If you are vegetarian or vegan, you probably eat tofu. But, have you eaten blackened tofu? If not, this recipe is for you. You can also use the same spice and cooking method for vegetables like eggplant, potato, and spinach. And you don't even need to wash the skillet afterward. Just wilt spinach, or fry rice or bread in the skillet, you'll not only have one more vegetable dish made, or tasty rice or bread, your skillet will be as clean as washed with hot soapy water.

If you are not vegetarian, you'll have even more options. You can use the same spice and cooking method to make blackened chicken breast and salmon or use the spice to make parmesan crusted chicken.

Supplies

1 large nonstick skillet with lid

2 tbsp blackening rub or DIY with spices as below(I like my own version much better than the store bought.)

DIY Blackening Rub:

4 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika

2 tbsp onion powder

4 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground white pepper

1/2 tsp dried Thyme leaves

1/2 tsp dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp oregano leaves

3 blocks of firm tofu(Each package has 4 blocks. How many blocks you can cook in one batch depends on the size of your skillet.) OR

1 medium eggplant OR

1 large golden potato OR

1 large box of spinach leaves

1.5 tbsp butter

1 handful of fresh basil leaves for garnish

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Step 1: Make the Blackening Rub

Measure and mix the above 8 spices together. It's fun and anybody can do it.

I store mine in a bottle for blackening rub bought several years ago. I did not like the flavor of the store bought blackening rub. But, I don't mind using the bottle to store my own blackening rub since it already has the right label on it.

Step 2: Blackening Tofu

Melt The Butter In The Nonstick Skillet on low heat.

Meanwhile, cut the tofu block to 1/2" thickness.

Pat each pieces dry with paper towel.

Sprinkle blackening rub generously on one side of the tofu blocks.

Once the butter is melted, turn heat to medium, place all tofu blocks with spice side down to cook.

Sprinkle blackening rub generously on the remaining, top, side of the tofu blocks.

After cooking the first side for several minutes, flip tofu blocks, and cook the other side for several minutes.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves while they are still cooking in the pan, so the leaves get slightly wilted and it smells incredibly.

Plate and serve hot.

Step 3: Blackening Vegetables

You can slice eggplant and potato to 1/2" thickness or slightly thinner slices and use the same blackening spice and cooking method above to make blackened eggplant and potato.

For spinach, I usually wilt it in the skillet after I blacken tofu to clean the oil and spices off the skillet. If you are concerned of eating tofu and spinach together(at the last but the third paragraph the article is addressing the concern), fry rice or bread in the skillet after you cook tofu, eggplant, or potato, you'll have tasty rice or bread.

If you are not vegetarian, you can use the same spice and cooking method to make blackened chicken breast and salmon or use the spice in making parmesan crusted chicken.

Among blackened tofu, chicken breast, salmon, eggplant, tofu, spinach, and parmesan crusted chicken, blackened tofu and potato, and parmesan crusted chicken are the favorites of my family. My children will eat their parents' shares if we let them. My children will eat blackened eggplant but not eggplant cooked in some other ways.

Hope this recipe has given you some ideas of new dishes to make. If you liked it, hit the favorite button.

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