Time Off

What could it be?

     You might have noticed I took time off again. It tends to happen when I go home, something about my need to cook and in general have any responsibilities or obligations shutting off. They are on again - or maybe halfway on since I'm on the bus to Philly, and I don't really have to cook, just blog.

     Also, because I have a ton of recipe catching up to do. I went a little crazy last week, actually cooking every day again, because I was just so happy to have vegetables and cook fresh food. I'm going to have to grocery shop soon because I refuse to go through the kind of drought I had after spring break again. I may have a midterm next Monday, but I will grocery shop this week. Eating out just doesn't cut it.

     So, what first to share with you? It's a good thing that pictures get downloaded off cameras in chronological order, because now I can just share what I made longest ago with you today. That sentence got convoluted, but I'm sure you know what I mean. What did I make longest ago? Let's check the Pictures Folder. Oh right. Tofu. It was tofu week last week, and you are going to be hearing about tofu in many different incarnations. I'm excited, and if you are not excited than just be glad that even I cannot eat tofu for every meal so there are some non-tofuy things coming up as well.

So healthy!

     The tofu recipe of the day is mindnumbingly simple. It involves mixing a lot of things while cooking them in a frying pan, and then eating them super fast with a tortilla or roti or some rice because you don't have time or are famished after a long day. This is the kind of meal that is: super quick, super yummy, super super. Super. I'm happy today? Just looking forward to getting off this bus I guess.

     This is tofu done the Indian way. Its like mock scrambled eggs: Fry up some onions, spices, and tomato paste, dump in finely chopped tofu (instead of the eggs), whatever veggies you may have, mix everything together until it is cooked, and eat. It is flavorful. It is satisfying. I was so hungry I ate it right out of the pan and my tongue was burned for days - sometimes, you should not follow my example. Except when you have tofu and are out of fancy ways to cook it. Then you should make this, and be glad.

Tofu Scramble 

1/2 tbsp Vegetable Oil 
1/2 mid-sized Yellow Onion, Chopped as small as you like eating onions 

1/2 tsp Turmeric 

1 tsp Garam Masala 

1 tsp Coriander 
1/2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/3 block Tofu, Sliced and then chopped into very small pieces 
Dash of Salt

Heat the oil in a frying pan at medium heat. Add the turmeric, garam masala, and coriander, stirring and frying for a minute. Then, add the onions and fry until they are translucent. Mix in the tomato paste and fry it for a minute, then dump in the tofu and the dash of salt. Stir everything together thoroughly until it is well combined (the tofu will become rather yellow from the turmeric). Cook at medium heat for about four minutes, stirring all the while, and you are ready!

Note: You may have noticed I also added three mushrooms (sliced) and maybe a half a handful of kale I had left to my scramble. I added them in at the same time as the tofu, and just left everything in the pan for a little longer to make sure each veggie was cooked properly. Feel free to do the same if you have mushrooms, spinach, kale, fresh tomatoes, etc. You will feel extra healthy.