Tofu Bahn Mi

Mmmmm... Just like the sandwiches you get at the Vietnamese Pho restaurants.

Tofu Bahn Mi

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup carrot, finely shredded
1/4 cup cucumber, finely shredded
1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 batch Marinated tofu, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 French baguette, warmed

1- Combine vinegar, sugar, garlic, and salt and mix well. Add carrots, cucumbers and onions and mix well.

2- Slice the baguette in half. Spread mayonnaise on one half and sprinkle the 5-spice powder evenly.

3- Layer tofu, carrot salad and cilantro, and top with other half of baguette.

Tofu Chorizo Hash

Every Christmas season, as I watch (many times) how the Grinch steals the last can of Who-Hash, I am reminded of how much I loved that most flavorful of comfort dishes from my childhood, corned beef hash. And how much I have missed it since giving up meat 20 years ago.

I had a duty to myself and other vegetarians to fill that void with an appropriate replacement. Here it is, my friends. I present to you sunny-side up egg's best friend:

Tofu Chorizo Hash
1/2 lb firm, water-packed tofu, drained well
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

1- Freeze the tofu, then thaw it. Place the slices in a strainer on top of the sink and press with the back of a spatula until liquid is squeezed out.

2- On a large skillet over medium-high, heat oil. Add onions and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, until tender.

3- Add tofu, soy sauce, tomato paste, and paprika. Cook for about 5 minutes, scraping browned bits from bottom of pan frequently.

4- Add potatoes and 1 tablespoon water, and cook on low covered for about 8 minutes, scraping bottom of pan every couple of minutes, until potatoes are heated through. You might need to add more water, if it becomes too dry to scrape the bottom of the pan.

5- Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Eggless Salad Sandwich Filling

I had some leftover thawed tofu from a chili I made this past week. I made a quick salad sandwich filling with it.

The curry powder, mustard and mayonnaise set a stage similar to that in real egg salad. I had some gorgeous green onions from my farmers' market, so I had to throw some of that in there too.

I DO love real egg salad, though.

Eggless Salad Sandwich Filling

Makes 4 servings

5 oz firm tofu, frozen and thawed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise (I like Light Vegenaise)
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 sprig green onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1- Squeeze the tofu (like a sponge) and discard the liquid.
2- Crumble the tofy and add the rest of the ingredients.

Eggless Breakfast Scramble

I was chatting on FaceBook with my cousin Christina last night, and we were discussing my blog. It was then that it dawned on me that I have not posted a single tofu recipe! That must change for sure. :-)

I make this scramble for my son Gabi, who is allergic to eggs. He likes to eat it as breakfast taco filling on flour tortillas.

The big elephant in the room here is the nutritional yeast. Do not be intimidated by it. It is merely a flaky, yeasty-smelling concoction. Very boring by itself, but it really adds a lot of great substantial backdrop flavors to this dish. I find it in the bulk section at Whole Foods. Don't beat yourself up if you can't find it, though. Just add something more mainstream instead... like garlic powder, chopped up olives, salsa, or parm cheese... whatever... this recipe is really forgiving.

Eggless Breakfast Scramble

12 oz tofu (silken is best here, but whatever tofu is fine)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon Goya seasoning (turmeric or curry powder would work also)
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes (or onion powder)
1 tablespoon dried nutritional yeast flakes
1-3 tablespoons water
1 cup frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar for this)
salt and pepper to taste

1- Crumble the tofu with a fork.
2- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook while occassionally tossing with a metal spoon until the tofu starts to get golden brown.
3- Add seasoning, onion and nutritional yeast and toss until well combined. If the tofu starts to stick to the pan, add a bit of the water and scrape the bottom of the pan.
4- Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are heated through.
5- Add cheese and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Serve.