This is one of the greatest sauces ever made.
Now I have set expectations stupidly high, let’s get into it….
If you haven’t tried it yet, cashews are a great alternative ingredient that when softened, provide a perfect texture for creams and sauces. It will need help though, so I highly encourage you to try a variety of different ingredients and see what you can come up with yourself.
For this one, I have gone for the tried and tested “chipotle cream”. My girlfriend and I eat a LOT of Mexican food and sometimes the hot sauce needs a partner. This is it. I make a batch of this pretty much weekly and it never lasts the 3 – 4 days it will keep in the fridge. I have even had this with a roast dinner before. Not bad, but I recommend having them on tacos more! Haha
This is the kind of food that when I turned vegan, really excited me and still continues to do so. It is finding out new “alternatives” like this on a weekly basis that continually inspires me to be a better cook.
All this and I haven’t even mentioned the health benefits. Look at what is in it, there is nothing bad in there… full of quality nutrients, healthy fats and tasty ingredients. It just works.
Serves enough to keep you going for 3 days in every meal!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4 – 8 hours or boiled for 10 minutes if no high speed blender)
- ¾ cup water (roughly)
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce plus….
- 1 tablespoon of the sauce
- ½ lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon salt
Cook it:
- First prepare your cashews. Soak for about 8 hours (4 minimum) if you do not have a high-powered blender. Alternatively, you can just boil them for 10 minutes. It does exactly the same thing
- Add all remaining ingredients to a blender, minus the water
- Add half a cup (125ml) water to the blender and mix until well and truly mixed
- Keep adding water and mixing in very small measurements until the desired consistency is reached. This is usually about ¾ cup for me but judge for yourself. You do not want to overdo it
- Serve on anything! Burritos, rice dishes, sandwiches, cous cous, tacos etc
- Get it into ya
Recommended Tunes:
Cream “Wheels Of Fire”
Sorry, I had to! Great album though. Worth the money for “White Room” alone.
Listen – but do yourself a favour and buy it on vinyl!!
Yummm!! I keep seeing smoked paprika everywhere, I need to buy it! Where do you get the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce? Is that a Mexican food item?
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Smoked Paprika is essential for vegans I think. It helps create a false “slow cooked” taste. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce are actually canned chillies in an amazing hot sauce. As far as I am aware they are more of a Tex-Mexy thing. You are in the States right? You should have no problem locating some. I am in Australia and get them from either a USA grocery store or a Mexican market…
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Ah. I was first introduced to smoked paprika during a cooking demo, the chef made soup with it and liquid smoke. It smelled heavenly! I didn’t think I would use it in any cooking that I do, but I’ve since seen it in a few recipes I’d like to try. What else do you use smoked paprika in?
And random question.. But are there lots of vegans in Australia? I noticed on Instagram that at least half my likes comes from Australians!
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Cool. I use smoked paprika in everything! Haha. Soups, stews, seasoning tofu, sauces, seitan. It is probably my most used spice. And yes, there is definitely a large growing vegan base here for sure. It has improved drastically in the last 2 years….
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Sounds fab…I am definitely going to try this! Can’t wait 🙂
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excellent album btw.
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Please do!
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This is much like a raw nacho cheez that is made here at a restaurant called cafe gratitude.
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Oooooh nice I have been to Cafe Gratitude. I loved it!
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Hey, just saying hi, and great post! Haven’t seen you commenting on my blog lately, how have you been?
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I made this tonight, and it was fantastic!!! I got the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, but forgot to get smoked paprika so I subbed regular paprika with cumin and liquid smoke. My husband and I LOVED It so much!! I also blended in cilantro, which I think you should try it’s delicious! I plan to make a big batch and put it on rice and beans for lunch all week :). Thank you for the recipe!!
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Yay! That puts a massive smile on my face. Adding cilantro is a great idea, I will try it. I also make a massive batch and then have it on pretty much anything during the week. Mainly some kind of “bowl” but it word amazingly well with rice and beans. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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Yes, just so that I could eat more I stopped using tortillas and just made lettuce wraps :p
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Also, any other ideas for how I can use the chipotle peppers?
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I actually use them in rice and beans too. They make an amazing marinade for things like tofu or tempeh. I have used them in pasta too in the past but they freeze perfectly so I usually divide them upon freezer bags and then keep them frozen until I make these sauces. One tin will last months then….
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Its recipes like this that put the icing on the cake for vegans. Since Steve decided to become vegan (after watching forks over knives in December last year) I have upped my game in the cooking department. Where I could be perfectly happy vegging out with a bowl of steamed vegetables it takes more than some steamed spud to make him happy so finding condiments, sauces, etc. that will turn plant based food into heady equals to their meaty counterparts is the only way to go. Cheers for the share. Clapton and Cream a perfect pairing 😉
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Thank you very much. That is a HUGE compliment.
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Completely true 🙂
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