Ingredients

• 3/4 cup quinoa, rubbed/rinsed in cool water and drained
• Zest from 1 lime, separated into 2 equal parts
• 2 bruised cardamon pods (optional) (didn’t use it this time)
• 1 tiny stick of cinnamon (a broken piece of a larger stick) (optional) (we used it)
• 1/4 tsp. salt (we used table salt)
• 1 1/3 cups water
• Sweet Chili Lime Sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 3 Tbsp. reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce (we used reduced-sodium tamari)
  • 1 3/4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 zest of the lime
  • 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (or 1 to 2 fresh hot chiles, minced) (we used red chili flakes)
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed (optional) (we minced a clove)
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 4 mint leaves, chiffonade (stack the leaves, roll them up and slice thinly
• 1 (14 oz. pkg.) block of extra-firm tofu
• 1 bunch collard greens, washed with middle veins removed
• 2 to 3 Tbsp. water
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 pinch salt
• Lime slices, for garnish (optional) (we did use)
• Mint leaves, for garnish (optional) (we did use)

Directions

1. Get a pot out and mix the following ingredients together in it: quinoa, lime zest, cardamom, cinnamon, salt and water. Bring the quinoa mixture to a boil, cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook the quinoa for 20 minutes and turn the heat off. Don’t take the lid off, instead leave it to steam for 10 minutes before serving.
2. Make the sweet chili lime sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a bowl until the sugar and salt has dissolved.
3. Drain the tofu and slice it into 8 rectangles. Cut each rectangle in half so you now have 2 squares from each rectangle. Cut each square diagonally and you now have triangles. You can cut your tofu into other shapes but the best shapes will be thinner and smaller.
4. Take a well-seasoned 10-inch cast iron or nonstick skillet and set it over medium heat.
5. Once the skillet’s hot, spread the tofu out in it in a single layer. Press the tofu down with a spatula so the water in the tofu will be released and get boiled off. Be gentle when you first start pressing the tofu so it doesn’t break apart (as more water is released, the tofu will get sturdier though). After several minutes have passed, flip the tofu over and press the tofu again. After roughly 10 minutes in total and the tofu’s looking golden, turn off the heat and either set the tofu off to the side for now or proceed to get the tofu coated in the sweet chili lime sauce now.
6. If the skillet’s cooled down, bring it back up over high heat so the skillet’s hot and the tofu’s heated through. Pour the sauce in and stir so the tofu gets completely covered in the sauce. Turn off the heat. The sauce will continue to bubble, reduce down and create a glaze on the tofu. If it doesn’t turn into a glaze, just turn the heat back on long enough for it turn into a glaze.
7. Take the collard green leaves and stack 3 to 4 of them at a time, rolling them up.
8. Slice each roll into 1-inch segment.
9. Run your knife through the roll so they get turned into smaller pieces. Add all of the greens to a wok* along with the water, lime juice and salt.
10. Cover the wok with a lid that’ll contain the greens and let them cook for 3 to 4 minutes over high heat or until the collards are steamed and tender.
11. For serving, create a bed of quinoa and place the collard greens on top. Place the tofu on top of the greens, drizzling any leftover sauce over the whole dish. Garnish with the lime slices and mint leaves and eat right away.

*We didn’t have a wok so we used a large pot to fit all the greens in.

Obviously this recipe has a lot of steps to it. In our opinion, the only aspect of this recipe that’s worth having again is the actual sweet chile lime tofu. For us, the greens had no flavor and got somewhat burnt, the quinoa didn’t taste that good even with the the other ingredients that were mixed in, the flavor of the sauce was the one redeeming aspect of this dish !

This recipe came from Vegan Yum Yum.

We weren’t paid in any form to promote Vegan Yum Yum.

Take care everybody !