Vegan MoFo Day 5: Spicy, Smoky Pumpkin Sauce

So it seems the icy, bitter cold in Columbus has faded away a bit and now we're in to the best season-- fall! It's still sunny but it's chilly. You get all the fun of bundling without the seasonal depression. I don't know why we had a few days where I was already busting out the winter jackets, but it's all gone now.

In honor of the great weather, I wanted to do something uniquely fall that didn't involve a spiced latte or sugary pie. While I love pumpkin in all sweet situations, I wasn't sure it would work in a sauce. I thought pairing it with a spicy, smoky flavor, like a chipotle, would give it that savory dimension that makes it okay to pair with tofu. And while this is still very unique tasting, it definitely worked. So if you're all pie-ed out, and have a lingering can of plain [[make sure it's not a pie mix!]] pumpkin, I'd give this a try. It's pretty spicy, and I mention that in the recipe. You may want to work in only half the spices, and then add the rest later.


[[Spicy, Smoky Pumpkin Sauce]]
This makes a lot of sauce. I would recommend halving it for four people.

1 14-15oz can pumpkin puree
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy milk, unsweetened
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2-3 cloves minced garlic
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp chipotle powder [[or less, check for spicy level]]
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper

-- Heat olive oil and vegetables. Heat oil on medium to high heat and cook onions and garlic until onions are translucent.
-- Brown the seasoning. Add all seasoning [[or half if you're going to check spiciness and add more later]] to the oil/onion mixture. Mix around for about 30 seconds until browned.
-- Add pumpkin puree, water, vegetable broth, and soy milk. Whisk together quickly. Add more water if the sauce is too thick. Heat for a few minutes and remove from heat.

-- I made some plain brown rice, sauteed some kale and garlic, and fried some tofu. For the tofu, I breaded it with a flour/water slurry and whole wheat bread crumbs with oregano, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Then, I fried it in safflower oil until crispy on each side.
-- Top generously with pumpkin sauce.