I am so very excited to share with you one of my favorite recipes for tofu, and a sparkling new blog design. I have been very studious the last 10 months, trying to learn the fundamentals of web site design. There have been a lot of painful nights, staring at tutorials, trying to make sense of it all. I started with the basic principles of HTML, and then graduated to the fun stuff - CSS, where you get to add style components. The most challenging part of it all was picking a design, and sticking to it. Making sure that I wasn't going to grow tired and loose interest, similar to the pair of shoes I bought last month. I chose a clean, bright look. Added a few more items, a press and FAQs page. Provided some more options to follow the flourishing foodie, and added some labels for organization. My husband has been working ever so hard the past few weeks getting the site up and running, and I am truly grateful for it. I hope you enjoy the new look, and please don't hesitate to send me a quick email with any concerns or suggestions. I want this blog to be as user friendly as possible.
Now, lets get to the good stuff - tofu scramble. It's nice to switch it up once in a while from the more traditional scrambled eggs. Although this dish has the same consistency, it offers so much more. It is important when making, that you use silken tofu not regular Chinese-style or bean curd. Silken tofu is neither drained nor pressed, therefore all of the liquid remains in the tofu, making it very smooth and light. It has a delicate, silky texture that crumbles nicely into a scramble egg form. The tofu should be frozen before cooking. This allows tiny ice crystals to form, making the tofu more porous. Squeezing out the water before cooking with then leave lots of space within the tofu membranes to soak up all those wonderful flavors from the oil, turmeric, garlic, and chili. I prefer to add a few vegetables with a nice cheese, allowing the taste and texture from the tofu to perform as the main character. The greatness of this dish, is that you can tweak it to your own liking, as long as you stick with the fundamental spices. The bright orange hue from the turmeric adds a magnificent color to the tofu, giving it the bright yellow similar to eggs. I encourage you to try this dish, cook it for a loved one, and maybe wait until they've eaten it all to let them know it was tofu not eggs. Most will be surprised, I am sure.
TOFU SCRAMBLE RECIPE (
)
serves 2
notes: Use silken tofu and not standard water packed firm. The texture is much different. The veggie sausage is not key to this recipe. It enhances the flavors, but I often make my scramble without. You can add any veggies to a scramble. If you are going to use tomatoes, make sure to add them at the end. The tofu will become soggy with the tomato juices. Feta and goat cheese are also a nice substitution for cheddar.
INGREDIENTS
1 package silken tofu, cubed
2 + tbsp canola oil for frying
1
, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
salt and pepper to taste
6 shiitake mushrooms
4 small tomatoes
1/4 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
Freeze the tofu a couple of days in advance. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw overnight in the fridge. 30 minutes before making the scramble, place the tofu, without removing it from its package, into a bowl of warm water. This will ensure that the tofu has completely thawed. The tofu can also be frozen overnight and thawed in the morning. Regardless of the method, it is important that the tofu has been completely frozen, and then completely thawed before cooking.
Once thawed, remove the tofu from the package and press between your hands to remove any excess water. Cut the tofu into small cubes and place in a frying pan with the veggie sausage, canola oil, garlic, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook the tofu on low-medium, frying until the veggie sausage begins to brown. The tofu should lose its shape and crumble during frying. This is desired. Start with 2 tbsp of canola oil, and add more as needed. The scramble should soak up the oil. You will need to add less if you are cooking with a non-stick, and more with a cast iron. The oil will help with frying, and add flavor to the tofu.
Once the veggie sausage has started to brown, add the mushrooms, and fry until soft. Add the tomatoes and cheese and combine. Heat slightly, just until the cheese has melted and then remove from the stove. Serve warm.
