Week 25 - Tandoori tofu with spiced rice & lentils

Flavour-infused cubes of creamy tandoori tofu and a side of spiced rice and lentils, with a fresh green salad to refresh your face.

Basic ingredients (4 people)

200g firm tofu - press this overnight or at least 30 mins before using

Plain, unsweetened yoghurt

1 onion

1 courgette

Small bag spinach (~120g)

2 lemons

10 cherry tomatoes

100g peas (frozen/fresh)

125g red lentils

225g Basmati rice

Tomato puree

Pumpkin seeds (handful or two)

Herbs & spices: garlic, fresh ginger if at all possible, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric, a garam masala/tandoori spice mix, chilli (fresh/dried), cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamon pods, fresh coriander

Luxury ingredients (optional)

50ml single cream

Peppercorns

Excellent cooking by foodies, Becca & Conor

Tandoori tofu

Boil kettle. Press your tofu for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight:

4cm-2cm with an overnight press - much less water, much more flavour absorption

Make your marinade. Add in a bowl:

• Enough yoghurt to cover your tofu, then half the same amount of cream

• 3 cloves of crushed/sliced garlic

• Lots of freshly grated ginger

• 2tbs of curry mix (eg. Tandoori mix/garam masala)

• 1tsp turmeric

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Splodge of tomato puree

• Chilli powder (optional)

• 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed (optional)

Mix well and gently add your tofu pieces. You can chop into chunks or strips (your preference). Leave to soak up flavour while you make the rice and lentils.

Tip: coat your tofu chunks in cornflour before putting in marinade to make marinade stick better

Rice and lentils

Put a rice pot onto a medium heat with some olive oil. Add one diced onion and cook for a few minutes until softened - turn down the heat if it starts to go brown.

Next add in this order, stirring after each item:

• 1tbsp cumin seeds

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 4 cloves

• 4 cardamon pods

• Fresh sliced chilli (optional)

• 1tsp turmeric

When it smells nice, add your red lentils (125g) and your rice (225g). Stir for a little to infuse the grains then add 500ml of stock and your cherry tomatoes halved.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for with the lid on for 10-15 mins until the water is absorbed. Leave the lid on to rest the rice while you prep the salad.

Salad & tandoori tofu

Turn on grill to medium high and put tin foil under the metal grill rack. Carefully add tofu and then grill until a little charred in places.

To make the salad, cover your frozen peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain.

Add to a dish with your grated courgette, sliced/torn spinach leaves and lemon zest.

Heat a frying pan and dry fry your pumpkin seeds until a little toasted. Top on your salad with olive oil, salt and pepper, a squeeze of lemon (if liked).

Just before serving everything, stir through the chopped coriander into the rice.

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