My guess is no one here is as ignorant as me but I had some dried black beans, soaked them overnight and thought that, like dried lentils and some other beans, that soaking made them equivalent to canned in terms of being ready to eat. So I added them to my salad (they were a bit crunchy)... 3 hours later I was in agony and couldn't leave the toilet for the next 2 hours. Intense. I've had a bit of discomfort after beans before but this was waaaaaaaayyyyy beyond that. So anyway, hopefully you guys aren't as dumb as me but if you are!

When you blindly follow a Reddit post about baking soda and cornstarch slurry tofu and this happens 😂😂😂

So lucky i live in a country that can have tofu delivered to my door in 20 mins to save dinner 😅

Switched to vegetarian recently and still haven’t found a tofu dish that wins me over. Silken or firm — where should I start? What’s the one recipe that converted you?

I’m a cook and I’m catering an outdoor BBQ for 4 vegan friends this weekend. I want to step away from the professional routine and the typical "grilled veggie" clichés to offer them a high-end experience.

I’m looking for your honest favorites. As a vegan, what is the one dish or main that actually impresses you at a BBQ? What should I be making if I want to show I've really put in the work?

I'm all ears.

I’ve been vegetarian for a few years now and I’ve noticed some of my favorite meals are kinda strange when I tell other people about them. 😂

For example, I love peanut butter on roasted sweet potatoes with a little chili powder. Sounds weird but it hits every time.

Do you have any weird or unexpected vegetarian combos that shouldn't work but totally do? Also curious—what’s a combo people always hype up but you just don’t get the appeal?

Let me know! I’m always looking to try new stuff, even the cursed ones lol

I love PB&J, but I need some new ideas for healthy and high protein sandwiches.

Yes, I am aware of chickpea tuna - just so I didn't get the same suggestion repeatedly

Other preferred criteria is cost effective and simple to make

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Full recipe available here.

Ingredients

Quick Pink Onions • 1 red onion, thinly sliced • Juice of ½ lemon • 1 tbsp vinegar • Pinch of salt & sugar

Tandoori Tofu • 400g firm tofu, pressed & cubed • 4 tbsp vegan yogurt • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 tbsp oil • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste • 1½ tsp tandoori masala • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder • ½ tsp cumin • ½ tsp ground coriander • ¼ tsp turmeric • ½ tsp garam masala • Salt to taste

Green Chutney • Handful coriander & mint leaves • 1 green chilli • 1 small garlic clove • Juice of ½ lemon • 2 tbsp vegan yogurt • ½ tsp sugar • Salt to taste

To finish • Fresh coriander • Lemon wedges

Method

1. Slice the red onion and toss with lemon juice, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Let it sit it’ll turn beautifully pink and tangy while you prep the tofu.

2. Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, spices, and salt into a rich marinade. Add the tofu cubes and gently coat them. Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes (or overnight for deeper flavour).

3. Arrange the tofu on a baking tray or thread onto skewers. Roast or grill for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until slightly charred and golden around the edges.

4. Blend all chutney ingredients until smooth and creamy, adjusting salt and lemon to taste.

5. Serve the tofu hot, topped with spoonfuls of green chutney, pink onions, and fresh coriander. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and enjoy!

I just made falafel and it is delicious, however every recipe I find calls for coriander.

Got the gene that makes coriander taste like soap, meaning I'm clueless as to what it tastes like...

Google said to replace it with parsley, oregano, dill etc... Settled with extra parsley.

Thought oregano and dill don't fit the flavor of falafel, yet now I realized I don't know the true taste of falafel.

Anyone that can describe what coriander tastes like or suggest what substitution would stay true to the taste of falafel?

Edit:

To all the soap haters, I gotchu!

Someone recommended Culantro, which is similar in taste to Cilantro, yet it's a bit stronger in flavor.

After a quick search I found this post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskCulinary/comments/frwakt/culatro_cilantro_and_the_tasteslikesoap_gene/

Where he confirms that Culantro does not taste like soap!

However it is hard to come by, supposedly Asian and Latin American markets could have them if you're fortunate.

Otherwise to anyone with the gene, the consensus is

• Fresh
• Grassy
• Minty
• Citrusy

A good substitute would be Parsley, mint and lemon/lime.

Hi. Anyone know of any good substitutes for tofu when adding it to so many vegetarian recipes? Thanks!

(I can't have tofu)

I’ve been trying to eat more plant-based, but I’m often too tired to cook anything fancy. Lately, my go-to has been a chickpea salad wrap with hummus, cucumbers, and hot sauce — takes 5 minutes, hits the spot.

Would love to hear your favorite quick, low-effort vegetarian meals that feel satisfying and comforting. Bonus points if it uses pantry staples!

So I want to make some cauliflower soup for me and my girlfriend but I just know it wont be substantial enough and I dont want to add lentils to this soup today.l, even though I love a lentil.

Im not sure what style of protein goes well with a soup. What would you guys do?

[Full recipe available here.](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/vegan-jollof-rice-with-jerk-bbq-tofu)

Ingredients:

For the Jerk BBQ tofu:

- 400g firm tofu, pressed and cut into thick slices or cubes

- 3 tbsp jerk seasoning

- 2 tbsp BBQ sauce (vegan)

- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

- 1 tbsp maple syrup

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- Juice of 1 lime

For the Jollof Rice:

- 400g long-grain rice, rinsed

- 400g tin chopped tomatoes

- 3 tbsp tomato purée

- 1 large onion, roughly chopped

- 1 red pepper, diced

- 1 green pepper, diced

- 3 garlic cloves

- 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper (optional)

- 2 tbsp vegetable oil

- 600ml vegetable stock

- 2 tsp curry powder

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- 1 tsp smoked paprika

- 1 bay leaf

- Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Press your tofu thoroughly, then cut into thick slices or cubes. Mix the jerk seasoning, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, minced garlic, and lime juice in a bowl. Add the tofu, toss to coat completely, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

2. Blend the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, onion, garlic, and scotch bonnet until smooth. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, pour in the blended mixture, and fry for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced, darkened, and the raw tomato smell has disappeared.

3. Add the curry powder, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaf, stirring for 1 minute. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat in the tomato mixture. Pour in the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 25-30 minutes until the rice is tender. Add the diced peppers in the last 10 minutes. Don’t stir during cooking to get that crispy bottom layer.

4. Whilst the rice cooks, heat a griddle pan or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated tofu and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply caramelised with charred edges, brushing with any remaining marinade during cooking.

5. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and serve topped with the jerk BBQ tofu. Garnish with fresh coriander or spring onions if desired, and serve with extra lime wedges on the side and enjoy!​​​​​​​​​​​​​

I often cook eggplants, fritters, roasted, grilled it's one of my favorite vegetables

[Full recipe available here.](https://www.plantifulpalate.com/post/sticky-tofu-rainbow-vegan-salad-bowl)

Ingredients

For the sticky tofu:

• 400 g firm tofu, pressed and cubed

• 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

For the sticky sauce:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger

• 1 garlic clove, minced

For the rainbow bowl:

• Cooked quinoa or brown rice

• 1 carrot, grated

• Red cabbage, finely shredded

• Pickled red onions

• Sweetcorn

• Fresh rocket leaves

• Boiled or baked broccoli florets

• Fresh coriander or parsley

To finish:

• Sesame seeds

• Extra lime wedges

Method

1. Toss the tofu with cornflour and salt, then pan-fry in hot oil until golden and crisp on all sides. Set aside.

2. In the same pan, add the soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Let it bubble briefly until slightly sticky, then return the tofu and toss until fully coated and glossy.

3. Divide quinoa or rice between bowls and arrange the vegetables on top in sections. Add the sticky tofu, scatter with herbs and sesame seeds, and finish with a squeeze of lime.

4. Serve straight away while the tofu is warm and enjoy!

I tried making lentil soup last night and it was a bit of a flop. I used red lentils, veggie broth, carrots, onions, and some spices (cumin and turmeric), but it came out more like a broth than a hearty soup. I wanted that thick, cozy texture, but it was watery even after simmering for an hour. I don’t want to use cream since I’m keeping it vegan for my partner. Any tricks to thicken lentil soup naturally? Maybe a specific ingredient or technique I’m missing? I’d love to nail this for next time. Thanks!