Spice up your Veganuary with Saiphin Moore’s vegan Thai favourites

It’s Veganuary – the time of year when many of us swap out steak for seitan and discover just how versatile plants can be. But if you think going vegan means giving up bold flavours and vibrant dishes, Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa’s Thai, is here to prove otherwise.

Raised in a remote village in northern Thailand, Saiphin grew up cooking with ingredients so fresh, she’d sometimes climb trees to pick them. That same approach to flavour, balance and authenticity has made Rosa’s Thai a beloved institution – and now, it’s the perfect inspiration for your plant-based kitchen.

In honour of Veganuary, Saiphin shares three stunning vegan dishes that showcase the best of Thai cooking. There’s a creamy tempeh chu chi curry, a fragrant coconut soup with oyster mushrooms and a tofu holy basil stir-fry that packs a proper punch. Each recipe is designed to make the most of simple, fresh ingredients while bringing the vibrant energy of Thailand to your plate.

Tempeh ‘chu chi’ curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

3 tbsp red Thai curry paste (we make our own but shop-bought works)

300ml coconut milk

200g tempeh (we recommend Club Cultured)

2-3 lime leaves, finely sliced

1 long red chilli, sliced

1 long green chilli, sliced

Vegetable oil for frying

Steamed rice, to serve

Method:

1. Fry the tempeh in oil until golden brown then set aside.

2. In a frying pan or wok, add the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the coconut milk, mix and cook until it thickens and starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the chillies and lime leaves.

4. Cook for 2-3 more minutes then turn off the heat.

5. Pour the hot curry sauce over the tempeh, garnish with more lime leaves and serve immediately with rice.

Coconut soup with oyster mushrooms

Serves: 2

You can find Tom Kha all over Thailand – different versions according to location. Mine has a northern taste, as it’s based on my mum’s recipe. I still remember my dad teaching me to climb coconut trees when I was 10 years old to collect the fruits – these trees were at least 25m (80ft) high and I’d have no harness on. I had to be very picky once I reached the top, as only the mature coconuts would do for the soup.

Ingredients:

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

200ml (7fl oz) water

5 slices of greater galangal

1 lemongrass stalk, sliced diagonally

3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

3 small red chillies, sliced

4 coriander roots (or use 20 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped

1 tsp sea salt flakes

150g (5½oz) oyster mushrooms, broken into pieces

5 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Pour the coconut milk and measured water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, coriander roots or stalks and salt.

2. Leave to bubble away over a medium heat for 2 minutes, until the flavours come through, then add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce and coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Pad kra prow taohu: tofu holy basil stir-fry

Serves: 2

Pad kra prow is another national dish found on many a Thai street corner, and that includes the vegetarian version. In Thailand we use holy basil, the very pungent sister of Italian basil, which is a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You’ll notice the sudden bursts of aroma from the wok as soon as you start tossing the ingredients together over a high heat – it’s a smell that wakes up my senses every time.

Ingredients:

3 red bird’s eye chillies

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp vegetable oil

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into chunks

1 tbsp light soy sauce

½ tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tbsp sugar

Pinch of white pepper

½ onion, chopped

¼ red pepper, sliced

¼ yellow pepper, sliced

30g (1oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) pieces

Handful of holy basil leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Using either a pestle and mortar, grind the chillies and garlic to a paste.

2. Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the chilli and garlic mixture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until nice and golden brown.

3. Now add the tofu chunks, both soy sauces, the palm sugar and white pepper and cook, tossing everything around in the pan, for about 1 minute, until the tofu is well coated and has taken on a little colour from the sauces.

4. Once everything is mixed well, add the onion, peppers and long beans and cook for a further 30 seconds, all the while tossing the mixture together. Throw in the basil and lime leaves and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Recipes by Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa’s Thai