Vegan Masala Tofu Scramble/Bhurji

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Mood: Who doesn’t like a good scramble right? The culinary concept of a scramble is adored across the world, represented in almost every cuisine & of course, India is right there in the global kitchen; ready to spice things up! We love adding a masala twist to the traditional scramble & we also have our own name for it: The Beloved Bhurji🙂 While the old fashioned scramble/bhurji is traditionally made with eggs, the vegan world has a wonderful plant based alternative:) Tofu! If cooked the right way with the right ingredients, the Tofu scramble tastes just as good as it’s traditional counterpart & I would argue, it actually tastes better! While I dig my plant based lifestyle, my husband follows a non vegetarian diet & I  knew I would have to work extra hard to win him over. Yes, I could have argued with him about the truth & horrors of the egg industry or watched him whip up his own scrambled eggs; but I chose instead to make him a Firm Tofu (see what I did there?) Believer by creating a vegan version of a traditional egg-based dish that tastes better than the original! And that’s where the secret ingredient comes in: Black Salt/Kala Namak (in Hindi)! While Tofu can replicate the texture of the traditional scramble; Kala Namak adds a certain egg-like hit to the dish & actually comes very close to mimicking the taste of a traditional scramble. When my husband finally took the first bite of the Vegan Masala Tofu Scramble/Bhurji, his eyes lit up in disbelief & I knew in that moment: Mission Accomplished! Indeed; the recipe is Skeptic Husband Approved & this makes me Soy Very Happy! (see what I did there again?) Simple. Delicious. Wholesome. This recipe is bound to be a crowd favourite:) Happy Cooking!

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Time: 15 minutes
Serving Size: 2-3 people
Category: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Author: Animagus Eats

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Ingredients:
Scramble/Bhurji
• 1 Big Packet of Firm Tofu (397 g/14 oz)
• 3 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
• 1 1/4 cup Onions (chopped)
• 3/4 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/4 cup Green Peas (fresh/frozen)
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Masala/Spices
• 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
• 1 Bay Leaf (Tej Patta) (optional)*
• 1 tsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi) (optional)
• 1 Dried Red Chilli/ 1/2 Chopped Green Chilli (optional)
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1/4 tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Curry Powder*
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
• 2 tsp Black Salt (Kala Namak) (optional)*
• 1/4 tsp Salt (to taste)

Garnish
• Red Chilli Powder (optional)
• Fresh Coriander Leaves (optional)

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Method:
1. Let’s start with the scramble:) Chop the Tofu block into rough cubes & pop them into a blender/food processor. Blend the cubes for 10-15 seconds until the Tofu has a chunky crumbly texture & set aside for later:) Remember to not over process the tofu because who wants to end up with a mince like tofu paste?!

2. Time to get cooking! Heat the Olive Oil in a wide/shallow frying pan (medium heat). Add the Cumin Seeds & Bay Leaf to the hot oil & watch the two sizzle (Tadka as we call it in Hindi) for about a minute:) Next, add the Dried Red Chilli/chopped Green Chilli & sauté for another minute.

3. Now, add the chopped Onions & Garlic to the frying pan & sauté for about two minutes; until the raw onion/garlic aroma disappears:)

4. Next, add the chopped Tomatoes & sauté for another two minutes; until the tomatoes start to get nice & soft:)

5. Time for the Masala Magic! Add the Curry Powder, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder & Garam Masala Powder to the frying pan & combine well with the tomato/onion/garlic mixture. Sauté for two minutes; until the tomatoes start releasing a tad bit of oil around the edges of the pan:)

6. Next, add the Green Peas & sauté again for another minute or two:)

7. Finally, it’s time for the show stopper! Add the scrambled Tofu to the pan & combine well with all the other ingredients:)

8. Add the Black Salt/Kala Namak to the Tofu scramble & mix well again. Do a taste check & add more salt/spices if needed:) Once you’re happy with the flavours, let the Scramble mixture cook for about two to three minutes on the pan (medium heat) & stir the scramble after every 30 seconds. This is how we can make sure that the masala finds it way into every nook & corner of the Tofu scramble:)

9. Once the Tofu is fully cooked, switch off the gas/heat & transfer the Tofu scramble to the serving bowl:) Garnish with Red Chilli Powder & Fresh Coriander Leaves:) And voila! Your Vegan Masala Tofu Scramble/Bhurji is ready to be served:) #HappyEating

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Notes:
*If you don’t have Bay Leaves/Tej Patta and/or Dried Fenugreek Leaves/Kasuri Methi; then you can skip them for the recipe:) Obviously though; the more ingredients; the better the taste:)
*Curry Powder is available in all major grocery stores across the world; as well as; online stores like Amazon. I’ve used the Madras Curry Powder from Sainsbury’s UK/Curry Powder Mix from Trader Joe’s USA. You can also make the Curry Powder at home using this DIY recipe by by Minimalist Baker:)
*Black Salt/Kala Namak is the key ingredient that will make egg lovers come begging for more! However, if you’re not too fussed about recreating the egg-like taste, you can skip the Black Salt/Kala Namak; & the Tofu scramble will still blow your mind:)