So, over the last bazillion years of being vegan, I have spent a lot of time cooking. I love to cook. I nearly wasted an entire college career at culinary school. I think that cooking is one of the most rewarding things you can experience on a daily basis. More importantly, I think it's a really smart move (especially if you give a crap about what you put in your body/what you are supporting with your money) to cook at home as much as possible. It's really the only way to have complete control over what goes in to your meal. Don't believe me? Check out THIS HORRIFYING ARTICLE about vegan restaurants in LA. For those of you who know me, you know that I am a bit of a food snob. I firmly believe that what you eat is one of the most important and far-reaching decisions we make on a day-today basis. That said, I would like to share a recipe of mine that I have refined over the years. It's simple, fast, versatile, and has made more people than I can count say something to the effect of "This is the first time I have ever liked tofu!"
I WIN.
GAVIN'S TASTY TOFU EXPLOSION JAMMER
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1 block of extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon of vegan margarine (you can use olive oil, but I have found a small amount of margarine to make the final dish less oily)
1/4 cup of soy sauce (alternately try using Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids if you want a saltier outcome.)
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more, or less depending on how much of a sissy you are.)
pinch of garlic powder (don't use fresh garlic. garlic powder disperses the taste better.)
fresh cracked pepper to taste.
First of all , I use a non-stick pan. The reality is that tofu cook horribly and rips to pieces in even the finest of stainless steel pans unless you use copious amounts of oil. So I recommend a non-stick, or at least a very well seasoned cast iron skillet for this one. I cut the tofu in to small little blocks, not cubes. They need to be thin enough to not stay mushy on the inside. Pre-heat your pan over a medium to high heat with the margarine in it. Once the tofu is cut, put it in. You want to make sure the heat is high enough to brown the tofu fairly fast. But not so fast that the inside is not done. You will have to experiment with how you like your tofu. I like mine to be cooked, but to have a definite difference between the browned outside and the softer inside. (But NOT MUSHY. This is the #1 thing that people hate about tofu!) As the tofu is browning, add the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Make sure you stir pretty regularly (I like to take the pan off the flame and flip the tofu by flicking the pan with my wrist cause it looks fancier). Just as the tofu is becoming a tiny bit crispy and golden brown, add some fresh cracked pepper and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the nutritional yeast and the soy sauce. Keep over the heat and stir regularly until the soy sauce has reduced and the tofu is covered evenly. serve on sandwiches, with rice, on a salad, or eat on it's own!
This particular time I served it with some spanish rice and a salad. Mmmm.
..............................................
1 block of extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon of vegan margarine (you can use olive oil, but I have found a small amount of margarine to make the final dish less oily)
1/4 cup of soy sauce (alternately try using Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids if you want a saltier outcome.)
1/4 cup of nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon of oregano
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more, or less depending on how much of a sissy you are.)
pinch of garlic powder (don't use fresh garlic. garlic powder disperses the taste better.)
fresh cracked pepper to taste.
First of all , I use a non-stick pan. The reality is that tofu cook horribly and rips to pieces in even the finest of stainless steel pans unless you use copious amounts of oil. So I recommend a non-stick, or at least a very well seasoned cast iron skillet for this one. I cut the tofu in to small little blocks, not cubes. They need to be thin enough to not stay mushy on the inside. Pre-heat your pan over a medium to high heat with the margarine in it. Once the tofu is cut, put it in. You want to make sure the heat is high enough to brown the tofu fairly fast. But not so fast that the inside is not done. You will have to experiment with how you like your tofu. I like mine to be cooked, but to have a definite difference between the browned outside and the softer inside. (But NOT MUSHY. This is the #1 thing that people hate about tofu!) As the tofu is browning, add the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and oregano. Make sure you stir pretty regularly (I like to take the pan off the flame and flip the tofu by flicking the pan with my wrist cause it looks fancier). Just as the tofu is becoming a tiny bit crispy and golden brown, add some fresh cracked pepper and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the nutritional yeast and the soy sauce. Keep over the heat and stir regularly until the soy sauce has reduced and the tofu is covered evenly. serve on sandwiches, with rice, on a salad, or eat on it's own!
This particular time I served it with some spanish rice and a salad. Mmmm.So I just have one question....who wants to come over for dinner? (Seriously.)
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