Scrambled Tofu

the first time i tried scrambled tofu was about three years back. my friend Saras had cooked it for me and i absolutely loved it! but i never tried making it after that. why? because i have always had a bit of problem when cooking tofu. even something as simple as cutting up and frying tofu cubes turns into something else – i end up with the cubes stuck to the pan and spend a lot of time trying to unstick them, ending up with a mass of half-fried tofu bits. so the thought of making scrambled tofu kind of drifted away from my mind. but then, there are times when a recipe comes your way – and you know you just have to try it out. that’s how i felt about this scrambled tofu recipe when i first read it on another friend’s (Neil’s) Facebook. the incredible ease with which it could be prepared, the minimal ingredients needed and the fact i had all the spices needed (most people would) made it a winner in my book – and convinced me to put aside my hesitation to try it out. yes, the urge was so strong that i was willing to forego the fried rice from the veg stall near my house. and it turned out just as well as i remembered the last time i ate it. i gotto say thanks to Saras for introducing it to me, and to Neil for generously sharing the recipe and the photographs

this is the perfect recipe for those who lead extremely busy lives, who are just starting to cook or those who are both. it’s also the perfect solution to those days when you want something that is tasty and healthy, but not too heavy. and did i mention it is absolutely yummy?! (oh, and if i could get over my hesitation of cooking tofu, you can be sure this recipe is a keeper.) pack some away and dig into it for breakfast the next morning with toast – it tastes even better! have i got you interested enough? well then, here’s the recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 squares of Regular firm tofu (also known as Tau Kwa in Singapore)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 small Onion, thinly sliced or diced
• 1/4 cup Sweet corn (optional)
• 2 or 3 Cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 carrot, finely grated
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala
• 1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• [*note: feel free to add more or less of the spices as suits your taste]
• Making the Scrambled Tofu:

Drain the water from the tofu pack, crumble the tofu by hand and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and then the onion. Stir and let brown slightly. Add the carrot (and sweet corn if using) and stir-fry for about 5 minutes on a slow to medium flame. You want the carrot to lose its raw smell and become semi-cooked. Add in the crumbled tofu and mix around with the carrot. Add all the dry spices and salt and stir until it is mixed in well with the tofu. Finally, add the soy sauce, give it a good stir and take it off the heat. Serve immediately – this is best eaten warm. If you want to make extra, just double up the ingredients. Also, the recipe is very flexible, so feel free to add more veggies or spices as you like. lay it out on warm toast, lay on the chilli sauce or tomato sauce and enjoy!

*Photography by Neil Madhvani