Tofu Fry

I had mint chutney and tofu left in my fridge, put them together and who knew, it would be a regular dish in my kitchen. It's been a while that I have started substituting tofu for paneer whenever possible. This is one recipe where you will not know whether you are taking a bite of paneer or tofu :) As always, I am going to say it's an easy recipe and you will love it :) I usually keep a packet of firm tofu handy in my refrigerator. My son has taken a liking for it, and that definitely makes me happy. One can enjoy it as an appetizer or as a side fritter to go with the main entree.
Let's get to the recipe:

TOFU FRY

Ingredients:

• 2 packet - firm tofu 

Mint Chutney:*

• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp pomegranate seeds
• 2 green chillies
• 2 pods big garlic
• 1-inch ginger
• salt to taste

To fry:

• 1/2 cup semolina (rava)
• 1/4th tsp chilli powder
• pinch turmeric (haldi)
• salt to taste
• oil to shallow fry

Preparation:

• Take all the ingredients for mint chutney and grind to make a green paste. 
• Remove all the water from the tofu packet. Cut into equal square pieces. You will get around 12 pieces. Pat dry tofu pieces using a paper towel. Marinate the tofu pieces with the green paste and keep aside for 10 minutes.
• Add chilli powder, turmeric and salt in semolina. Mix everything properly.
• Heat a tava/griddle, add 1 tsp of oil and spread it on the pan. 
• Take one tofu piece at a time, roll it in semolina mixture and place it on the hot tava. It should make a sizzling sound :) that means you are on a right track and almost there :). Place all the pieces and drizzle more oil on it. Let it cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes. 
• Flip the tofu pieces, drizzle more oil and let it fry till done (for another 3-4 minutes). It should be firm and you will know that it's done. Your tofu fry is ready. Take it out and put it on the serving plate. 
• One can eat it with any dip of your choice, I personally like to eat it just like that...yummm!

Njoy!!

Note*: You can make this mint chutney anytime and freeze it for few weeks. You can use it in various other dishes. That's why making tofu fry gets much easier if you have the marinade ready.
One can also shallow fry it with rice flour instead of semolina.

Nutrition Fact: Tofu, made from soybean curds, is naturally gluten-free and low in calorie, contains no cholesterol and is an excellent source of protein, iron, and calcium. It's known to prevent liver damage, age-related brain diseases, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes etc.