Tandoori Tofu

Tandoori Tofu


I was asked a while back if I knew any tofu recipes, and this one is one of the first that features the tofu. I was also asked if this recipe was “man-able?” and I think the answer would have to be yes-it is very, very easy to make! It’s not a pretty recipe, but I like to think of it as tasty.

Ingredients:

Non-stick cooking spray
¼ cup frozen diced onions (or fresh if you have time)
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 can no salt added diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed
½ cup frozen peas
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp tandoori powder (pre-made stuff is available from

Apparatus:

Pot
Knife
Spoon

Process:
1)Dice tofu. I prefer to do this while it’s still in the package and just cut in a grid pattern.
2)Spray pot with non-stick cooking spray. Add onions and sauté on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes to thaw.
3)Place all other ingredients in pot, cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. (The longer you let it simmer, the more flavor the tofu absorbs.) Stir occasionally, but the more you stir, the less shape your tofu will retain.
4)Serve.


*Notes* I serve this over brown rice and with seasoned lentils on the side.

Chickpea and Spinach curry

Huzzah! I have two followers!

This recipe is something I make a lot because it is really quick, fairly healthy, and ridiculously simple to make.

Chickpea and Spinach Curry

Ingredients
2 cups garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas)
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
Cayenne pepper to taste (I use lots)
1 ½ tsp cumin
½ tsp powdered ginger
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 can “no salt added” diced tomatoes
9 oz spinach
2 tbsp red curry powder
Fresh cilantro to taste (optional)
*Any of the spices can be added in much larger quantities than what I've posted. I tend to add lots of curry powder and cumin to make this dish a really spicy curry!*

Apparatus
Large bowl
Colander
Large pot
Spoon

Process
1) Place garbanzo beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Cover bowl and let sit for at least 8 hours.
2) Drain chickpeas in colander
3) Wash hands well with soap and water.
4) Chop onion and place in pan with olive oil, cayenne pepper, cumin, ginger, and garlic powder. Saute over medium-high heat until onion is translucent.
5) Drain diced tomatoes. Add approximately 1/4 of a can's worth of water. Add to pot with onions.
6) Add chickpeas to pot and mix with wooden spoon. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
7) Add curry powder and spinach. Stir until spinach wilts.
8) Add cilantro, stir, and serve.

*Notes*
To make this recipe quicker, you can substitute frozen onions for the fresh onion without impacting the nutritional value, same for the spinach. You can also substitute canned chickpeas for dried ones, but you will exponentially increase the sodium in this recipe.



Aerial view of steaming hot chickpea curry- And no, my stove doesn't usually look that dirty, but a lot of other people had just cooked there too and hadn't had a chance to clean up before I came in to make food.

Serve this dish with:

Flavored lentils

1) Place approximately 3/4 cup of green lentils in a pot.
2) Add 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp garlic powder.
3) Add 1 ½ cups of water. Let cook on medium heat until all water is absorbed.
4) Stir in cilantro and serve




Steamy lentils

This dish also works well over brown rice, but brown rice takes longer to cook. If you’re looking to avoid carbohydrates, it obviously adds those into the mix.