Tandoori Tofu

I am always trying to include Tofu in my diet. Especially when I am not using any other form of  proteins in my food.My personal opinion is that Tofu does not go with any Indian preparations. It has a characteristic smell that cannot be masked. Or, atleast I thought that till I found this recipe. Love the way it turned out.

Ingredients-
           Tofu- Firm or Extra firm ..Cubed 1 inch
           Yogurt- Fat free or 2% - 1 cup
            Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
            Paprika/chillipowder-1 Tsp
            Turmeric-half tsp
            Garam masala half Tsp
            Salt to taste
            Bell Peppers - Red, green and yellow -cubed-2 cups
            Onion - 1 - cubed -large pieces





Method;
To the one cup of Yogurt add ginger garlic paste,
paprika/ chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala powder and salt .
Pat dry the cubed Tofu to remove any excess water. Gently mix in the yogurt with the tofu cubes, and let it marinate. For best results, leave it in the refrigerator overnight. A min of 4 -5 hours is necessary for th spices to penetrate the tofu.
    Lightly grease a griddle/ tava with oil and cook the tofu pieces on every side till golden brown .Reserve the left over marinade.

Mix the Veggies with a spoonful of oil. and put it under the broiler. Slightly charred edges give a nice flavor. Alternatively veggies can also grilled/ sauteed. Once the veggies and cooked half way remove from the broiler, mix in the yogurt mix and grill for a couple more minutes . If sauteing, add yogurt to the mix and heat till it gets warm.
   Transfer to a serving platter. Arrange the tofu on top. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Served with Phulkas or home made Whole wheat naan ( no butter- recipe coming soon), Awesome!
A little bit from every food group! My motto is Healthy food can be fun ...It need not be boring.
Ciao!

Some bean salad Ideas( Garbanzo and Vatana)

"Salads that are healthy and filling" ....
  Some days my lunch is Salad. Just veggies? Have to get back into the kitchen looking for more food in an hour or 2. Adding Cooked beans/lentils/peanuts into the salad helps endure hunger for longer time.
In India we would find this as street side food. I have fond memories of eating such salads on train travels to my grandma's place. Warm boiled/roasted peanuts or Kala channa( A distant dark cousin of Garbanzo bean ) with finely chopped Onion, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber and sometimes raw mango. Add a dash lime juice, Salt, chilli powder, chat masala and mustard oil .....Hmmm one of my yummiest memories. Hearty and healthy.

Couple of Ideas for these salads
.1)Green Vatana
This Salad is in the lines of Masala puri , a very popular street food in Bangalore. I use Green Vatana/ Dried green peas...It is almost a cross between a soup and salad.
Pressure cook a cupful of green Vatana with tamarind,salt and ginger to taste till soft.
I like it when some of the peas are over cooked forming the gravy.

Toppings-
Green Chutney- grind together 1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves
                          Half cup Mint leaves
                          Green chillies/ red chillies
                          2 pods of garlic(optional)
                           dhania zeera powder 1tsp
                          spoonful chopped onion
                          half tomato chopped
                          half spoon tamarind paste
                         Jaggery/ brown sugar 1--2 spoons ( optional)
                         Salt to taste
                          Kala namak- half spoon
                  This can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. Eaten with pretty much anything.
Onion  - finely chopped
Tomatoes- finely chopped
carrots - grated
Peanuts-dry roasted till crunchy..can be fried too
Sev -Store bought ...the only fried indulgence in this dish. Can be omitted.
I guess a couple of teaspoons wont hurt :)
Cilantro finely chopped
Lemon juice to taste

Serve in a cup with choice of toppings ...I love it with a couple of tsps of everything

1] Garbanzo bean salad

Garbanzo bean ( kabuli channa)- 1 can/cup  drained and washed( cooked)
Can also be soaked in water overnight and cooked till tender.

Romaine lettuce-1 cup
Baby spinach- handful

red cabbage sliced finely- half cup
carrots sliced finely- half cup
cucumber- sliced/chopped- half cup
Dressing
   Olive oil 2 tsps
   Lemon juice- half lemon
   salt, pepper,Paprika, chat masala
 Mix well and add to the the above mixture
Enjoy ..
Can even be stuffed inside a pita or tortilla to make a wrap.

Will post more ideas of filling salads ...as and when I make them.
I hope to lose some weight before my sister's wedding in November. I need to exercise regularly.Wish me good luck!