Pan Fried Tofu with Rosemary Quinoa and Caramelized Carrots

Quinoa is not a grain but a seed. It is a wonderful substitute for rice, pasta or potatoes and much more nutritional. This dish is perfect for the newly founded vegetarian and easy to make. If your cooking for others who do not care for tofu substitute it with chicken or turkey and follow the rest of the recipe as is. The caramelized carrots give a nice contrast the the slightly spicy tofu and nutty flavor of the quinoa. Careful with the rosemary as it has an overpowering flavor. A little goes a long way.

Ingredients

Tofu

250 g of tofu

200 g of wheat flour

1 tsp of your favorite dry herb

salt

3 tbs of soy sauce

1 chopped chili pepper

150 ml of peanut oil

Mix the flour, herbs and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Slice tofu into 1 cm thick slices. Season with soy sauce and chopped chili pepper. Set aside for at least 30 minutes. Remove the chili pepper from the tofu slices and cover with the flour mixture on both sides. 

Heat of the peanut oil in a large surface frying pan. Place the slices onto the heated oil and cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Careful not to burn!

Lay the tofu on paper towel to remove excess oil.

Quinoa

Ingredients

250 g of pure quinoa

500 ml of vegetable stock or water seasoned with salt and olive oil

1 sprig of fresh rosemary

Mix the ingredients in a pot and boil. Cover and cook on medium heat for 17 minutes. Turn off heat and let stand for 5 minutes with the lid. 

Caramelized Carrots

Ingredients

2 large carrots peeled and cut about 1 cm thick

300 ml of water

Salt to taste

1 tsp of butter

1 tsp of brown sugar

Ground pepper to taste

Boil the water in a small pot and season with salt. Add the carrots and cook for about 20 minutes. Strain the carrots and add butter, sugar and pepper.