Scrambled Tofu

I’ve always said that brunch is the most important meal of the week. While I am a big fan of eggs (Total understatement. I’m egg’s no.1 fan. Egg has stopped answering my phone calls. Legal action has been taken. It’s gotten messy.) and could probably go for a nice scramble any morning, I’m also woefully aware that one egg contains 60 – 80% of the recommended daily maximum intake of cholesterol, so just think of how two eggs a day could add up. Yikes.

Scrambled tofu is a good way to have a satisfying, protein-rich, eggy-type breakfast without the pesky fat and cholesterol. Turmeric lends a nice yellow hue to the tofu as it cooks and is said to be a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Onions add flavor, texture and vitamins, and smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor.

*Note that this recipe yields one generous serving or two modest servings.

Scrambled Tofu – serves 1 – 2

1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
1 T + 1 t olive oil
7 – 8 ounces of extra firm tofu (about half of a typical package of tofu)
1/4 t turmeric
1/4 t smoked paprika
2 T soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add onion and sauté until softened and lightly browned.

Meanwhile, press tofu between two cutting boards to remove any excess water. Cube the tofu and loosely mash with a fork in a small mixing bowl. Toss in turmeric, smoked paprika, soy sauce and second teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper until well combined.

Add tofu mixture to the onions in the skillet. Cook 5 – 7 minutes until the turmeric yellows and the tofu is heated through, flipping occasionally. Drizzle with a little olive oil, if desired.

Serve hot alone or with toast.

Ingredient origins – Tofu – New York; Olive oil – Italy, Onion – New Hampshire; Turmeric – unknown; Smoked paprika – Spain

Tofu Curry

I’ve been thinking of making something out of the tofu we have in the fridge, a can of coconut milk in the cupboard and a yellow chili from last week’s farmers market. So I stopped by our local natural food shop and perused the international isle.

I came across a Thai red curry paste and decided to make a coconut curry dish using the tofu and brown rice. I make no claims to this being authentically Thai.

Tofu Curry – serves 4

2 T olive oil
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow chile, diced
2 green onions, chopped
3 T fresh ginger, diced
2 T fresh basil, chopped
3 T red curry paste
1 T brown sugar
6 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 head of baby bok choy, chopped
1 can of coconut milk
1 lb tofu cubed (or I like to cut mine into triangles)
1/3 C olive oil

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat, add diced peppers and cook for 5 minutes until softened.

Add green onions, ginger, and basil. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in curry paste and brown sugar.

Add mushrooms, bok choy and coconut milk. Stir well, cover and simmer on medium low heat 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are cooked.

Meanwhile, heat 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet on medium high. Fry tofu in batches, cooking one third at a time, adding more olive oil as needed. Fry each batch 5 each minutes on either side until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and salt.

Add tofu to the sauce, stirring gently with a wooden spoon. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes before serving over rice.