Recipes

Easy Hamburger Buns {Vegan}

Breads & Doughs, Recipes /

Make these easy, fluffy and almost “no-knead” Vegan Hamburger Buns for your next dinner adventure!

The Hamburger Bun Dilemma

Hamburger is one of those things I don’t eat often, but when I do eat hamburger all I want really is to taste that juicy thick burger and not necessarily eat it with a bun that is too thick, heavy, overpowering and super difficult to bite into.

You just want a bun stable enough to hold that thick, juicy burger yet a bun that is fluffy enough to give you the ultimate burger experience. And, this is why, ladies and gentlemen, you need these hamburger buns in your life.

The are:

Easy to make: no need equipment to make, just a bowl, your hands and an oven (and even that can be skipped in some circumstances, lol) 
Vegan: so, no eggs, no butter… simple, accessible ingredients
Fluffy: zero overpower, just a fluffy guy 

Hamburger Buns in the making

To make these hamburger buns you’ll need the most basic ingredients of bread baking: Flour, yeast, water, salt, sugar, a little bit of shortening, and oatmeal to coat before baking; plus the process is fairly simple. So easy that you can totally make this by hand:

The last step will be to let the buns rest again at room temperature, covered with a damp towel, until they double in size again, and are ready to bake.

Hopefully you can see the difference in size 🙂

If you love this recipe, you may be interested in Coconut Milk Brioche with Chocolate Chunks & Vegan Challah

Baking the Hamburger Buns

When baking bread, make sure your oven is fully preheated so that your bread bakes beautifully. You can always use an oven thermometer to verify the temperature of your oven and have the same results every time.

I usually start preheating my oven after I have shaped the bread, and it is on the second fermentation that can takes around (30 minutes), but keep in mind some ovens can take less or a little more time, so an oven thermometer comes in handy.

When you make these vegan hamburger buns use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

So, now, tell me, what is your favorite burger to accompany these fluffy buns? Let us know in the comment section below your suggestions!

Until next time! ?

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Caramelized Onions & Arugula Rolls

Breads & Doughs, Kippur, Recipes, Rosh HaShanah, Shabuoth /

Recipes happen as any other event in life, some are even the result of unexpected situations, like these Caramelized Onion Paste & Arugula Rolls, that have quickly become a favorite. Bare with me as we explore this incredibly delicious combo in form of dinner rolls.

For weeks I have been thinking about making cinnamon rolls as a gift for a lovely couple. I bought all of my ingredients and when I was ready to make them, I just changed my mind. Why make it sweet when savory rolls can be as delicious? As usual, I opened the fridge and quickly scanned what I had. Onion and arugula seemed like the perfect savory combo at the time, even when I haven’t tried it before, but I went with it and I’ll show you the results!

Making the Dough for the Onion & Arugula Rolls

To make these delicious Onions & Arugula Rolls you’ll start by making the dough. Very simple. Mix dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Add half of the fat (for this recipe you’ll need vegetable shortening, but you can also use butter), mix well and then, knead in a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.

Once you get to this point, place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a wet towel and let it rest for about an hour at room , or until double in size.

If you love this recipe, you may be interested in Coconut Milk Brioche with Chocolate Chunks & Vegan Challah

Make the Caramelized Onions Paste

While the yeast is working its magic on the dough, go ahead and prepare the caramelized onions.

Traditionally, caramelized onions require a lot of time to cook, plus fat and sugar, but for this recipe I followed Cook’s Illustrated method. That recipe calls for 5 ingredients and no sugar at all. I used half of the (see below the original recipe amounts) and I got 225 gr onion paste:

{THIS IS THE ORIGINAL RECIPE}

3 pounds yellow onions, in juliennes
3/4 cups water
2 Tbsps Oil 
3/4 tsp salt 
1 Tbsp water + 1/8 tsp baking soda. 

And, consists of 3 steps:

1) Cook the onions with water, oil and salt over high heat until the water is evaporated and onions sizzle.

2) Cook on medium-high while pressing & stirring the onions consistently for about 15-20 minutes or until the onions are well browned and sticky.

3) Combine a tablespoon of water with baking soda, add the solution to the onions and cook for another minute until the solution has completely evaporated.

When the caramelized onions are ready, simply pulse in a food processor for a few seconds to make a paste and reserve.

Proofing… a Second time.

By the time you finish the caramelized onion paste, the dough should be almost in doubled in size. When it is, take it out of the bowl, flatten it out a bit and knead the remaining shortening in.

It will get a bit sticky at first, but don’t panic. Knead for 3-5 minutes and it will get back to normal. The dough should be a little tacky but not too sticky.

Once again, place your dough into a lightly oiled bowl and let it double in size again.

By the time the dough is double in size you would notice a rich aroma. That’s what you are looking for when you proof your dough for longer than usual! it is heavenly!

Punch the dough down again, and let rest for 10 minutes on the counter for the gluten to relax (this way is easier to roll out into a rectangular shape)

Shaping &… yeah, you guess it! Proofing one last time for a few minutes!

Roll it out into a rectangular shape, about 17 by 15 inches and evenly spread the onion paste.

I was a little timid with the arugula, because I was making the rolls as a present and didn’t know if our friends will like arugula, but if you are making for someone that loves arugula, don’t sweat it and add more!

Roll out tightly and cut into 10 rolls. Place into a baking tray, baking dish or pyrex covered with baking paper and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

The only step left is to bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 -25 minutes, or until the rolls are lightly golden on the top edges and the bottom.

When you make this recipe or any other from the blog, use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

So, now there is a gazillion possibilities on how you can take these rolls and make a million more combinations. Which one would you make next?

Until next time! ?

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Rice Pudding: 3 Ways {Traditional, Coconut & Coffee}

Passover, Recipes, Shabuoth, Sweet Treats /

Rice Pudding is one of those simple dishes you could eat over and over again. For breakfast, for dinner or for dessert, hot or cold, plain or dressed up, is one of a kind recipe. Easy to make and so versatile. Get ready to learn how you can make delicious Rice Pudding 3 ways: the traditional dairy version, the vegan coconut version and the coffee version {can be made dairy or vegan and is delicious!}

The Basics of Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding is one of the most basics and popular breakfasts, dinner and/or dessert served in Dominican Republic.

Is incredibly easy to make, and as you can see, super versatile. The most basic version need 5 ingredients: rice, milk, sugar, salt and lemon peel. For extra flavor some people also add cinnamon stick and sweet cloves, but let’s keep it simple this time. You can later experiment adding more flavor.

When making Rice Pudding I personally prefer to start with my rice uncooked, but you can certainly use leftover white rice, that is not too salty or greasy, and still have a delicious rice pudding.

Are you looking for more recipes with rice? Check out our Dominican Style Spicy Sardines Rice & Beer and Almonds Risotto

The Traditional Version

In general terms, the traditional version of Rice Pudding is made with Milk. Whole milk is just fine for the recipe, but if you are looking for the best of the best, thick and super creamy Rice pudding, always use evaporated milk.

Nowadays you can easily find evaporated plant based milks; you can certainly use that if you avoid dairy products.

The Coconut Version

To make the coconut version you just need to use full fat coconut milk instead of whole or plant-based milk of choice.

What I like about the coconut version is that it has such a silky texture and is very light compared with the dairy version. It also has a very delicate aroma, and a pure white color at the end, which I love. It just looks heavenly.

Keep in mind that in all recipes on the blog that call for Coconut milk we use FULL FAT, simply because we want all that coconut milk goodness in our final product. Fat free or low fat coconut milk are usually full of flavorings, including sugar, and use gums to give a thick texture, but the flavor in general is always off. Avoid yourself the headache of ruining a delicious silky smooth rice pudding by buying the best full fat coconut milk you can find on the market, with not extras or nasty ingredients.

The Coffee Version

Almost a month ago I published a photo on instagram of my breakfast that day: a small glass container full of Coffee Rice Pudding.

The idea just came to me when I couldn’t decide if I wanted a full delicious cup of coffee, or a bowl with freshly made thick and totally delicious rice pudding. Both fill up my stomach easily on their own, and because I couldn’t have both (obvious reason: I am trying to lose my next 25 pounds) I ended up adding a bit of instant coffee to the rice pudding while it was still hot.

Taste wise, the result was a-ma-zing! and to my surprise, that “out-of-the-blue-picture” quickly had over a hundred likes, so is a fact; instagram is full of #coffeelovers.  😛

How to Make Rice Pudding

Have you make this recipe or any other from the blog? Use the tag #kasheribbean to share on social media and, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!

So, now there is a gazillion possibilities on how you can take your traditional rice pudding to the next level. What special ingredient will you add to your very own version?

Until next time! ?

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Dominican Stewed Kidney Beans {Vegan, GF}

Passover, Recipes, Sides /

Dominican Stewed Kidney Beans {Vegan, Gluten-Free}

These dominican style Stewed Kidney Beans are the perfect companion to fresh and steamy white rice. We chose kidney beans for this particular recipe, because of their robust and earthly flavor as well as their creamy texture. Kidney beans are also full of nutrients, versatile and easily available, but you can also use small red beans, or pinto beans if that’s what you have available. 

When buying kidney beans (or any beans for that matter) is important to look for dried beans that are clean and unbroken. Beans and packaging should be free from mold or insect damage, and you should avoid anything with a humid or musty odor. If you can, choose beans packaged in airtight or sealed bags to maintain freshness. Fresher beans will cook fasted and more evenly, and will have better flavor.

Store dried beans in a cool, dry place in an airtight container to maintain their quality and freshness. Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you want to keep for longer, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. 

How to make Dominican Stewed Kidney Beans

In order to make stewed kidney beans, you’ll need to first soak the beans overnight. Once the beans are all hydrated (they will almost double in size), discard the water, rinse the beans, add the beans to a pot, cover with fresh water and boil the beans on medium-high until they are fork tender. This could take somewhat between 1 hour to 2 hours. Alternatively, you can cook the beans with a pressure cooker, if you have one. 

 

Once the kidney beans are tender, is time to make the base of your stew with a simple but powerful trio: olive oil, minced garlic and dried oregano. This is seriously the base of any delicious stewed beans, so don’t skip this important step!

 

One unconventional but important addition to these stewed kidney beans are bell pepper cores. If you don’t do this already, hear me out and save those beauties, because they take any stewed beans to the next level. I like to clean mine from seeds and the stems, after which I keep in the freezer on an airtight container for future use. 

These are my little secrets to make dominican style stewed kidney beans. Now that you know them, there’s no excuse for you to make delicious stewed beans over and over again. 

Dominican style Stewed Kidney Beans

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Lunch
Cuisine Dominican Republic

Ingredients
  

  • 1,200 gr Kidney beans From 1 Kg soaked overnight, drained and cooked without any salt or seasoning
  • 30 gr garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 gr 3gr dried oregano leaved (about 1 Tbsp)

    Dried leaves not powder

  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 30 gr Yellow onion about 1 medium
  • 20 gr Red bell pepper
  • 1 Bell pepper core, seedless
  • 1/2 Tbsp Sweet Paprika (optional)
  • Fresh cilantro if you can't find it, feel free to use fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Add Olive oil to a pot and cook minced garlic and oregano on low, until fragrant. This will take 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the cooked kidney beans, onion (leave it whole), bell pepper, sweet paprika powder and parsley. Simmer on medium low for about 30 min or until the vegetables are soft.
  • Take out the onion, bell pepper and parsley, with approximately 1/2 cup of the liquid and beans, and blend until smooth.
  • Strain the vegetable mixture you just blended over the rest of the beans. Add salt (about 1/3 to 1/2 Tbsp for this amount of beans would be enough).
  • Continue to cook the beans for a few more minutes until it thickens to your liking (keep in mind they will thicken even more when cool)

Notes

-  1 Kg of dried kidney beans, will yield approximately 1200 gr of cooked beans. You can use it all for this recipe.
 
Keyword beans, caribbean cuisine, lunch

If you make this Dominican Stewed Kidney beans, or any other recipe from the blog, don’t forget to use the hashtag #kasheribbean to share your pictures, and don’t forget to follow along on instagram and pinterest for more easy recipes.

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Classic Stuffed Peppers with Spinach & Dill {Vegan, GF}

Passover, Shabbath, Sides, Sukkoth /

Today we are making Stuffed Peppers!

I tried Stuffed Peppers and I failed miserably

Somewhere in May, one random ereb shabbath, my creative energy was not flowing AT ALL. After a while I decided I was going to make Vegan Stuffed Peppers for shabbath, since I had what I needed: Peppers and rice. Right? Wrong!! 

Usually, when people realize that I “can cook” they automatically assume all I do is good and perfect from the first time, but the truth is good food is a beautiful leaning process. Some get it easily the first time, and other after a few tries. You are now a witness; the first time I made stuffed peppers it was for sure a total disaster. For some reason (maybe all those 30 seconds insta videos are guilty lol) I believed stuffed peppers was about just peppers and any rice, so I tried with basmati and I failed miserably.  

I love Basmati rice. It has beautiful aroma, cooks easily, fluffy and separate which makes it perfect for salads and pilafs, but definitely not so good for stuffed peppers. As you can see in the picture above, the rice looks dry (it was actually crispy) and it was not holding together, as it should when making stuffed peppers, so the perfect rice to make stuffed peppers (and also dolmas, stuffed cabbage, and more) is risotto rice. 

Want more risotto rice recipes? Check out our Vegan Beer & Almonds Risotto 

The Basics of Stuffed Peppers

The good thing about Stuffed Peppers is that, apart from the rice, there is really not “basics”…. Well, maybe there are a few “must”, and they are: 

  1. Add salt and pepper to the interior of your Peppers: this can be easily forgotten but it is so important! Just sprinkle a little salt in the interior of each pepper and you are good to go. 
  2. Always keep your Pepper tops!: They would act like lids and will prevent a crust on the top of the rice . 
  3. Cut a little bit of the bottom, so the peppers stand on the baking dish.
  4. Pack the rice tightly in each cavity. If you don’t want to serve too much rice, use smaller peppers. 
  5. Place the stuffed peppers tightly in the baking dish. This will help the peppers hold their shape while baking. 


Bonus Tip! Don’t throw away the peppers core! Remove the seeds and store in the freezer on resealable bags. They give amazing flavor and aroma to any stew, specially stewed kidney beans. Nom nom!  

How to Make Stuffed Peppers

Because this is a very basic Stuffed Peppers recipe, I used 3 simple ingredients for my rice: onions, spinach and fresh dill. 

Basically, I sauteed the onions until lightly golden. Added the risotto rice, spinach, dill and salt to taste. Cook until most of the water is absorbed. Then, cover with the lid and cook on low until the rice is al dente. 

What you need to do next is to stuff the peppers, place the pepper caps on top, and bake until the peppers are tender.  

When you make this recipe or any other from the blog, use the tag #kasheribbean. And, don’t forget to follow on instagram and pinterest to keep up with our easy recipes from us and the blogosphere!


 

As you can see, Stuffed Peppers are easy to make and you can play with the fillings as much as you want, so the combinations are endless. Play around with your favorite ingredients and let us know the most exciting combos you come up with! 

Until next time! 😉  

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