Originally I planned to follow a recipe I found on the internet, just replacing the meat with tofu; but halfway through cooking I got into a creative flow and decided to change the rest of the ingredients and use a different method to finish cooking off. I was worried it will turn out horrible and will end up in the trash but I took the chance. And it is worth it! The dish is tangy, sweet, spicy, smoked and savory, and it fills you up with a good amount of vitamins and nutrients.
YIELDS
8 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 2 ripe magoes, pitted and diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 1 small bell pepper, finely diced
- 200g smoked tofu, cut into cubes
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 cup red lentil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika powder
- 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 150 ml coconut milk
- 100 ml water
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
Directions
1. In a small bowl, marinate tofu cubes with curry powder, black pepper, paprika, soy sauce and salt.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the tofu cubes in a single layer and cook 2 minutes or until browned lightly on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Using the same saucepan, add the remaining oil and saute the onions and garlic until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the sweet potato, pepper, red lentils, turmeric, chili, nutmeg, coriander and thyme, and stir well to mix. Add water and cover to cook. You might need a little more water if it cooks off too quickly.
5. Once lentils and sweet potato is halfway cooked through, add half of the coconut milk. Stir well to mix lower heat to a simmer, cover, and let the stew cook until sweet potato is soft and the flavors merge.
6. Stir in tofu, mangoes and the remaining coconut milk and heat until warmed through, but turn off the heat before the stew comes to a boil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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Photo: Imola Toth
