Spicy Tofu Sofritas Taco

Today's recipe is I guess all the vegetarians who goes to Chipotle have had it. Chipotle offers this as a vegetarian and vegan options for burritos or bowls or tacos or anything related to vegetarian and I loved it and always wanted to make it home so made it. And can not believe it how easy it was. If you are a Tofu fan then you will love it and if you are a Chipotle fan then you will overjoyed it. Since now you can make a burrito bowl with your favorite toppings. 

So Sofritas is nothing but the scrambled tofu with Jalapeños in adobo sauce, you can make it at home too but since I had the can I used it. You can add little or more depend upon your choice of heat level and make it burritos, rice bowl. taco, quesadillas, breakfast tacos or loaded nachos, possibilities are endless. 

Today I am making simple tofu sofritas taco only. 

Ingredients :

1 Roasted poblano pepper

1-3 individual chipotle peppers canned in adobos sauce

2 tbsp. of adobo sauce

2 cloves of garlic

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp paprika powder

1/2 cup salsa

2 tbsp. oil

salt as needed

1 14 ox package EXTRA firm tofu

1/4 cup canned black beans

few strings of freshly chopped coriander leaves

To Serve:

4-6 soft tacos

guacamole

picked jalapenos

Method : 

To make sofritas sauce , put roasted poblano (without seeds and chopped) chipotle peppers, garlic, spices and salsa in a small blender and pulse till it become smooth paste

Press the tofu with a clean towel to remove as much water as possible, the drier its better. 

Once all the water is gone, scramble the tofu into small  bits and keep it aside. 

Heat a pan with oil in it at a high heat. 

Add the scramble tofu in it. If you see more big bites you can break it with the spoon. 

Cook it till it changes the color from white to yellow to little brown. 

Then add the sofritas sauce little by little , you don't need too much water in the sauce. 

I like it mine dry so I added little at a time to keep the consistency. 

Add black beans and mix it and taste the taste, if needed add more salt. 

Warm the soft tacos, add the stuffing of sofritas, sprinkle more coriander leaves, lime juice if you want it and side of guacamole and pickled Jalapenos and enjoy it 

Thai Drunken Rice Noodles with Vegan Soy (Duck)

My daughter loves Thick rice noodles and vegan duck so when I saw this noodles in my Asian grocery store, I have to buy it, since duck can is always there in pantry. I wanted to use all the noodles and whole can of vegan soy duck so made it and every one enjoyed it. You can use tofu, chicken , sea food , any protein of your choice.  This dish comes together very fast. For thick rice noodles, I got readymade one, it comes in big sheets, you have to separate the sheets and cut it in long thick noodles and add it on your favorite dish. The must have ingredient in this dish is fresh Thai basil , which you add at the end of the dish and it just gives so nice aroma and take the dish to the next level so don't forget to add that and don't use Italian basil, which is so different in taste. For Drunken Rice noodles , you have to use the fresh noodles, for the rest of the dishes you can use thick dry rice noodles but here its a big no no. you can any vegetables of your choice but take one leafy vegetable like Chinese broccoli, spinach or bok choi

Ingredients :

Sauce : 

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp Dark soy sauce

1 tbsp. Vegan fish sauce

2 tsp vegetarian oyster sauce

Pinch of Ground white pepper

Mix it and keep it aside. 

Few florets of Broccoli

3-4 baby bok choi

1 white onion sliced

3-4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 can of Vegan Mock duck - cut in pieces

1 pack of rice noodles , cut in long thick slices

1/4 cup of fresh Thai basil leaves

1/2 cup long mung bean sprouts

2 tbsp. oil

Method : 

Heat up the wok/ pan at really high heat and add oil, add sliced duck and stir fry for a few minutes still nice brown. 

Take it out and in the same oil, add garlic and cook for a minute till its gives nice aroma. 

Add vegetables and stir fry for a minute.

Add the duck back in. 

Add fresh rice noodles and sauce and mix it nicely and stir fry till noodles get soft and fully cooked. 

Add lots of fresh Thai Basil leaves  and sprouted mung beans and mix it

Serve it on a plate  and enjoy

Crispy Mongolian Tofu Stir Fry

I just love to use tofu in South Asian dishes except Indian so always looking for new ways to make it and this was always on mind ,its a very famous dish with Beef, which for vegetarian turned in to Tofu. As name suggested its Mongolian but its originated from Taiwan. These tofu is very firm and I made it crispy in very little oil but you can always shallow fried it and then coat with sweet and savory sauce. 

It perfectly goes with plain white rice but I was on the mood for rice noodles so I top it of my noodles with this tofu. This sauce is not spicy but If you want you can add more sambal sauce

For Tofu : 

1 block of Extra firm tofu, pressed and cut in pieces

2 tbsp. corn starch

Salt and pepper as per taste

For Sauce : 

1 tbsp.  each chopped ginger and garlic

1 green chili chopped

1 tbsp. Agave / maple syrup / Brown sugar - I have used Agave

2 tbsp. Dark soy sauce

2 tbsp. Sambal chili sauce

1 tsp Vinegar

2-3 dry red chili

Vegetables :

1 chopped orange pepper or any color pepper

1 onion cut in cubes

few broccoli florets - blanched

Oil for tofu and 1 tbsp., oil for sauce

Boiled Rice noodles to serve

Method : 

By Pressing tofu between paper or kitchen towel take out water, make sure its dry. 

cut tofu in pieces and coat it with corn starch and salt and pepper. 

In a pan, add little oil and when its hot, cook tofu from all the sides till its crispy. 

Remove it in a plate.

In a bowl. add agave, soy sauce, sambal, vinegar and mix it. 

Heat the same pan again with one tbsp. of oil.

When its hot, add freshly chopped ginger garlic and saute for few seconds till you get the nice aroma.

Add red and green chili in it. 

Add vegetables and cook on high flame for 1 minute. 

Add tofu and mix it with vegetables and cook for one more minute. 

Add sauce mix and again mix it so its nicely coated. 

If you want gravy, then add water as needed and then add corn starch and water slurry to make it thick but for me the way sauce was its fine so I didn't do it. 

If you want it make it fancy, sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions and served it hot with white rice , for me it was rice noodles. 

Not Fried Kolhapuri Kat Vada

This is a very interesting recipe with our usual bataka vada dunk in spicy gravy which is called Kat and served it with sev and onions. Usually Bataka vada is deep fried but I never made it that way, I always use my paniyaram pan to make those so there its one benefit its healthy and no extra calorie.  And for the kat or gravy its very simple , mainly ingredients are used in misal but here we have to make thin gravy and dunk our vadas and have it for a side dish or lunch or dinner. 

To write down its lengthy but don't get discourage by that , Its three process, first make stuffing for bataka vada, fry / not fried it , make Kat paste and make kat and just assemble. 

you don't have to follow my recipe for bataka vada, if you have yours. I am still going to post it, Just follow kat recipe and you are all set. 

For Bataka Vada mixture

2 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 finely chopped chili

few curry leaves

1 tsp Turmeric powder

3 boiled potatoes

Salt as per taste

lemon juice as per taste

finely chopped coriander leaves

For Besan for vada

1 1/2 cup besan / Chickpea flour

2 tbsp. rice flour

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp carom seeds

salt as per taste

water as needed 

1/4 tsp baking soda

few drops of oil for pan or if you are frying then enough oil for that

For Kat masala paste

2 tsp oil

2 pods cardamom

1/2 inch cinnamon

2 cloves

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp poppy seeds /  khuskhus

1 sliced onion

2 cloves of garlic chopped

1 tomato chopped

2 tbsp. dry coconut powder

For to make Kat (Rasa)

2 tbsp. oil

pinch of hing

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

3 cup water

salt as per taste

to serve - chopped onions, sev and chopped coriander leaves. 

Method for Bataka vada : 

In a pan, add oil , when its hot, add cumin, chili, garlic , curry leaves and hing.

Add turmeric powder also and add mashed potatoes in it. 

Add salt and mix everything and taste it.

Add lemon juice and coriander and mix again and let it cool down till you make better from besan. 

Take besan and rice flour, add powder masala, salt , ajwain and make mix it. 

Add water as required and make sure batter is lump free. 

add baking soda and mix it again. 

now if you are frying, heat up the oil , if you are not and using paniyaram pan, heat up the pan, add few drops of oil in all cavities.

Make a small ball sized potato mixture and dip in besan batter and put it in pan. 

Cook it from all the sides and finish all same way and keep it aside on cooling rack. 

Method for Kat : 

In a pan, add oil and add all whole spices including poppy seeds

After minute , add onion and garlic, cook till onions turn golden brown.

Add tomatoes and cook till its mushy.

Add coconut and sauté slightly. 

Cool completely and then blend it in a smooth paste, add water as required. 

In a same deep pan, add oil, hing , turmeric powder, chili powder and garam masala. 

Sauté for a minute. 

Add blended masala paste and sauté till the oil separates. 

Add 3 cups of water , salt and mix it. 

Cover and let it boil for 10 minutes or till oil separates.

Kat is ready. 

To serve : 

Put two vadas in a deep bowl. 

pour generous amount of kat on top of it so it goes inside of the vadas too. 

Top it with chopped onion, sev and coriander leaves.