[VeganMoFo 2016] Tofu Masala Recipe

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What do you do with a slab of tofu lurking at the back of the fridge and with no more than 20 minutes on hand? You make today's recipe - an easy yet hearty Tofu Masala of course! When I saw it on Food and Wine for the first time, I wondered how ordinary the ingredients list is. But the end result in terms of flavor was nothing but ordinary. On a crazy weeknight, I served this dish with some prepared rotis and a bowl of fruit. Satisfied with happy bellies, we both called it a day and I thought how sometimes keeping the spices to minimum is a good thing. Trust me, this recipe is a perfect example of that! Do give it a try. Bon Appetit.

Vegan-A-Day: Pan Fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce

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'Now I can look at you in peace; I don’t eat you anymore.' ~ Franz Kafka, while admiring fish in an aquarium

Almost every cuisine in the world boasts of many dishes that revel in their beautiful flavours of various veggies, fruits, seeds, beans and aromatic oils. Indian cuisine is no different, where for every 3 people, 1 is vegetarian. For ages, eating a satisfying plant cuisine is strongly imbibed into our traditional, every day food along with complex spice combinations.

Now, being a vegan is like taking a step further - living without meat or any kind of animal products. It is often a misconception that Veganism is like depriving yourself from what you love to eat. I think, all it needs is a little creativity to think beyond a plate of calorie-rich proteins.

When Harini threw the 'One Day Vegan' challenge at us, I wondered  What it’d be like to be a vegan, just for a day?. I was curious to know how does it feel like to live without eating any animal products (in my case, it is just milk with cereal for breakfast & yogurt/buttermilk at the end of every meal)? - A challenge that would put all my ideas to test and it really did!

I asked TH to do this challenge along with me, but let me tell you upfront: He is a die-hard-yogurt fan. With a lot of convincing, he agreed to this Vegan challenge with me. Our breakfast and lunch went well, just as planned, but by dinner time, he just couldn't stop himself from having that one glass of buttermilk! While, I went on to successfully complete my challenge. Yay! :-)

Here is our menu for the day:

Breakfast: Wholegrain Idlis with Sambar (Click here for the recipe)

Lunch: Pan fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger-Sauce and rice (recipe follows)

Dinner: Roti and Nimbu Masoor Dal (made with Olive oil) (Click here for the recipe)

As a part of this challenge, Harini is also having a giveaway by collaborating with folks from Krya, whose main motive is to - "create natural, environmentally sustainable products that one can use around the home." Read more about them here, who they are and what they do. :-)

 Recipe: Pan Fried Tofu Triangles with Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce

Ingredients:

200 gms of tofu (I got mine from M K Ahmed, Bangalore - Ka Kim's variety)
2 tbsp canola oil
salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

For Soy-Sesame-Ginger Sauce -

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp chilli sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Preparation:

1. Place the tofu on a cutting board and a bowl with filled water on it (for 10-15 mins). Make sure the pressure is not too much which can crumble the tofu. Pat it dry with a paper towel. Cut into triangles.

2. Season the tofu triangles on both sides with salt and pepper and then spread each side with some garlic.  Lightly coat the slices with the flour.

3. Heat oil in a skillet and add these flour coated tofu pieces. Cook on both sides, until slightly crisp golden brown. Set them on paper towels, to drain off the excess oil.

4. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients listed for Soy-Sesame-Ginger sauce. Make sure you have a balance of flavours and neither of them is too over-powering.

5. Drizzle some sauce on the tofu triangles and Serve with rice on the side. Yum!

Verdict: One thing I realised is that, it is not that hard to be a vegan, especially for we, Indians. It is a way of life, once has chosen to live and I commend them for that choice. Truth to be told, I really really missed my tangy buttermilk with ginger & coriander, which I am so used to having at the end my dinner. Time to get inspired from Lataji and make her 'Vegan Moarkuzhambu' I guess. :-). Thanks Harini for this challenge, now I know, how & what it feels like to be You, even though it was just for a day! Kudos.

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Vegetarian Rogan Josh (with Cauliflower & Tofu) and Rice Cooker Biryani

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"Being a Vegetarian", Is it tough? How do you manage?

How can you NOT have meat?

Don't you crave for some?

You don't eat meat, but watch Food Network?

Oh! You are that ghass-poos types?

C'mom people, especially the meat-eating ones. Stop judging the vegetarians. If we, vegetarians can  be laid back and are non judgmental about your eating habits, then why are you?

Did you know what a guy called Neal Barnard once said -

"..The beef industry has contributed to more American deaths than all the wars of this century, all natural disasters, and all automobile accidents combined.  If beef is your idea of "real food for real people" you'd better live real close to a real good hospital..."... Yep, its true!

Ok, there I settled score with all of my meat-loving friends, who keep teasing me or questioning about my vegetarianism. It is choice of living I love, and No, I don't crave or would secretly wish, I was like you. :-)

I am not here to rant and start a debate or to promote that vegetarianism is better. I am just saying - One is free to choose what to eat and what not to eat. Don't be judgmental. Live & Let Live.

Now, shall we move on to today's post in "Free Spirit Blogging". and this month my dear blogging pal, DK chose the theme. Here are some basic cues -

1. The challenge is to take a classic (or famous) Non Vegetarian dish and give it a Vegetarian interpretation.

2. The final dish should look as close as possible to its Non vegetarian counterpart.

3. If you can also make the texture/taste similar then it would be awesome, although its purely optional.

3. Usage of store bought Mock meats (or mock anything) is not allowed.


I chose to make a classic, non vegetarian recipe called - "Rogan Josh", normally made with mutton and gave a vegetarian twist with tofu and cauliflower. I went with these two as the recipe involved marinating the meat and tofu & cauliflower have a tendency to absorb such flavors very well.

Vegetarian Rogan Josh (with Cauliflower & Tofu)

Sandeepa's Trivia: Rogan means oil in Persian, while Josh means heat, hot, boiling, or passionate. Rogan josh thus means cooked in oil at intense heat. Another interpretation of the name rogan josh is derived from the word rogan meaning color and josh meaning passion, hot or red. It is originally a classic meat dish which is red in color. I have used a tad bit less chilli as I was serving this for my cousin-brother who doesn't eat a lot of heat. Next time, I am gonna try for that authentic "red" color.

I have adapted this recipe from Bong Mom's Cookbook - Mutton Rogan Josh. Since I was working with Tofu and Cauliflower, which are very bland in taste as-is, I added some more spices in the marinade. The ingredients-list is effectively the same, it is just that I used them in a different order :-). Also, my version was a little on a dry-side. Simmer it in little more water would make this gravy-based.

Ingredients:

200 gms of tofu (I got mine from M K Ahmed, Bangalore - Ka Kim's variety)

1 medium cauliflower, washed and cut into florets.

For the marinade:

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp ground cumin powder (jeera powder)

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)

salt - to taste 

1/4 cup of water

For tempering

1 tsp butter

2 medium sized onions, chopped

3 tbsp oil

1 bayleaf (tej patta)

2 cardamom pods (green ones), crushed

2-3 cloves (laung)

1 inch cinnamon stick (dalchini)

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp chilli powder (The original recipe asked for Kashmiri Mirch, which enhances the red color. I didn't have any on hand, so used normal red chilli powder)

1/4 tsp garam masala

1/2 cup beaten yogurt

Preparation:

Dry Fry Tofu: Dry frying is one way to prepare tofu to remove the moisture and  in turn helping it to soak up the flavors of a marinade or sauce. One important thing to remember is to use a well drained tofu with a non-stick pan. (Source)

Place the tofu on a cutting board and a bowl with half filled water on it (for 10-15 mins). Make sure the pressure is not too much which can crumble the tofu. Cut them into small chunks (as shown below). Heat a non stick pan on medium heat. Once hot, place the tofu chunks on it. No oil required. Remember, we are just dry frying. Occasionally, keep turning the sides so that it is evenly, lightly browned.

Prepare the Marinade: In a bowl, mix ginger garlic paste, ground cumin, turmeric, coriander powder with salt and water. Whisk the contents well. Divide the marinade into two separate bowls and put the tofu pieces into one and cauliflower florets into the other. Carefully, mix so that sauce coats them properly.

Cover and Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours.

After about an hour and half into marination, you can start the following steps.

Melt butter in a kadai and add chopped onions to it. Sauté until thoroughly browned. This adds significant flavor to the dish. Please be patient and don’t skim on the sauté time. :-) Cool down a bit and grind into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in the same kadai and add bayleaf, cloves and cinnamon. Once it starts to sizzle, add fried onion paste. Next comes the dry spices - fennel powder, pepper powder and chillo powder. Add a little water and fry the masala until oil separates. 

Next add marinated tofu and cauliflower florets. Mix well, lower the heat, add the yogurt little by little, mixing in the middle. Let it simmer for 1 min. Add 1-2 cups of water and adjust salt and spices if necessary. Cover and cook on low heat, giving it a careful stir for every 5 mins until the cauliflower florets are fully cooked.

Finally, sprinkle some garam masala and it is ready to serve.

You ask, what to serve with? Hmmmm, how about I share a very very simple biryani that can be made in a rice cooker.

Rice Cooker Vegetable Biryani

I end up making this biryani (which I learnt from my mom) atleast once in a week with a spicy gravy dish on the side, just for the fact that it is so easy to make.

Ingredients:

2 cups of Basmati Rice. (Sona masoori variety is fine too)

3 cups of water

few mint leaves

1 cup mixed vegetables. (I used frozen - a combo of peas, cauliflower, tiny carrot pieces and beans)

salt to taste

3 tsp oil

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 bayleaf

1 tsp garam masala

Preparation:

Wash rice and drain water, completely. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai, add bay leaf, ginger garlic paste and mint leaves. When it starts to sizzle a bit, add the mixed veggies. Saute them for 4-5 mins. Add the salt & garam masala. Finally the rice and Mix once or twice.

Empty the contents of the kadai into a rice cooker. Add 3 cups of water. (rice:water ratio - 1:1.5). Cover and cook until it shifts to - "Keep Warm". 

Isn't it one easy-peasy recipe? Just stick to the rice to water ratio - to not to end up a sticky biryani..

Here is what other FSB member have cooked for you -

DK - Vegetarian Meatball Sub Sandwich with Seitan

Deepti - Grilled Veggie Seekh Kabab 

Lataji -  Xacuti - Vegetarian Mutton 

Mads - Cottage Cheese Chops with delicious looking Potato cream dip

Anu - Sweet and Spicy Orange Paneer

Hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

until next time,
Siri

Under 15 mins: Tofu Makhani

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Quick, easy & delicious. That is the mantra for my weeknight cooking. I am especially inclined toward Under 15 mins recipes and one-pot meals. Really, they are life-savers, especially for me where I have to get home, tired for an hour long ultra-fast (pun intended!) VTA train journey from work.

To freshen up my boring weeknight cooking, I ordered myself a couple of Tarla Dalal's recipe books. I like the fact they are tiny and the recipe is never more than a page long. That instantly gives me energy & echoes me back saying - Yes baby, this dish is doable.

One such quick-fix dinner is this absolutely yummy Tofu Makhani. The original recipe was for Paneer Makhani & I replace paneer with healthy tofu. You can very well use Paneer or Tofu based on what is lurking around in your fridge. Be adventurous, add potatoes or any other vegetables to the same sauce. *wink*.

The.Husband raved about this dish and finished the whole thing off. Ah! I love when I don't have left-overs as I generally hate to eat food which is more than a day-long. I wonder if that is good thing or a bad thing. Good becoz I am eating less stale food; Bad becoz I have to cook more often. Blah.

Everybody loves Paneer Makhani - "cubes of Indian Cottage Cheese simmered in a tomato gravy". Here is a healthy alternative to the same which tastes even better than the paneer version. Even the non-tofu-lovers will end up asking for a second helping. I promise. Compliments well with roti or biryani or just plain rice.

Tofu Makhani

Adapted from Tarla Dalal's Cooking Under 10 mins.

Prep Time: 5 minutes 

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup of extra firm tofu, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped (or 2-3 tbsp of onion paste)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

a pinch of turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder (or less - based on your desired spice-level)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between the palms

1/2 cup half and half (can use milk or cream instead)

2 tsp oil

a pinch of sugar

salt - to taste

Preparation:

Step 1 - Heat a tsp of oil in a skillet and lightly fry the tofu tubes, until light brown. Keep aside on a plate with a paper towel, to drain out the excess oil.

Step 2 - In the same skillet, add a tsp of oil and saute the chopped onions. Add ginger-garlic paste & stir for couple of minutes till the onions are slightly browned.

Step 3 - Then add turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and tomato puree. Add a cup of water & cook for 3-4 minutes.

Step 4 - Finally add in crushed, dried fenugreek leaves, half & half and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and adjust salt, if required. The gravy will be a bit whitish as soon as you add in the half & half. Not to worry, it will blend in with the spices and the gravy will get that rich tomatoe-y color. :-)

Step 5 - Gently mix in the fried tofu cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6 - Transfer into a bowl and Serve hot.

Sending this as my second entry to Simona's MLLA 31 event, originally started by dear Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

until next time,
Siri

Chilli Tofu

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One of the many, the only resolution I made for this New Year 2010, like many of you out there is to eat & stay healthy..to be really specific, I wish to follow the mantra of - 'You are what you eat' and am earnestly working towards having a 'healthy looking skin'..:)..For that..

1. I am making sure, I drink a lot of water, so the skin in properly hydrated.
2. Use sunscreen, every single day.
3. Eat loads of fruits & veggies & beans ofcourse.
4. Drink a glass of milk (with Horlicks, elaichi flavor..Yum Yum!), everyday before going to bed.
5. Wash face, put a teaspoon of yogurt every night, let it stay for 10-15 mins, wash off and apply some night cream.

If you guys have any other ideas which might help to stick to my resolution, please share with all of us :)

Phew!!.. these are some of the things I have been doing rigorously from past 13 days & nights ..and I hope to keep up these as much as I can.

.. I also heard that taking multi-vitamins (recommended brand: Nature-made) is good.. but unfortunately..when I take them, I feel very acidic and the result is this..:(.. Any ideas about to get around with this problem because I know for the fact, that multi-vitamins, taken every alternate day is good for health??

....talking about today's recipe..is the easiest 'Chili Tofu' version I ever knew.. it can be made in a jiffy and it is so good to taste. :)..for this recipe, I used extra firm variety ...next time, I wish to make this with a 'firm tofu'..

Chilli Tofu

Ingredients:

1 (whole) cube of extra firm tofu
1 tsp chilli garlic sauce (store-bought)
2 tbsp soya sauce
salt - to taste
1 tsp canola oil

Preparation:

1. Cut the tofu into equally sized cubes. In a bowl, whisk in chilli-garlic sauce & soya sauce. Add the tofu cube to it and marinate for atleast 10 minutes.

2. In a shallow pan, heat oil and add the marinated tofu. If you are in a hurry, on HIGH flame, toss the cubes in oil and cook for 6-7 minutes.
If you have some-time in hand, on MEDIUM-LOW flame, cover and occasionally toss to cook for 9-10 minutes.

Serve warm on a bed of jasmine rice!!! Enjoy..:)

Wishing you all a very Happy Sankranthi :)

Ciao,

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Tofu Rancheros

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We all use food to affect our moods all the time without even thinking about it. It is that connection between mind, body and soul that determines how healthy we are both emotionally and physically. Did you know that milk acts as a very good mood lifter because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that is used in the production of serotonin. Serotonin is the 'feel good' neurotransmitter in the brain, so making more of it improves your mood and sense of well-being. Likewise, whole-grain rice or pasta also boosts serotonin levels, while the slow-release aspect of the carbohydrates helps to sustain the good feelings. Since whole grains are digested more slowly, they provide you with a longer-lasting effect than you get from simple carbs.

Paying close attention to what we are eating and knowing how it is affecting us is very important. Today's recipe is one such feel good recipe, a tofu twist on a classic mexican dish. It is vegan, gluten-free and doesn't ask for any kind of cheese.  Enjoy...

Tofu Rancheros (Adapted from Vegetarian Times- September '09)

Serves: 6
Time: 30 mins or fewer

2 tsp olive oil [vegetable oil]**
1 medium onion, minced
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin-coriander powder [cumin seeds]**
2 tsp oregano [I skipped this]
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes [1 15-oz can tomato sauce]**
1 cup diced extra-firm tofu
2 tbsp lime juice
1 can refried beans, warmed
6 wheat tortillas [6-inch corn tortillas]**
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

** ingredients in the original recipe

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, chili powder, cumin-coriander powder. Saute for 5 mins. Stir in tomatoes and tofu. Cover and cook for 6-7 mins. Finally add lime juice and cilantro. Adjust salt as per the refried bean taste.

To Assemble: Spread beans on tortillas and top with tofu mixture. Garnish with tomatoes, avocado and cilantro.

This also makes a prefect entry to this month's Monthly Mingle:Brunch.

Have a great week ahead.

Source

RM 2: Tofu Fried Rice

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I made some yummy 'Tofu Fried Rice' today and Off this goes to Valli's Rice Mela..:D




Tofu Fried Rice (Adapted from here)

Ingredients:

2 cups of uncooked rice
1 cup of Tofu, cut into chunks
1 medium Onion, finely sliced
1 Tomato, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Milk
1-2 Bay leaves
1/8th tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil

Preparation:

Step 1: Par boil rice and Set aside.

Step 2: In a sauce pan, heat oil and add bay leaves with onion & garlic. Saute until golden brown. Mix in tomatoes now and season with salt, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder.

Step 3: On a medium-low flame, add milk, stirring occasionally. Cook for 5-6 mins. Finally add the tofu pieces and cook for couple of mins. Set aside.

Step 4: In a separate saucepan, evenly spread a layer of tofu mixture (just the gravy, w/o tofu pieces) and then top a layer of rice. Alternate likewise. Make sure the topmost is a layer of rice.

Step 5: Cover cook for 10-12 mins on low flame without stirring. Serve.

RM 2 runners along with me: Check them out..

DK, Valli, Ranji, PJ, Curry Leaf, Medha, Priya, Bhawna, Raaji, Ruchii, Anu, Kamala, Roopa, Divya Kudua, Rekha, Divya, Lakshmi, Raaga, Lakshmi Venkatesh, Sripriya, Kamalika, Pavani, Viji

Siri

T&T: Achari Baingan & TofuPilaf

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"I love her blog. She has been a wonderful source of inspiration for many bloggers like me and the best part is, all her recipes are 100% fool-proof! I must have prepared more than a dozen recipes (before and after starting my own blog!) and every time I ended up with a yummy plate of delectable food!"

...and she is none other than lovely Nupur of 'One Hot Stove'!

I was thrilled when Zlamushka has chosen 'Nupur's blog' for her 'Tried & Tasted' event this month. I dugged into my prospicient list of bookmarks.. and chose to make two of her scrumptious dishes!

I already sent 'Aloo Posto' as my first entry and now I am back with - 'Achari Baingan' and 'Tofu Pilaf'..:)

Recipe 1: Achari Baingan: the very idea of stuffing cooked onion masala into big, Chinese Eggplants is so cool! I loved preparing this Rajasthani delicacy and was soundly enjoyed by all! the only variation is - Nupur stuffed in the onion masala into the big whole eggplants. I diced them into 2-3 pieces, slit them and then stuffed in the masala, just to make it more manageable.

Recipe 2: Tofu Pilaf: the original recipe calls for 'Paneer' . to have a vegan version of the same, I used some extra firm cubes of 'Tofu'. It was so delicious that the entire pot was finished within minutes! Yohoo!


Thanks Nupur for such yummy recipes and I end up tasting some new flavors every single time!

**************************************************************************************

Just 2 more days left (June 30th EST midnight) to send in your Open Sesame 2 entries! The official voting will begin on July 1st till July 5th 2008. the lucky winner(s) would receive a surprise gift from us! So, hurry up folks@!

To view the OS 2 entries photo stream (received until now): Click here**.

** updated for every 48 hours upon receiving the entries.

Cheers,
Siri

Tofu Butter Masala

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After the grueling, yet basking roundup, here I am back with a short story ...and a yummy Tofu Butter Masala!

Off this goes to Kalyn's Weekend Herb Blogging, this week guest hosted by Joanna from 'Joanna's Food'

Story first...

Long Long ago, a king wanted to test his subjects. He placed a huge boulder in the middle of the main road leading to his city. Then he hid himself and watched to see people's reactions. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. None did anything about getting the big stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along, carrying a load of vegetable basket. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up the vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder was placed.

The purse contained gold coins and a note from the king -

Smooth roads never make good drivers,
Smooth seas never make good sailors,
Clear skies never make good pilots,
A problem free life never makes a strong and good person.
Have a tough but winning day ahead!
Be strong enough to accept the challenges in life.
Don't ask Life, 'Why Me?', instead say 'Try Me!'...!!!!

Now.. the recipe...

Tofu Butter Masala
------------------------


Ingredients:

2 cups of Tofu cubes
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
Salt - to taste
Oil

For Masala Mix:

1 tbsp Coriander powder
1/2 tbsp Garam Masala powder
1/2 tbsp Red Chilli powder
2 tsp Tomato Ketchup
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 cup Milk
1/4 tsp Turmeric

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, whisk in all the ingredients listed for 'Masala Mix' and keep aside.

2. Heat some oil in a wok, saute onion and ginger garlic paste for couple of minutes. Add in the 'Masala Mix' mixture. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on low flame.

3. Finally add Tofu cubes and season with salt. Simmer for 7-8 minutes on meduim-low flame. Make sure the cubes are dipped into the sauce.

4. Serve hot with roti, naan or any flat bread!


Have a great day ahead!

Signing off for now,
Siri