September 25, 2018

Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip

Simplicity in cooking is an art- no one really wants to go to the store and buy 50 ingredients, so you can use a tablespoon or two in a 3 day long cooking process. Alternatively, no one really wants overly simplistic food either- a stick of celery does not a tempting meal make. This recipe for Thai red curry sweet potato dip is the perfect example of the sweet spot in simplicity and flavor from The Vegan 8 Cookbook.

The Vegan 8: 100 Simple, Delicious Recipes Made with 8 Ingredients or Less by Brandi Doming of The Vegan 8 finds that perfect middle ground of simple yet delicious. The recipes are all vegan, oil-free, and almost all gluten-free, each recipe containing no more than 8 ingredients (not including salt, pepper, and water). I am also really excited to announce that I will be doing a giveaway on Instagram, ending mid-October. Please head over to my Instagram to enter to win a free copy of The Vegan 8 by Brandi Doming. The book will be released mid-October, but you can pre-order your copy now on Amazon.

About The Vegan 8 Cookbook

The Vegan 8 cookbook is filled with light, bright, beautiful, full page illustrations. Just like theme of the book, they are simple yet stunning. For each of the recipes, there is one of the beautiful photos to accompany it. The recipes are divided into the following sections:

Breakfast
Scrumptious Snacks and Appetizers
Time-Crunch Lunches
Sauces and Dressings
Easy Entrees
Comforting Soups and Stews
Sides and Dips
Crowd-Pleasing Desserts

Within those chapters you will find clearly laid out recipes, usually with only a couple cooking directions, for tantalizing delights such as Pumpkin Spice, Cranberry and Pistachio Morning Cookies (cookies for breakfast seem like a pretty good deal to me!), Hungarian Lentil Soup and The Perfect Pasta Salad.

Do You want to Buy This Book?

The Vegan 8 Cookbook is a wonderful book for cooks who are looking for simple, wholesome, yet flavorful recipes. For newer cooks, the author spends several pages going through the common ingredients used in her recipes, and describing when and why they’re used, and often recommending her favorite brand. These pages are incredibly valuable for a newer vegan, who has yet to discover the differences between soy and cashew milks. The recipes in the The Vegan 8 Cookbook are bright and colorful. They are all plant-based, meaning they not only are vegan but also oil-free- perfect if you’re looking for a healthier way to live a vegan lifestyle. While there is the odd vegan cream cheese recipe, the book doesn’t focus on vegan substitutes (faux meats or cheeses) but tends towards more naturally vegan recipes, using simple vegan ingredients. The foods themselves aren’t too far out there- no kale smoothies or ingredients that might offend a less adventurous eaters. All good, simple, wholesome, delicious foods.

Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip

The recipe that stood out to me, which I’m going to be sharing with you all, is the Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip. I decided to make it because it was extremely simple (use a food processor to combine all the ingredients), and as a dip, it’s the type of recipe where bland just won’t do. I thought it would be the perfect test to see if The Vegan 8’s recipes packed enough flavor into a few ingredients. And it most certainly did! The experience of eating this dip was like eating a smooth, cream-filled curry. The sweet potato and beans lended themselves perfectly for a healthier (and vegan) alternative to the sour cream in most dips, without compromising on taste or texture. It might have even been an improved taste, as the beans and sweet potato add a richer flavor than the colder acidity sour cream. The flavor was primarily from the curry paste, but was complimented by the sweetness of the sweet potato, the sharp freshness of the lime, and the nutty flavor of the almond butter. All in all, a simple dip that will please even the pickiest eaters!

Looking for Sweet Potato Recipes? Try one of these!

If you’re interested in this book, you can pre-order your copy now on Amazon. Please also head over to Instagram where I will be offering a copy free to a lucky winner! (Unfortunately, due to shipping concerns this offer will only be available to participants within the United States or Canada). If you want the chance to win your very own FREE copy of The Vegan 8 cookbook, head over now- I will be starting this giveaway October 2nd, and announcing the winner October 16th.

Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip

Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip + The Vegan 8 Cookbook Review

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 3 cups

Thai Red Curry Sweet Potato Dip + The Vegan 8 Cookbook Review

If there was ever a dip that won over taste testers, this is it! One of my tricks for super-creamy bean dips is to use white beans, which create a really smooth dip—a big help for oil-free recipes. This dip is creamy like a hummus with bold Thai curry flavors that complement the sweet potato beautifully. With the garnishes, it makes a lovely presentation for a gathering.

Ingredients

1 packed cup (248g) cooked, mashed sweet potato
1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1⁄2 cups cooked white beans (255g)
2 tablespoons (30g) fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons (32g) roasted almond butter
2 tablespoons (30g) low-sodium soy sauce
1⁄4 cup (60g) Thai red curry paste (make sure to check the curry paste for non-vegan ingredients, such as shrimp)
1 teaspoon (1g) dried basil
1⁄2 teaspoon (1g) ground coriander
1⁄4 teaspoon (2g) fine salt
Optional: roasted sliced almonds, fresh chopped basil for garnish; crackers, chips, or sliced vegetables for serving

Instructions

Add the mashed sweet potato, beans, lime juice, almond butter, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (30g) hot water, curry paste, basil, coriander, and salt to a food processor; process for 3 to 4 minutes or until very smooth. Scrape the sides and process again. Taste and add more salt, if desired. Garnish with almonds and basil, if desired, and serve with chips, crackers, or assorted sliced vegetables.

Notes

Cook the sweet potato (whole with skin) either in a microwave at HIGH for 5 to 6 minutes (wrapped in plastic wrap) until very tender or bake it at 400°F (200°C) for 45 minutes to an hour until very soft. I would advise against steaming or boiling, as it will add extra water to the potatoes and dilute the flavor. Peel and mash 1 cup (248g) of the cooked potatoes. The roasted almond butter is slightly sweet, which complements the spicy curry flavor well, but if you’re allergic, you can sub with tahini for a slightly different flavor profile than the original recipe.

https://veryveganval.com/2018/09/25/thai-red-curry-sweet-potato-dip-the-vegan-8-cookbook-review/