30g unsalted roasted peanuts
• 1 lime
• small handful of coriander leaves
• 2 shallots
• 1 large carrot
• 1 red capsicum
• 200g white cabbage
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 x 250g bag ready­-cooked brown basmati rice
• 1 bird's-eye chilli
• salt and black pepper

For the spice paste

• 2 shallots
• 1 lemongrass stalk
• 5cm piece fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 bird's-eye chillies
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp sesame oil

METHOD

1. First, make the spice paste: Peel and roughly chop the shallots. Remove the tough outer layer of the lemongrass stalk and roughly chop the tender inner layers. Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon, then roughly chop. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Trim the chillies. Put all the paste ingredients in the blender and blitz to a paste.
   
2. Roughly chop the peanuts. Cut the lime into wedges. Roughly chop the coriander and set aside.
   
3. Now, prep the vegetables: Peel and thinly slice the shallots lengthways. Peel the carrot, then cut it lengthways into long ribbons using the vegetable peeler. Trim, halve, core and cut the capsicum into strips. Halve, core and finely shred the cabbage. Rip the stem from the chilli, thinly slice and set aside.
   
4. Cook the nasi goreng: Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frypan over a high heat. Add the shallots and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly until softened. Add the carrot and capsicum and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Add the cabbage and soy sauce and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Tip the stir-fried vegetables onto a plate and set to one side. Return the wok to the heat, add the spice paste and stir for 2 minutes until very fragrant, loosening it with a little water if necessary.
   
5. Add the cooked rice to the pan and fold it into the paste. Return the cooked vegetables to the pan and fold them into the rice until the rice and vegetables are warmed through. Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper.
   
6. Plate up the nasi goreng, sprinkle over the peanuts, coriander and chilli and serve with a wedge of lime.

Serves 2

Ultimate veg tacos

These tacos are a feast for the eyes! We love the combination of colours, textures and flavours – it has everything you could wish for in a meal. The simple salsa and avocado tang also works really well as a side with lots of dishes and salads.

INGREDIENTS

For the roasted capsicum

• 1 red onion
• 2 orange capsicums
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and black pepper

For the roasted corn

• 200g tin sweetcorn in water (no added salt)
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tbsp olive oil

For the bangin' black beans

• 2 garlic cloves
• 400g tin black beans in water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cumin

For the simple salsa

• 50g cherry tomatoes
• 1 spring onion
• 5g fresh coriander leaves
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• ½ lime

For the avo' tang

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 lime

To serve

• ½ fresh green chilli
• 2 limes
• 8 small corn tortillas
• 10g fresh coriander leaves

METHOD

1. Line two baking trays with baking paper and preheat oven to 180C.
   
2. Roast the capsicums: Peel, halve and cut the red onion into 5mm-­thick strips. Halve, core and cut the capsicum into 5mm-thick slices. Put the onion and capsicum in a bowl, drizzle over the olive oil, add a pinch each of salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spread out on one of the lined baking trays, put in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
   
3. Get the roasted corn in the oven: Drain and rinse the sweetcorn, pat dry with kitchen paper, then tip the kernels into a bowl with the smoked paprika and stir to combine. Sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, tip the sweetcorn onto the second baking tray, put the tray in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Take both trays out of the oven, drizzle the corn with the oil and set to one side.
   
4. Meanwhile, make the black beans: Peel and grate the garlic. Drain and rinse the beans, tip them into a bowl and mash with a fork. Heat the olive oil in the small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in the cinnamon and cumin. Add the black beans and stir to combine, adding the water to loosen the mixture. Taste and season to perfection with salt and pepper.
   
5. Make the simple salsa: Quarter the tomatoes. Trim and thinly slice the spring onion. Roughly chop the coriander leaves. Put the chilli powder in a bowl, squeeze in the lime juice and stir. Stir in the tomatoes, spring onion and coriander leaves, and set to one side.
   
6. Make the avo' tang: Halve and carefully stone the avocado by tapping the stone firmly with the heel of a knife so that it lodges in the pit, then twist and remove. Halve the lime. Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl, squeeze in the lime juice and mash with a fork to a textured cream.
   
7. To serve: Lay all the elements of your tacos on the table. Trim and thinly slice the chilli. Cut the limes into wedges. Spoon a layer of beans and roasted capsicum and onion onto each tortilla. Spoon over some avo' tang and simple salsa. Sprinkle with roasted corn, garnish with coriander leaves and chilli, add a squeeze of lime and serve.

Serves 4

Tropical overnight oats

Make these overnight oats in advance and simply grab-and-go in the morning. This tropical combination brings a delicious taste of sunshine to start the day, and there is no added sugar, letting the sweetness of the fruits shine through.

INGREDIENTS

• 100g rolled oats
• 10g almonds (skin on)
• 10g cashews
• 5g flaked coconut
• 20g dried fruit
• 250ml unsweetened plant-based milk
• pinch of salt
• 1 medium mango
• 1 lime
• 200g plant-based yoghurt
• small handful of fresh mint leaves
• ½ tbsp flaxseeds
• 1 passionfruit

METHOD

1. The night before you want to eat your tropical overnight oats, preheat oven to 180C and place the oats, almonds, cashews and flaked coconut on a baking tray (keeping them separate) and bake in the oven for 5 minutes, until golden brown (be careful they don't burn).
   
2. Place the oats and dried fruit in an airtight container, pour in the milk and add the salt. Stir everything together, put the lid on and put the container in the fridge.
   
3. Roughly chop the toasted nuts and put them in a separate container along with the flaked coconut. Put the lid on and set to one side.
   
4. Slice the mango lengthways down either side of the stone, spoon out the flesh, cut the mango into bite-sized chunks and put the chunks in a container. Zest the lime into the container. Put the lid on the container and put the container in the fridge.
   
5. The following morning layer the overnight oats, nuts, chopped fruit, yoghurt, mint leaves and flaxseeds. Halve the passionfruit. Serve the oats immediately, with the passionfruit halves.

Serves 2

This is an edited extract from Bosh! Healthy Vegan by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby, published by HQ, RRP $29.99