Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Vegan Feast Kitchen/ 23rd Century Table

NOTE: Serve this for an Indian-style brunch with Susan V's Coconut Chai Breakfast Cake for dessert!

This is a vegan take-off on an Indian dish called chenna bhorji. The original dish uses the homemade cheese called chenna, which is a crumbly (unpressed) version of the more familiar paneer or panir.   Absolutely fresh tofu makes a good substitute for the chenna— homemade tofu , fresh tofu from a tofu shop, or bulk tofu that has been delivered to your store on the same day that you buy it. This is important, because very fresh tofu has a taste similar to chenna. It loses flavor as it ages.

This is a spicy scramble and contains no nutritional yeast, as most Western tofu scrambles do. It is usually served with chapathi or flaky parathas, but a wholewheat or sprouted wheat flour tortilla makes a good accompaniment, too. Some spicy vegan masala chai would be good, too!

Indian black salt, or kala namak, is actually pink, due to the trace minerals and iron in it. (The link is to amazon, but if you live near a gourmet food store, natural food store or a South Asian grocery store, you will probably find it.)  It has a distinctive “boiled egg” odor, due to the sulphur compounds in it. Sprinkling it on at the last minute adds a more “eggy” personality to the dish. (It dissipates quickly.)

Printable Recipe

FRESH TOFU SCRAMBLE, INDIAN-STYLE Serves 3

12 oz. FRESH firm tofu, crumbled, but in large lumps
1/4 tsp. turmeric, dissolved in 1 Tbs. nondairy milk
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
chopped hot green chilies to taste (I used 1 Tbsp. chopped jalapeño)
1 chopped tomato or roasted red pepper
3/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, basil, or parsley
1/4 tsp. black salt, also called kala namak (See paragraph just above recipe.)

In a medium bowl, mix the tofu gently with the dissolved turmeric and set aside. Sauté the onions in the oil in a nonstick skillet, cooking at medium-high heat until it starts to look translucent. Add the chilies and cook a minute or two more. Add the tomato or red pepper, salt, and cumin. Stir-fry a minute or two more. Add the tofu and mix it gently so as not to break up the tofu too much. Use a flat spatula and a folding and turning mixture, cooking for 3 minutes or so.

Place on a heated platter to serve, or on individual plates. Stir in the the chopped herbs, or sprinkle them on the top. Sprinkle the black salt evenly over the dish just before serving.
Serve with hot whole wheat chapathi, paratha, or tortillas.

Enjoy!