Indian Tofu with Kachumber Salad & Tzatziki
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- block extra-firm or super-firm tofu 1
- cornstarch 1 tbsp
- nutritional yeast 1 tbsp
- kosher salt 1 tsp
- ground cumin 1 tsp
- garam masala ½ tsp
- Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne powder, optional ¼ tsp
- Freshly
- avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice 2 tbsp
- small or medium-large English cucumbers or 4 to 5 / Persian cucumbers 12 oz
- of a small or medium red onions diced 2 oz
- cherry/grape tomatoes 8 oz
- lime juice 2 tbsp
- chaat masala ¾ tsp
- ground cumin ½ tsp
- Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne powder ¼ tsp
- kosher salt ½ tsp
- roasted cashews ½ cup
- Cooked white rice to serve 4
If you have 1 (16-ounce / 450g) block of tofu, just use a “heaping” amount of all of the spices in the tofu and a bit more oil. If you didn’t buy chaat masala, either omit it or sub with a pinch or two of kala namak, 1/2 tsp of ground cumin, and a pinch or two of Indian red chili powder. If you don’t have leftover rice or ready-to-heat rice, cook 1 1/4 cup dry rice. See Cooked White Rice for instructions. Storage: Store the rice, spiced tofu, and Tzatziki separately in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The Kachumber Salad is best fresh, but will be okay for a day or two. Assemble as listed in the last step right before serving, adding a squeeze of lime juice to freshen up leftovers. Nutrition boost: Cook more batches of the Indian-Spiced Tofu or use super-firm tofu for more protein. For more veggies, top your bowl with some shredded cabbage, pickled radishes, or serve with roasted cauliflower.
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1For the indian-spiced tofu: block extra-firm or super-firm tofu , cornstarch , nutritional yeast , kosher salt , ground cumin , garam masala , Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne powder, optional , Freshly cracked black pepper to taste, avocado oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice . For the kachumber salad: small or medium-large English cucumbers or 4 to 5 / Persian cucumbers , of a small or medium red onions diced , cherry/grape tomatoes , lime juice , chaat masala , ground cumin , Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne powder , kosher salt . For the for finishing:: roasted cashews , Cooked white rice to serve .
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2Prepare the Indian-Spiced Tofu. Pat dry the tofu, then cut crosswise into ½-inch ( timer .3 cm) pieces. Using a dish towel (or paper towels), press down on the tofu to get rid of some excess water. Then, tear the pieces into ½-inch ( timer .3 cm) chunks and add to a medium bowl.
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3In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt, ground cumin, garam masala, Kashmiri chili powder if using, and black pepper. Gently toss the tofu with the spices using your hands.
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4Cook the tofu. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes. Add the oil, and once shimmering, add the tofu. Cook undisturbed for 4-6 minutes , until golden brown and crispy, then flip and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes until golden on the other side (if the oil dries up, add a drizzle more). If it starts to burn, lower the heat to medium. Remove from heat.
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5While the tofu cooks, prepare the other ingredients. Chop the cashews. Reheat the rice as needed. Kachumber Salad: Dice the cucumber and onion. Dice the tomatoes (or quarter if using cherry tomatoes). Wipe out the bowl used for the tofu. In the bowl, combine the cucumber, onion, and tomatoes with the lime juice, chaat masala if using, cumin, Kashmiri chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss to combine. Taste, adding more lime juice for tang, chili powder for heat, or salt and pepper as needed.
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6Assemble: Divide the rice among bowls. Top with Kachumber Salad, Indian-Spiced Tofu, a generous dollop of Tzatziki ( timer to 4 tablespoons / timer to 55g), and chopped cashews.