Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking by Carla Kelly Read Free Book Online

not be as creamy.
    Coconut cream can be purchased canned in the beverage aisle in many supermarkets, or just remove the cream from the top of a can of coconut milk (don’t shake the can prior to opening).
    SALT
    I don’t use a lot of salt because I tend to use commercially made stocks that I find salty enough and because I am quite salt sensitive—you’ll need to salt to taste.
    Black salt is actually pink in color and has a strong, sulfurous odor remarkably like eggs or strong cheese. Available from spice stores, specialty markets, and online, it is worth obtaining for the depth of flavor it adds. If you don’t have this ingredient it is fine to omit but be aware your dish may not be quite as flavorful as intended.

Techniques
    The following section is intended to provide the basic techniques, knowledge, and kitchen confidence you will need to make the recipes in this book.
BLANCHING Submerging items, usually vegetables, in boiling water and allowing to remain in the water for the length of time it takes for the water to return to the boil, sothey are very lightly cooked and become brightly colored. Blanching is usually followed by immersion in cold water to stop the cooking process.
CRUSHING Using the side of the knife and applying pressure downward to lightly crush an item, bruising it so flavors are released.
CUTTING IN Mixing fat (usually chilled) into flour so it is evenly distributed. Work the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles pebbly sand, using either a pastry cutter (available from kitchen supply and department stores) or two butter knives. Hold the knives side by side in the fist of your dominant hand, the extra width of the handles leaving a space between the blades, and mimic the action of the pastry cutter.
DEGLAZING Using a liquid to loosen and remove any items and flavor left in a pan after sautéing or roasting. The liquid is added and moved around the pan so any cooked-on bits are scraped off and incorporated into the liquid, which is then added to the slow cooker to add flavor.
DRY SAUTÉING Sautéing but with no oil or any other liquid in the skillet. Done in a nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet.
FINELY CHOPPING Cutting the item into equal pieces smaller than ¼ inch so they cook evenly and quickly.
MAKING A SLURRY Mixing a little cornstarch (or arrowroot, or tapioca starch), usually 1 or 2 tablespoons, in a small container with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to form a paste, which is then added to the hot slow cooker and stirred to thicken.
MINCING Cutting items very, very fine until almost a paste. See the instructions under Garlic in the Ingredients section ( page 13 ).
MAKING A ROUX Mixing fat (usually but not always a solid fat that has been melted) and flour and cooking to a light brown (although sometimes darker), then adding liquid (often milk or stock) a little at a time and stirring as it cooks and thickens. A roux forms the base for sauces and is also a thickener for stews.
SAUTÉING Stovetop cooking when the items being cooked are moved around in the skillet as they cook, preventing sticking and burning. Essentially the items are “jumped” (sauté is French for jump) around as they are heated.
SHREDDING Cutting long, very fine thin pieces of an item, usually a leafy green vegetable. See the instructions in the Ingredients section ( page 15 ).
    Basic Knife Skills
    Hold a chef’s knife where the handle meets the blade and pinch the top of the blade, where it is widest, between your thumb and the first knuckle (up from the palm) of your first finger—this gives stability and control. Keep your knife as sharp as possible; if you do cut yourself accidentally, a clean cut from a sharp blade bleeds less and heals faster than a cut from a dull blade. When using your chef’s knife make sure you have an appropriate cutting board. Place a folded cloth under the board to stop the board from slipping.
    Hold the items to be cut in your nondominant hand (holding the knife as