The hot weather is here and the appetizers and snacks must be light and fresh. In Portugal is common during Summer to eat snails - which for other cultures might be an unthinkable tradition. The same applies if you are Vegan or if you want to cut down on animal food consumption. So this recipe by Carina Barbosa is the perfect solution: light, flavourful and 100% plant-based. 

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • 500 g Tofu, plain or smoked 
  • 1 Chilli
  • 1 onion
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • Water, to cover
  • 50ml olive oil
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tbsp white Miso (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
Instructions

Version I - braised

  1. Remove the tofu from the packaging, rinse it and drain the liquid: wrap the tofu in a cloth or kitchen paper, until the liquid comes out. (this will make the tofu absorb the flavours better).
  2. Cut the tofu into very small cubes, cut the chilli in halves or in small pieces. Chop the onion and the garlic.
  3. In a pan heat the oil and sauté the onion, garlic, chilli and bay leaves, oregano, thyme, white miso (optional), salt and black pepper. Let it cook until the onion is slightly golden.
  4. Add the tofu cubes and let it cook for a few minutes.
  5. Add the water to cover the cubes of tofu and wrap everything.
  6. When the water starts to boil, let it cook for 20 minutes and turn off.
  7. Serve hot or cold cubes of tofu with chopsticks with sticks.

Version II - basic

  1. Remove the tofu from the packaging, rinse it and drain the liquid: wrap the tofu in a cloth or kitchen paper, until the liquid comes out. (this will make the tofu absorb the flavors better).
  2. Cut the tofu into very small cubes, cut the chilli in half or in small pieces. Chop the onion and the garlic.
  3. Place the cut ingredients in a saucepan and add water to cover the cubes of tofu.
  4. Add olive oil, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, white miso (optional), salt and black pepper.
  5. Bring to the boil, when it starts to boil, let it cook for 20 minutes and turn off.
  6. Serve hot or cold cubes of tofu with chopsticks with sticks.

Suggestion:

Remove the "tofucols" from the platter, with sticks or with those snail sticks and give them a new life and memory.