YAM AND 'EGG' (VEGAN)

I have to emphasise the fact that this is vegan and that no chickens were involved in the making of this dish because, I mean, come on... how scarily similar does this look!? I've long known of tofu scramble, but this is my first time trying it out at home, using a baking technique I learnt from the kitchen of Raw/Vegan (any Londoners out there visited yet?)

Yam and egg is a staple in most Nigerian households. So iconic is this dish that I'm surprised I'm only just getting round to sharing a vegan version on the blog. I've written a bit about yam in a previous post, which you can find here. I've also got a delicious yam pottage recipe. And a rustic yam burger recipe (yes, you read that right). And I've used them in a colourful canapé recipe as well. So now we arrive at this easy as pie dish that we love to eat for breakfast, lunch OR dinner.

Anything really is possible in the world of vegan cooking and with a touch of adventure and experimentation in the kitchen, there's no reason to miss out on anything. I am thrilled to share this alternative to a classic that I and many others have grown up with.

Ingredients

- Yam (cut into thick round slices; outer skin peeled) - allow 2-3 slices per person
- 1 pack regular tofu (not silken)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1/2 red onion (finely chopped)
- 1/2 red pepper (chopped)
- 1-2 large tomato[es] (liquid centre scooped out; flesh finely chopped)
- 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- salt and pepper to taste

Start by boiling the yam in lightly salted water until soft. Be careful not to over boil so it doesn't turn to mush.

Crumble the tofu onto a baking tray and sprinkle with turmeric to achieve that golden eggy colour. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid has dried out. This will stop the scramble from being soggy.

Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and add all the chopped vegetables and stock cube. Cook until the vegetables are slightly tender. Take the tofu out of the oven, crumble it some more if needed and add to the frying pan. Mix until all ingredients are well combined. Taste and season as needed. Add a touch more turmeric if necessary. **If you want to make this oil-free, simply cook off the vegetables in a little bit of liquid stock until tender and mix in with the baked tofu.

When the yam is cooked, drain any excess liquid. Serve with a generous helping of your tofu 'scramble'. Enjoy!