Instead of the oil, I used a base of vegetable stock thickened with brown rice flour. Use any vegetable stock that works best for you—homemade or store-bought. Brown rice flour is a great gluten-free thickener as it doesn't clump when added to hot liquid and the gravy stays opaque —unlike liquids thickened with corn starch.
Miso is the main flavouring ingredient. It adds some salt but a little umami flavouring as well. Read the label carefully when you buy miso. Some misos such as Aka or Shinshu are made with barley. Some are made with a combination of barley and rice. Look for Shiro (also called white) or Genmai miso. Shiro miso is made with white rice and fermented for a short time giving it a light, sweet flavour. Genmai is made with brown rice and has a slighter darker taste. But again, read the label to make sure of the ingredients. If in doubt, contact the company directly (I did).
To that, I added apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, a little tahini (optional), a little sugar (also optional), and a touch of turmeric to add some beautiful colour. The touch of tahini adds a smoother mouth-feel to the gravy the same way it does in hummus. The sugar balances the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. Both of these ingredients are optional. Feel free to leave them out, as I did for the blog post, if you are used to eating a low-fat/low-sugar diet or are trying to limit your consumption of those items. I love the recipe both ways.
This is a mild version of the gravy. For more zip, blend in some ground black pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a little freshly grated ginger, or a bit of fresh jalapeno before heating.
Use this delicious gravy to dress up a simple bowl of grains, beans and greens, over steamed veggies, or serve as a dip with oven roasted potatoes.
makes 4 servings
2 Tablespoons brown rice flour
1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
1/8-1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric (or freshly grated)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons Shiro miso (white miso)
1 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon tahini (optional)
1-2 Tablespoons sweetener (optional)
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup water
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice