Tea Quinoa and Broccoli with Tea Rubbed Tofu

I made this loose tea rub, (with Simpson and Vail Loose Tea, of course), a week ago and finally got around to using it on some tofu I picked up.   My partner in crime here in the house doesn’t want to be mentioned by name in this blog.  So let’s call him Double 0 14 (cause, yes, he’s just THAT much better than 007′!)  Anyway, 0014 and I don’t exactly have the same diet – he’s a carnivore and I’m a vegetarian.  I used to stress about things to make for dinner, but as he so eloquently pointed out, he’s an adult and was able to fend for himself long before he met me.  Quite true.  So sometimes we end up making different meals and sometimes he’ll happily dive in to whatever I’ve got cooking.  This was not the case with dinner the other night.

0014 has an adventurous spirit and will always try something once.  And I appreciate that.  He’s not shy about giving his opinion and definitely lets me know when there’s something he doesn’t like.  I appreciate that too.  So when I had a craving the other day, I new darn well it was a meat night for him.  I made quinoa, broccoli and tofu.  He likes the tofu.  But just the mention of quinoa and broccoli revert him to a 5 year old who feels it necessary to make barfing noises.  Oh well – more for me!

The menu:

Tea Quinoa:
1 tsp of China Imperial Yunnan
1cup of boiling water
1/2 cup quinoa
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Boil the water and pour over the tea.  Steep for 5 minutes then strain out the leaves.  In a small saucepan heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add the quinoa.  Cook the quinoa until it is nice and toasty.  Then add the brewed tea, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.  I love quinoa because it’s so high in protein, vitamins and minerals, and frankly, I find it super delicious.

Broccoli:
Honestly – I just steamed the broccoli in a little water and then added a little salt to it.  If I was a little more motivated I could have brewed some green tea and used the brewed tea to steam the broccoli instead of water.  I topped the steamed broccoli with toasted sesame seeds.

When I served the broccoli and the quinoa I sprinkled the Loose Green Tea Recipe Sesame Ginger Garlic Dressing on them that I previously made and had in the refrigerator.  Perfecto!

Tea Rubbed Tofu:

First the tea rub:
4 Tbsp S&V Iced tea blend, ground
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon powder
1 tsp cumin seeds, ground
1 tsp red chili peppers, ground
1 tsp black peppercorns, ground
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp anise seeds, ground
1/2 tsp clove powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, ground
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp white peppercorns, ground
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight jar in a dark cupboard.

Tofu:

1 block of extra-firm tofu, drained

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil.

Drain the tofu and press out as much water as possible.  Cut into 16 equal slices.   Dredge the tofu in the tea spice rub and place on the cookie sheet.  Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes, then flip the tofu and cook an additional 10 minutes.

I put a small dollop of sour cream on the plate to dip the tofu in.  That was good, but I think next time I may try a cucumber raita, which I think would perfectly complement the spices on the tofu.

Overall I was quite delighted with my dinner.  0014 had some of the tofu, proclaimed it good, and then treated me to a symphony of gagging sounds for my quinoa and broccoli.  Oh well – to each his own!