For my first recipe, I thought of picking what a lot of people, including many vegans, call “boring” food: poor old tofu.

Why does most of humanity make a face when it comes to tofu? Some even call it “cardboard” food! I want to bust the myth around the highly nutritious bean curd, which is such a good source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids.

This is one of my favourite breakfasts—incredibly quick, simple, and delicious!

Turmeric Tofu Scramble

 (Serves two)

Ingredients

250 grams pedigree quality/hard tofu, grated thinly

Organic coconut oil: 1/1.5 tablespoon

1 green chilli (easily available in Indian grocery stores), chopped

1 onion, diced

½ tsp Jakhya Cleome Viscosa seeds, or Asian Spiderflower; a good alternative is red mustard seeds

2 tomatoes, diced

Optional: a fistful of grated fresh coconut; if you cannot find this, dry/desiccated coconut

A few sprigs of fresh green coriander (cilantro)

1/3 teaspoon turmeric

Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Heat the pan and pour 1/1.5 full tablespoons of coconut oil into it (remember, the trick to the scrumptiousness of this recipe is in the coconut oil, so make sure to use this oil only).

2. Put ½ tsp Jakhya seeds or red mustard seeds and let them pop (you’ll hear slight crackling sound) but don’t overheat or burn them; I’d say, give them 10-15 seconds in the hot oil, no more.

3. Add the chopped green chilli, and five seconds later, add the finely diced onion.

4. Add half the amount of total salt that you will use now, and mix it up in the onions (adding some salt at this stage makes the onions cook faster, and helps conserve the gas/electricity).

5. Sauté the onions until they turn a light shade of golden brown, and then add the finely diced tomatoes.

6. Sprinkle 1/3 tsp turmeric over it and mix it up well. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes; you want to cook the tomatoes but to the point that they are still crunchy; do not let them turn mushy.

7. Add the grated tofu into the wok and turn it around gently to mix all the ingredients. Grating the tofu into thin strips allows it to absorb all the flavours/oil/juices much more deeply. Always grate tofu for maximum taste and flavour absorption!

8. After mixing all the ingredients for about a minute, turn off the gas. Sprinkle that fistful of grated coconut/or dry, desiccated coconut on top. If you’re unable to find coconut in any form, you can skip this part and it will still taste as good.

9. Add chopped green coriander leaves, et voilà—your super tasty, super healthy, and filling breakfast is ready!

Don’t forget the gratitude prayer (yes, it can be silent and internal, and you don’t have to close your eyes!)

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Read this beautiful piece by Vibha: Kitchen as a Sacred Space, Cooking as Meditation.