Tacos With Tofu Chorizo and Potatoes (Serves 6)
The tofu chorizo can be refrigerated for up to 1 week before it's cooked and up to 3 days after it has been cooked.
For the tofu chorizo:
One 450g block extra-firm tofu
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 dried ancho or negro chillies
1 tablespoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 whole cloves or 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
For the tacos
Salt
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks (680g in total)
Twelve 15cm corn tortillas
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups shredded green cabbage
Flesh of 2 ripe avocados
3/4 cup store-bought red salsa
For the tofu chorizo:
Lay out a clean dish towel on your counter-top, and line it with paper towels.
Cut the tofu into 8 slabs and lay them in a single layer on the paper towel.
Cover with another layer of paper towel and another dish towel.
Use your palms to press down hard on the tofu to extract as much moisture as possible. (Don't worry if the tofu breaks or crumbles.)
Working over a medium bowl, tear the tofu into small pieces and squeeze them between your fingers to crumble into small pieces.
Stir in the vinegar and garlic.
Use kitchen scissors to cut open the chillies; discard the stems and seeds.
Cut the chillies into 1cm pieces and place them in the bowl of a food processor or a clean spice grinder.
Add the chilli powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and cloves; blend until finely ground. Stir the spice mixture into the tofu until well incorporated.
For the tacos:
Bring a pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat; add the potatoes and cook until they are just tender yet still hold their shape, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain.
Heat a large (dry) skillet over high heat.
Cook the tortillas for about 30 seconds per side, transferring them to a tortilla warmer or wrapping in aluminium foil to keep warm while you make the filling.
Reduce the heat to medium; pour in the oil.
Once it shimmers, add the cooked potatoes and stir to coat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned all over, 15 minutes. Stir in the tofu chorizo and oregano and cook, stirring, until the mixture darkens, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently smash the potatoes to incorporate with the tofu chorizo, then turn off the heat.
Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the tofu chorizo-potato mixture, a few pinches of cabbage and a few slices of avocado. Top with salsa. Serve warm.
Adapted from "Roberto's New Vegan Cooking," by Roberto Martin (De Capo Press, 2015), which is available for purchase on Loot.co.za for R478. Click to purchase