Vegetarian Cuisine

WHOLE WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH MISO SAUCE –

Miso is high in protein (from soy beans) and a natural source of vitamin B12. Never boil miso because it destroys the vitamin content.  No additional salt is necessary in this recipe because the miso is already salty.

This recipe blends East-West cuisines, and is unusual and delicious. For the miso sauce, use red ake miso or dark hatcho miso. If possible, make the sauce 6-8 hours in advance to let the flavours blend. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2/3 cup chopped fennel
3 tomatoes, diced
3 green bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced
½ carrot, grated
1 ¾ cups water
4 bay leaves
5 tablespoons miso
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
Pepper to taste
18 oz wholewheat spaghetti
Grated cheese or nutritional yeast flakes for sprinkling (optional)

*Optional:  5-7 ounces of cubed tofu can be added at the same time as the vegetables.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in heavy pan and sauté the celery and fennel over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green bell peppers, and carrot and sauté for 15 minutes longer.
2. Add the water and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the miso, butter or margarine, and basil. Season to taste with pepper.
3. Cook the spaghetti in boiling water until al dente (tender but still firm to the bite). Drain well. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce and stir in the hot spaghetti. Add the cheese or yeast flakes, if using.
4. Serve at once.

This recipe is an edited contribution for the Sivananda Gurugram partly sourced and edited from The Yoga Cookbook. Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind. Recipes from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. 1999.

More than food, water and fire, man’s need is sympathy, kindness, and brotherhood. – Sri Swami Sivananda