¡Viva Vegano! 

Months after Dora Ramírez went vegan for Lent – and beat a longstanding health problem in the process – she had an epiphany: Animals aren’t “ingredients”; they’re intelligent beings worthy of compassion. Today, a committed vegan, trained chef, and creator of the blog Dora’s Table, Ramírez is reimagining Mexican dishes with a plant-powered twist.

From mushroom carnitas to cashew queso asadero, the recipes in her James Beard Award-winning book Comida Casera show how easy it is to honor tradition, nourish your body, and cook with corazón. Dig into these Mexcellent adapted selections. 

 Jackfruit Pozole Rojo  

Makes 4-6 servings  

YOU’LL NEED  

2 20-oz cans young green jackfruit, drained  

5 dried guajillo chiles, seeded  

2 dried ancho chiles, seeded  

5 dried árbol chiles, seeded  

6 garlic cloves, peeled  

1 cup chopped white onion  

½ tsp dried Mexican oregano  

10 cups vegetable broth  

3 15-oz cans white hominy, drained  

2 tsp salt  

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper  

METHOD  

• Shred the jackfruit into a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain. Once cooled, squeeze out the water and set aside.  

• Place the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles in a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and let soak for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1½ cups of the soaking liquid. Transfer the chiles and reserved soaking liquid to a blender. Add the garlic, onion, and oregano, and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.  

• Add the vegetable broth, hominy, salt, and pepper to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Transfer 1 cup hominy and some broth to a blender and blend until smooth, then pour it back into the pot. Continue to simmer, uncovered.  

• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the jackfruit with a splash of water for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the chile sauce. Cook for 5 minutes then transfer to the pot with the broth and continue simmering for 10 minutes.  

Pumpkin Seed Enchiladas  

Makes 4 servings  

YOU’LL NEED  

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped  

⅔ cup chopped white onion, divided  

1 garlic clove, peeled  

2 tsp salt, divided  

1 tsp avocado oil  

2 habanero chiles  

1 bunch epazote (about 3 cups)  

2 cups raw pumpkin seeds, toasted  

12 corn tortillas  

Mexican-Style Tofu Scramble (see recipe)  

METHOD  

• Place the tomatoes, ⅓ cup onion, garlic, and 1 teaspoonful of salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium-low heat and pour in the sauce. Score an “X” on the tip of one habanero and add it to the sauce. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard the habanero.  

• In another medium pot, bring 3½ cups water to a boil, then add the epazote and the remaining ⅓ cup onion and habanero (cut in half). Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steep for 15 minutes. Pass through a sieve and reserve 2½ cups of the broth.  

• Place the pumpkin seeds and the remaining 1 teaspoonful of salt in a blender with the reserved broth and blend until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and warm over low heat.  

• To assemble, warm each corn tortilla in a skillet. Place 2 tablespoonfuls of the Mexican-Style Tofu Scramble in the center of each tortilla. Roll up and transfer to a serving plate.  

• Pour the pumpkin seed sauce on top of the enchiladas and spoon the habanero tomato sauce on top. Serve immediately.  

Mexican-Style Tofu Scramble  

Makes 1 quart  

YOU’LL NEED  

1 Tbsp avocado oil  

1/2 cup chopped white onion  

1 serrano chile, minced  

2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped  

1 16-oz block firm tofu, drained and crumbled  

1 tsp garlic powder  

½ tsp ground mustard  

⅛ tsp ground turmeric  

1 tsp salt  

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper  

METHOD  

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and serrano chile and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes.  

• Stir in the tofu, garlic powder, mustard, turmeric, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the tofu browns. 

Strawberries and Cream Paletas  

Makes 10 paletas  

YOU’LL NEED  

1½ cups unsweetened soy milk, divided  

3 Tbsp cornstarch  

1½ cups unsweetened almond milk  

1 tsp vanilla extract  

½ cup light agave syrup  

2 cups strawberries, hulled and diced  

1 Tbsp sugar  

½ tsp fresh lemon juice  

METHOD  

• In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the soy milk with the cornstarch.  

• In a medium pot, combine the remaining 1 cup soy milk and the almond milk, vanilla extract, and agave syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Continue simmering, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours.  

• In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Chill.  

• When the soy milk base is cold, fold in the strawberries. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze.