A vegan visit to Animal Farm…
The book: Animal Farm by George Orwell
Genre: Political satire
Published: 1945
The bake: Baked sweet potatoes (yams) with chickpea filling (vegan)
What’s the story?
The animals of the Manor Farm have had it with the farmer, mr. Jones. They are fed up with doing backbreaking work and being tired and hungry all the time. One day, Old Major, a very impressive boar, has a strange dream which he shares with the animals. His dream is one of rebellion, of freedom for the animals, freedom to be their own masters.
Time passes and the day suddenly dawns when Old Major’s dream becomes a reality. Led by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, the animals revolt and chase the Jones’s from their farm. Animal Farm is born. At first, they live in a utopia of unity, where everyone is equal. But soon, subtle changes start to happen. In the future, the animals will come to realize that all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others…
Why read it?
I first read this book as a high school student. I remember how captivated I was by the story. Now, rereading it 20 years later, I’m still so impressed by Orwell’s narrative. Animal Farm is one of the great classics. And, the social commentary it delivers is still relevant to our society in 2021. Orwell wrote this fable as an allegory and criticism of the Russian Revolution in 1917 and the Stalinist era in particular.
The slogan “all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” still resonate if you look at the inequalities in most societies, but especially here in South Africa. The ‘animals’ in charge still live in the farmhouse and reap all the benefits. And the crowds of working ‘animals’ stand outside looking in. Animal Farm is an easy read in that it’s really short (my edition only has 89 pages). Still, it leaves the reader with a lot of food for thought.
Pair it with: Baked sweet potatoes with a chickpea filling
One of my sisters has fibromyalgia. Last year she started eating a plant-based (vegan) diet to see if it would help with her general wellbeing. She has had so much fun experimenting with vegan dishes, and this is one of her particular favourites. I felt this vegan dish is the perfect pairing for Animal Farm. After all, who feels in the mood for meat after reading this novel? Especially considering how it ends…
This dish is perfect for a healthy supper. Like most vegan dishes, it fills your tummy without making you feel stuffed. The baked sweet potato is morish and the chickpea filling is packed full of flavour. The roasted nuts give it some crunch, and the chopped spring onions and guacamole gives it a fresh kick. Even meat-eaters will feast on this yummy vegan dish!
Baked sweet potatoes with a chickpea filling
4
servings30
minutes50
minutesIngredients
2 large orange sweet potatoes (yams), washed
125 ml raw (skin on) almonds, roughly chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1,25 ml cumin
dried chili flakes, to taste
250 g mushrooms, sliced
4 splashes Worcestershire sauce
15 ml nutritional yeast (or vegetable stock)
5 ml tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
15 ml tomato paste
salt and black pepper, to taste
1 spring onion, chopped
guacamole or fresh avocado, olive oil and fresh lemon juice, to serve
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Use a fork to prick holes in the sweet potatoes so they don’t explode in the microwave. Place in the microwave for 10 minutes. Remove carefully and wrap in tin foil. Place in the oven for 30 minutes until soft.
- Make the filling while the sweet potatoes are baking: Fry the onion in a little olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic, cumin and chili flakes and fry another minute.
- Stir in the mushrooms and fry another minute or two. Splash in the Worcestershire sauce, add the nutritional yeast and tahini. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir regularly.
- Add the tomatoes and chickpeas and stir through. Next, add the tomato paste, salt and pepper. Simmer another 20 minutes. Taste and if necessary, add some coconut sugar or lemon juice to adjust the flavour.
- Place the almonds in a hot, dry pan and roast until toasty. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn in the blink of an eye!
- To serve: Slice open each sweet potato (don’t slice all the way through) and fill with a generous helping of the chickpea mixture. Garnish with the spring onions, sprinkle over the almonds and serve with guacamole on the side (you can also serve it with slices of fresh avocado if they are in season). Finish off with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil.
Note: If the sweet potatoes are nice and big, you can serve half to each person, the filling is enough for four portions.
