Where’s the beef?

Vegetable Chilli
Serves 4

100g mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp marigold vegetable bouillon powder or a crumbled stock cube
30ml (2 tbsp) water
1 pkt (100g) Hera vegetable chilli mix (TVP)
500ml hot water
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin red kidney beans, drained and washed

1. Put the mushrooms, bouillon and water into a pan.
2. Cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chilli mix and hot water, mix together well.
4. Add the tinned tomatoes, mix and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the red kidney beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serving suggestion:
Serve on a bed of rice, topped with a spoonful of soured cream or plain yoghurt and garnished with lemon wedges.
Recipe courtesy of the Vegetarian Society

Tofu Burgers
Once cooked, these burgers freeze well.

Makes 8

1 block (285g) firm tofu
50g bulgar wheat or 100g cooked millet or rice
50ml hot water
1 small onion, very finely chopped
50g mushrooms, very finely chopped
50g carrot, grated
1 vegetable stock cube, crumbled
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or 2 tsp any fresh herb, coriander, dill, etc
2 tbsp wholewheat flour, plus a little extra for coating

1. Break up the tofu with your fingers into very small pieces.
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and squeeze well to shape into burgers. (As the mixture is very sticky it will help if you dip your hands and utensils in cold water).
3. Refrigerate for an hour or two.
4. For a crisp coating, toss the burgers in a little wholewheat flour before frying.
5. Deep-fry the burgers in oil, a few at a time.
6. Drain well and serve hot or cold.

Note: it is most important to fry the burgers in very hot oil to avoid disintegration.
Recipe courtesy of the Vegetarian Society