[CH] TVP (w/recipe: veggie vindaloo)

raincrone@juno.com
Tue, 28 Nov 2000 14:47:45 -0500 

> >3/4 c TVP, plain granules, reconstituted with water
> 
> Where does one buy it? Is it soy protein?

Yes.  Any healthfood store will have it in bulk, for no more than about
$1.29 a pound (which makes, I dunno, 4+ pounds reconstituted?).  Larger
supermarkets carry it, but it'll be twice the price.  
	
By itself, it has a mild, nutty, very slightly sweet taste I find
pleasant.  In cooked dishes, it takes on the flavor of whatever you put
it in, stands up extremely well to serious chile heat, and provides a
ground-beefy texture and lots of protein and isoflavones.  

Here's my favorite way to use it besides the chili, this is a staple at 
my house and another of the very few of my recipes I've liked well enough
to name-tag:

-Begin Recipe Export- QBook version 1.00.14

Title: Rain's veggie vindaloo
Keywords: main dishes, vegetarian, chiles
   Serves: 2

              2-3 Tb     Vegetable oil
generous Tbsp   Brown or black mustard seed
   3 med or 5 sm   Potatoes, diced, skins on
      1 med             Onion, diced
      1 lg                  Diced fresh tomato
                                   -OR- several cherry tomatoes, split
      1 c                   Frozen mixed veggies or green beans, thawed  
    
             2 cloves  Garlic, minced
                 2 tsp     Vindaloo seasoning, pref, Penzey's, 
                                   (-OR- garam masala or curry powder to
taste, 
                                     but SEE BELOW) 
       1/2 c               Textured vegetable protein (TVP) 
       3/4 c               Water or vegetable stock to reconstitute TVP
       Lotsa             Finely diced green cayennes, to taste
                              Salt and pepper
     about 1/2 c.     Water, NA beer or vegetable stock
                              Sour cream or yogurt if desired

 Set TVP aside to reconstitute in liquid.  Heat oil in a
 large, lidded nonstick skillet.

Fry mustard seed in oil till it pops, changes color and smells nutty.
This goes very fast, but the seeds will pop like mad and try to jump all
over the kitchen, so keep the lid on, agitate the pan, and check often
but quickly.

Add potatoes and onion and saute till potatoes are tender and golden but
not mushy; add garlic and green cayenne to last 2-3 minutes' sauteing. 
When done, sprinkle in vindaloo seasoning, stirring, and stir over heat
for about a minute to allow fragrance to bloom.   Pause to chase everyone
attracted by the aroma out of the
kitchen. :) 

(NOTE:  I strongly recommend vindaloo seasoning here, not curry powder. 
But don't increase the stated amount automatically, without tasting, as
many of us do with curry powder; you'll be adding all the heat you want
with chiles, but vindaloo is an intense flavor irrespective of heat, and
vegetarian dishes can't take as much of it as meat ones can.) 

Stir in remaining ingredients except salt and pepper and simmer,
covered, stirring often and adding a little more liquid if needed,
till thawed vegetables are done but not mushy and potatoes are as
you like them.  Season with salt and pepper and a dollop of sour
cream or yogurt if desired, and serve immediately; great with crusty
buttered bread and an apple salad.   Probably great with a cold, fairly
dry and substantial beer, but I try not to think too hard about that.  :)
-End Recipe Export- 

Keep on rockin',
Rain
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