Chickpea Flour Crumb Coated Tofu

Confession: this recipe is all thanks to my Mum! These delicious crumbed tofu chunks are the perfect addition to a packed lunch or picnic, with some dips and veggie sticks – yummy hot or cold

I look up to my Mum in many ways, especially in her lifestyle choices and views on food – she believes that food can aid in healing the body and in our mental health. She has always made me aware of how lucky we are to be able to choose what we want to eat, it is a privilege that not everyone has unfortunately. I was always raised eating more fruits and vegetables than animal products and also drank soy milk instead of dairy. I never questioned her motives as to why we ate that way, I just always knew that she had the right intentions, to eat mindfully and consciously for our health.

Shortly after I decided to go vegan, she decided to as well – ever since she has been experimenting with new ingredients and methods in the kitchen, never following a recipe.. always just trying things out. This is important as a vegan, so many people find it difficult when they first go vegan because they realise that they will have to start cooking more! It doesn’t mean that you have to be a qualified chef or spend excessive amounts of money on produce and superfood powders – all you need to have is patience and are willing to learn.

My Mum suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, which is an “incurable” disease of the central nervous system that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.  The effects of MS are varied and unpredictable, and no two people with MS will have the same symptoms. However, with a healthy plant-based vegan diet, regular moderate exercise (staying mobile) and a positive attitude – she has not seen any progression in her symptoms and is not on ANY prescription medication or treatment. I can’t begin to express how proud I am of her and how inspirational she is to me.

Recently, I visited her at home and she had a delicious surprise awaiting me… chickpea flour crumb coated tofu, to be exact. So, I thought I’d pair it with some fresh veggies and beetroot hummus – turning out to be an all round epic lunch feast. Anyway, let’s get to how to make Mumma Bambi’s amazing tofu:

Ingredients:

• 1 x 350 gram block firm tofu
• 3/4 cup besan flour (chickpea flour)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• Salt and peper to taste
• Optional: chilli flakes (if you like it hot)
• Coconut oil (for cooking)

Method:

1. Press excess moisture from tofu with paper towel. Slice tofu into bite size chunks.
2. In a shallow bowl, mix besan flour, smoked paprika, sumac salt, pepper.
3. Pour tofu pieces into coating mixture and coat well.
4. Pan fry in coconut oil, until golden brown (approximately 3 minutes each side)Enjoy!If you’d like to see my Mum’s instagram where she shares some of her food, go check it out: @energyeternalX Bambi