Scrambled tofu is an easy win if you want a protein hit. And tasty. You can serve it old-fashioned style on toast with baked beans from a tin, or really nice is with steamed pak choi (or spinach, broccoli spears) and fried off tomatoes in oregano – as in the picture – or with salad.
Tofu is a complete protein, meaning it offers all the amino acids humans require, at a rate of 36g/100g. It also contains a range of minerals. Yoga-wise, it’s not 100% perfect as it is a fermented product, but occasional eating is fine – see veganyogi. It’s also a heavy and cold food, meaning you need good digestive fire for it. Adding the aromatic oils from mustard seeds and turmeric, as in this recipe, helps.
Soya is a controversial food for environmental reasons; slash and burning of primary rainforest is still going on but this is generally to provide feed for beef. There is GM soya production on quite a large global scale, also for beef. Buy organic tofu to be sure it’s not GM. Health-wise there seem to be a range of studies pro and against soya and its oestrogenic properties. It may or may not suppress/promote certain cancers.
Anyway, enjoy this!
Ingredients serves 3 – 4
- 400g block tofu
- about a tablespoon of rape seed oil can be less if you are concerned about fat consumption but this will make it more tasty
- quarter of a teaspoon of black mustard seeds (no more – powerful stuff!)
- 4 teaspoons dried, ground turmeric but I guess you could add fresh grated, I haven’t tried it, and that would add some heat too
- OR make up a scramble mix and keep it in a jar: 6 tsp turmeric, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika
- freshly ground sea salt and pepper to taste*
Method
- squish gently in your hands the tofu block to get rid of some of the excess water, then squish if firmly to get a crumb texture
- put the oil and seeds in a frying pan on a high heat til the seeds begin to pop. Be brave: add the turmeric/scramble mix and stir in, max ten seconds…
- promptly add in the tofu and stir thoroughly through the oil and spices
- turn the tofu for 5 – 10 minutes or so, meanwhile making your toast
- serve and enjoy