Dangerously Delicious Tofu Curry Pie

Tofu Curry Pie 

Baltimore-born Dangerously Delicious Pies now has a third DC location, at 675 I Street NW in Chinatown. My doctor's office used to be on this quiet block, close to bustling 7th Street. The facade of the new pie shop is unassuming, although they do have an awesome welcome mat. Inside you'll find a small, clean space with: a counter, display cases, a restroom, and limited seating (four window stools).

There was a modest lunch-time crowd when I visited. And some folks wandered in off the street just to express their pro-pie opinions. (The staff must get that a lot.) It seems like the cold pie sales happen quickly but having the pie warmed-up takes a bit of time. The staff was playing peppy rockabilly music when I visited, which helps with the wait.

The handmade whole pies are cut into six impressively large slices. A savory slice comes with a green side salad and simple balsamic dressing. This combo lunch deal, priced at $7.50, is packaged in an eco-friendly box with a plastic fork. They also have bottled drinks and coffee available.

When I lived in Baltimore, I often tried to score some Dangerously Delicious pie at the Farmers' Market, but their stand always seemed to be sold out, especially for the vegan pies. At the Chinatown location, there was only one vegan pie option available, Pamela's Tofu Curry. I had to inquire, as it was unlabeled on the main chalkboard. (The menu describes it as a typically vegan pie, but it is also available with chicken. I recommend asking the staff.)

View inside the pie

The pie was tasty. The mild tofu curry was hippie-style with brown rice, onions, peppers, and cauliflower. This nicely spiced filling wasn't too heavy, although it did feature rich coconut milk. The softness of the tofu and cooked veggies worked well with the sturdy, dense crust. And I tried the red hot BBQ sauce, which seems like a winner condiment, although perhaps not for this particular pie. They also offer a green sauce, ketchup, and agave.

Currently the shop has limited lunch hours (10-4pm Mon-Sat) but plans to expand to breakfast and dinner. I do hope they have some more vegan pies in the future. And that they start using handy vegan symbols on their chalkboard.

Dangerously Delicious Pies has a popular late-night location at 1339 H Street NE and occupies a stand in the lower level of Union Station. You can also check out their roving food truck for lunch.

Welcome mat      

A trio of childhood classics

Here are three more recipes that hark back to some favorite foods of childhood. Both are from How It All Vegan!, the April VegCookbook Club pick.

Vegan Sloppy Joes
For this filling sandwich, you make a tomato sauce in the food processor, rehydrate the protein, and then add both to a sauté of veggies and spices. I used some textured soy protein that I've been trying to finish, rather than the textured vegetable protein called for in the recipe. (You could probably also use tempeh or cooked beans for a less processed meal.)

The finished mash is rather spicy, calling for both chili powder and cayenne. The secret, surprise ingredient is chopped pickle (genius), which adds a nice crunchy bite. I used the sloppy joe mixture to fill tidy pitas, rather than serving it on a sloppy bun. No condiments required.

Spicy Creamy Tomato Soup
Another classic recipe. Like many kids, I, sadly, had an aversion to tomatoes. Luckily, I've been cured. This spicy soup is very adult, with a nice mix of spices and lots of garlic. I ended up using unsweetened almond milk rather than soy milk or soft tofu. I'd like to try the tofu version another time, to see how that might change the thickness. The fresh tomato garnish is a nice final touch. I'll make this soup again.
  

Fabulous French Dressing
This French dressing didn't taste like the bottled version that I had in my childhood but it did have the appropriate orange hue. The oil and vinegar dressing gets its color from dry mustard and paprika. However, with no sweetener included, I found it rather tart and unpalatable. I think I'll stick to the You-Must-Make-This Dressing from the Go Vegan! app (review).

Faux "chicken" and a pudding

Here are two more comfort food dishes from How It All Vegan!, the VegCookbook Club's current book.

Linda's Ginger "Chicken"
This wheat gluten recipe appears in the special 10th Anniversary Edition of the cookbook. However, it is also featured on the Go Vegan! app, which I reviewed (here and here). The seitan was easy to prepare and became very chewy and "meaty" in texture. It was on par with many mock meats that I've had at Chinese restaurants.

I was worried about using so much ginger (3/4 cup!) in the sauce, but the finely sliced coins did soften and took on a milder flavor. However I did think that the dish was way too salty. Both the broth and the sauce called for excessive amounts of tamari. I served this "chicken" atop quinoa with a side of roasted broccoli and mushrooms.

Faux "chicken" close-up

Sinful Chocolate Pudding
Another simple, pleasing recipe that requires only six ingredients: soft tofu, oil, sweetener, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. I decided to cut the oil and sweetener in half. (I used canola oil and brown sugar.) You could probably adjust these amounts even more to taste.

The photo below is of the just blended pudding before it had a chance to chill. Cold, creamy, and chocolaty, this recipe fulfilled all of my pudding requirements. My boyfriend said he could eat about six bowls.

Ginger tea and a book

Cure-All Ginger Tea

Here's a quick photo of the Cure-All Ginger Tea from How It All Vegan, the VegCookbook Club's April pick. This tea is a spicy tonic. It requires only four ingredients: water, fresh ginger, cayenne pepper, and sweetener. (I even skipped that last one and enjoyed the peppery warmth plain.)

I'm also enjoying Life After Life, an enthralling new novel by Kate Atkinson. It's a grand spring read. No caffeine required.

Meanwhile, outside...

How It All Vegan! in April

"Get happy, go vegan!" reads the back cover of the April VegCookbook Club pick, How It All Vegan!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet. I forgot how joyful and fun this book is. It's a great selection for spring, a time of growth and renewal. 

This book is also an excellent gateway for newbies to plant-based diets, with its easy recipes, powerful personal testimonials, and loads of "Veganism 101" info. There are even sections on making natural household cleaners and beauty products. And a chapter on feeding kids, featuring silly recipes like "Fart Sandwiches" and homemade play dough.

I do wish the cookbook had photographs of the food, in addition to those kitschy black-and-white photos of 1950s-era homemakers. However, even without glossy pics, the DIY aesthetic from the book's handmade zine beginnings conveys a lot of energy.

In fact, I first remember finding Kramer and Barnard's cookbooks in an anarchist book store and thinking that they were so punk rock. These were books to start the revolution! Yet they were also suitable to share with loved ones due to the authors' totally pleasant, non-threatening, and self-deprecating style. (Well, they are Canadian.)

I also learned the term "vegan police" here and continue to resist joining that police squad. So, yeah, there are some recipes in the book that call for honey. But just swap maple syrup or agave; no biggie.

Here's what I've made so far:

Spicy Black Bean Burgers

This truly spicy vegetable and bean burger is simple to throw together. You sauté veggies and then add them to mashed beans, bread crumbs, and spices. I did swap mushrooms for the corn. The hardest part was keeping the patties from falling apart. It felt like they could use some type of binding ingredient. Packing each cooked patty into a pita helped them hold together. I also added watercress and the spread below.

Sunflower Seed Avocado Spread

It's been a while since I played with avocado. This recipe kind of gilds the lily. I don't think avocado needs sunflower seeds and tahini. It's got enough healthy fat and flavor going for it, straight up. Also the turmeric gave the spread a sallow hue. This recipe made a lot; so I'm saving some for burritos later in the week. 

Faux Feta
My Mom is a fan of this recipe. So I made it after her fashion, in a wide-mouthed Mason jar. Basically you flavor tofu (cubed or crumbled) with oil, vinegar, and dried spices. Due to poor planning, I ran out of basil. So I added dill, which is another fresh-flavored dry spice that perked up the marinade. I don't think this tofu trick would satisfy real feta enthusiasts but it works for me. It's excellent atop salads.

Cherry blossom foodie resources and a smoothie

Okay, these are magnolia blossoms.

Every year I forget how crowded cherry blossom season is in the District. The entire city is overrun with tourists, even far from the Tidal Basin. I always wonder what guidebooks or travel apps these travelers are using to navigate the city's foodways?

For hungry veggie tourists, I'd recommend:

• VegDC, the excellent local dining guide from Compassion Over Killing
• Happy Cow's DC page or their VegOut app for the iPhone
• The Veracious Vegan blog, featuring Angela's restaurant reviews
• Yelp's DC restaurant reviews
• The Washington Post's Going Out Guide to area restaurants
• The City Paper's annual Best of D.C. restaurant picks

And here is a smoothie recipe to celebrate the cherry blossoms. It's made using my new favorite item from Mountain Rose Herbs: Hibiscus Flower Powder (see photo below). 

Cherry Berry Flower Smoothie
Blend the following:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup frozen cherries and black raspberries mix
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 tsp hibiscus flower powder 
• 1 Tbsp ground chia seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp maca powder (optional)
• 1 tsp amla powder (optional)

Serves 1.

The Green at Pete's APizza

Pete's New Haven Style APizza must be on many recommended DC trip itineraries. (Perhaps because their pizza is a favorite of the Obamas?) My boyfriend and I visited Pete's original location* at 1400 Irving Street NW. This handy spot is located directly above the south exit of the Columbia Heights Metro Station.

*Pete's APizza now has locations in Clarendon and Friendship Heights as well. Silver Spring is coming soon.

On a Saturday night, the place was crowded with hungry tourists, including large groups and families with strollers. Pete's can really pack in the customers around their long, communal tables. There are excellent people-watching opportunities both inside and out, especially if you sit on the high stools by the window.

One remarkable thing about Pete's is their clarity on vegan diets. They even have a chalkboard sign that specifies, "vegan = no animal ingredients." (They also have a wide range of gluten-free options.) On the night we were there there were several vegan antipasti items available. However we went straight for the "apizza."

Here is The Green, a thin crust pizza with artichoke hearts, sauteed spinach, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and Daiya cheese. The pizza comes in 14" and 18" sizes. We opted for the latter and it was extra large. And rather pricey with the vegan cheese surcharge. However it is an artisanal, quality pie that could feed three or four.

The pizza was properly cooked in a high temperature oven that produced a lovely amount of char. The Daiya was melty and the sauce was tangy. The only weak points in terms of the toppings were the tomatoes, which were supposed to be oven-dried but tasted normal. The other veggies were fine but I do wish that The Green was, well, greener in terms of its veggie to vegan cheese ratio.

My boyfriend noticed that Pete's has a tomato pie, which I'm eager to try out. However I think they'll have to hold the pecorino-romano for us. (Traditional tomato pies are commonly cheeseless. This dairy version must be a Connecticut thing. At least the menu warns you in advance.)

Pete's has a great selection of microbrews and wine, plus an affordable happy hour. They also carry some fancy waters and sodas. If you have room for dessert, I'd recommend nearby Sticky Fingers.