Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing

Iranian / By / / 4 minutes of reading
Prep: 30 mins Cook: 25 mins Difficulty: Medium Serves: 6
kcal fat saturates carbs
242 16g 3g 10g
sugars fibre protein salt
3g 4g 15g 0.65g

Why I Love Iranian Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing

Spinach-and-Tofu-Kookoo-with-Tahini-Dressing

One of the things I love about cooking is the opportunity it offers to bring together the best of all worlds. The Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing recipe epitomizes this ethos perfectly. This Iranian dish casts an enchanting spell not just on your taste buds, but it also encapsulates a portion of Persian culinary heritage.

Discovering Fusion Influences

My Nigerian heritage instilled an appreciation for bold and vibrant flavor profiles, something I joyfully marry with my love for southern cooking. Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing might seem quite a deviation from those traditional palates. Still, I see it as an exciting intersection of global culinary landscapes—a testament to my love for exploring, adapting, and learning from diverse cuisines.

The richness of spinach melds beautifully with firm tofu’s subtle earthiness. Tahini dressing notably heightens the dish with its unique, creamy tang – a feature I couldn’t help but associate with Nigerian Efo Riro(a hearty spinach stew) and Atlanta’s beloved Spinach Tofu Scramble. This dish is inspired by the culinary ethos of Samin Nosrat, an Iranian-American chef, who advocates for the marriage of seemingly disparate world cuisines.

More Than The Sum of Its Parts

Everything in the recipe conspires to create something magical and surprising. Turmeric, a staple in West African and Southern American cuisine alike, lends a soft warmth to the dish. The complex combination of herbs, spices, and fresh ingredients like onions and garlic complement each other in a way that highlights the profoundness of Persian cuisine.

Serving the Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing alongside a crisp, fresh salad, or perhaps a warm, crusty loaf of whole-grain bread, further unifies the global influence. This recipe thrives beautifully on its adaptability. It’s equally wonderful as a main dish for a weekend lunch as it is an exciting side dish to go with a hearty stew or soulful southern barbeque.

Spinach and Tofu Kookoo with Tahini Dressing, with its depth of flavors, pays honest tribute to the diverse culinary traditions that have shaped my own cooking. It’s a powerful example of how food transcends boundaries and creates a shared language of love and hospitality.

What You’ll Need

  • 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 cup diced firm tofu
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup chopped parsley
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • For the Tahini Dressing：
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
ALLERGENS: tofu, eggs, garlic

Method

Step One

Begin by preparing all of your ingredients. Rinse and chop the spinach finely, dice the firm tofu into small cubes and finely chop the onion. Mince your garlic cloves, and chop your cilantro and parsley. Set all of these items aside.

Step Two

In a large bowl, whisk together the six eggs. Add the turmeric, salt, and black pepper and whisk until the spices are fully integrated into the eggs. Set this mixture aside.

Step Three

Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until they are translucent and fragrant. Then, add the chopped spinach and sauté for a few more minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Step Four

Add the diced tofu into the skillet with the spinach, onion, and garlic. Stir to combine everything well. Then, lower the heat substantially before pouring in your whisked egg mixture. Stir in your chopped cilantro and parsley, then let everything cook together on low heat until the eggs are fully set. You might find it helpful to cover your skillet during this process to help the eggs cook evenly.

Step Five

While your spinach and tofu mixture is cooking, you can make your tahini dressing. Combine the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, minced garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Stir them together until the mixture is smooth. Set your tahini dressing aside until your kookoo is ready to serve.

Step Six

Once your spinach and tofu kookoo is fully cooked and the eggs are set, remove it from the heat. Cut it into slices and serve it warm with the prepared tahini dressing drizzled over the top.

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