Vegan Sandwich: Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

Vegan sandwiches are remarkably hard to come by. Hummus and roasted vegetables are lovely but ever so predictable. I'm not strictly vegan, but as a lactose in tolerant vegetarian, I eat a lot of vegan food. When I'm on the go and in need of a vegetarian lunch time solution, checking the counter at the corner shop or my local deli, I am often left sad and hungry because all their offerings are full of flesh and cheese. Everybody loves a good sammich and I don't see why I should go without! 

You've seen my recipe for Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Sandwich on Toasted Turkish Bread with Homemade Vegan Olive Tapenade and Tempeh 'Chik'n' Salad Sandwich, my latest addition to my vegan sandwich roster is this tasty little flat bread number with beetroot and 'slaw. Yum!

 

Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

2-3 boiled beetroot (boil yourself or use vacum pack style)
1 teaspoon Green Tamarind Pickle
Juice of 1 lemon
approx 1/2 cup water
flat bread - something thick like a chappati or paratha
2-3 tablespoons flat bread
3- 4 leave of Spring greens
1 carrot
1/2 onion
2-3 tablespoons of vegannaise/mayonnaise

1. Slice your beetroot into 1/4 inch thick disks and place in a long bowl.
2. Add your Green Tamarind Pickle, lemon juice and water to the beetroot and let them marinade while you make your coleslaw. Make sure that all the beets are covered.
3. For the coleslaw, finely chop greens, and onion and mix with vegannaise/mayonnaise until fully covered. This s a vey basic 'slaw without too much seasoning as I don't want to over power the beets. Let stand.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and saute the beets until you've got a few crunchy bits and they're hot all the way through. Add the marinade to the pan to make sure they don't dry out...they should be hot and juicy when your done. Remove from heat and let stand while you heat the flat bread.
5. In a hot pan(I used the same one!) add a tablespoon of oil and heat your flat bread until it's hot and foldable.Then remove from heat and assemble you tasty lunch. Place the beets on half of the flat bread, slaw on top and fold over for serious tastieness.

Marinating Beetroot

Sauteed Beetroot with Crunchy Bits

Warming Paratha Flat Bread

Tangy Tamarind Beetroot Sandwich

Tangy Tamarind Spring Green 'Slaw

On a recent trip to my local international food store, I came across something that changed my life: Green Tamarind Pickle. It is, simply put, amazing. Call me slow to catch on, but I have only just discovered that there are is a lot of cross over between the flavours that I associate with the Mexican food I grew up eating in California, and the Indian food that is in abundance here in England. Cumin, coriander/cilantro,chillies, flat bread, rice and beans are common in both Mexican and Indian cuisines, but they also share a common a love for tantalisingly tangy tamarind. As a child, I used to eat Mexican sweets covered with the stuff and grew up loving the flavour but not consciously knowing what it was. As an adult I can now proudly profess my love of tamarind.

Green Tamarind Pickle is a store bought item that you would find at a good international food store alongside other Indian chutneys and pickles. It's has a strong, tangy, mustardy, spicy and slightly tart taste that I just love. It turns mayonnaise/veganaise  into the most delicious aioli type sauce, making it perfect of picnic loveliness like potato salad, you guessed it, coleslaw.

This recipe is oh so simple, delicious and sure to impress your friends at the next company picnic.

Tangy Tamarind Spring Green 'Slaw (Coleslaw salad for 4)

Ingredients:

1 head of spring greens (approximately 6-8 large leaves and the little ones in the middle)
3 medium sized carrots
1 medium sized onion
4 tbsp vegannaise/mayonnaise
1 tbsp Green Tamarind Pickle

Instructions:

1. Wash and coarsely chop vegetables (either by hand or with a food processor).
2. Place chopped veg in a bowl and mix add mayo and Green Tamarind Pickle.
3. Mix well.
4. Serve.

I know, really easy right? But it's gorgeous.

Tangy Green Tamarind Pickle 'Slaw