Our Veggie Kitchen

I first tried to make scrambled tofu about year ago for the first time, for the last time ... er ... or something. It was bad. It was somehow dense and gooey at the same time. It glopped in my stomach and stayed with me through the next day. I failed. I'd eaten it in restaurants. I knew how it should taste. I also know that I couldn't make it myself.

Well, I've been on a tofu kick lately and wanted to revisit the tofu scramble. I did some internet research, queried some friends at Veggie Boards, bought 3 pounds of tofu and developed a plan: Try eight combinations, playing with texture, consistency and liquids to capture the eggy quality that a tofu scramble can be. Here's my story. If you're looking for a recipe, scroll to the bottom. Otherwise, bear with me, this is therapeutic.

I started at Morning Glory, a local breakfast & lunch eatery, for a taste of what a tofu scramble should be. I needed a refresher and their tofu scramble is good. Their potatoes and sauce are definitely a plus.



I went home, drained 3 pounds of tofu, cut them into 8 sections and crumbled half and shredded the other half. I chopped some onions and shredded some zucchini. Finally, I concocted a a liquid mixture soy milk, nutritional yeast, Indian black salt and a couple other spices. It smelled wonderful, a lot like egg yolks. I was feeling confident. As I worked, I learned some quick tips.

• Crumble the tofu, but not too much, and firm, for me works better than medium.
  
• Shredded tofu had it merit, but I preferred crumbled for 'eggs.'
  
• Fry the tofu without flipping or stirring until it begins to brown. Then turn.
  
• pour in the liquid until it begins to pool, then cook it out quickly while stirring.
  
• Indian Black Salt (kala namak)is awesome. Find it and use it. Also, it's not always labeled in English
  
• Scrambled eggs are actually quite white. A little nutritional yeast or mustard is plenty of color.
  
• Conversely, turmeric turns tofu unnaturally yellow. You don't need it.
  

Here are the eight results:


#1 - mashed with 1/4 cup soy milk. A little dry.
#2 - shredded with 1/4 cup soy milk. Better.
#3 - mashed with 1/2 cup soy milk, my favorite.
#4 - shredded with 1/2 cup soy milk too wet, I thought.
#5 - mashed, cooked with some onion & zucchini. Turmeric added.
#6 - shredded, cooked with some onion & zucchini. Turmeric added.
Note: You do not need turmeric for color.
#7 - mashed, cooked with some onion & zucchini.
#8 - shredded, cooked with some onion & zucchini.

My wife sampled each and, at #8, said "this tastes like chicken salad." I disagreed on the flavor, but it does have its merit. I chilled it added some apple (also good with minced celery) and it made for a tasty sandwich. Really!

I scrambled an egg and compared it to my tofu. For color, consistency and flavor, my favorite was #3. I chopped up some onions, cubed some zucchini, and fried up some field roast sausage and prepared to make pancakes with scrambled tofu. I must say, it was a huge hit.



Tofu Scramble
1 lb firm tofu, drained, crumbled or mashed
1 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup soy milk
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp Indian black salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Fry the onion in a little melted margarine until soft. Add crumbled tofu and cook over medium-high heat without stirring or turning until the tofu just begins to brown. Flip/stir and slightly brown again. While the tofu cooks, whisk together the remaining ingredients. When the tofu has firmed and the moisture cooked out, pour in the sauce and stir continuously until absorbed.

Feel free to add potatoes, veggies or whatever you like. I made this batch with zucchini chunks and Field Roast Italian Sausage.

4 Servings: 114 cal (6g fat, 4g carbs, 10g protein)