Scramble plus gravy equals bibi kush!

Hi everyone, here's another in our recipe series. This is an almost-weekly component of our culinary profile, my approximation of the tofu scramble and gravy served by the Sevananda hot bar on Saturdays. Over the course of two years, I think we've honed this one as far as it can be honed barring the addition of some truly funky ingredients. Frankly, it's the best tofu scramble I've ever had. It doesn't taste like 'Asian' stir-fry and with enough crisp veggies you can reduce the amount of tofu considerably, which seems to be the direction we're going in.

Anyway, it's a hum-dinger, and paired with some biscuits/toast and coffee I believe it's the perfect hangover meal, any time of day! Enjoy and let us know if you've tried it. We'll post photos of our next batch so you can compare!

krg's Sunday Brunch Bonanza: Tofu Scramble + Creamy Gravy

For scramble:
1T + 2t oil (your choice)
300-500g firm/extra firm tofu, drained
1/4 medium onion (20-25g), diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small hot chilies, chopped
1/4-1/2 small capsicum, diced (optional)
1T soy sauce
1/2c vegetable broth
2-3 medium mushrooms, sliced
1/3c zucchini, sliced
1/2-1c broccoli
1/2t apple cider vinegar
1/2t turmeric
1/8t cayenne
1T nutritional yeast
small handful basil, chopped (optional)
cilantro (optional, to taste)
sesame seeds (optional, to taste)

For gravy:
2t butter/margarine/oil
1T all-purpose flour
1/2c vegetable broth
1t soy sauce
1/4c soymilk
1T nutritional yeast
1/8t cayenne
salt & pepper to taste

Heat 2t oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 30 seconds, then add garlic, chilies and capsicum. Saute for another minute and scrape into a bowl. Place pan back on heat and add remaining 1T of oil. Crumble the tofu into the pan and distribute evenly. Let brown for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle soy sauce over the tofu, add sauteed veggies and gently fold the mixture together with a spatula or large spoon. Turn heat down slightly and allow the tofu mixture to continue browning uncovered.

Meanwhile, heat a small skillet or saucepan on medium-low. Add butter/margarine/oil and let melt (if not oil). Sprinkle in flour and, with a fork, combine completely with oil, making a roux. Allow to brown for about a minute, then remove from heat and let cool for 2-3 minutes. Add broth. Immediately go at it with your fork, mashing up chunks of roux; if you can't mash them up finely, you can blend the gravy with an immersion blender at the end. Whip this mixture up as much as possible with your fork, adding soy sauce to ease the mixing. When completely mixed, add soymilk, stir, and return to heat. Ensure the heat is low enough so that the gravy is not bubbling, just lightly steaming or simmering. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Returning to the tofu, add the broth and stir with your spatula to deglaze the pan and unstick any stuck bits. Add mushrooms and let cook until most of the moisture has disappeared, stirring occasionally. No more than ten minutes before you're ready to eat, add the zucchini, broccoli, vinegar, turmeric and cayenne and stir to distribute evenly. If the mixture is too dry, add up to 1/3c water to deglaze the pan and steam the broccoli. Cover and let cook for 2 minutes.

The gravy should be thick at this point; if it looks too thick, add 2T water and turn up the heat, stirring constantly. Adjust until the consistency is to your liking. When you're happy, add cayenne and nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste (easy on the salt if your butter/margarine are already salty). Mix thoroughly and remove from heat (now you can blend it if it's too chunky).

To finish the tofu off, sprinkle the nutritional yeast over the top and mix, then add the sesame seeds and herbs as you see fit. Let cool a bit, douse in gravy and hot sauce, and enjoy your weekend!