Cashew Tofu Quinoa Bowl
A stir-fry rebuilt as a one-pot rehydrate. Quinoa, dried tofu, cashews, soy and ginger.
- calories
- 720
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 131
- protein
- 29 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 17 min
- water
- 500 ml boiled
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- Bikepacking
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy free
- One pot
- Dehydrate ahead
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Quinoa | 1/2 cup | rinse and dry it at home or it will taste soapy |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze-dried or dehydrated tofu | 1/2 cup | freeze the block, thaw, press, cube, then dry it hard |
| Dried mixed vegetables | 1/2 cup | bell pepper, carrot, peas, green onion |
| Roasted cashews | 1/3 cup | |
| Soy sauce powder | 1 tbsp | or two takeout packets, carried flat |
| Ground ginger and garlic powder | 1/2 tsp each | |
| Sesame oil | 1 tbsp | dropper bottle |
| Red pepper flakes | 1/4 tsp |
Method
- Boil 500 ml of water. Dump in the quinoa, tofu, and dried vegetables all at once.
- Simmer on a low flame for 12 minutes, stirring now and then so the quinoa does not weld to the bottom.
- Cut the heat, lid it, and let it sit 3 minutes. The tofu finishes softening off the flame.
- Stir in the soy powder, ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes. Pour the sesame oil over the top.
- Add the cashews last so they stay crunchy.
A stir-fry needs a hot pan and a fridge, so neither survives the trip. What survives is the parts list: quinoa instead of rice, tofu for protein, cashews for fat and crunch, and a soy-ginger seasoning. Cooked as a single simmer, it lands in roughly the same place.
Drying tofu takes a freeze-thaw first. Freezing coarsens the curd, so the thawed block presses much drier and the cubes rehydrate spongy rather than chalky. Skip that step and you get gravel. The cashews go in after the heat is off for the same reason they go in last in a wok: fifteen minutes in water turns them soft and pointless.
Packing
Quinoa, tofu, vegetables, and seasoning go in one bag at home. Cashews and oil ride separate, the nuts to keep their texture and the oil because it leaks.
Variations
- Swap quinoa for instant rice and cut the simmer to 5 minutes if fuel is tight.
- Peanuts and a spoon of peanut powder in place of cashews makes it heavier and cheaper.
- A packet of chili crisp instead of pepper flakes.
https://ohmyveggies.com/this-weeks-meatless-meal-plan-11-10-14