Masala Tofu Scramble recipe | Spiced Tofu Scramble recipe | Tofu bhurji recipe | Tofu scramble with peas | Tofu Scramble recipe
Kick-start your day with this mouth-watering, heart-healthy & satisfying Masala Tofu Scramble that is also quick & easy to make. Made with firm tofu, vegetables, herbs & spices, this dish packs a punch of plant-based protein, calcium, iron, potassium, dietary fiber (keeping you full for longer) & flavor. Whether you’re a vegan, gluten-free or just looking to incorporate plant-based meals in your diet, this Masala Tofu Scramble is a must-try!
Why you’ll love this Masala Tofu Scramble
With its mild flavor, tofu is like a blank canvas, perfect to paint with your choice of flavors. For this recipe, I’m using spices & herbs commonly used in Indian cooking. This Masala Tofu Scramble is –
- Highly versatile – delicious as-is or with a toast, this also makes an excellent filling for sandwiches & wraps
- Packed with flavor – this recipe will take you on a journey of mouth-watering aroma and complex flavors by using aromatics such as ginger, onion, garlic, spices & herbs commonly used in Indian cooking.
- Rich in plant-based protein – tofu is a great vegan/vegetarian alternative for eggs or cottage cheese (paneer) or if you want to add more plant-based protein-rich foods to your diet
- Excellent source of calcium, iron & potassium
- High in dietary fiber making it a satisfying meal and keeping you full for longer
- Amp up the nutritional value & flavor by adding veggies
- No cholesterol – being a plant-based food, tofu does not contain any cholesterol & in fact, helps to reduce bad cholesterol, making it heart-healthy
- Vegan/vegetarian
- Naturally gluten free
- Perfect for any meal of the day
- Quick (less than 20 minutes) & easy to make
- Great make-ahead recipe, perfect for busy mornings. Stays good for up to 2-3 days in the refrigerator, simply reheat & serve
Ingredients needed for masala tofu scramble
Firm/Extra firm tofu – This recipe uses firm/extra firm tofu. Avoid using soft/silken tofu.
Aromatics – Since tofu has a mild flavor, I have used aromatic vegetables, spices & herbs to make this tofu scramble more exciting. Ginger, garlic, green chili, onion, tomatoes, spices & herbs tease your taste buds by creating layers of flavor & mouth-watering aroma.
This recipe is medium-high on heat with ginger, green chili, chili powder, ground black pepper & garam masala but you can easily adjust the heat by using a mild chili and/or reducing the amount of ground black pepper or chili powder.
Special aromatics – Some of the ingredients might not be in your pantry such as kala namak (black salt) or kasoori/kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), but they are worth adding to your spice collection as they add flavor & aroma and can be used in many other dishes you create. Both are easily available at Indian grocery stores.
Kala namak – kala namak or black salt provides an eggy aroma & flavor due to its sulphur content. Kala namak is commonly used in Indian cooking and is an essential ingredient in chutneys & various spice blends such as chat masala. Add it at the end, as the aroma goes away with cooking.
Do keep in mind to go easy on the normal salt initially as kala namak will also add to the saltiness.
Kasuri methi – is the dried version of the aromatic green leafy vegetable, fenugreek (methi), which also sneaks in nutrition and is the secret ingredient that will keep everyone guessing. It is usually added for its flavor and its mouth-watering aroma. The aroma and flavor are released by lightly rubbing the dried leaves between your palms to make a coarse powder before adding to the dish.
If you need some inspiration for using kasoori methi, check out these vegan & gluten-free Zucchini (courgette) fritters.
Vegetables – For this recipe I’m using peas, however you can easily use other vegetables such as capsicum, spring onions or any green leafy vegetables such as spinach & kale.
Can I cook the Masala Tofu Scramble in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the tofu scramble in advance & it is perfect for busy mornings. Store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days & reheat before serving.
Serving suggestions
This masala tofu scramble is delicious as-is or serve it with your choice of toast. It also makes a great filling for sandwiches and wraps, perfect for lunch or dinner.
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Masala Tofu Scramble recipe | Tofu bhurji recipe
Equipment
- Frying pan/wok
- weighing scale
Ingredients
- 250 gms firm/extra firm tofu, pat dried with a paper towel
- 1 tbsp oil
- ¼ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
- 1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 green chili, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion (approx. 1 small onion)
- ½ cup frozen peas (for more options, refer to notes)
- ½ cup chopped tomato (approx. 1 medium tomato)
- ½ – ¾ tsp salt or as per taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp chilli powder
- ⅛-¼ tsp ground black pepper or as per taste
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- ½ tsp kala namak (black salt, refer to notes)
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves, refer to notes)
- 1-2 tbsp chopped coriander/cilantro
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Take the tofu out of the packet & drain any excess water.
- Weigh the tofu & take 250 gms of tofu (the tofu may weigh more than what’s mentioned on the packet as it absorbs the water in the packaging).
- Using a paper towel, pat dry the tofu from all the sides.
- In a bowl, crumble the tofu using your hands (or a fork). Keep aside.
- Mince the ginger & garlic.
- Slit the green chili in half lengthwise and & finely slice it. I like to keep the seeds but if you prefer less heat, then scoop out the seeds before slicing the chili.
- Roughly chop the onion into small pieces.
- Roughly chop the tomato into medium size pieces.
- Rinse the frozen peas to thaw & bring them to room temperature. This helps to maintain the temperature in the pan while cooking.
- Finely chop the coriander/cilantro.
Cook the Masala Tofu Scramble
- On medium heat, heat oil in a medium-large frying pan (a wok or a wide pot is also fine).
- Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for approx. 15-20 seconds, taking care not to burn the seeds.
- Next, sauté ginger, garlic & green chili for approx. 45-50 seconds (just enough to remove the raw smell from ginger & garlic).
- Add the onion and sauté till light pink, approx. up to a minute.
- Put in the peas & the tomato. Mix.
- Mix in the salt (start with 1⁄2 tsp initially as we will also be adding kala namak that will add to the saltiness), turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ground black pepper & garam masala. If you prefer less heat, then reduce the amount of red chili powder & ground black pepper.
- Add the crumbled tofu and mix thoroughly to uniformly coat the tofu with the spiced onion & tomato mixture.
- Lightly rub the kasoori methi between your palms to make a coarse powder and add to the scrambled tofu.
- Add the kala namak & mix. Taste & add salt if needed. (if you find it hot for your taste, then adding a little more salt will reduce the heat)
- Switch off the gas & garnish with coriander/cilantro.
- Serve hot as-is or with a toast. This also makes a great filling for sandwiches & wraps.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup=250ml
- Frozen peas – In place of peas, you could also use ½ cup chopped capsicum or spring onions or any chopped green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale.
- Kala namak or black salt provides an eggy aroma & flavor due to its sulphur content. Kala namak is commonly used in Indian cooking and is an essential ingredient in chutneys & various spice blends such as chat masala. Add it at the end, as the aroma goes away with cooking.
- Kasoori/kasuri methi is the dried version of the aromatic green leafy vegetable, fenugreek (methi). It is usually added for its flavor and its mouth-watering aroma. The aroma and flavor are released by lightly rubbing the dried leaves between your palms to make a coarse powder before adding to the dish. If you need some inspiration for using kasoori methi, check out these vegan & gluten-free Zucchini (courgette) fritters.
- Cooking in advance – this is a great make-ahead recipe, perfect for busy mornings. Store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat & serve.
- Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator. Calories are calculated for the recipe if peas are used. The calories will change depending on the vegetable used and on the brand of tofu used.
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