Tofu Chili

Mm, "meaty." Complete with quotation marks. I made this for Mason's biodad once, back when I cared whether or not he starved to death. Haley is a fan of it as well. Hey, even my DAUGHTER will eat this! And you know how Rayna is about... you know, eating stuff.

1 package extra firm tofu, in small cubes
1 large can (26 oz?) crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
8 oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
8 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 finely chopped jalepeno peppers
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
The following spices, to taste:
chili powder, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper

1. In a bowl, combine the tofu with the seasonings. Do remember that tofu will take on the flavor of whatever it's cooked in - so add the spices DIRECTLY to the tofu before you start cooking.
2. Transfer tofu mixture to a (lightly greased) pot and add garlic and onion. Cook over medium heat until the tofu and onions are softened and browned, taking care not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, heat through.
4. Add veggies and beans and simmer until cooked through. 20 minutes? Whatever.

I usually serve it with shredded cheddar (soy if you're a better person than I) and a dollop of plain yogurt on top.

Eggplant Bharta

This is my all time favorite dinner. When I was single, I made it at least once a week - unfortunately, the man of the house isn't fond of eggplant so I don't fix it as often anymore. It's a Pakistani dish which I originally found on a vegetarian website several years ago. Spices are approximations since I never measure anything (sorry!).

1 medium to large eggplant
1 onion, sliced
1-2 tomatoes, diced
1 jalepeno, diced
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cooking oil
cooked basmati

1. Poke holes in the eggplant with a fork and place on foil-lined pan. Cook at 350 about 40 minutes or until the skin is brown and the inside of the eggplant is soft and pulpy. Set aside and allow to cool enough handle, then scrape out the pulp, mash, and set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet and add the cumin seeds. Cook the seeds in hot oil until the sizzle.
3. Add all other ingredients and stir to mix. Heat until cooked through. Serve over hot basmati rice.

Tofu Mutter

Since I'm allergic to dairy, I generally use deep-fried tofu when I make mutter. You can use cubed paneer cheese to make it more authentic, if you prefer.

1 package extra firm tofu, cubed and deep fried OR 1 package paneer cheese, cubed
1 package frozen peas
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 jalepenos, chopped
2 entire green onions, chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
1 piece crystalized ginger, chopped small
1-2 tbsp canola oil
to taste: turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, garam masala, whole cumin seeds.

1. If using tofu, cut into cubes and deep fry in about 1/2" vegetable oil until golden brown and slightly crisped on the outside. Set aside. If you have a problem with the tofu breaking apart when frying, freeze it overnight. If using paneer cheese, you only need to cube it.
2. Sautee onions and cumin in canola oil. Add the ginger and pressed garlic when the onions begin to turn brown and soft. Sautee while being careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Add the tomatoes, green onions, and jalepenos along with the other spices. Cook until the tomatoes and peppers are soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the tofu and peas and cook about 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.

Serve over basmati or jasmine rice. I also serve mine with homemade poori.