To food editor Shilpa Uskokovic, when it comes to home cooking, cheap is the greatest compliment. Each month, in What a Steal, she’s sharing a highly craveable recipe—and showing us how to save some $$$ along the way.
Cheap, adaptable, and blessed with a long shelf life, tofu is there for you when the fridge is forlorn, chicken thighs long gone, and lettuce tragically wilted. Clocking in at a few bucks a box, tofu can chill patiently for up to a month, ready for that moment when rent is due and you don’t know what to make.
Inspired by paneer or egg bhurji, this tofu scramble is the poster child of budget cooking. The seemingly worst thing about tofu—its unapologetic blandness—is also the best thing about tofu. In this dish it’s a grounding presence, the stoic sponge among punchier flavors, at once filling and fulfilling. All you need is a strong supporting cast:
A generous amount of wallet-friendly, always-available onion—in an almost equal ratio to the tofu—provides bulk and sweetness. A full tablespoon of grated ginger (you can freeze peeled nubs so they never go to waste) along with cumin, coriander, and cayenne brings sneaky heat. And a heap of cilantro provides uplifting freshness to these pantry staples.
To move the tofu from austere to amazing, a little butter goes a long way. The trick is to add it in two stages: At the beginning, it seeps into the tomatoes and onions, soothing the heat of the ginger and cayenne. Melted in at the end, more butter makes the whole dish taste rich, even luxurious.
So much of smart cooking is knowing when it’s fine to substitute ingredients, using up what’s on hand rather than dashing to the shops. Don’t be afraid to swap. Red, white, and yellow onion all work. No onions? A similar quantity of sliced scallions or shallots works too.
For a creamier result, you can replace the firm tofu with medium firm or soft (the ones in the Tetra Pak, however, are a bit too soft). Could you make this with eggs like the original? Sure. But when the tofu is so frugal and so flavorful, why would you?
