Our Quinoa and Tofu pilaf is scented with saffron and fennel seeds. We borrow the use of herbs and spices from an Indian biryani or pulao. Some carrots, fried ginger julienne s and slivered roasted almond add textural components. It makes for a filling meal for lunch or dinner.
Our Quinoa and Tofu Pilaf recipe
We start by browning some onions on ghee, followed by adding soaked raisins.
We then add the cooked quinoa, chopped mint and some milk infused with sffron and cook on low heat fluffing the quinoa with a fork.
We then make a ground spice mix with fennel, green cardamom, mace, black pepper and turmeric. We then dry our tofu slabs, and rub with oil and sear on a hot pan pressing down with a kitchen towel for even heating.
When both sides are done, season with some ground spice and add some whipped yogurt to coat the tofu. Cook this back in a pan at low heat.
Once cooked remove and make cubes. Add to the quinoa in the plate and top with fried ginger juliennes, chopped mint and roasted slivered almonds.
In the past we have also added boiled potato and cauliflower along-with the tofu and finished with some rose petals and micro cilantro. At the base we sometimes lay a salad of fine cubed cucumber and yogurt seasoned with salt and green chilies. We also use different kinds of quinoa for variation.
PrintQuinoa and Tofu Pilaf
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: Serves 2
Description
We use the herbs and spices prevalent in indian biryanis and pulaos to make a filling entree with quinoa and tofu
Ingredients
- 0.5 cup quinoa
- 2 slabs of tofu approx 2 inch by 1 inch and 0.5 inch thick
- 2 tsp ghee or butter
- half onion chopped thinly and separated into half rings
- 2 tsp raisins
- 0.25 tsp saffron infused in 2 tsp warm milk
- 2 tsp chopped mint
- For the dry spice mix, grind below into a powder
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 0.25 tsp turmeric
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 small mace flower
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 0.25 cup carrot julienne
- 2 tsp ginger julienne
- 2 tsp slivered roasted almonds
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa
- Bring 1.5 cup water to boil with a pinch of salt
- Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium and cook covered till cooked for about 15 minutes
- let rest covered
- Pat tofu slabs dry and heat non stick pan on medium high heat till hot
- rub tofu slabs with some oil on both sides and sear face down for 1 to 2 minutes till seared on each side. Hold down with kitchen towel for even sear.
- Remove seared tofu and in a dish whisk the 2 tbsp yogurt and the dry spice mix
- Coat the tofu slabs with this mixture and return to pan, cooking on both sides on low heat till spices are not raw.
- Remove and cut into chunks
- Add ghee to pan and on high heat add onions to brown and caramelize them.
- Add raisins
- Stir for two minutes and reduce heat to low
- Add the quinoa, chopped mint, carrot julienne s and the saffron infused milk and fluff with fork mixing slowly on low heat warming everything through.
- Turn heat off and spread in a plate. top with tofu slices.
- Fry the ginger julienne in little oil till crisp on low heat and top the tofu with these
- Sprinkle some slivered roasted almonds and some mint
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: entree
- Cuisine: indian