Curry Tofu Spring Salad

I've always had a passion for cooking ever since my early days working in a kitchen at the Zone Organic Market in Kamloops back in the early '90s.

Recently, I found myself with some tofu in the freezer that I wanted to use up. Having been a vegan/vegetarian for nearly 15 years (until a deer burger incident in 2007 – but that's a story for another time), I had accumulated some fantastic veggie cookbooks.

Being vegan taught me how to transform bland ingredients into delicious meals, which I still find useful today, even though I've incorporated meat back into my diet. Plus, when it comes to sauces, dressings, and marinades...

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*I am a wizard!✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

While I hardly ever consult my cookbooks for recipes anymore, I knew I'd find a great tofu dish in one of my vegan cookbooks. This time, it was the Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special Cookbook. It didn't disappoint! I followed the recipe, adding my own twist, and the result was fantastic.
​
I'll definitely be making this dish again – we loved it!

The Recipe

Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special Cookbook - 1999

• Prep: 30 minutes (make ahead of time to let it cool)
• Serves 6 as a side dish, 3 as a main (with salad greens)
• Can be used as a sandwich spread or served on crackers 
• Cooked chicken can be substituted (although I haven't tried this yet) 
• 3 cups water 
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use Redmond Real Salt - I am an ambassador and can offer a discount code) 
• 1 cake of tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (12 ounces) 
• 1 large carrot, peeled (if not organic) and shredded (keep the peel on if using organic) 
• ​1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped or minced (I used one large yellow pepper - use whatever you have access to) 
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped or minced 
• 1 celery stalk, chopped or minced 
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped or minced 
• ¼ cup pumpkin, sunflower seeds (I used about ½ a cup of sunflower and hemp hearts) 
• ½ cup mayonnaise (I use veganaise because it's lower in histamines) 
• 1-2 teaspoons of your favourite curry powder, to taste (my favourite is by far Monsoon Coast - Moghul Curry) 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (I didn't have lemons so I used organic lemon juice) 

I added: optional 

• ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder - however I would have used fresh minced garlic if I had it 
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (add at same time as lemon juice) 
• 1 teaspoon peeled grated ginger (used a parmesan grater and it worked excellent– add into mayo mixture) 
• 1 tablespoon of Bragg's liquid aminos (mix quickly into the tofu after it's been blanched and squeezed)
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (you'll need a little extra water if adding this
• Next time I'll add a little bit of oil (cold-pressed olive, grapeseed or avocado) 

I will be experimenting with things like adding oil as well as other veggies like broccoli and other fresh herbs. 

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan or pot. Add the salt, ease in the tofu cubes, and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain well (optional: can squeeze the water out with a nut milk bag / add Bragg's) and refrigerate.

In a serving bowl, toss together the carrots, bell peppers, celery, chives, and pumpkin or sunflower seeds. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, curry powder, and lemon juice. Stir the dressing into the vegetables and set aside in the refrigerator.

When the tofu has cooled, mix it into the vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least an hour, to allow the flavors to emerge.

Serve on salad greens, if desired. I used fresh greens from our Tower Garden™

Download this Recipe to print it...