Ethnic Cottage Tikka Cooking Sauce
Hey! It’s the last week of Vegan MoFo already! Holy Hummus! What to do? How about “A Week in Reviews”? OK!!! This week will be dedicated to reviews of handy vegan products, because, let’s face it, it’s downright exciting to see a product labeled “vegan.” It’s like a happy grocery store birthday present. Fantastic.
First up is Tikka Cooking Sauce from Ethnic Cottage. I found this little beauty at the Market on Yates. I don’t often buy jarred sauces on account of the preservative/oil/ick factor, but check this out:
Look! No ickies!
Yes, yes, yes, the recipes associated with this product all call for animal products, but we know better. I had great hopes for this jar: visions of smothered tofu, tempeh, chick peas and tender lentils galore. And, as I turned the lid, summoning forth that very satisfying poppy noise, I was immediately inundated with a spicy sweet aroma that made me shout, “Oh yeah, that’s a sauce I’d like to put into my mouth.” So, I did. First, I took a spoonful. Then another. Then I heated up some leftover Jasmine Rice and just really went to town. By the time I was done, I didn’t really have enough sauce left to share with the rest of my family, so I polished off the jar incrementally (over rice with splashes of Sriracha) throughout the rest of the week.
Did I like it? You bet! Rich and tangy, with serious cinnamon overtones, this Tikka is incredibly satisfying. I especially liked the chunks of real veggies (tomatoes and onions), a feature that elevates this sauce to a status above mere condiment. Or maybe I just told myself that to justify eating mainly rice and condiment for lunch for an entire week. Whatever. Having said that, it wasn’t as spicy as I like my sauces, but that could be because I’ve positively scorched my palate over the years in preparation for our dream move to somewhere hot and spicy (anyone want to hire a graphic designer and vegan freelancer in New Mexico?) All in all, Ethnic Cottage’s Tikka Cooking sauce is a yummy splurge that boasts perfectly balanced flavours and textures. Simmer some chickpeas in there and you’ve got vegan fast food at it’s very best.
Will I buy it again? Maybe. At under 2 cups per jar and a regular price tag hovering at around $7 (I got mine on sale for $4.99), it’s really not the best use of your much coveted funds. Better to invest in some exotic spices and tomatoes of your own and Tikka yourself. However, if Ethnic Cottage Tikka was on sale again I would probably buy it for those lazy days when I just want to pour sauce on my arm and lick it off rather than cook. You have those days too, no?
