Shopping OEV – Local ingredients – A World of Dishes by Nicole Borland Over the past year, we’ve taken a look at a wide variety of dishes that can be created in the comfort of your own home with some ingredients specifically from OEV. There have been some delicious travels indeed, from Italy, to Nepal, to Korea, and this time is no different! Here, we explore the many options available at Varni Supermarket, an Indian and Sri Lankan grocery store in the heart of the Village. I have enjoyed this particular soya ‘meat’ product many times from Varni and do believe it’s a wonderful addition to curries, stir fries, and more. Full disclosure, it tastes nothing like meat. It’s really more of a delightful textural variation in vegetables and sauces that anyone who has dabbled in TVP (textured vegetable protein) knows well. If you haven’t – when marinated well – think of it as a spongy, flavourful surprise in your dish and enjoy! So, let’s keep things simple and go with the recipe on the package of these tasty morsels available at Varni (with a few variations!). Ingredients: 1 package soya ‘meat’ 1 tsp dried turmeric (added instead of seasoning packet) 1 tsp dried cumin (added instead of seasoning packet) 2 tbsp neutral oil
Directions: Boil 4 cups of water and soak soya ‘meat’ for 5 minutes. Remove, squeeze out excess water, and place in a separate bowl. Add turmeric and cumin (a little salt/soya sauce/Maggie’s if desired, and 1 tbsp oil. Mix to combine and let marinate. Heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add mustard and coriander seeds, curry leaves, and onions, sauté for 3 minutes and then add garlic and chillies. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the water or coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Add the marinated soya ‘meat’, combine, and season to taste. Once slightly thickened, place steamed rice in a bowl, cover with soya ‘meat’ mixture, add soya sauce and/or Maggie’s if desired, and garnish with scallion, red onion, and a spritz of lime. Include toasted naan wedges for a little more heartiness! Enjoy and continue shopping at Varni Supermarket. All of these ingredients were purchased there and they offer so much more!
1 tbsp mustard seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds ¼ curry leaves, chopped 1 cup chopped red onions 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 green chillies, sliced
2 medium-sized tomatoes, diced 1 ½ cups water or coconut milk Salt to taste Soya sauce or Maggie’s seasoning to taste
1 scallion, sliced (for garnish) Red onion, sliced (for garnish) 1 lime wedge Steamed rice (optional) Toasted naan bread (optional)
Varni Supermarket is located at 667 Dundas Street. Learn more at www.varnisupermarket.com
To advertise here, please contact Marty@villagerpublications.com
Old East Villager January-February 2025 • Page 13
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs