ISO Vegan recipes for Shabbos that guests will enjoy.

Amarante

Thu, Jun 02 2016, 11:42 am

VEGAN PEARL BARLEY AND SILAN HAMIN (Vegan Cholent)

ISRAELI

Source: Janna Gur - Jewish Soul Food

At Al Hashulchan, the food magazine I run, there is a lovely tradition: For the first lunch of the week, we share leftovers from our respective Shabbat meals. This is how I became acquainted with this dish, which was prepared by Koby Kehaty, an avid cook and the husband of Yael Kalev, the executive editor of the magazine. Relatively light and easy to prepare, this casserole has the deep flavors and golden brown color of the traditional cholent. If you cannot find silan (date honey), use regular honey, but the color won’t be quite the same, and the recipe won’t be vegan.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1½ teaspoons sweet paprika
½ teaspoon hot paprika, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2½-cm) cubes
2 medium carrots, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons date honey (silan) or 1½ tablespoons regular honey
2 cups vegetable stock or water
2 cups pearl barley, rinsed
⅓ cup raisins or pitted and chopped prunes
1 head garlic, halved

1. Preheat the oven to 215°F (100°C).

2. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Add the cinnamon, cumin, sweet paprika, hot paprika, salt, pepper, and chopped garlic and mix thoroughly.

3. Return the pot to the heat. Add the potatoes, sweet potato, and carrots and sauté over medium-low heat for 3 minutes.

4. Mix the date honey and vegetable stock in a bowl.

5. Add the barley and raisins to the pot and sauté for 1 minute. Add the halved garlic head and pour over the stock mixture until it covers the contents of the casserole. If necessary, add more stock. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven. After 1 hour, check the pot and add more liquid, if necessary. Cook for at least 8 hours or overnight. Serve hot.

VARIATIONS
• If you are not making the casserole for Shabbat, you can cook it for 1 hour at 300°F (150°C) and for 2 more hours at 215°F (100°C).
• Substitute beer for half of the liquids”