Although I am vegetarian, and not vegan, World Vegan Month seems a good month to share a couple ofย good vegan recipes with you.
Over the past year I have been trying to cut down on dairy produce, and the result has been a lot of experiments… some more successful than others! Seitan and similar meat substitutes are completely superfluous to someone who hasn’t eaten meat for over 20 years; cheese substitutes are mostly inedible (my opinion!); tofu, however, is a lifesaver – I love it! This first recipe I want to share uses tofu and has become a favourite, partly because it is such an informal affair… i.e. you get sticky fingers eating it! ๐
Tofu Wraps
For the marinated tofu you will need:
- 200g (7 oz) firm tofu, cut into narrow strips
- 2 tbsps tomato puree
- 4-5 tbsps olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 – 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
- plenty of freshly ground black pepper
- any other herbs or spices you fancy adding, such as chilli, coriander, onion powder etc
Spread the tofu strips over the base of a large dish or baking tray and cover with all the marinade ingredients. Do this as early in the day as possible, or even the night before, so the tofu can absorb all the flavours. Stir a few times during the day. I give mine about 10-12 hours to marinate.
For the wraps:
- 4 large soft tortilla wraps, warmed
- 1/2 an iceberg lettuce, cut into smallish chunks
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
For the tsatsiki, mix all the following ingredients together and let stand a few minutes before serving:
- 220ml (1 cup) (soya) yoghurt
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- squeeze of lemon juice
- 1/2 small cucumber, cut into very small chunks
- salt and pepper
Just before you are ready to eat, heat a little sunflower or olive oil in a skillet/frying pan and on a medium to high heat fry the tofu, marinade and all, turning frequently, until warmed through and slightly crispy.
Now the fun part! Place a wrap on a plate, sprinkle lettuce on the centre and then bits of tofu, salad and finally tsatsiki. Then wrap!
The packet showed us how…
… but I will spare you the photos of us eating! ๐ The challenge is to eat this without any sauce dripping out… practically impossible, but that’s what makes it such a fun meal. ๐
What do you do with wraps?
We eat mostly vegetarian other than chicken if we are out. Tofu is wonderful! You have given me another choice. Thanks!
Great! Hope you try this out some time! ๐
Absolutely great recipe to try! Living in Australia and cooking about 70% Asian/Aussie fusion tofu naturally is one the menu at least 3-4 times a week in spite of not being vegetarian or vegan! But you have prepped it more European style which I simply must try out ๐ ! Shall change the salad to one of the soft varieties like rocket or baby spinach or tatsoi . . .Thanks and have a great weekend!!
Thanks Eha! Good to hear from you! I bet rocket would be good too, but we like the crunch with iceberg. Depends what’s in season. I have to chooses herbs and spices that we both like, so Mediterranean style is most common! ๐
I’m not vegetarian but do usually have four vegetarian days a week, because we love vegetables and because I don’t believe that anyone who wants to be healthy should eat meat every day and it isn’t good for the planet either. Tofu is very difficult to find in this land of people who only eat Italian products! What worries me about tofu is that almost all of it is made with GM soya, it is almost impossible to find soya that isn’t GM anywhere in the world these days, there has been so much contamination. Your recipe sounds delicious, I usually salt cucumber to remove the water before making tsatsiki but if you make it just before eating it I suppose that isn’t necessary.
I can get non-GM organic tofu and one brand is even made in the south of Germany from German-grown plants! ๐ I do have to make a trip to a different supermarket for it, but it freezes beautifully so I can stock up every few weeks. (I cut it into pieces before freezing and it defrost quicker then.)
I have never bothered salting cucumber for tsatsiki as we don’t mind a slightly thinner sauce. I use small cucumbers if I can find them and remove any excess seed from the middle.
Cathy: you have given me a wonderful tip – would you believe I did not know tofu would freeze and, on occasion, some has become too old to use: no more ๐ !
I just bought several packs to freeze today! ๐ I think it absorbs flavours better after freezing too.
Sounds good Cathy. I lived with a vegetarian and a vegan for a year as a student and did not eat meat then or for the following four years. Unfortunately a bacon butty was my eventual downfall ๐ฆ We are now trying to have a few meat free days every week so I am tempted to try your recipe. Thank you for the idea ๐
It might be interesting to give this a try Anna! I know a lot of people are very wary of tofu, possibly having eaten bad examples, but this marinade makes it so tasty! ๐
Rad lookin’ tofu! ๐ One of the best things I ever did was quit eating dairy – life is so much tastier now haha. Have you heart of the Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook? It has some EPIC aged vegan cheese recipes, definitely worth checking out if you are a keen cook and want to explore non-dairy cheese a little more ๐
Hi Lissa! Thanks for the book recommendation. I’ll have to take a look at that. Still a bit sceptical about dairy alternatives, so making my own may be the answer! ๐
I love wraps, in fact I !love any food that means everyone has to get stuck in assembling and then eating, though I normally wind up requiring more napkins than anybody else thanks to leakage etc… I’ve never cooked tofu, you almost persuade me…
LOL! I forgot to mention the need for napkins… a roll of kitchen paper on the table is also good! ๐ Go on and try it Janet. Tofu is so healthy and if marinated tastes really really good! ๐ Look for a non-GM firm tofu if you do decide to try it.
Your food always looks delicious. A few drips make it even better.
๐ Finger-licking good, as they say! Thanks Susie!
I haven’t tried tofu Cathy, this looks a winner though and I shall try my family with it. We are eating far less dairy and virtually no wheat now, what is tofu made from? I noticed too the comments on GM, I read an article recently which said attitudes had changed dramatically to GM and folk were accepting more the need to find plants which required less chemicals to controls pests and diseases once planted. I am not sure now what I think and would like to understand more.
That’s certainly an interesting thought, but GM food is surrounded by so much controversy still and sponsored by the big companies that only have profit in mind… that will probably never change. I remain firmly opposed to it! I hope you do try tofu Julie, as it an excellent cholesterol-free source of protein as well as being so versatile! ๐
Despite being vegetarian, I haven’t cooked with tofu for years… your recipe sounds like a good family-friendly meal (apart from the mess!), everyone loves filling their own wraps to eat.
I resort to tofu more and more frequently these days – I also use it instead of paneer cheese in curries! I have another tofu recipe to share soon. ๐
Wraps filled with vegetable chili with guacamole on the side, delicious.
Guacamole is an excellent idea as an accompaniment. Thanks Phil!
Looks good! We don’t really make wraps, but sometimes I buy one. There’s a place that sells good curried chicken wraps and hoisin duck wraps.
They have only just become popular in Germany, and in Bavaria ready-made ones are difficult to find still!
I am always on the hunt for more great tofu recipes. Tofu is not only vegan but economical! The recipe to marinade the tofu is excellent, I know my family would enjoy these wraps.
That’s true, and more filling than you would think. I think the marinade can be changed to suit almost any taste too. If you do make them I hope your family enjoy them! ๐
I probably shouldn’t be looking at this post when I’m hungry. No tofu in sight over. ;P Those tofu strips look great!
๐ It’s one of those dishes that has evolved with time and now become a regular favourite! ๐
I love tofu but haven’t eaten much lately as we do eat a lot of meat- but generally only local meat that comes from the island. I’ve been researching the Weston Price philosophy and find it quite interesting. But I LOVE trying everything- including vegan, raw- all of it. I’ve been having a lot of fun with cashews- they are so creamy. My fav lately is a creamy cashew, lemon garlic dressing I use on raw kale salads. The kale is about the last thing growing (well not dying) in the garden.
I’m liking the looks of this tofu though so will have to get it on the menu this week! cheers… wendy
I love cashews in sauces too, especially curries as it adds creaminess without the cream! Hope you enjoy this Wendy! Have fun cooking, and thanks for your comment!
These do look like a good starting point for a novice tofu consumer. I love the added flavours and can’t wait to give it a go ๐
I hope you will, as it is a real eye-opener to non-tofu eaters! ๐
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