All About the Veg! is a biweekly recipe column where Best of Vegan contributor Seiran Sinjari breaks down one amazing plant at a time. In today’s column, she talks about chili peppers, an ingredient that comes in many forms and varies in intensity, but always makes the dish a tad more special. Her recipe for vegan grilled cheese pita with hot agave “honey” is perfect for those who love it when sweet, savory, and spicy flavors balance each other out!
While this week’s recipe might not seem so veg-forward, it actually includes a plant I use daily and always pack when I’m traveling; chili peppers. If something’s missing in a meal I often reach for chili in some form to spice things up. I have a whole range of different chili powders and flakes in my pantry, anything from super spicy to very mild. That’s what I love about chili peppers, there’s something for everyone, they don’t have to be flaming hot.
Just like sweet and salty, sweet and spicy work perfectly together as well. It’s also a good way to balance out the heat a little.
The two varieties I use the most in my cooking are Aleppo chili flakes and Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). There are different varieties of both but they are all typically mild to moderate in heat, which allows you to use larger quantities to add more flavor. For heat, I like to complement them with a smaller amount of some spicier chilies (fresh or dry). Aleppo chili flakes are also a bit oily and savory which enhances the flavors of the food and works like magic for infusing melted vegan butter, oils, and syrups.
Just like sweet and salty, sweet and spicy work perfectly together as well. It’s also a good way to balance out the heat a little. I would say that the hot agave “honey” definitely is the star of this week’s recipe. It adds both spice and sweetness to the savory and cheesy pita, a great contrast for your tastebuds. You can also drizzle it over dips, salads, and avocado toasts or even mix it into dressings and marinades.
Ingredients
- 2 pita breads
- 3-4 slices of vegan cheese - preferably two different varieties such as plain and cheddar style
- ⅓ teaspoon nigella seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons vegan butter
- Hot Agave "Honey"
- 100 ml agave syrup
- 1-2 tsp spicy chili flakes
- 2 tsp Aleppo chili flakes - Gochugaro (Korean chili flakes) or other mild to moderate chili flakes
- salt to taste
Top with:
- 1 tbsp grated vegan parmesan
- a couple sprigs fresh thyme
Serve with (optional):
- vegan garlic yogurt - mix unsweetened greek style yogurt with minced garlic
- pickles
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients for the syrup in a pan over medium heat, stir frequently until it starts to bubble, bring the heat down to low, and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring.
- Set aside and allow to cool completely. Store in an air-tight glass container at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
- Lay pita bread flat on a cutting board and place one hand on top, use your other hand to cut it with a sharp knife along the edges while rotating the bread until you have it in two pieces. Repeat with the other bread.
- Spread butter on the outer sides of all the bread slices, then lay them on the cutting board with buttered sides down. Place vegan cheese slices in an even layer on top of two of the slices, sprinkle with some nigella seeds (not too much as it can become bitter), cover with the other two slices (with the buttered sides up).
- Heat a large pan over medium heat, add the pitas and fry until the bottom is golden brown. Flip them and fry for another couple of minutes, to help the cheese melt you can add a few drops of water in the pan and cover with a lid. The cheese will steam and melt nicely.
- Remove from the pan when the cheese has melted and both sides are golden brown.
- Cut the pitas across the middle and drizzle with a little of the hot agave "honey", top with some more nigella seeds, vegan parmesan, and thyme. Serve with vegan garlic yogurt and pickles (optional).
Notes
Recipe, text, and photography by Seiran Sinjari.
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