THIS may look an amazing chunk of meaty protein, but think again. It’s actually Vietnamese vegan ‘ham’ using bean curd skin, a Viet-style five spice marinade and coconut fat. We haven’t tried it but we trust the palate of 2011 Masterchef star Jackie ‘Hungry Gecko’ Kearney.
This is just one of the dishes that make up Vegan Mock Meat Revolution, her third plant-based cookbook, following the success of Vegan Street Food: Foodie travels from India to Indonesia’ and ‘My Vegan Travels: Comfort food inspired by adventure’.
She’ll be launching this latest volume, which (as it says on the tin) investigates the potential of meat substitute ingredients, at a MFDF fringe event in Tampopo’s new grab and go venue, East Street in Piccadilly Gardens on Thursday, October 4.
Jackie’s launches are always jolly affairs and this features a special one-off menu featuring delicious new plant-based recipes and re-imagined Tampopo pan-Asian classics. It costs £15 for an arrival cocktail and canapé, one main, drink and watermelon pop or, with the addition of a signed copy of the book, £30 a head. Guests are invited to arrive any time from 6pm onwards, as food will be served to order until 10pm, and can be eaten on site or ordered to take away.
East Street, Piccadilly Gardens, Unit1A 1B, The Pavilion, Manchester M1 1RG. Vegan Mock Meat Revolution is published by Ryland Peters & Small and costs £16.99.
