photo credit: toastforbrekkie
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) advises us to eat a plant-based diet with the right mix of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. All these three immune-boosting nutrients are important for proper functioning of our immune system.
As a good guideline, choose colourful vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes in order for your meals to be visually appealing as well as provide a balance of immunity-boosting nutrients.
The following alphabet letter C recipe is a colourful “Curry Braised Tofu with Basmati Rice, Lentils, Dried Cherries, and Pickle Masala” recipe from Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).
Curry Braised Tofu with Basmati Rice, Lentils, Dried Cherries, and Pickle Masala
Makes 4 servings
1 cup dry French green lentils or other green lentils
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 black pepper, to taste
1 cup dry basmati rice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon pickle masala
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1 juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon orange zest, finely minced
1/4 cup dried cherries
1 large tomato, roughly chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1 pound firm tofu, cut into bite-size pieces
1 fresh basil sprigs for garnish
Rinse and drain lentils. Bring water to a boil, add lentils, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Turn heat down and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until lentils are soft. Cover and keep warm over lowest heat or in 150°F oven.
Prepare rice according to package directions. Cover and keep warm in rice cooker or in 150°F oven.
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onions, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, curry powder, and pickle masala. Cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes, then add stock or water, orange juice and zest, and cherries. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. Add tomato and sliced basil and cook until heated through.
Add tofu to the vegetable mixture and heat for 3 to 5 minutes until tofu is heated through.
Serve rice, lentils, and vegetable-tofu mixture in individual bowls and garnish with basil sprigs.
Per serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 609
- Fat: 13.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Calories from Fat: 19.7%
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Protein: 32.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 95.9 g
- Sugar: 17.6 g
- Fiber: 11.3 g
- Sodium: 754 mg
- Calcium: 325 mg
- Iron: 9.7 mg
- Vitamin C: 28.4 mg
- Beta Carotene: 480 mcg
- Vitamin E: 1.2 mg
Source: La Grenouille, New York City, New York