Scrambled Tofu (An Amazing Egg Substitute)
Today, Lulu worked from home. I wanted us to have a light lunch together but I felt too lazy to make a fancy meal. I was craving scrambled eggs with salsa and some home-made chorizo on a bagel but of course, once more, I had to create a vegetarian alternative for Lulu.
Since we got married, I've tested lots of varieties of tofu. One type is perfect for simulating scrambled eggs. I add turmeric powder to give the product a yellow hue. It's really hard to tell the difference between it and real scrambled eggs. Best of all, it tastes great and takes almost no time to make.
Ingredients
Yields: 4 servings
1 (12-ounce) package tofu (see tips)1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic chives
1 teaspoon onion chives
Directions
Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch slices. Blanch the tofu for about 3-4 minutes in salted water. Drain the liquid. Let the tofu cool a little. Then mash the boiled tofu with your hand using disposable gloves. The tofu should resemble large-sized cottage cheese curds. Set the tofu aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the minced garlic. Cook until it's fragrant and slightly golden. Add the ginger garlic paste, cook for another minute. Add the scrambled tofu (don't overcrowd the pan). Give a little color with turmeric powder. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to medium. Cook for about 6-8 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the tofu from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with the herbs.
Serve immediately on a bagel with salsa and guacamole on the side.
Enjoy!
Tips
After several tests, Thanh Son tofu is hands down the best kind to use for this recipe. If you live in the Bay Area, you have to try it. They sell in almost all the Asian markets in downtown San Jose and their main shop is on 2857 Senter Road, San Jose. It's a very little shop but everything is very good. Their tofu has the best texture. They make fresh tofu daily. This is the perfect place for vegetarians. I always get 2 to 3 pieces of fresh tofu every week. If you don't have this brand, I think silken tofu might be the closest kind resembling the texture of scrambled eggs.
For a healthier (and vegan) version, substitute the butter with olive oil.
The key to perfect scrambled tofu is blanching the tofu first for a fluffy texture, then stir-frying it in butter (or oil) to get it firm to resemble scrambled eggs.
I use ginger garlic paste a lot in my cooking. It tastes great and is very healthy for you as well. Just clean the ginger, carefully removing any dirt. Peel the ginger root with a paring knife, then finely chop the root. Place the chopped ginger and 5 cloves of garlic in a blender, add about 2 tablespoons (or more) of water for a smooth flow. Transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator. You can keep this paste for at least a week in the refrigerator.
For a spicy kick, serve with some chorizo or vegetarian soy chorizo (click on the link for the recipe).
I have a lot of garlic and onion chives in our garden and they are so fragrant! If you don't have any, you can use any other green herbs that you like, such as cilantro or curly parsley.
You can also mix both scrambled eggs and tofu for a healthier version.
For more breakfast and brunch ideas, check out my other recipes.
Published By: on October 7, 2009.
