BBQ BASTED VEGGIES WITH ALMOND AIOLI
A veggie BBQ delight packed with flavour and served with a creamy vegan almond-based mayo. Traditional aioli (a garlic mayo) is delicious and the taste will stay with you a long while after you eat it thanks to the pungency of raw garlic. A natural antibacterial, garlic is reserved for the most part in Ayurveda for remedies since it has a wipe-out effect on your gut bacteria — the good and the bad. Along with onions, it is also recognised as highly heating and stimulating, therefore better in small amounts for Kapha types and those with good gut health — and best avoided by Pitta types! So in this recipe I’ve roasted a small amount of garlic to make it less pungent and easier on digestion as well as given the option of replacing it altogether with asafoetida/hing, which is commonplace in my legume recipes for its digestion-aiding properties and also its pungent oniony taste. It’s not garlic, but it does a tasty job when used in the right amount (do not go overboard on this spice!). I’ve also used it as an option in this easy BBQ sauce, which will see you through the summer. Be aware that our favourite sauces like mustard, ketchup, and vinaigrettes are usually very Pitta in nature, as is this BBQ sauce with all that tomato, vinegar, tamari and chilli (especially when combined with the summer sun!), but a good dose of sweetness brings some balance and a little goes a long way. This sauce works brilliantly for “cauliflower steaks” which holds onto it in all its nooks and crannies, and is also wonderful for marinating tempeh before pan frying. Enjoy.
INGREDIENTS
Choose your veggies
Any that you like! Seasonal veg is great, but anything you can get your hands on will have loads of health benefits. Cut into equal chunks or strips — not too thin so that they don’t shrink too much when cooked! Think oversized crudités — I like cauliflower, sweet peppers, carrots, broccoli.
For the BBQ Sauce
1 tbsp ghee/your favourite cooking oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 garlic cloves or pinch asafoetoda
4 tbsp ACV
4 tbsp jaggery or maple syrup
4 tbsp tamari
Pinch of chilli powder
For the almond aioli
1-2 cloves of garlic or pinch of asafoetida/hing
1 cup almond mayonnaise
2 1/2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice (and 1 tsp of zest if possible)
sea salt, to taste
METHOD
Whisk the ingredients together for the BBQ sauce in a large bowl, then, taking a handful of chopped veg at a time, coat them in the sauce and transfer to a rack-covered tray to catch any excess sauce. Repeat with the remaining veggies.
Fire up the BBQ. When you have a slow steady heat, begin to roast the vegetables, being careful not to burn them. Thicker cut and dense vegetables (e.g. carrots) will take longer to cook than lighter, juicer veggies like sweet peppers. Use a brush to occasionally baste them in more of the sauce as they cook. Remove cooked veggies to a serving dish as you continue with the rest.
Gently roast the garlic clove (if using) on the outer rim of the BBQ for a slow cook until soft. Allow to cool, then squeeze the garlic out of its skin and crush smooth using the flat of the knife until you make a paste. Take the cup of almond aioli and mix in the roasted garlic or pinch of asafoetida. Taste and adjust if necessary.
Serve the BBQ basted veggies with the pot of aioli or drizzle the aioli over to serve. If you have plenty of sauce left over you can gently cook it and use as an extra dipping sauce.
East by West tips:
You can also oven- or pan-roast the veggies.
If you like this recipe, try the lettuce wedges in East by West page 218.
