I was reading a book review for "Superfoods 24/7" on Cadry's Kitchen, and one of the recipes mentioned in the review was hemp-crusted tofu. I was immediately seized by a craving for hemp-crusted tofu. Perhaps not everyone would become obsessed with tofu coated in hemp seeds, but I just couldn't forget about it. Cadry mentioned that the tofu was marinated in apple cider vinegar and tamari, and that was all I needed.
I sliced some extra-firm, water-packed tofu and patted it dry with a towel. Had I more patience, I would have pressed the tofu, but I'm all about immediate gratification when I'm hungry and obsessed. I mixed a small amount of balsamic vinegar and tamari in a dish, dipped the tofu into it, then spread the tofu pieces on a cutting board. I sprinkled the pieces with hemp seeds and coated both sides. The seeds adhered easily. I heated my 8-inch cast iron griddle, added a little avocado oil, and set about browning the tofu.
While the tofu was cooking, I thinly shredded a generous quantity of green cabbage, the lone green veggie left in the refrigerator. After the second side of the tofu was done, I placed it to the side and heaped the cabbage onto the griddle. I covered the pan with my wok lid and let it steam for a minute or two. The bottom of the cabbage was browned and crispy and the rest was nicely wilted but still fresh-tasting. It was an excellent lunch. I wish I'd thought to grate a bit of fresh ginger into the cabbage and add some hot pepper flakes. Next time.
As it turns out, I just learned I won a copy of Superfoods 24/7 on Olives for Dinner and am excited to be able to make the actual recipe for hemp-crusted tofu, as well as the other recipes in the book, soon! How do you use hemp seeds, if you do?
I had exactly the same reaction to the hemp crusted tofu - I thought it looked amazing and something I needed to eat a lot of, especially as I have both tofu and cabbage in the fridge. Only one hold up - no hemp! Talking of hemp recipes - I once had a hemp chutney at a restaurant and it was incredibly delicious. I've never found a recipe for such a thing online, so it lives on for now in my memory!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I'm not the only one who had that reaction. I can't even imagine what a hemp chutney would taste like. I think you need to get some hemp and recreate it! I don't always like hemp, by the way — I found both hemp milk and hemp yogurt very off-putting.
DeleteThis sounds like the perfect lunch, and I especially like the way you browned/steamed the cabbage. Cabbage is the best when it's a little bit burnt. I'll be interested to hear what you think of Jess' version of hemp crusted tofu! How serendipitous that you won a copy!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to receive the book. I turned down a lot of review books while I was "on sabbatical" and now I'm seeing the reviews of what I missed. I like cabbage shredded really thin and barely steamed/browned so it's still a bit crispy and has caramelized a bit. The cabbage isn't really burnt — it picked up the color from the tofu marinade in the wok, though a little burnt is good, I agree!
DeleteGreetings Andrea! Your tofu looks absolutely delicious, as does the cabbage you enjoyed alongside. Congrats on winning a copy of Superfoods - I hope you enjoy cooking from it and letting it inspire more hemp love! XO
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jess. I'm really looking forward to receiving my copy of Superfoods, after reading all the great reviews! I have a big jar of hemp that gets used up regularly, but one can never have too many recipes for using healthy ingredients! :)
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