When it comes to whipping up a delicious vegan recipe that doesn’t take too much time but gives up a maximum flavor you can’t go wrong with this spicy sesame tofu recipe. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or time, but it does require some patience to see you through to the end.
The good thing about this simple vegan recipe is that it doesn’t require you to be a major foodie or Top Chef to make it work. Just think about your favorite flavors and use your spice cabinet to make that work for the tofu. Do you love Indian or Asian flavors? Down home Italian? Soul food? Whatever your taste buds prefer, do that. It’s a great start to pretty much any vegan recipe.
Once you know what flavor profile you’re going for, pull the herbs and spices, measure them out and get ready to marinade your tofu until it’s time to cook it. Add rice and bing-bang-boom, you’re ready to eat in about 40 minutes…or less!
TOFU
The first thing you want to do for this recipe is break up the tofu brick with your hands. Normally I’m a knife and cutting board girl, cutting things up in a uniform fashion but this recipe works better like this. I promise.
So, break it up and drop the pieces into a mixing bowl where you will add your favorite herbs and spices. I went with an Asian flavor (because of course I did) that included soy sauce, ground ginger, ground lemongrass, cumin, smoky paprika, garlic and oregano. Toss the tofu well until all the pieces are coated.
I went for an oil-free vegan recipe but if you want to add oil to this vegan recipe, do it before you season everything.
COOK IT
I made this recipe long before I bought an air fryer which means I cooked it in the oven to get the edges of the tofu nice and crispy. If you do it in the oven, I recommend cranking it up to about 400 degrees Celsius, cooking for 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s crispy-crunchy. Check it once about halfway through cooking and give it a good toss.
If you’re using an air fryer, half the time will work (10 minutes) on the same temperature and again, if you want some extra crunch, feel free to add a few grams of oil but it’s totally optional.
Check it every five minutes or so after the 20 minute mark to make sure you get the consistency you’re going for.
TURMERIC RICE
In addition to the numerous health benefits of turmeric, it gives your rice a beautiful and vibrant color that pops and fascinates the eyes.
Seriously though, turmeric isn’t just a decorative option for your plate, it also helps with inflammation, muscle soreness and even some age-related illnesses. If you can find it fresh, do it and grate about a tablespoon into everything! That’s what I do on those rare occasions I find it fresh, and yes I do end up with yellow fingertips for days. And days!
Anyway instead of cooking the turmeric while you boil the water for rice, I like to just add it to the water with the rice and then cook as usual. It’ll give it a hint of turmeric flavor and the bright golden color that lets you know you’re getting healthy.
Let the rice cook and then let it steam for a few minutes by placing the lid half-open. Fluff and serve as desired.
This is an easy vegan recipe that seems far more complicated than it actually is. When you’ve plated everything up, sprinkle with about 3 to 5 grams of sesame seeds (toasted or untoasted) for a delicious nutty crunch with every bite.
Hint: This also works with chickpeas!
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The Spicy Spatula 
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