January 13, 2016

Hemp-crusted tofu with cabbage



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?

6 comments:

  1. 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!

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    1. I'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.

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  2. This 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!

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    1. I 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!

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  3. Greetings 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

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    1. Thanks, 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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