Kalops with Potatoes, Beetroots and Gherkins

This is a hearty and filling pot of goodness, filled with spices and flavours of allspice and bay leaf. The Swedish traditions of making Kalops dates back a long time and is mentioned in books as far back as 1755.

You will need:
Fake-Beef Chunks or Strips (4-6portions) I use rehydrated ones (but pre-made beefless strips/chunks work well too), 2 large Brown Onions, 4 Carrots, 4-6 whole Allspice Berries, 2-3 Bay Leaves, 2-4tbs Mushroom Soy Sauce, Black Pepper, 2-3 Vegetable Stock Cubes, Grill Mix spice, Water (around 1000-1500ml) and Potato or Corn Starch for a slurry to thicken the sauce.
Serve With: Boiled Potatoes, Beetroots and Gherkins

• If you are using dried soy chunks, rehydrate them according to the description on the packet. I usually boil mine in water with spices and vegetable stock for extra flavour.
• Peel and cut your carrots into slices and onion into chunks.
• Fry carrot, onion and fake-beef in a large and deep pan with some oil or margarine for 10minutes. 
• Add your spices, stock cubes, mushroom soy sauce, bay leaves, allspice and water. (but only enough water to cover the fake-beef, onion and carrots)
• Taste the sauce after 5-10 min and spice more if needed.
• Once the carrots are soft make a slurry using 50ml of water mixed with 4tsp potato or corn starch.
• Slowly add this to your Kalops while stirring to thicken. If the sauce gets too thick add more water and if you want it thicker just add more slurry into the pot.
• Serve the kalops with boiled potatoes, beetroots and gherkins. The beetroots are a very important condiment to this dish as they balance the flavour and brings it all together. If you want to be even more swedish eat this dish also served with lingonberry jam.

Brands I recommend in this blog are:

• Goodsoy, Soy Protein. Chunks or Chunky Strips.
• Mrs.Cheng or Pearl River Bridge Mushroom Soy Sauce.