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It’s been a long since we had rice for dinner. Usually roti with curry, dhal or gravy would be the menu. Sometimes it would be noodles or some kind of burger. Today I wanted to make something with rice for dinner which everyone would relish and decided to go in for tofu pilaf which is a welcome meal at anytime in my house. Try it; this dish will become your favorite too.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu – 1 lb (cut into squares and marinate in ¼ cup of soy sauce)
- Onion (large) – 1 chopped
- Mushroom – 1 lb (slit in lengthwise)
- Curry powder – 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
- Green chili – 2 (slit)
- Raisins – ¼ cup
- Garlic – 3 (minced)
- Brown rice – 2 cups (soak them for 2 hours and cook them in 3 cups of water)
- Olive oil – 4 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Stir fry the marinated tofu cubes in a skillet with 2 teaspoons of oil. Make sure not to brown them. Set them aside.
2. Set a deep bottomed pan and add 3 table spoons of oil. Add the minced garlic, green chili and onions. Once onions become translucent add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add curry, coriander and cumin powders. Sauté for few more minutes until raw smell goes away.
3. Add fried tofu and mix well. Add salt and mix well. Now add cooked rice and toss well until veggies and tofu are well mixed. Add raisins at the end.
4. Switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro and serve.
The smoky flavor of cumin powder and coriander powder adds to the richness of pilaf and the curry powder enriches the pilaf.
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Eggplant has a special place in my menu. There are varieties of food items that can be done with it, from Baignan bartha to Baba ganoush. One of the easiest ways to incorporate egg plant in your food is using it in a sandwich. Preparing an egg plant takes no time. Egg plant is tasty by itself when toasted or baked, and does not need heavy seasoning or spices. Here is my version of egg plant sandwich; I added baked tofu to give it an extra kick.
Ingredients
- Egg plant – 1 (medium sized)
- All purpose flour – 4 tablespoons
- Corn meal – 4 tablespoons
- Garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
- Dried oregano – ½ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Dash of black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Peel eggplant and cut into ½ inch slices. Spread out on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then wipe out the salt with a towel.
2. Combine all purpose flour, corn meal, garlic powder, salt, oregano and black pepper.
3. Dredge egg plant in the above mixture on both sides and arrange on a cookie sheet which is spread with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then flip the eggplants over. Add a spoon of olive oil and bake for 10 more minutes until soft.
Baked tofu
Ingredients
- Extra firm tofu – 1 lb
- Bread crumbs – 6 tablespoon
- Garlic powder- ½ teaspoon
- Parsley flakes – 1teaspoon
- Soy sauce – 3 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Cut tofu into desirable sizes and marinate them in 3 tablespoons of soy sauce for 30 minutes.
3. Combine bread crumbs, salt, parsley flakes, garlic powder .dredge marinated tofu in to the mixture and coat them evenly
4. Place coated tofu on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes on each side.
5. Place egg plant and tofu on sandwich buns or plain bread to serve.
Notes
Egg plant and tofu can be cooked on skillet, on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side, while being careful not to burn them.
Adding spread such as lentil carrot spread to your sandwich will add en extra layer of taste and drama to your meal.
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Thomas Fuller, 1732:
“Of soup and love, the first is the best.”
I would say friendship and soup can be placed parallel as both gives warmth and comfort. Friends tend to ease out our feelings and act as anti depressant agents. Soups provide comfort and are welcome at anytime of the day. Indeed soups can be served as appetizers or can be had as a meal.
Here is one such soup using Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage) and Shiitake mushrooms. My friend Menaka Gopi, living in Singapore, needs help with the recipes that use the many varieties of greens and mushrooms available in Chinese stores. Hope this post will give her an idea on where to begin with the Chinese greens and mushrooms.
Bok Choy, good source of calcium, vitamin A and C, is also low in calories. It may also help prevent cancer by eliminate carcinogens.
Shiitake mushrooms can reduce blood pressure and lowers cholesterol regardless of the dietary fats being eaten. If you are on weight loss plan, go ahead and purchase shiitake mushrooms.
Ingredients
- Bok Choy (leaves) – 1 cup (blanched)
- Shiitake mushrooms – 1 cup
- Spring onions- 1 bunch
- Garlic (cloves) – 3 (minced)
- Ginger – 1 inch piece (chopped)
- Soy sauce/ tamari – 3 tablespoons
- Bay leaf – 1
- Chili flakes – ½ teaspoon
- Bok Choy stems – 3 ( cubed)
- Tofu ( firm) – 10 pieces ( cubed) ( optional)
Directions
1. Cut the leaves from the stems of Bok choy and wash them well. To blanch them, chop them into pieces and plunge them into a pot of boiling water, let stand for 3 minutes and rinse them in cold water. Set aside.
2. Snip the stems of the mushrooms, wash them and chop them into pieces. Wash the heads of the mushrooms and set them aside.
3. In a large bowl, add Bok Choy stems, mushroom stems, chopped spring onions, bay leaf, chilli flakes, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Add 6 cups of water and bring them to rolling boil. When it reaches the boiling point, simmer the stove and let it boil for another 50-60 minutes. you will notice after 60 minutes, water would have reduced to half the quantity.By this time , water in the pot would be ingested with nutrients from the veggies.
4. Switch off the stove, strain the water, reserve the stock and discard the veggies.
5. Chop the reserved mushroom heads and stir fry them in a pan for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp and tender. Sprinkle a dash of salt to the mushroom and stir in Bok Choy leaves. Add the stock and bring it to boil. Add tofu pieces if adding them.
6. Switch off and serve.
Variations
You can add 1/2 cup of noodles to step 5 to make it starchy noodle soup.
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Sometimes you may feel like having an extra fire in the food. Why don’t you go for the healthy and scrumptuous Jalfrezi? (Small note on Jalfrezi. ‘Jalfrezi’ is Indian version of stir-fry made with curry spices. The name ‘Jalfrezi’ comes indirectly from jhāl – spicy food, and parhezī – suitable for a diet). I have compiled the recipe with all vegan ingredients for you. Not only the rich red color is a treat for the eyes, but the scrumptious gravy is a treat to the tastebuds as well.
Ingredients
- Extra firm Tofu – 1/2 lb
- Bell peppers – 3 (green, orange, red) slice them into strips.
- Carrots- 1 (sliced thinly)
- Green beans – 10 beans (cut them into thin slices)
- Onions – 1 (cut in lengthwise)
- Tomatoes (large) – 2 (pureed)
- Garlic – 4 cloves (minced)
- Ginger – 1 inch piece (minced)
- Green chili – 2 (slit)
- Cumin powder – 1 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1 tsp
- Chilli powder – ½ tsp
- Garam masla powder – ½ tsp
- Oil – 2 tsps
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Cut the tofu in to thin strips and add 1 tsp of oil in a non-stick pan, add the sliced tofu to the hot oil.
Let it sit for 4-5 minutes on each side, till it is nice brown on both sides. Remove from the heat and set it aside. Steam carrots and beans for 5 to 6 minutes till they are soft but firm. Set aside.
2 Heat oil in a pan, splutter cumin seeds, green chili and add onions along with ginger and garlic. Once the onions become translucent and the raw smell goes away, add carrot and beans. Stir fry them for 1-2 minutes.
3 Stir in the bell peppers and add coriander, cumin, red chili, turmeric and garam masala powders and fry for 5 more minutes.
4 Add pureed tomatoes and mix well. Stir in the tofu pieces and cook on medium heat until raw smell goes away and the gravy is thick.
5 Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or wheat tortilla or naan.
Variations
Use ½ spoon kashimiri chili powder or paparika for the extra color.
You can also add a spoon of tomato paste to the tomatoes while pureeing it for the extra rich color and creamy texture.
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Brown rice is rich in fiber and selenium. It lowers our cholesterol too. Brown rice has a chewy texture and blends well with veggies and beans. In this recipe, I have used black beans with carrots and green beans for their vibrant colors. The pilaf not only looks good but tastes awesome too.
Ingredients
- Brown rice – 1 ½ cups (wash and soak the rice for 2 hours. Drain it and add 2 ¼ cups of water and cook. The ratio of rice to water is 1:1 ½)
- Onion – 1 finely chopped
- Garlic – 3 cloves (minced)
- Ginger – 1 teaspoon (minced)
- Carrots – 2 (chopped)
- Green beans – ½ cup (chopped)
- Black beans – 1 can (rinsed thoroughly)
- Dried oregano- 1 tsp.
- Chili flakes – 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Cook the rice and set it aside.
2. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add onions, chilli flakes, ginger and garlic and cook until the raw smell goes away. Add carrots and sauté for 5 more minutes until they are tender. Stir in green beans and cook for 5 more minutes.
3. Add rinsed black beans and sauté for few more minutes. Stir in the oregano and salt. Add the cooked rice and toss it well until the veggies and beans are well blended with the rice.
4. Switch off the stove. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
Tofu Fry
This tofu fry goes well with any kind of rice and noodles. It could be flavored with asian spices as needed, Tofu fry makes a wonderful accompaniment for the rice.
Ingredients
- Firm tofu – 1
- Corn meal – 3 tablespoons
- Tamari sauce – ¼ cup
- Garlic cloves – 4
- Spring onions – 1 bunch
- Red chili- 3
- Corn starch – 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Directions
1. Slice tofu in horizontal pieces.
2. Blend corn meal , tamarind sauce and garlic cloves in a blender. Marinate sliced tofu in mixture for about 15 minutes on a side. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degreesF for 5 minutes per side. Set aside.
Getting the sauce ready
1. Chop the onions. Heat a skillet and add a teaspoon of oil. Sizzle the red chilly and onions and fry them till they are cooked. Add salt.
2. Stir in the soy sauce and add the corn starch mixture. Once the sauce thickens, add the tofu slices and toss well.
Yummm…this tofu in the spicy gravy was a perfect accompaniment for the rice.
With tofu and black beans, this meal is protein rich and a nutritional treat!
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Tofu – also known as soybean curd is made by curdling fresh hot soy milk with coagulant. Tofu made from soy milk helps in weight loss. Its a natural “low carb”, “low glycemic”, “low sodium” and “high protein” food, and helps greatly in wait loss.
If you are on a weight loss plan, this easy-to-make recipe comes in handy to help you feel fuller for a longer time without having to reach for a snack in between. Since yours truly is on a weight loss plan (hey, who wouldn’t like to look slim) decided to make tofu burger for lunch.
Ingredients
- Tofu – 1/2 pack firm tofu (Once the tofu package is open, leftover tofu should be rinsed and covered with fresh water for storage. Change the water daily to keep it fresh, and use the tofu within a week.)
- Onion – 1 finely chopped
- Potato – 1 (cubed and boiled).
- Carrot – 1 (grated and squeeze out the excess of water).
- Frozen Peas – 1/4 (thawed and mashed partially).
- Cumin powder – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
- Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp.
- Besan flour – 1 tablespoon.
- Ginger – garlic paste- 1 tsp
- Cornstarch – 1 tsp
- Bread crumbs -1/2 cup
- Salt – to taste
- Oil to fry.
Directions
1. Squeeze excess water out of the tofu and crumble it finely. Set aside.
2. Mash the boiled potatoes.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the onions along with the ginger garlic paste. Once the onions become translucent add the dry powders. (Cumin, coriander, chilly and salt). Fry until the raw smell goes away.
4. Stir in the grated carrots and mashed potaoes, along with the peas and crumbled tofu.
5. Mix them properly in low medium heat.Turn off the heat and add the coriander leaves and the besan powder and mix them properly. The besan powder helps in binding the veggies well so that the patties stay in shape. Let them cool.
6. Once they are cool enough to be handled, take a small portion and roll it in your palms and flatten it a little bit.
7. Make a thin paste with the corn starch flour and water. Dip the balls / cutlets/ patties in the paste and roll them over the bread crumbs to get a good coating.
Burgers
Heat a skillet on medium high and add the patties. Add one tsp of oil on both side. Let them cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the Pattie to the other side and cook it or until it becomes golden brown.
Cutlets
Heat oil in a pan, add the patties and deep fry until golden.
You can shallow fry it if you like. Serve with ketchup or mint chutney.
I had my pattie stuffed between whole wheat bread with some lettuce and a slice of tomato. Hmmm….delicious!
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Every health conscious person tries to have dietary and nutritious meal. I am one such person and always like to cook special entrée for the Sunday lunch. Since I wanted to incorporate some tofu in the meal for its protein content, I decided to cook Kung Pao Tofu – a Chinese dish.
Here’s my version of Kung Pao Tofu.
Ingredients
- 1 pack firm tofu.
- 1/2 cup carrot ( cubed).
- 1/2 onion / spring onions(cubed).
- 1/2 cup red bellpepper (cubed).
- 1/2 cup broccolli florets. (steam them for 4 to 5 minutes).
- 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts (unsalted).
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce.
- 1 tablespoon ( white/black ) vinegar.
- 1 tablespoon corn starch.
- 1/2 tsp sugar.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable broth/water.
Seasonings
- 1 tsp red chilli flakes ( you can modify the amount according to your preference).
- 4 cloves garlic (minced).
- 2 tablespoons minced ginger.
- Salt to taste.
- 2 tablespoons of oil.
For Marinade
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar.
- 1 tablespoon water.
Directions
1. Squeeze the water out of the tofu with both the hands. Cut the tofu into bite sized cubes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet and fry the tofu on all the sides, untill golden brown. Set aside.
3. Mix the marinade mixture in a bowl and toss the tofu into the marinade mixture. This helps the tofu absorb the flavor .
4. In another bowl, mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar , sugar and vegeatable broth. Set aside.
5. Heat a wok and add 3 tsps of oil. When the oil gets hot, add the chilli falkes, ginger and garlic. Fry for around 30 seconds.
6. Add carrots. Let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Now stir in the onions, and fry for a minute more.
7. Add the red bell peppers and cook them until they become soft.
8. Stir in the broccoli florets. Sauté them for a minute or two and add the marinated tofu to this.
9. Add the soy sauce mixture. Cover with a lid and simmer for few minutes . Cook until the sauce thickens.
10. Garnish with peanuts.
Serve hot with steamed white rice.
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