Quinoa, Tofu And Vegetable Stir Fry

If you are a food blogger, I have a question for you. Do you post recipes as and when you make them or do you take your sweet time posting them? I normally space them out because some days I am all charged up and create awesome recipes,while some days are just meant to be a salad and sandwich kind of day.

I have a few recipes and photos just sitting in my Drafts folder, waiting to see the light of day. It’s not that I don’t have the time or inclination to post them, but rather I don’t know what to say about some of them. Most of my posts have some funny anecdote, a childhood memory, a new recipe or trick learned that I simply must share with the world.

But some recipes just happen. What do I say about them? Like when I made this quinoa bowl. Quinoa been around for a long time and I use it now and then. But quinoa can be a bit boring. It inspires no great words. There, I said it! I am sure we’ve all felt that way about healthy foods once in a while.

But not any more. I have an interesting, but quick way of including this wonder food in your diet. It all started with my new decision obsession to eat fried rice or flavored rice every week. We know how that will turn out. So, what’s the work-around? Replace the white rice with something healthy, of course. Add lots of vegetables and some golden pan-fried tofu for a protein boost. You will not miss the rice or the chicken. Quinoa and tofu in an Asian style stir fry is the next best thing.

We start by sauteeing some onions, ginger and garlic along with the vegetables and pan-grilled tofu, adding a little bit of soy sauce and red chili flakes.

Add some cooked quinoa, give it another toss and you have “fried” rice quinoa.  You can use any combination of vegetables or even meat in your stir fry. But the tofu and quinoa together make for a very satisfying bowl, somewhat earthy, but full of flavor. I would also suggest using some kind of mushrooms as well.

Cooking quinoa without lumps and without the bitter after-taste are the only two things you need to take care of. To do that, simply rinse the quinoa well in cold water a few times. Use exactly double the volume of water/stock for cooking it and you will end up with fluffy, well-cooked quinoa.

QUINOA, TOFU AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY

You will need:

For the quinoa,

• Quinoa – 1 cup
• Water – 2 cups (can also use stock)
• Salt – 1/2 tsp (can be omitted if you are using stock)

For the stir fry,

• Oil – 2 tbsp, divided
• Firm tofu – 1 lb, drained and cut into strips or cubes
• Onion – 1/4 cup, chopped
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Garlic – 1 large clove, finely chopped
• Mushrooms – 1/2 lb, chopped (roughly as big as the tofu)
• Carrot – 1, chopped (roughly as big as the tofu)
• Broccoli – 1 small head, chopped (roughly as big as the tofu)
• Dark soy sauce – 3 tbsp
• Vinegar – 1 tbsp (I used white vinegar, you can use rice wine vinegar too)
• Sugar – a pinch
• Red chili flakes – 2-3 tsp (or as per heat desired)
• Salt and pepper – to taste
• Cilantro leaves – a few, to garnish

How to:

• Cooking the quinoa: Take the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and wash under cold running water for a few minutes. Use your fingers to gently rub the quinoa while washing.
• Take the washed and drained quinoa, salt and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover and lower the heat. Let cook for 15 minutes. Quinoa should have absorbed all the water and be fully cooked. If you see some water remaining, cover and cook for a couple more minutes.
• Once done, remove from heat and keep quinoa covered for 5 minutes. Then open the lid and fluff quinoa gently with a fork. Keep aside while you make the stir fry.
• Stir fry: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large wok or skillet. Add the tofu slices in a single layer and pan-fry them, turning them over so that all sides are browned uniformly. It will take a couple of minutes per side. Remove onto a paper towel lined tray and set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil and sautee the onions, ginger and garlic on medium-high heat, till onions are translucent.
• Then add the mushrooms and stir fry till browned, maybe 2-3 minutes. Finally add the rest of the vegetables and sautee for a couple of minutes till the vegetables are tender-crisp.
• Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and red chili flakes, toss with the vegetables and stir fry for a few seconds. Return the tofu to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Add the cooked quinoa and combine well.
• Season with extra salt and pepper if desired, garnish with torn cilantro leaves and serve hot.

Notes:

• I have used white quinoa. You can use black or red quinoa too or even a combination.
• Replace tofu with strips of chicken or other meat for a non-vegetarian version.
• Feel free to use any combination of vegetables you like. Bell peppers, peas, cabbage, bean sprouts and bamboo shoots would be great choices. I make this with any vegetable I have in the refrigerator. I once tried this recipe with stir fried red radishes and their greens. So delicious and so nutritious.

This is a complete meal on its own or you can serve this as a side with other stir fried vegetable or meat creations as well. As a main, it will serve 3-4 people and as a side, it can serve up to 6.

So tell me, do you go through a period of creative block as a blogger/writer? Do you think I should simply post recipes and be done?

On another note, have you tried quinoa stir fry? What is your favorite quinoa recipe? Do share.

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