Step 1: Preparing Your Mise en Place
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (approx. 1-14 oz can)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups water*
- 3/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
To start this sauce, first, gather and prepare your mise en place.
For this recipe, we used the Rouxbe Chili Powder Recipe. If using another recipe, just make sure you know how spicy it is and adjust the recipe accordingly.
*Note: Depending on how thick you want to sauce to be, you may need to add a bit more water. For now, just start with 2 cups and go from there.
Step 2: Soaking the Seeds & Steeping the Aromatics
To soak the sunflower seeds, combine the seeds with double the amount of boiling water and let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, the seeds can be soaked in cold water over night. Once soft, drain the excess water and discard (or reserve — in case you need to add more water at the end).
Next, steep the aromatics. Steeping the spices and garlic is done to cook out that grainy/raw spice taste. It also helps to mellow out the garlic a bit.
To do this, in a pot, add the garlic, onion powder, curry powder, turmeric, chili powder, cayenne and mustard powder to the water. Bring the mixture to a gently boil and then reduce the heat to low and let simmer for 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off completely, cover the pot with a lid and let the water steep for 15 to 20 minutes.
Step 3: Making the Sauce
- sea salt, to taste
- additional water, as needed
To make the sauce, simply combine all of the ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Blend on low until the mixture starts to break down and then continue to increase the speed until the sauce is nice and smooth.
Lastly, taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust the consistency, until you reach the desired consistency. Note that the sauce will thicken slightly, once refrigerated.
This sauce can be served warm from the blender, or it can be served cold. We serve with as part of this delicious Wholesome Bowl.
Any leftover sauce will keep for several days in the refrigerator.
Chef's Notes
This sauce is our oil-free and nut-free version of the “Whole Bowl — Tali Sauce” in Portland Oregon.