I have been trying different types of protein with my diet as I realized how little protein I actually eat. I think lentil is an easy way to do this as it is very versatile and easy to store dried.

I have tried making tofu from chickpeas before and now I am trying to make it with lentils. The recipe was quite easy and it could be used in a variety of dishes. First rinse your lentils and let the lentils sit in boiling water for about 15 minutes. Then add this mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. You can start adding flavor to your mixture at this point. Most recipes will just add a little salt but I think chicken bouillon or veggie bouillon would be tasty.

Pour this mixture into a sauce pan. Heat at medium heat. The mixture will slowly thicken. Stir constantly until the mixture fully thickens.

Once the mixture thickens and bubbles, it is done.

Transfer this to a container of your choice. I tried to find a square base as I wanted to make the tofu pretty thick but be able to cut it into cubes.

Allow the mixture to cool fully in the fridge for about 5 hours or overnight. This will allow the mixture to solidify. Once it is cooled, you can cut into cubes and use it just like you would with tofu. Mine was quite plain and didn’t have any strong flavors. It tasted good cold with some soya sauce and green onion and you can cook these in stir fry.

Another way I have seen these was coated in come corn starch and seasoning and air fried.

I coated mine and shallow fried it in a pan. These were great snacks and could be dipped in a variety of sauces.

I wouldn’t say they tasted exactly like tofu but they were pretty similar and it was pretty cool that you could make it without fancy ingredients or presses. Hope you enjoy.

Lentil Tofu adapted from https://thatveganbabe.com/red-lentil-tofu/#recipe

• 3/4 cup red lentil
• 1.5 cup boiling water
• 1.5 room temp water
• chicken or veggie bouillon
• corn starch
• oil

Rinse your lentils and then soak your red lentils in the boiling water for about 15 minutes. Pour this mixture into a blender and then blend smooth. Pour this into a sauce pan with the remaining amount of water.

Heat the mixture at medium heat until it thickens. Stir constantly. This should not take too long. You can tell if this is cooked when the mixture thickens and bubbles slightly. Add chicken or veggie bouillon to taste at this point. Alternatively you can just add salt if you want to keep this simple to be used for a variety of recipes. Remember you don’t want to make this too salty if you plan in using soya sauce for dipping or adding flavor later.

Pour this mixture into a container of your choice. If you want square cubes, make sure the base is rectangular. Allow this to cool in the fridge for about 5 hours or overnight. Once solid, cut into cubes.

You can store these cubes in the fridge for a few days. Liquid will start coming out of the cubes. You can add these to any dish cold or hot.

You can coat these with some cornstarch and seasoning. Once coated, pan fry on all sides in some oil. Allow it to brown before turning. Or you can place these in an air fryer to brown. These fried tofu can be appetizers or snacks and can be dipped in a variety of sauces. You could even toss these on salad, stir fry or in a rice bowl. Enjoy.

For more recipes: Recipe List