Spicy Tofu Palau (afghanistan's National Dish - Vegan Style!)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 14 ounces extra firm tofu, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups basmati rice
• 2 onions, diced
• 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 carrots, sliced into long thin pieces
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup vegetable stock, hot (or use a vegetable based 'chicken' stock, such as massel)
• 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
• 1/2 cup almonds, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Recipe

• 1 wash the rice well and soak in plenty of cold water for 1 hour.
• 2 combine the spices to make the spice mix.
• 3 slice the tofu into long strips(about the size of french fries). lay about half of them out in a layer (i do it in a rectangle tupperware container so that i can put the lid on and shake it all up) and sprinkle 1 tsp of the spice mix over it. lay the remaining tofu on top and sprinkle another teaspoon of the spice mix. drizzle the 2 tbsp olive oil over the top, put the lid on and shake it all up (you can also just mix it in a bowl and mix it around every now and then). leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes, preferably 30 minutes.
• 4 place a large non stick pan over a medium heat and add 3 tbsp vegetable oil. add the onions and the carrots and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the carrots are slightly tender, but not quite cooked yet. add the brown sugar and the raisins. cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for another 2-3 minutes, or until the carrots are just cooked.
• 5 remove the carrots & raisins from the pan and set aside. add the tofu and all of the spice/oil marinade to the pan. fry over a medium heat until the tofu is browned on both sides. remove from pan and set aside.
• 6 drain the rice and rinse well. bring a large pot of water to the boil. add the drained rice to the boiling water. bring back to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the rice is only just cooked. drain.
• 7 heat the remaining vegetable oil in the wok and add the remaining palau spice mix. fry for 1 minute, the spices should become very fragrant, but careful not to burn them.
• 8 add the rice to the pan and stir well so that the spices are mixed through. add the hot vegetable stock and the carrots and raisins. cover and simmer over a low heat for 5 minutes.
• 9 remove from heat and stir through the chopped nuts. top with the fried tofu and serve.