Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook Part 9

Chickpeas (a.k.a. Garbanzos)

Gar-BON-zoooooooooooooo! Almost as much fun to say as adzuki. These are also known as ceci beans (Italy) and chana dal (India). Responsible for the miracle that is hummus, and also falafel and too many curries to mention. Also makes an amazing flour when ground up that's great in baked goods (especially if baking gluten free is your goal). These adorable, round, pale beige beans have a rich, "full," and nutty taste that never fails to satisfy.

cooking time: 1 hours Recipes: Chickpea Cutlets, Chickpea Quinoa Pilaf, Chickpea Noodle Soup, Fresh Dill-Basmati Rice Pilaf with Chard and Chickpeas, Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew with Chickpeas, Hummus

Great Northern Beans (a.k.a.White Beans)

See also navy beans. We can't really discern a difference between great northern and navy beans, except that great northerns are a bit bigger. Both are nondescript in a good way, in that they work in most anything where a bean is needed, are dependable, and take on the flavor of whatever sauce or vegetables they're cooked with. They're both wonderful beans to blend into dips and spreads.

cooking time: 1 hours Recipes: Escarole with Capers and White Beans, Rustic White Beans with Mushrooms, White Bean Aioli, Asparagus Quiche topped with Tomatoes and Tarragon, Sun-dried Tomato Dip, Manzana Chili Verde

Kidney

A large, tender bean that's ideal stewed (such as in gumbo or jambalaya) or served up at room temperature in salads. They're a natural, protein-rich addition to vegetable and pasta soups, too. Cannellini beans are a variety of white kidney bean, all the rage in Italian dishes.

Cooking time: 1 hour Recipes: Jamaican Yucca Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato, Kidney Beans and Plantains, Seitan Jambalaya with White and Red Kidney Beans, Spaghetti and Beanb.a.l.l.s, Bulgur, Arugula and Cannellini Salad

Navy (a.k.a.White Beans)

This little white bean is the star of a most American of bean dishes, baked beans. More or less all-purpose and very utilitarian, in that military kind of way. See also Great Northern Beans.

Cooking time: 1 hour Recipes: Cheater Baked Beans, Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans, as well as any of the great northern bean recipes.

Pinto

The backbone of Native American cuisine (along with corn) in many parts of the New World, this pale pink bean works well served whole or pureed. It takes well to rich, complex seasonings and the addition of vegetables. Tex-Mex cuisine just wouldn't be the same without a creamy side of refried pintos.

cooking time: 1 hours Recipes: Plantain and Pinto Stew with Parsnip Chips, Unfried Refried THE RECIPES.

SNACKS, APPETIZERS, LITTLE MEALS, DIPS, AND SPREADS.

"W HO REALLY MAKES appetizers at home?" we asked ourselves, in the midst of creating the following recipes. Everyday cooking usually doesn't require a little extra snack to precede a weeknight dinner or weekend brunch. But, sometimes you might just crave an appetizer as your meal-small on size but big on flavor-and who are we to argue with that?

Of course, there could be the chance occasion when you're planning on eating dinner in something other than a T-s.h.i.+rt and flip-flops and to have guests over who are unaccustomed to seeing you in such finery. That's where appetizers step in. Keep hungry stomachs at bay with a few Spicy Tempeh Nori Rolls or Walnut-Mushroom Pate while you slave away in the kitchen preparing the main event. For a casual and fun evening meal, serve a spread of four or more appetizers for friends and family to nosh, in c.o.c.ktail-party style. And certainly you don't need an excuse to craft a batch of grilled tortillas stuffed with creamy yuca filling or a platter of dainty Broccoli-Millet Croquettes, even if it's just for yourself.

SPICY TEMPEH NORI ROLLS.

MAKES 4 ROLLS.

TIME: 40 MINUTES.

Here's our recipe for the sus.h.i.+ rolls that starred on the very first episode of The Post Punk Kitchen. Since then, it's also been a featured guest at many parties and potlucks, and in lunchboxes, and will become a super celebrity in your kitchen, too. Like any celeb worth her soy sauce, these nori rolls are highly photogenic and will win the love and admiration of friends and rivals, minus the trash talk on Page Six (of tabloid fame, not this book). Enough with the chitty-chat; let's roll!

P.S. This sus.h.i.+ is just fierce enough to accessorize with completely different fillings at a moment's notice. Don't miss out on the luscious variations, or mix it up and serve two or more at your next sus.h.i.+ soiree.

You'll need some extra equipment to make nori rolls. The bare essentials include: wasabi powder or prepared wasabi, shoyu (j.a.panese soy sauce) in small bowls for dipping, pickled sliced ginger, a bamboo sus.h.i.+ rolling mat, and chopsticks, of course!

Sus.h.i.+ rice is different from regular rice. It's a short-grain rice that is rather sticky, and comes in white and brown varieties. Use either type for this sus.h.i.+.

For the most flavorful nori, hold each sheet with metal tongs and toast very carefully over a medium flame for 30 seconds on each side, or until sheet turns from green to deep brownish-green.

For the sus.h.i.+ rice: 1 cup sus.h.i.+ rice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar (do not use regular white

vinegar)

1 teaspoon sugar

Spicy tempeh filling: (4-ounce) package tempeh

2 tablespoons prepared vegan mayonnaise or Silken

Mayo Dressing (page 103)

-1 teaspoon hot chile-sesame oil

4 sheets nori seaweed

1 scallion, white part discarded, sliced lengthwise

into narrow strips

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and sliced into -

inch-wide strips

1 tablespoon toasted or black sesame seeds if used

inside the roll, or cup if used as a coating for