Today I want to share with you a delicious recipe for a veggie-tofu scramble with one special secret ingredient, called kala namak. (And if you’re not familiar with kala namak, I have to warn you that the first time you try it will amaze or disgust you!) It’s a perfect follow-up to a green smoothie on a lazy Sunday morning.

(Side note: I used to have a smoothie first thing in the morning, and then about 11-12AM I was ready for another smoothie, or something more substantial. Today my routine has changed, and I don’t make smoothies as often. I often fast the whole morning, drinking only coffee or water, and then go straight to lunch.)

The recipe below is a perfect breakfast/brunch or even lunch/dinner dish – it’s healthy, low-fat, and cholesterol-free. It takes about 20 minutes to prepare, or less, if you do some prepping, like chopping your veggies in advance.

But first a picture of my smoothie….(yum…)

(You can even put a some tofu into a smoothie, as I did here, to make it more filling. :-))

Veggie Scramble Recipe (with Tofu)

If you don’t love tofu, you are certainly not alone. For me, it wasn’t the love at first bite, if you know what I mean ;-). However, as I experimented more and more, I learned to absolutely love it. Now I cannot imagine my life without tofu and I use it often, at least a couple of times per week.

If you’re new to tofu, it’s worth to try different brands and types, and experiment with recipes. For example, the silky tofu is just to die for in deserts (such as this chocolate mousse), while the super firm one will do great in veggie-tofu scramble or stir-fried in slices in sesame oil with some soy sauce and maple syrup.

Part of the success of the tofu scramble may be in the recipe. When I first tried tofu scramble, I used Isa Moscowitz’ recipe from the “Vegan Brunch” book, and the dish turned out perfectly.

If you think of tofu scramble as a bland, boring dish, that’s a sad substitute for an egg-scramble; you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Isa’s tofu scramble is by no means bland, bursting with flavor and aroma. You won’t miss eggs, I promise! (Unless you are a die-hard meat-and-dairy eater like my husband, that is, but even he’s gotten used to the scramble and now loves it just as I do).

The Secret Ingredient for Egg-Free, but Just-Like-Eggs Dishes

Over time, I modified the recipe to suit my taste and the contents of my pantry. One major modification has been adding a big pinch or two of kala namak. It’s an ingredient that makes all the difference in recipes that traditionally used eggs, such as egg salads, mayo, etc.

Kala Namak or Himalayan black salt, sanchal, kala loon or black lava salt is an ingredient you absolutely must have in your kitchen! It adds an AMAZING EGG FLAVOR to otherwise all plant-based, egg-free, cholesterol-free, cruelty-free recipes, such as no-egg salad, tofu no-egg scramble, egg-free mayo, and many others.

If you’ve never tasted it you’ll be SHOCKED just as I was when I tried it for the first time (I swear my eyes got as big as the saucer in which I mixed my first no-egg salad). I was expecting an okay taste and was absolutely blown away at how similar to chicken eggs it smelled and tasted. It was so very strange and cool!

Turns out that chicken eggs’ taste has nothing to do with the chicken, but everything to do with the Sulphur content of the egg. And it’s the Sulphur compounds in the black salt (which is actually pink in color) make the salt taste and smell JUST LIKE CHICKEN EGGS.

(Note: Those who are not accustomed to black salt often describe the smell as similar to rotten eggs. Some people find the smell offensive, just like the smell of slightly rotten eggs, in fact, for some reason my egg-loving family consider the smell of the salt by itself repulsive, but don’t worry, once the black salt is mixed with other ingredients of the dish they love it. So don’t worry, even if you find the smell questionable, once it’s incorporated into the recipe—it’s much more subtle, deepening the flavor of the whole dish.)

You can buy black salt at most Indian grocery stores or order kala namak online.  There are many brands at different prices, such as these — Black Rock Salt Fine (Kala Namak) or The Spice Lab Indian Kala Namak Mineral Salt.

Veggie Scramble Recipe (with Tofu)

How to Cook Tasty Tofu Scramble: Low Fat, Low Calorie, Low Cholesterol Recipe Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or Dinner

Scramble Variations and Add-Ins

You can include these additions to your scramble by themselves or in combination with one another:

• Potatoes: Cook 1-2 potatoes, cubed, in water until almost tender. Strain and add to tofu to brown on the skillet.
• Mushrooms: Chop the mushrooms and add to tofu.
• Onions: Chop 1 small onion. Add along with the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Proceed with recipe.
• Red Bell Peppers: Remove stem and seeds and finely chop 1 red bell pepper. Add along with the garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Proceed with recipe.
• Another great ingredient to add is vegan cheese. Choose one that melts well, it will add wonderful cheesiness to the scramble.

I wanted to make a scramble with potatoes, so I cooked 2 small potatoes, cubed, and added them to the tofu to brown with the spices. I also had wanted to make a veggie scramble separate from the tofu (I wanted to add A LOT of veggies), so I sauteed them in a separate pan. I used some garlic, onion, mushrooms, zucchini, red pepper and spinach. I didn’t use the same spices as for the scramble. I only added a bit of tamari sauce and pepper. I served it together with tofu.

It was a delicious and very satisfying brunch!

This scramble recipe is really filly and versatile. Try it for brunch, lunch or casual dinner; on Saturday or Sunday. (Or any other day, really :-)).

4 Tips For Tofu Scramble Success

Here are some more tips on how to make tasty tofu scrambles:

1. To make the best tofu scramble, choose extra firm tofu.

2. Some people like to press their tofu before using it in recipes. (Personally, I never do that, but you may want to try.) To make the scramble, remove tofu from the package and wrap it in a paper towel. Then, wrap it in a dish cloth. Place wrapped tofu between two cutting boards with a few heavy books on top. Press for about 15 minutes. You’ll notice the water draining out of the tofu.

3. Crumble the tofu into a bowl; toss with spices (ground turmeric will give your scramble a golden hue), nutritional yeast, and a few dashes of tamari or soy sauce. Mix until well-coated. Let mixture sit for 10 minutes while you prep the veggies.

4. Saute the veggies in a touch of oil or veggie broth until just tender. Set aside. In the same skillet, brown tofu, then fold in the veggies. I like zucchini and fresh corn in the summer; mushrooms, bell pepper, and broccoli anytime of year; and sun-dried tomatoes, collard greens, and pesto in the fall. (For more tips, see this article in Vegetarian Times).

5. Be sure to add some kala namak! 

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