Saffron Tofu Kabab

March 8, 2021 • GF, Main, Persian, Plant-based
Saffron Tofu Kabab

When you go to a Persian restaurant ordering Kabab is a must. One of the favourite is Joojeh kabab (a marinated chicken kebab). The flavours are just incredible, the chicken is marinated in yogurt, lemon juice and saffron which creates that signature taste everyone loves.

Tofu works amazingly well for this recipe. It has a great texture and absorbes the flavours perfectly. I like to serve it with basmati rice, and sprinkle some sumac on top.

The recipe will serve 2-3 person depending on your appetite.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

  • 400g firm tofu 
  • 1 large onion cut in half
    and finely sliced
  • 150g greek style soy yogurt 
  • Juice of 2 lemons 
  • 1 tsp turmeric 
  • 2 tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 tsp sea salt 
  • 1 pinch of saffron threads
  • 2 tbsp boiling water 
  • basmati rice to serve
  • sumac

Method

Preheat the oven to 250°C fan setting.

Grind the saffron threads with a pestle or mortar until you get a fine powder. Pour over the boiling water and let it infuse for 5-10 min.

Put the onion, yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, olive oil and sea salt in a large bowl and mix well.

Cut the tofu in cubes and add it to the bowl. Mix well until covered.

Add the saffron water, mix again until everything is well combined.

Cover the bowl and let it marinate for a couple of hours or overnight in the fridge.

Once the tofu has been marinated, line a baking sheet on a baking tray and lay out the tofu covering it with all the mixture.

Let it grill for around 20 min, putting the oven to grill setting the last 5 min. You want the pieces to have slightly charred edges but remain beautifully moist on the inside.

Serve with basmati rice, some salad on the side. Enjoy!