Chili Tofu

Tofu has very little flavor or smell of its own, so marinate it in spices before cooking with capsicum.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Tofu, cut into 2" long pieces
• 1 large sized green bell pepper / capsicum
• 1 large onion sliced thinly
• ¼ cup tomato diced
• 1 medium bunch spring onion chopped coarsely
• ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

For Marination:

• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp tandoori masala
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt

Method:

• Marinate the tofu pieces for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the seed and the pith of the capsicum and cut into 2" long pieces.
• Heat the oil in a wok or kadhai on a medium to high heat. Add the ajwain, garlic and diced tomato. Stir fry till tomato is soft.
• Add tofu, green bell peppers, spring onion, red chili powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well and stir fry for 1 more minute or till capsicum is just tender.
• Turn off the heat and spoon the Chili Tofu onto a serving platter.
• Serve with Paratha .

Do You Know?

Almond tofu or Almond pudding is a popular dessert in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan. In the traditional recipe, the almond milk is extracted from the Southern Chinese Almonds or Sweet Chinese Almonds and then it is heated with a gelling agent. The almond milk mixture solidifies, after chilling, to the consistency of a soft gelatin dessert.

Tofu Matar

Tofu has very little flavor or smell of its own, it readily takes on the flavor of the spices in which it is cooked. So gravy can be made as hot or mild as you like.

Here a mild curry is prepared combining peas with tofu.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, well pressed and sliced into triangles
• ½ cup green peas
• 6-7 curry leaves (optional)
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 2 chopped green chilies
• ½ cup tomato chunks
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 6 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Sautee tofu in two tablespoons of cooking oil until tofu is lightly crisp.
• In a separate large skillet or a wok, heat the other tablespoon of cooking oil.
• Stir in curry leaves, sliced onion, chopped green chilies, grated ginger and cook until tender.
• Add peas and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tomato chunks, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Do not add extra water. Let them cook in their own juice.
• Add tofu pieces and simmer for 2 minutes.
• Mix lemon juice and garam masala.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and serve hot with paratha.

Do You Know?

Tofu is low in calories, contains beneficial amounts of iron (especially important for women of child-bearing age) and has no saturated fat or cholesterol.

Depending on the coagulant used in manufacturing, the tofu may also be high in calcium (important for bone development and maintenance), and magnesium (especially important for athletes).

Soy Granules Pulao

Rice is cooked with small Soy granules.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup small Soy granules (Soyatein)
• 2 cups Basmati Rice
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1” stick of Cinnamon
• 2 Green Cardamoms
• ½ tsp Caraway Seeds
• ½ tsp Peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
• 1 small Onion Onions finely sliced
• 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• ½ cup Yogurt
• 2 tbsp Mint Leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp Cilantro Leaves chopped
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp ghee (Clarified Butter)

Method:

• Soak soyatein in warm water for 10-15 minutes. Squeeze out the water. Repeat the process of soaking and squeezing out 3 to 4 times. It will make granules extra soft.
• Heat oil in a pan; add Bay leaves, Cinnamon, Cardamoms, and Caraway Seeds, Peppercorns, sliced onions and chopped green chilies. Sauté it well.
• Add Soya granules and cook on medium heat for a 5-6 minutes.
• Add garlic paste, ginger paste, red chili powder and ½-cup yogurt and fry for 4-5 minutes.
• Now add chopped mint leaves, chopped cilantro leaves, salt, garam masala powder, 3 ½ cups water and soaked basmati rice. Mix lightly.
• Allow rice to cook over a high heat first. Cover the pan and further cook on low heat for 10-12 minutes until rice is done.
• Garnish with crispy brown fried onions.
• Serve hot with onion raita and green chutney.

Do You Know:
Soy granules are made from defatted soy flour, a by-product of making soybean oil. It is quick to cook, high in protein, and low in fat.

These are also known as textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat, or meat analogue or meat substitute.

Soya Flour Paratha

Addition of Soya Flour to wheat flour increases the nutritional quality of the paratha. It also provides a distinctive aroma and saturated feel to the dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup gram flour ( Besan)
• 1 ½ tbsp defatted Soya flour
• ½ tsp to taste
• 1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Ghee (clarified butter) or cooking oil to pan-fry parathas

Method:

• Mix the wheat flour and besan.
• Add 3 tbsp cooking oil, carom seeds, green chilies, coriander leaves and salt to taste and mix well.
• Knead the wheat flour mix into smooth, firm dough and keep aside in refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Divide all the dough into equal sized balls.
• Flour a clean surface and roll each ball out into a circle about 4” in diameter.
• Sprinkle some dry wheat flour over it (flattened dough ball). Now roll it into a finger shaped structure. Coil this into a spiral.
• Flour the rolling surface lightly and very gently roll out the spiral into a flat circle about 5-6” in diameter.
• Heat a griddle and put a paratha over it. Flip the paratha when you see tiny bubbles rising on the surface of the paratha. Drizzle a bit of ghee/oil on the top and spread well over the surface of the paratha. Flip again and drizzle some more ghee/oil on this surface too. The paratha is done when both sides are crispy and golden brown.
• Serve with Salad and/or Green Coriander Chutney and /or any other side dish.

Do You Know?
Soya flour is a rich source of high quality vegetable protein with low calorie and fat content.
Soya flour is manufactured from good quality soya beans by thoroughly removing husk from the seed, removing fats and then grinding the seeds fine under most hygienic conditions.