The internet appears to be up to its eyeballs in pink stuff and Barbie references. Did I watch the new Barbie movie? Nope. Did I watch the new Bollywood movie - Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani (which was also sold out everywhere, btw)? You bet! Sat in “Gandhi class" (first row seats) no less, for 3 hours. Powerhouse performances, photogenic people, witty dialogue, catchy song and dance and of course, a truckload of cliches: I came away with a crick in my neck and the Karan Johar-shaped void in my heart, filled.
Sorry if all this was gibberish to those who don’t follow Bollywood - I am a sucker for feel-good dramas (think Crash Landing On You) and this movie hit every spot. Go for Alia, stay for Ranvir.
First row!!
In the spirit of Bollywood, today I offer you this high-protein chaat recipe that’s every bit as deliciously extra as this movie. Bhel Puri is an Indian street food dish usually made with puffed rice, potatoes, flour-based crisps, peanuts and tossed with tangy chutneys. It gets v8well-ified here with puffed quinoa, a rainbow of chopped veggies, and tofu for protein. Not a tofu person? Paneer, chickpeas or even diced egg whites would work well in this recipe.
High-protein (15-20g per serving), vegan, gluten-free and chockful of fiber from 10+ plants? Sign me up! Yes, there are a few separate pieces to this puzzle but I promise you they are all simple and the results are well worth it.
But first, dinner. I’m obsessed with dinner. Seasonal, craveable, produce-forward, high-protein recipes. Simple enough for weeknights, special enough for weekends. Meals that you’ll want on repeat.
I’m toying with the idea of starting a dinner-meal-plan series here on Substack and need you to weigh in!
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Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel and slice it cross-wise into 4 rectangular pieces, about 1/2 inch thick.
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 Tbsp olive oil and tofu slices. Fry undisturbed until you see the bottoms brown visibly. Flip the tofu gently using tongs or a thin spatula and brown the other side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool. [If using paneer, you can do the same. Skip this step if using cooked chickpeas or egg whites].
In the same pan over medium heat, add 1 tsp olive oil and the corn. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until dry and brown in spots. Transfer to a large salad bowl and let cool.
Toss the raw peanuts in 1 tsp avocado oil. Air-fry at 325F/160C for 6 minutes, tossing every 2 minutes, until deep brown. You can also do this in the same pan on the stovetop over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, but you may need a tad more oil. Skip this step if using roasted nuts. Let cool.
Dice the tofu into 1/2-inch cubes and add to the salad bowl.
Add the remaining chopped ingredients to the bowl - carrots, cucumbers, tomato, onion, avocado, cilantro, chiles and the cooled peanuts. Add the coriander and tamarind chutneys and toss well. Taste and add salt or more chutney per taste. Let the flavors soak into the tofu for 15-20 minutes.
Add the puffed quinoa just prior to eating and toss.
In other news, while I'm still eating my weight in berries, mid-summer produce is truly the best of both worlds. Here come luscious tomatoes and stone fruit, juicy sweet corn, crisp cucumbers and eggcellent eggplants. Grocery shopping list, check!
PS:I’m on a bi-weekly publishing schedule this summer to get some time with family and friends. Wishing you good times and good eats, XOXO
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