Tandoori Tofu Skewers/Grilled Tofu Tikka(Vegetarian SBD Phase 1 Recipe of the Month)

Blogging Marathon #40: Week 1/ Day 3

Theme: Kids Delight: Fat free Kids Friendly Recipes

Dish: Tandoori Tofu Skewers/Grilled Tofu Tikka

For today's theme of 'Fat free kid friendly recipes' I have Tandoori Tofu Skewers. There is something exciting about serving food on a stick, and even I love having skewered food, for kids it is even more enticing. I have tried this in the past with fruit kebabs, just skewering varieties of food on a skewer, and my kid just goes crazy for it. I wanted to try out the same with tofu. He has had tofu in the past, and although he is not a big fan of it, I know that he will be willing to try it.

Press your tofu block by wrapping it in several layers of paper towel and putting a weight on it. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes, such that all the water is pressed out. Remove the tofu block and cut it into approximately 2 inch squares. I have noticed that even if you use extra firm tofu, cutting it smaller, makes it fall apart when skewering. So, please keep this in mind.

Prepare the marinade by whisking all the ingredients listed under marinade in a bowl. Add the tofu and gently coat in the marinade. Let sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight. The more the tofu sits in the marinade, the more it will absorb the flavors.

When ready to make the tandoori tofu, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with non stick aluminium foil or parchment paper. Cut up the bell peppers you are using into 2 inch squares, similar to the tofu squares. Spray the foil if non stick cooking spray if needed. Skewer a couple of pieces of bell pepper, followed by a piece of tofu, then followed by a couple of pieces of bell pepper again. Repeat as per the length of your skewers. Place on the foil and place into the hot oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Set the oven to broil mode, and let the tofu get a charred a bit - this adds a lot of taste, so don't skip this step. Serve hot or at room temperature. Whisked plain yogurt can be used as a dip/dressing for these skewers if needed.

Verdict: My kid really thought it was fun to eat tofu on a stick - 'That's cool Mommy' were his exact words. Feel free to adjust the spices to suit your kids palettes. Leave alone my kid, I absolutely loved it, it is one of my most favorite SBD meals so far.