Grilled Tofu with Turkish Spice Rub Over Quinoa

I did the happy dance once I tasted this Grilled Tofu with Turkish Spice Rub.  I was so thrilled to find another way to make the taste of tofu satisfying with that stick in your ribs kind you get with a steak.  Over quinoa and a side salad with greens and orange doused with just lemon and salt this feeling goes for me to the sublime. The whole package makes it a filling delicious meal.

The Turkish Spice Rub is easy to prepare with ingredients readily available in your arsenal of dry spices. You can double or triple the recipe so you have this rub ready for your chicken, steak, salmon or even your vegetables as you roast them.  It has a personality of its own that make it distinct from other ethnic rubs like the Indian garam massala or Mexican Taco blend.  It does give that kick that you want to awaken your tongue with but not too overpowering that will make your picky eaters in the family like my husband for example complain of the dish being too hot.  Subtle with a gentle kick is how I will describe it.  

I pan fried the tofu with the rub without any oil at all and it worked.  I am plant based so I avoid even plant oil if possible.  As for the dressing, I just used lemon with salt and pepper to again fulfill the plant based approach but you can use your own dressing.  The addition of orange slices complements the spiciness of the tofu.  You can serve this over quinoa or brown rice with a sprinkling of green onion slices.  For your next meal even with your family with carnivores among them, this is a satisfying, delicious and oh so beautiful alternative.   

Grilled Tofu with Turkish Spice Rub Over Quinoa

4 Servings

• 1 block (16 oz) firm tofu, pressed out between paper towels and sliced into 8 rectangular slices
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tsp or more Turkish Spice Rub (recipe below)
• 1 cup quinoa, cooked
• one stalk, green onions
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 small bag salad greens
• 1 orange, peeled and sliced to bite sized pieces

Add salt and pepper to both sides of the tofu.  Add enough spice rub on each side of the tofu slices and spread it out uniformly throughout.  Place the tofu slices on a non stick saute pan that had been heated at medium heat and grill till you can lift the tofu without the rub coating being peeled off.  Turn the tofu and grill the other side.

Place the tofu slices over cooked quinoa that had been drizzled with some lemon juice, salt and pepper and topped with green onion slices.  Serve with side of salad greens and orange slices doused with lemon and salt and pepper.

Turkish Spice Rub 

Yields approximately 1 tablespoon

• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all the ingredients in a small container with cover and shake with cover on.