Try this tofu

The refreshingly different and nutritious salad tofu tamatar is perfect to beat the scorching heat

THE world is almost equally divided between those who love tofu and those who hate it. Some swadeshi patrons of paneer feel that the insipid soya product is a Chinese agent, who shouldn’t be allowed to sneak past the border while there is no dearth of health food freaks, who swear by it. We, on our part, quite love it and have never understood why this aversion to foreign stuff when so much we consume with gay abandon isn’t native — from potatoes to chillies, tomatoes and tobacco. Well-respected food historians tell us that good old paneer arrived in India with the Portuguese but we shall not get into that debate. 

When our beloved daughter-in-law brought home a packet of tofu, she challenged us to cook an Indian dish with it. We were left with no choice but to redeem our honour. To be honest, we have mostly encountered tofu in Chinese and Japanese delicacies. Never easy to please, the lady of the house wished to have it in a salad incarnation suitable for the scorching season. What came to our rescue were delicious memories of the Kashmiri classic tamatar chaman. But for inspiration and similar sounding name, there isn’t much the two share. But let us assure you that the experiment turned out successful and now we can claim to have created a refreshingly different, nutritious salad.

Tofu  tamatar 

Ingredients
 Tofu (cut into cubes) 200g

Cherry tomatoes 200g

Dhania powder ½ tsp

Jeera powder ½ tsp

Chaat masala ½ tsp

Ginger powder ½ tsp

Red chilli powder ¼ tsp

Honey ½ tsp

Oil 2 tbsp

Method
Wash the tomatoes and mark a small cross at the top. Heat oil in a pan. Add tofu and stir-fry briskly on high flame for a minute. Then reduce flame and add the powdered spices with salt dissolved in a little water to avoid burning. Now put in the tomatoes and cook uncovered till tomatoes are glazed and the skin appears to crack slightly. Ensure that these are not overcooked. Remember this is a salad-like dish! Pour honey just before serving.





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