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Han Dynasty China · 200 BC · The Discovery of Tofu

Vegan Breakfast Burrito with Scrambled Tofu

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Vegan Breakfast Burrito with Scrambled Tofu
Han Dynasty China · 200 BC · The Discovery of Tofu

Dòufǔ de Chéngsheng

The origin of tofu is attributed, in Chinese culinary legend, to Liu An — Prince of Huainan, grandson of the founder of the Han Dynasty, and one of the most remarkable polymaths of the ancient world. Liu An was an alchemist, a philosopher, and a noted epicure who maintained a household of thousands in the second century BC. According to the tradition recorded in the Bencao Gangmu — the great Ming dynasty encyclopedia of natural history — he was attempting to create an elixir of immortality from soybeans when he accidentally introduced sea salt into the soybean milk, causing it to coagulate into curds. Whether or not Liu An invented tofu, the Chinese culinary tradition had mastered it by the Tang dynasty and refined it to an extraordinary degree by the Song, producing dozens of distinct textures and preparations — silken, firm, extra-firm, dried, smoked, fermented — each suited to different cooking applications. The technique of scrambling firm tofu with turmeric and black salt to mimic scrambled eggs is a modern innovation, but it relies on the Han dynasty understanding of tofu's fundamental nature: a protein matrix that, when broken apart and seasoned aggressively, absorbs flavor and adopts texture with the same willingness as an egg. The burrito format is Tex-Mex, the filling is Han dynasty, and the result is one of the most improbable but successful cultural fusions in contemporary cooking.
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Ingredients

1 12-ounce package firm or extra-firm tofu*
1 tsp oil (or 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp hummus (store-bought or DIY)
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup minced parsley
5 whole baby potatoes (chopped into bite-size pieces)
1 medium red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
1 tsp oil (or 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water)
1 pinch sea salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder (not ground chili)
2 cups chopped kale
3-4 large flour or gluten-free tortillas (ensure vegan friendly - I like TJ’s brand)
1 medium ripe avocado (chopped or mashed)
Cilantro
Chunky red or green salsa or hot sauce

Method

I

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (use more baking sheets if increasing batch size). In the meantime, also wrap tofu in a clean towel and set something heavy on top - such as a cast-iron skillet - to press out excess moisture. Then crumble with a fork into fine pieces. Set aside.

II

Add potatoes and red pepper to the baking sheet, drizzle with oil (or water) and spices, and toss to combine. Bake for 15-22 minutes or until fork tender and slightly browned. Add kale in the last 5 minutes of baking to wilt, tossing with the other vegetables to combine seasonings.

III

In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil (or water), garlic, and tofu and sauté for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently, to slightly brown.

IV

In the meantime, to a small mixing bowl, add the hummus, chili powder, cumin, nutritional yeast, salt, and cayenne (optional). Stir to combine. Then add water until a pourable sauce is formed (1-3 Tbsp as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Then add parsley and stir. Add the spice mixture to the tofu and continue cooking over medium heat until slightly browned - ~3-5 minutes. Set aside.

V

Assemble burritos: Roll out a large tortilla. Add generous portions of the roasted vegetables, scrambled tofu, avocado, cilantro, and a bit of salsa. Roll up and place seam side down (you can wrap in foil to keep warm - optional). Continue until all toppings are used up - about 3-4 large burritos.

VI

Enjoy immediately for best results. Alternatively, you can package and refrigerate these up to 4 days (or the freezer for 1 month). Just microwave or heat in the oven before eating (be sure to remove foil if heating in microwave).