Ramla Bay Resort executive chef Christian Borg presents a recipe from the hotel’s recent Great Vegan & Vegetarian Event, which served a vast range of exclusively vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Plantain Tostadas
Serves 4
Topped with home-made vegan cheese, stir fried black beans, spiced sweet potatoes, baby rucola leaves and pomegranate seeds.
160g plantains (not too ripe)
50g tapioca starch or rice flour
Pinch of salt
16g coconut oil
2g baking powder
Blend the ingredients on the left together in a high power blender, spread between baking sheets using a rolling pin, freeze for approximately 20 minutes until the paste is firm enough to be cut, then cut into desired shape and fry in clean vegetable oil (you can also grill them, but frying them makes it a lot tastier).
Vegan cheese
60ml coconut oil
10ml apple cider vinegar
60g nutritional yeast
5g garlic powder
30g agar agar
10g maple syrup
Pinch of salt
500g raw cashew nuts (soaked in water overnight)
250ml cold water
Blend the cashew nuts, cold water and maple syrup in a high power blender until you achieve a fine cream. Add all other ingredients in the blender and blend for another minute, taste and add more salt if required, then process for another minute until it’s smooth in texture.
Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until smooth and thick. Set aside for 30 minutes and then spoon into a lightly greased glass container. When it is cold, cover and refrigerate preferably overnight.
(This cheese will stay good for a week in the fridge or else for up to two months if frozen)
For the toppings
100g Black beans (soaked overnight)
Fresh chopped garlic to taste
80ml olive oil
100g sweet potatoes
Cajun seasoning to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
Washed rucola leaves
Alfa alfa sprouts
1pc pomegranate (if in season or else frozen pomegranate seeds)
Boil soaked black beans in salted water until they are soft (approximately 40minutes). When ready, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Cut the sweet potatoes into small cubes, sprinkle with Cajun seasoning, salt, pepper and a dash of olive oil and roast them at 190 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes.
To plate
Pan fry in olive oil the garlic and the black beans together with some seasoning and fresh herbs (I love basil), reheat the sweet potatoes and start assembling all the ingredients on the prepared plantain tostada finish with a drizzle of olive oil.