Classic Mexican Mole Veganized

Vegetable Broth:
2 tomatoes
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 onion
5 garlic cloves
Parsley
Salt to taste

Cauliflower Steaks:
1 cauliflower

Mole Sauce:
1 plantain
2 tomatoes
½ white onion
1 garlic clove
4 dried ancho chiles
Dried red chiles to taste (optional)
⅛ teaspoon oregano
4 black peppercorns
¼ teaspoon thyme
Small piece of cinnamon
2 tablespoons cacao powder
⅛ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup almonds
Vegetable broth as needed
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Dates (to taste)

Red Rice:
1 cup rice
2 cups vegetable broth
½ teaspoon paprika

Garnish:
Sesame seeds
Cilantro
Pickled red onions

Method

Vegetable Broth:

1. Cut the onion in half. Put all the vegetables in a pot. Cover with water and add salt to taste.
2. Bring the water to a boil and cook, covered, for about an hour.
3. Strain out the boiled vegetables (and save them to make soup!). The remaining liquid is your flavor-packed vegetable broth!

Cauliflower Steaks:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pull the green leaves off the cauliflower and cut off its trunk, forming a flat bottom surface.
2. Cut the cauliflower vertically into thick slices. Bake for one hour, turning the slices over halfway through.

Mole Sauce:

1. Bake the plantain at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Peel it, then bake for another hour.
2. Place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a cast iron pan over low heat. Cook, turning occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until they soften and develop dark brown patches.
3. Remove the seeds from the ancho chiles and red chiles (optional). Cook the chiles on medium-low heat until they’re toasted and crispy.
4. Toast the oregano, pepper, thyme, cinnamon, cacao powder, sesame seeds, and almonds over low heat until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
5. Place all of the mole sauce ingredients into your blender, using enough vegetable broth to allow the blender to function. Blend into a smooth paste. If necessary (or desired for consistency), add more vegetable broth.

Red Rice:

1. Cook the rice and two cups of veggie broth according to the rice packaging’s directions, substituting the broth for the required water.
2. Add the paprika to the cooked rice and stir thoroughly.

Assembly:

1. Lay your cauliflower steaks on a large plate. Arrange your red rice at once side.
2. Spoon the mole sauce over the cauliflower steaks. Garnish with sesame seeds, cilantro, and pickled red onions. Enjoy!

This recipe really lets you show off your cooking skills by creating a dish with an incredibly rich and complex flavor. And of course it doesn’t only taste good, it’s also good for your body!

Let me know in the comments what you thought of this recipe. It’s a little more complicated than lots of the ones I share, but I truly believe you guys are up for the challenge. If you need some visuals to help with the process, check out my video of this recipe. And believe me, the results are well worth the effort!

Love you! ❤️
Yovana