Food Friday - Lentils, Peppers and Tofu

Lentils, Peppers and Tofu

This dish has officially ousted falafel from the top spot on Jeremy's list of favorite foods. I think that's insane but is this way easier to make so I'm not complaining. And don't get me wrong it's really good. It's just not fried chickpeas good.

There is a secret to making tofu that tastes good, not mushy and bland. The key is to freeze and then thaw your tofu. Then, press the water out. Squeeze out as much as you can with your hands without mangling it. Wrap a tea towel around the block. Put it between two plates and set something heavy on top. I use a big book and a 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour.

This process completely changes the texture of tofu. It turns out chewy and toothsome instead of slimy. Then, pan fry it. If you want it a bit crispy, you'll have to use a fair bit of oil. It's also totally great with just a teaspoon or two of olive oil or couple shots of non-stick cooking spray.



Lentils, Peppers and Tofu
Adapted from A Veggie Venture*

1 onion, diced
2 red peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 cup lentils (black, brown, french work best, sub 1/4 cup of red lentils for creamier sauce)
1 can vegetable stock + water to make 3 cups
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 block extra firm tofu, frozen, thawed, pressed and then cut into cubes

Lentils
Saute onion and peppers over medium heat until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute another minute. Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 minutes. There will be some liquid left in the pot.

Tofu
Heat 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle in cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, and cayenne pepper. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add tofu and stir to coat with spices. Cook until browned, stirring occasionally.

Add tofu to the lentils and mix together. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.


*The original recipe added 5 ounces spinach to the lentils at the end of cooking. We really like the spinach the first time around but it ruins the leftovers for us. I always mean to divide the lentils in half and add the spinach to the portion we'll eat that night but I never remember.