For the tom yum paste
First make the tom yum paste. Add the vegetable oil to the wok. When it’s hot, add the red curry paste, palm sugar, and salt and fry for 3 minutes, until the paste turns a darker red color. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl. Give the wok a quick rinse and put back on the heat (you will need it again for step 3).
We have intentionally reduced the amount of salt. The original recipe for 4 servings calls for 1 teaspoon salt. For more information, see the section “Alternative preparation.”
Preparing ingredients
Peel and coarsely chop the onion. Peel the garlic. Remove the stems from the chili peppers and finely slice one (you will need the remaining chili pepper for step 5), removing the seeds if you prefer a mild flavor. Peel and mince the ginger.
Peel the ginger by removing the skin with a spoon or knife.
Preparing the tom yum soup
Add the oil to the clean wok and put back on the heat. Crush the garlic into the wok, add in the onion, chili peppers, and ginger and cook for 4 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
Pour 500 mL of the stock into the wok and bring to a boil. Add the tom yum paste (step 1) and mix well. Add the remaining stock and the tomato paste. Bash the bases of the lemongrass stalks and add them to the pan. Slice the lime leaves and throw them in. Simmer for 20 minutes.
If you plan to eat the lime leaves, make sure to cut them into very fine slices. Otherwise, cut them into larger pieces and then remove before eating.
In the meantime, you can prepare the ingredients for the next step.
Cut the limes in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any seeds in your other hand. Halve the button mushrooms and the tomatoes and add them to the pan with the enoki mushrooms. Slice the water chestnuts, if using, and add them to the pan. Finely slice the remaining chili pepper into long diagonal slices, removing the seeds if you prefer a milder flavor, and add to the pan. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Serving
Divide the soup between bowls. Trim and slice the scallions and chop the chives. Sprinkle over the soup along with the cilantro leaves and serve.
Detailed Nutritional Information per Person for this Recipe
The majority of the nutritional information comes from the USDA (US Department of Agriculture). This means that the information for natural products is often incomplete or only given within broader categories, whereas in most cases products made from these have more complete information displayed.
If we take flaxseed, for example, the important essential amino acid ALA (omega-3) is only included in an overarching category whereas for flaxseed oil ALA is listed specifically. In time, we will be able to change this, but it will require a lot of work. An “i” appears behind ingredients that have been adjusted and an explanation appears when you hover over this symbol.
For Erb Muesli, the original calculations resulted in 48 % of the daily requirement of ALA — but with the correction, we see that the muesli actually covers >100 % of the necessary recommendation for the omega-3 fatty acid ALA. Our goal is to eventually be able to compare the nutritional value of our recipes with those that are used in conventional western lifestyles.
Bosh! HarperCollins Publishers, Henry Firth Raw recipes 9, Cooked recipes 137 (4) Additional photos (3)
Ordering
Bosh! – Simple Recipes – Amazing Food – contains vegan versions of international classics. The recipes are designed so that they can be made quickly and easily.
OverviewIn their book Bosh! – Simple Recipes – Amazing Food – All Plants, Henry Firth and Ian Theasby show how you can easily prepare classic dishes without animal products. The dishes are designed to be quick and uncomplicated and as such often call for canned and convenience foods. The dishes would be healthier if only fresh ingredients were used and attention were given to the nutritional value of the ingredients.
Critical book reviews
Since August 2018, we have been addressing the use of ingredients that aren’t particularly healthy. Although we don’t change recipes that contain such ingredients, we do provide alternative healthier versions of these.
SummaryThe cookbook Bosh! – Simple Recipes – Amazing Food – All Plants contains mainly vegan versions of classic international dishes. About two-thirds of the recipes call for canned or convenience products such as puff pastry or premade sauces, which cuts down on the required preparation time. Many of the ingredients include vegan alternatives to dairy products such as vegan butter or cheese. The majority of the dishes contain added oil, and often in larger quantities. About half of the recipes call for sweeteners but only in smaller amounts — with the exception of the desserts. The attractive photos for each recipe give readers a good idea of what to expect. However, preparation times are not included, which makes planning a bit more difficult.
In their cookbookBosh! – Simple Recipes – Amazing Food –All Plants,Henry Firth and Ian Theasby have included a nice selection of recipes that can be used for everyday cooking. Their adaptations of classic, international recipes make it clear that it is just as easy to make plant-based versions of these traditional dishes. The authors have made it a priority to include recipes that are suitable for everyday cooking. As a result, the nutritional value of the recipes is not always as high as it could be. Bosh! – Simple Recipes – Amazing Food –All Plants by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby is available in German and English on Amazon and from Harper Collins Publishers. They also have a new book called BOSH! Healthy Vegan, which is currently only available in English (also on Amazon and fromHarper Collins Publishers).
About the authorsAs a result of their desire to protect the environment, Henry Firth and Ian Theasby began to eat a plant-based diet in 2015. Then in 2016 the two founded Bosh!, a cooking channel that became an online global phenomenon within a year after its launch. In 2018, they published their first cookbook.
ContentsBosh! begins with an introduction and then a chapter titled “Kitchen,” which provides readers with several tips on preparing the dishes. These include helpful kitchen tools and how to use some of the main ingredients. The chapter “Fantastic Feasts” contains suggested menus that are organized based on cuisine and occasions.
The recipes are divided into eight sections:
Quick eats
Big eats
Showpieces
Greens and Bosh! Bowls
Small Plates & Sharers
Cocktails
Desserts
Breakfasts
Recipes
Quick eats: These international recipes include lots of noodles as well as rice- and bean-based dishes and a few sauces. Examples are Mushroom Pho and Quick Puttanesca Spaghetti.
Big eats: This section includes vegan versions of classic dishes such as Irresistible Risotto with asparagus and kale, Tom Yum Soup, and Rogan Bosh!, a variation of kashmiri curry.
Showpieces:You will also find international dishes in this section and only a few of them are more complicated and time-intensive such as Spiral Tart and Big Bosh! Roast, a mushroom Wellington.
Greens and Bosh! Bowls: This shorter section contains salads and bowls, for example, Beetroot, Onion & Sweet Potato Salad.
Small Plates & Sharers:From hummus and dips to finger food and small plates, you will find the recipe you want for your next appetizer or side dish in this largest section of the cookbook. Cauliflower Buffalo Wings and Maki Sushi Rolls are just two examples of recipes here.
Cocktails:You can look forward to a small selection of cocktails in this section ranging from classics to new creations. Salted Caramel Espresso Martini is just one example.
Desserts: In this section, you will find mostly baked desserts such as Spanish Beach Churros and Apple Pear Tart.
Breakfasts:Try out these breakfast recipes ranging from hearty to sweet, for example, Creamy mushroom Toast and Turmeric Powershot.
Bosh! – Simple Recipes-Amazing Food-All Plants closes with a chapter on the most important nutrients, their sources, and a recipe index.
Book review written by Dr. med. vet. Inke Weissenborn
For the Tom Yum Soup with Mushrooms and Water Chestnuts, you will need ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, and (homemade) tom yum paste (the recipe for the ingredient Red Thai Curry Paste is on page 78 of the same cookbook).
Tom yum soup: Tom yum soup is a spicy, sour soup that originated in Thailand. Common ingredients in the tom yum paste needed for this soup are lemongrass, lime leaves, lemon juice, and chili peppers. The original version usually contains shrimp.
Nutritional profile: According to GDA guidelines, one serving of this recipe covers about 50 % of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese. It covers about 40 % of the requirement for vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, this recipe has a good ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which at 4:1 is under the recommended ratio of 5:1.
Preparation time: The preparation time is based on the assumption that you have already prepared the red Thai curry paste (separate recipe) and that you have vegetable broth that is ready to use.
Ginger: Ginger is aromatic and has a pungent, spicy taste because it contains gingerol, a substance which has anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory effects. Thanks to borneol and cineol, ginger promotes digestion, calms the stomach, is effective against vomiting and nausea, and stimulates the appetite and circulatory system. As a cooking ingredient, ginger root is used in several forms including fresh, dried, and ground. Ginger roots that are harvested early are called young ginger or “green ginger,” and are milder in taste and not so woody.
Enoki mushrooms: Enoki mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes) are edible mushrooms that are particularly popular in Asian cuisine. These delicate white mushrooms have long, velvety stems, small caps, and a sweet, mild flavor. Cultivated enoki mushrooms are harvested and sold in small bunches. Enoki mushrooms can also be eaten raw in salads and other dishes.
Water chestnuts: The Chinese water chestnut got its name from the chestnut because it has a similar appearance and not because the two are closely related. The corms (underground stems) of the water chestnut are edible. Water chestnuts are a delicious ingredient in Asian and other dishes that doesn’t lose its crisp consistency even after long cooking times. Its white flesh has a sweet flavor. In many supermarkets, you can find water chestnuts that have been peeled and canned.
Tips
Cilantro: There is a wide range of opinions regarding the flavor of cilantro. Some people react to its intensive, slightly soapy aroma with symptoms ranging from aversion to nausea. If you prefer, it is fine to simply omit this ingredient. However, there is no alternative that has a similar flavor. According to Swiss statistics, 15 % of the allergic population reacts to cilantro.
Lemongrass: Lemongrass develops its citrus flavor best when used fresh. Many cooks, especially for Asian dishes, “bruise” the fresh stalks by bending them several times so that they will release their essential oils. These essential oils are responsible for lemongrass’ intense fragrance.
What do vegans need to be aware of ? Information about the optimal fatty acid ratio and general information on common nutrition mistakes in vegan and raw food diets can be found at this link: A Vegan Diet Can Be Unhealthy. Nutrition Mistakes.
Alternate preparation
Homemade tomato paste: Unsalted, homemade tomato paste (tomato purée or concentrate) made from fresh tomatoes can be used in many different recipes — including this one. A recipe to make your own can be found at the following link: Homemade Tomato Paste Made From Fresh Tomatoes.
Reducing the salt:
Low-sodium vegetable broth: We have used low-sodium vegetable broth to decrease the amount of salt with no resulting decrease in flavor.
Vegan stock: The best way to reduce the amount of salt is to use a homemade salt-free vegan stock. You will need to vary the amount of stock you use depending on how concentrated it is.
And if necessary, you can always add a little salt before serving. Use your preferences as a guideline when adding salt to this dish. If you are interested in reading more on the subject, we suggest the book Salt, Sugar, Fat.
Making your own vegetable broth/stock: If you would like to make your own vegetable broth or stock, here are a few tasty recipes to try out:
