Vegan Gravy

This one needs a bit of sauce making skill, but results in a beautifully rich gravy.

1. Fry a tablespoon of vegan margarine until bubbling
2. Add a tablespoon of plain flour, mix thoroughly and fry a little
3. Very slowly add a little water at a time mixing thoroughly so that the mixture stays smooth and doesn’t get lumpy.  Use a beater vigorously if lumpiness is a problem!
4. Once the gravy is past the risk of lumps and reasonably liquid, add the seasonings: a vegetable stock cube and a teaspoon each of tomato purée, vegemite/marmite and dark soy sauce
5. To thicken the gravy keep it bubbling, or to make it thinner add more water
6. Add green herbs if you wish.  

I have made this just using olive oil instead of margarine, and it is OK, but overall I think margarine is better. Check your margarine ingredients as not all sunflower margarine’s are vegan.

An alternate, gluten free and vegan version, and a bit easier to make, is to boil the water in a saucepan, add the seasonings (using gluten free soy sauce).  In a cup dissolve a couple of teaspoons of cornflour in cold water, then add to the gravy. This should eventually thicken up to make a pretty nice gravy, but just not quite as more-ish as the one above!