Minced Tofu

I consider this to be the Swiss army knife of recipes for its versatility, and once you make this, you’ll never buy ready-made processed soya mince again.  It’s a hearty and healthier option than bought soya mince to add into uncooked options. 

Try it scattered on a salad, or added to a wrap, or you could use it with a raw sauce to make a half raw and half cooked Spaghetti Bolognese or Lasagne.  Add a raw teriyaki sauce and serve it with cauliflower rice, or courgette noodles. You can take it to Italy with a little oregano and basil,  make a ‘sausage’ version with fennel, thyme, oregano and smoked paprika to add to a ‘pasta alfredo’ or add in some Chinese 5 spice and add to Asian inspired noodles.

It’s the texture of this that’s important as much as the flavour.  It’s a little bit chewy and a perfect accompaniment for so many dishes.

Grating the tofu and baking at a high temperature is important to get the chewy texture.

Once made, this can be stored in an airtight container and stored in the fridge for 3 days.   

Note: Depending on your oven, if you are making several batches of this, subsequent batches will need less time – maybe just 15 minutes - since some ovens can get hotter over time.

I make this at least once a week so I can always make a quick lettuce wrap or add it to raw nachos with guacamole and Pico de Gallo. Sometimes I mix in a tin of mixed beans to increase the protein and fibre profile.  If you wanted to add some raw protein, after baking and whilst still warm, sprinkle in a couple of tablespoons of soaked and drained sunflower seeds and/or chopped walnuts and mix so all the flavours amalgamate.

INGREDIENTS

1 block firm plain tofu (about 400g)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons garlic power

2 teaspoons onion power

salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220C (Fan 200C).

Grate the tofu using a course grater. Alternatively, you can crumble the tofu into small pieces.

Lay the grated tofu/tofu crumbles in a nut milk bag or tea towel and squeeze the tofu to remove any excess moisture.

Put the grated tofu into a bowl. Add the olive oil and spices and mix gently.

Spread this onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes in a preheated oven, checking halfway and moving it around a bit to ensure it is browning evenly. Be careful because a minute or two too much and it can blacken.

When it is browned, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place in an airtight container until required. This will keep for around 3 days in the fridge.