Cook the best Scottish vegan haggis within a microwave for less fuss and quick cooking.Serve with lots of tasty veggie gravy, mashed tatties [potatoes] and mashed neeps (turnip/swede/rutabaga). Perfect for a Robert Burns supper [25th January], St Andrew Days dinner [30th November], Scottish Hogmanay [31st December], or a New Years Day meal [1st January] or just an any-time meal!
Heat the butter in a skillet or fry pan. Cook the onions, carrot, swede and mushrooms for 10 minutes over a medium heat. Place a lid over the pan but don't cover the pan completely and stir frequently. [if you don't have a lid for the pan or none of your other pan lids fit this particular pan then simply leave the lid off. The lid just helps intensify the heat cooking the veggies quicker].
Once the veggies are ready remove from the heat and set aside.
***Note: when draining the cans of black beans and green lentils just strain the can liquid with a sieve, squeezing the bottom of the sieve to remove excess juices but its not necessary to remove all off the can juices as they will add moisture to the haggis. Reserve some of the can juices in case they are required further down the recipe. If once strained your beans or lentils are not the same as the required measurement stated above in the ingredient list, just top them up with a little of the can juice so that they are the exact measurements required***
Next add the black beans, green lentils, oatmeal, and sunflower seeds [or mixed seeds], to a mixing bowl and stir well. With a potato masher or cutlery fork mash some of the black beans. [although there is no need to mash all of them, just give the mix a few mashes]
150 grams medium oatmeal, 285 grams cooked green lentils, 260 grams cooked black beans, 50 grams sunflower seeds
Add the soya sauce, coriander powder, garlic powder, allspice powder, nutmeg powder, ground black pepper and salt to the bean mixture. Give it all a good stir for a few minutes until all the flavours are thoroughly combined. The mixing will help blend the ingredients together so that it can be moulded into a haggis shape, so don't skimp on the mixing!
1 tablespoon soya sauce, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
Next, add the cooked veggies and stir for a few more minutes.
Grease the casserole dish with vegan butter or margarine, and cut a piece of parchment paper the same size as the casserole dish circumference. Grease the paper also.
Now use the mixing spoon to press the mixture into an oval shape, and then use your hands to firmly pat the haggis together. [If your haggis is not easy to squash together into a firm shape then stir through a few tablespoons of bean or lentil liquid to add more moisture, and stir well, squashing some of the beans as you do so].
With a spatula to help lift the haggis, transfer the haggis into the casserole dish. Pat the edges to make sure that it is firmly secure in its oval shape.
Place the baking paper, buttered side down towards the haggis, over the casserole dish.
Place into the microwave and cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the paper and cook for another 7-8 minutes.
Remove from the microwave, add the paper lid back over the haggis, and let sit for 10 minutes as it will continue to cook out of the microwave.
The haggis is now ready to carve and enjoy. If a crumbly haggis is preferred once the haggis is sliced then simply use two forks to break up each slice of haggis into a crumbly texture. This will be easy to do, although the haggis will still be nice and moist.
Please note: a 700 Watt microwave was used for this recipe so the cooking times are tailored for that strength of microwave. If you have a stronger wattage such as 800, 900 or 1000 Watts then your haggis will be cooked quicker. Give it the first 10 minutes if you have a 800-900 watt microwave, then another 2-3 with the paper removed and then allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Slice into the haggis to check if it has cooked enough, and if not give it a few more minutes in the microwave. 1000 Watt microwaves may only need 10 minutes to cook the haggis, and 5-10 minutes of resting.
Notes
Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not intended as an exact calculation as ingredients vary.
Store leftover haggis for up to 3-4 days within the refrigerator. Wrap the haggis in parchment paper or kitchen foil or store within a covered container.
Or freeze for up to 3-4 months.
Leftover haggis can be reheated within a microwave. Place slices of haggis onto a microwave safe plate or dish, cover with a piece of microwave safe baking paper, and cook for 1-3 minutes or until piping hot. Flip the haggis slices over half-way through reheating.
Slices of haggis can be fried on the stove-top and enjoyed as haggis burgers or slices.
Leftover haggis can be added to vegan cheese toasties, sandwiches, salads, crumbled over soups and stews, and stirred through pasta and rice dishes for a flavour boost, added to nachos, used as a pizza topping, and as a filling for stuffed acorn pumpkins, bell peppers, courgettes/zucchini, aubergines/eggplant, large mushrooms and tomatoes.
The haggis can be also be crumbled, mixed with a little vegan gravy, and used as a veggie sausage roll filling along with some puff pastry.
The best type of oatmeal for haggis is medium oatmeal, steel-cut oatmeal, Irish oatmeal or pinhead oatmeal.
For this vegan haggis recipe its best to use canned black beans and canned green or brown lentils as they are much moister and softer in texture compared to the home-cooked versions, and this helps bind the haggis ingredients together.
However, if home-cooked versions are all that is available then do retain some of the cooking liquid in case the haggis is too dry to mould. Simply add a little of the liquid, and mash the mixture a little, until the haggis can be firmly moulded.