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Book Review and Giveaway: Hot Vegan by Robin Robertson

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9781449460075_frontcoverVegan cookbook author Robin Robertson is known for her global recipes with a spicy twist, and that’s exactly what you’ll find her new book Hot Vegan. Hot Vegan is an updated version of her best selling book Vegan Fire and Spice, and it allows home cooks to experience delicious meat-free fare from across the globe without leaving the comfort of their own kitchen.

 

Hot Vegan is organized by global region, starting in The Americas, then traveling through Mediterranean Europe, The Middle East and Africa, and India, and then landing in Asia. Robin has veganized traditional meals from each area with easy-to-find ingredients, so you won’t have to spend days driving around to different ethnic markets. (Something I had to do recently with recipes from another book that I won’t name here.) Spice-phobes need not worry – Robin has designed the recipes so that you can adjust for your own heat tolerance. Dishes range from sauces, appetizers and soups to salads, sides and main courses.

 

Romesco SauceRobin begins the book with a spice primer, explaining ingredients such as cumin, curry, and wasabi. She also includes information on chiles, with each pepper’s heat level, how to substitute if you don’t have a particular type on hand, and how to handle chiles when cooking. (I could have used that info years ago, the first time I cooked with fresh jalapenos!) There’s also advice on how to cool down if you’ve eaten something with a little too much heat – knowledge that I also wish I had years ago!

 

The Americas chapter includes the US, Mexico, The Caribbean, and South America, so the dishes are pretty diverse. Buffalo Cauliflower, Cajun Coleslaw, Texas Barbecue Sauce, Jalapeno Soup with Tortilla Triangles, and Jamaican Baked Vegetables are all recipes that can be found here.

 

CacciatoreThe Mediterranean Europe chapter focuses on Italy and Iberia, and I would be happy with just about every dish from this chapter. I made the Tempeh Cacciatore as chicken cacciatore was a favorite of mine as a child. (I don’t remember anything I ate ever tasting this good though, so I think what I used to eat some sort of cacciatore-like sauce that came in a jar.) I also made the Vegetables with Chickpeas and Romesco Sauce, which was plate-licking good.

 

The Middle East and Africa chapter is pretty diverse, with recipes for dishes like Red Chile Hummus, Bab Ghanouj, Turkish Eggplant, Nigerian Peanut Stew, Ethiopian Wat, and West African Spinach with Spicy Peanut Sauce. I’m a huge fan of stews and sauces that combine peanut butter and spice, and they tend to be winter month favorites for me, so I have quite a few recipes in this chapter bookmarked for the colder months.

 

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIndia and Asia are the final two chapters in the book. I love both types of cuisines, and, like spicy peanut sauce, curries tend to be a wintertime mainstay of mine, so may of the recipes are book marked for a later date. I like spicy Asian-style stir-fries just about any time of the year, so the Asia chapter was actually the one I headed to first when the book arrived, even though it’s the last chapter. There are so many tasty recipes to choose from that I had a difficult time deciding on what to make first. In the end I went with the Hot and Spicy Thai Tofu, and I felt that I made the right choice. I love the combination of tofu and broccoli in a spicy sauce so much that I could eat this dish several times a week.

 

Hot Vegan (and its predecessor Vegan Fire and Spice) is the only cookbook that I know of that focuses on spicy vegan food. If you like your meals with a little (or a lot) of heat, this is the book for you!

 

Hot Chic Vegans are in luck, because we have a copy of Hot Vegan for one lucky reader. Follow the instructions below to enter. US residents only, please. Contest ends at midnight eastern on November 2nd. Good luck!

 

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About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is the Editor-In-Chief for Chic Vegan. She is a Holistic Health Counselor, Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Plant-Based Nutrition Specialist. Dianne coaches people from across the country to help them improve their health and wellbeing, and she helps people make the dietary and lifestyle changes needed to go vegan. Dianne lives in New Jersey, where she runs the busy MeetUp group Montclair Vegans. Through the group she hosts monthly potlucks, runs charity bake sales and organizers guest speaker events. An avid cook and baker, Dianne also teaches cooking classes to local clients. In addition to food and nutrition, Dianne loves crafts and cats. To learn more, visit Dianne’s website and blog at Dianne's Vegan Kitchen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Terri Cole says

    I’m kind of a spice wimp. Alleppo pepper and green Tabasco sauce are the “hot” seasonings I use the most. My favorite spicy dish is probably Noodles in Peanut Sauce, made with a small amount of sriracha.

  7. Ali says

    I love a modified mapo tofu dish from Seductions of Rice (not a vegan cookbook but a great international cookbook).

  10. Ashley says

    I put hot sauce in pretty much everything so…everything is my favorite spicy food! haha 🙂

  15. Laura Jeanne Hansen says

    This book will be MINE one way or the other. I’m into heat, ethnic & you can never go wrong with RR! <3

  19. EVA says

    Besides a good salsa/guacamole and anything in the Mexican scheme, I love a good spicy spaghetti sauce. Adding a couple o’ hot peppers in their really kicks up the flavor!

  21. Courtney says

    I love any spicy sauteed tofu dish. I sometimes pair it with noodles or just toss some veggies in the skillet right along with the tofu. I add chili peppers in adobo, a homemade curry sauce, or sometimes just some sriracha to top it off.

  23. Purnima Barve says

    I am from India, so, spicy, hot dishes are my favorites. Anything from Indian, Thai, Mexican cuisines, as long as it is hot, and spicy, I love. All other types of cuisines, I use hot sauce or crushed red pepper on it, like on spaghetti, pizza, etc.

  24. Amber says

    I love everything hot and spicy! I put salsa, hot sauce, or crushed red pepper on everything. 🙂

  30. Elissa Braitman says

    Hmm, pretty much anything Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Italian, Mexican. I am eager to try the tempeh cacciatore and Ethiopian wat from this book.

  33. Saniel says

    Vegetable etouffee with homemade spice mix with cayenne pepper and white pepper or some chili cornbread

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  1. […] Book Review and Giveaway: Hot Vegan by Robin Robertson https://www.chicvegan.com/Hot Vegan is organized by global region, starting in The Americas, then traveling through Mediterranean Europe, The Middle East and Africa, and India, and then landing in Asia. Robin has veganized traditional meals from each area with … explaining ingredients such as cumin, curry, and wasabi. She also includes information on chiles, with each pepper's heat level, how to substitute if you don't have a particular type on hand, and how to handle chiles when cooking. […]