Spicy Tofu and Pasta
I tend to stick to vegetarian cookbooks -- there's no fun in hauling a heavy book home, and then realizing that you can only eat a few of the recipes in it. (Well, OK, technically no one can eat a recipe -- but you know what I mean.) I was a little disappointed to find out that 5 Spices wasn't vegetarian, but since there are so few recipes (and so many beautiful pictures) I read through the meat, poultry, and seafood sections anyways. I kept coming back to "Baked Fish in a Spice Broth" -- I (think that I) kept the basic essence of things, but I changed a lot of the ingredients. This could be an everyday meal for me -- I did all my prepping and chopping as the pasta water boiled and so this took about half an hour from start to finish. Here's my version:
8 oz chunky dry pasta (I used whole wheat penne)
2 T canola oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 bunch green onions, whites and greens chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp and it was pretty spicy; I think I'll use a little less next time)
3 drops ginger extract (or 1/4 to 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated or juiced)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 block water-packed extra-firm tofu (or 1 block firm tofu, pressed), cut into 1/2" thick slices
1/2 tomato, seeded and minced
2 T minced fresh cilantro
Begin heating water for pasta (cook the pasta according to the directions on the package). In a large frying pan with a lid, heat the oil, then add the mustard seeds and green onion. Cook 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Add garlic, cayenne, and fresh ginger if using, and cook an additional 30-60 seconds. Take 1 cup of water from pasta pot, and add to the frying pan with the ginger extract, coriander powder, and salt. Bring to a boil and add the tofu slices. Reduce heat to simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 5-8 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tofu is hot -- flip the tofu slices halfway through and adjust the heat if necessary. Sprinkle with tomato and coriander and serve over hot pasta.
8 oz chunky dry pasta (I used whole wheat penne)
2 T canola oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 bunch green onions, whites and greens chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp and it was pretty spicy; I think I'll use a little less next time)
3 drops ginger extract (or 1/4 to 1/2 inch fresh ginger, grated or juiced)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 block water-packed extra-firm tofu (or 1 block firm tofu, pressed), cut into 1/2" thick slices
1/2 tomato, seeded and minced
2 T minced fresh cilantro
Begin heating water for pasta (cook the pasta according to the directions on the package). In a large frying pan with a lid, heat the oil, then add the mustard seeds and green onion. Cook 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Add garlic, cayenne, and fresh ginger if using, and cook an additional 30-60 seconds. Take 1 cup of water from pasta pot, and add to the frying pan with the ginger extract, coriander powder, and salt. Bring to a boil and add the tofu slices. Reduce heat to simmer and cover the pan. Cook for 5-8 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the tofu is hot -- flip the tofu slices halfway through and adjust the heat if necessary. Sprinkle with tomato and coriander and serve over hot pasta.
posted by bek at 4:10 PM
5 Comments:
That looks delicious! Most recipes from that 5 spices book can indeed be made vegetarian. By using tofu/paneer (Indian cheese), mushrooms, mixed vegetables or eggs in place of the meat.
i need to live in your kitchen
Yep, for me it's usually beef=mushrooms, chicken=tofu, and fish=pasta. I have a harder time substituting mixed veggies for meat, but I think next time I'll try this dish with cubed butternut squash as well.
And I do love the cookbook -- I bought it last night on Amazon so that I don't have to worry about ruining the library's copy!
Kabs -- you're welcome to come over anytime! :)
Your blog makes my stomach growl. :)
Yum! The cilantro, tomato, and spices sound delicious with the tofu.
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