Weekend breakfasts deserve more than the neat routine of Monday to Friday: porridge or marmalade on toast just don’t cut it for me on a Sunday. I don’t even crave a weekend fry-up these days. No, I need something substantial, but without the grease, which is where some experimentation has come in lately.
On the weekends we are at home, those moments between getting up and heading out are precious; rare slices of time when the phone doesn’t ring. My little boy busily runs laps of the kitchen as I cook with the sole purpose of making something delicious. Here are two things I have cooked in these morning windows, and they’re set to be cooked over and over.
I first ate tofu scramble years ago on a trip to California: it makes a welcome change from eggs. Tofu has a pleasing bounciness suited to cooking this way. It soaks up the flavours of its bed partners: big, brave notes of smoked paprika, garlic and the deeply savoury, almost inky, black beans.
Today’s other recipe was an attempt to partner up two of my favourite things: dal and baked eggs. We now eat this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I use split red lentils, so it’s quick and only uses one pan.
Black bean and tofu scramble
The tofu I use here is neither the silken stuff nor the firm stuff. It’s usually just labelled as tofu in water; it crumbles nicely in your fingers when you break it up. Silken tofu will work too, although the scramble will be a little softer. I always try to buy the best tofu I can: most supermarkets stock good organic stuff these days – and some small UK-based producers are cropping up at markets too.
Serves 4
2 ripe avocados
Salt and black pepper
2 limes
250g of cherry or winter tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 red chillies, roughly chopped
4 flour or corn tortillas
Olive oil
4 spring onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves
A small bunch of coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
400g tin of black beans (or 250g if home-cooked), drained
400g crumbly tofu (see note above)
1 First, mash the avocados with a little salt and black pepper, plus the zest of 1 lime and half its juice.
2 Add the red chillies and a good pinch of salt and pepper to the chopped tomatoes. Squeeze over the juice of the other half lime.
3 Warm or toast the tortillas and keep them warm: I do this by holding them over a flame on each side for 30 seconds or so, then wrapping in foil and keeping in a low oven.
4 Next, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add a little oil. Add the spring onions, garlic and chopped coriander stalks. Cook for around 2 minutes, or until the edges of the garlic are beginning to brown.
5 Add the smoked paprika and a little more salt and black pepper, then cook for another minute.
6 Add the drained black beans to the pan and fry them for around 2 minutes, or until they have dried out a little. Add the crumbled tofu, turn the heat up and cook until the tofu has begun to catch and colour a little. Take off the heat and season well with salt and pepper.
7 Pile on to the toasted tortillas, with a little chilli and the coriander leaves strewn over, and serve with the avocado and tomatoes for spooning on top.
Turmeric dal baked eggs
You could up the chilli here if that’s your thing – in the morning I like to keep it gentle.
Serves 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
A small bunch of coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric, or a small thumb‑sized piece of fresh root, grated
300g split red lentils
Salt and black pepper
200g spinach, washed
4 eggs
1 lemon
1 green chilli, finely sliced
Yoghurt, to serve
1 Fill and boil the kettle. Heat the oil in a large pan with a lid. Add the ginger and garlic, then the coriander stalks, stirring frequently until the edges of the garlic pick up a little colour.
2 Add the spices and cook for a minute or so to toast and release the oils. Add the lentils and stir to coat in the oil. Add 1 litre of water from the kettle and a good pinch of salt, then stir well. Cook on a low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the lentils are well cooked and the mixture has thickened. You want it to be thick enough to just about hold its shape when you make a little well for your eggs (see step 5).
3 Add the spinach and put the lid on for 2 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted, then stir well.
4 When you are almost ready to eat, squeeze in the juice of the lemon and taste the lentils, adding a little more salt and pepper if you need to.
5 Make four wells in the lentils, then crack an egg into each well and pop the lid back on until the egg whites are firm and the yolks are still runny: this should take about 5 minutes.
6 To serve, scatter the eggs with the chilli, coriander leaves and yoghurt on the side for everyone to help themselves.
