This Vegan Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice is a perfect accompaniment to complete your Indo-Chinese meal. The distinctive taste of burnt garlic really comes through without overpowering the delicate flavour of the vegetables and fragrant basmati rice.

This Vegan Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice is a perfect accompaniment to complete your Indo-Chinese meal. The distinctive taste of burnt garlic really comes through without overpowering the delicate flavour of the vegetables and fragrant basmati rice - 1

It doesn’t take too long until I am craving something Indo-Chinese. When you don’t have easy access to restaurants and takeaways serving this type of food, the best you can do is cook it at home (and probably healthier versions of it too). I’ve tried burnt garlic recipes previously but never in rice – so it was time to get back into the kitchen and give it a go! I decided on adding some crunchy tofu to the recipe to complement the mixed vegetables.

This Vegan Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice is a perfect accompaniment to complete your Indo-Chinese meal. The distinctive taste of burnt garlic really comes through without overpowering the delicate flavour of the vegetables and fragrant basmati rice - 2

WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS FOR BURNT GARLIC AND TOFU FRIED RICE

Pre cooked basmati rice that has been left to cool

baked tofu – marinated in oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper.

a mixture of vegetables – we have used carrots and green beans

a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar and a pinch of sugar

plenty of spring onion

a bulb of garlic

HOW TO MAKE BURNT GARLIC AND TOFU FRIED RICE

Soak the rice early and cook then leave to cool. Prepare the other ingredients. First, you need to heat sesame oil in a wok and wait until it smoking. Add the chopped garlic and fry until it has turned brown. Add the chopped carrots and saute for a few minutes and then add the green beans and the spring onion whites. Once these have softened, you can add soy/vinegar/sugar mixture and the prepped tofu. Then add the pre cooked rice. Sprinkle with more spring onion. Then season to taste.

other Indo-Chinese Recipes

Chilli Paneer

Masala Mogo/Cassava

Baked Sesame Vegetable Spring Rolls

Soya Veg Manchurian

Schezwan/Sichuan Potatoes

This Vegan Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice is a perfect accompaniment to complete your Indo-Chinese meal. The distinctive taste of burnt garlic really comes through without overpowering the delicate flavour of the vegetables and fragrant basmati rice - 3 Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 4

Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice

ingredients:

  • 4 cups cooked basmati rice

  • 1 small bulb garlic roughly chopped

  • 3 TBSP toasted sesame oil

  • 1 cup diced carrots and green beans

  • 1/4 cup spring onion chopped

  • 2-3 TBSP soy sauce

  • 1 TBSP vinegar

  • Pinch of sugar

  • Salt to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 packet firm tofu

  • salt to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp. Garlic powder

  • 1 TBSP.Corn flour

  • 1 TBSP. Oil

instructions:

How to cook Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Rice

  1. Drain the water from the tofu completely and cut it into small pieces.

  2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6,400F or 200C.

  3. In a bowl add tofu pieces, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and corn flour.

  4. Mix gently and add oil.

  5. Arrange the marinated tofu pieces on a baking tray and bake it for 30 minutes or until lightly brown and crispy outside.

  6. In a wok heat sesame oil until it smokes.

  7. Add chopped garlic and fry it till dark brown.

  8. Add white parts of spring onion and carrots and stir fry for a couple of minutes.

  9. Then add green beans and cook further for a minute or so and follow with baked tofu.

  10. In a small bowl mix soy sauce, vinegar and sugar, mix it well.

  11. Add soy suave mixture and cook another 40 seconds.

  12. Tip in cooked rice and green parts of spring onion and stir gently.

  13. Season with the salt and black pepper.

  14. Serve HOT.

NOTES:

Try this Papdi Chaat or Papri Chaat! This chaat is a combination of complementing and contrasting textures and flavours. Papdi chaat is crunchy, spicy, tangy and sweet and can be eaten as an evening snack or as a great alternative to a meal.

Papdi chaat is served in three plates - 5

Chaat can be best described as a savoury snack and believed to originate from Uttar Pradesh, North India.

We love chaat and can’t resist preparing various chaat recipes at home such as Bhel Puri , Pani Puri , Sev Puri, Potato hash brown and pineapple chaat and corn chaat .

3 plates of aloo papri chaat served on a wooden board - 6

What is Papdi Chaat

Also known as Papri chaat, aloo papdi chaat and dahi papdi chaat.

In Hindi, Papdi translates thin flat wafers and Chaat means ‘ to lick ‘.

It comprises of crispy and crunchy papdi ( deep fried thin wheat flour wafers) boiled potatoes and chickpeas, variety of sweet, spicy and tangy sauces and chilled yogurt.

Papdi are buried under fluffy boiled potatoes, tender chickpeas, chilled and sweetened yogurt, bright mint-coriander chutney, sweet and sour tamarind chutney, nylon sev (very thin gram flour noodles) and dusted with a generous amount of chaat masala.

Ingredients

Ingredients are easily available at Indian grocery stores

Papdi – wheat flour crispies or wafers, These papdis can be prepared at home or ready made.

Boiled Chickpeas and potatoes – use either canned chickpeas or follow my homemade Instant Pot Chickpeas recipe.

Sev – gram flour noodles, although best to use nylon sev which is very thin noodles but if you can’t find use medium size or one can use Bombay mix too.

Chutneys or sauces – you need Imli Chutney (sweet tamarind chutney) and Coriander and Mint Chutney (green chutney) and red garlic chutney

Yogurt (curd) – lightly sweetened, mild and chilled yogurt, vegans can use vegan yogurt or can skip totally.

Garnishing such as finely chopped red onion, tomato, freshly chopped coriander leaves, pomegranate arils, and last but not least CHAAT MASALA.

Optionally, add a dash of lemon juice or lime juice.

Air Fryer Papdi

uncooked round papdi in the air fryer basket - 7

Don’t want to deep fry or buy papdi from the store? Here is how to make Papdi in air fryer.

  1. Mix 1 cup wholewheat flour or all purpose flour (plain flour/Maida) in a bowl with ajwain (carom seeds) and salt in a bowl.
  2. Add 3 tablespoon melted ghee and rub the flour and ghee with your fingers.
  3. Gradually add water and knead the dough (stiff dough)
  4. Cover and let it rest for 30-60 minutes.
  5. Knead it again for a minute or so just before making papdis.
  6. Roll the dough into disk using a rolling pin.
  7. Using a cookie cutter, cut out small disks.
  8. Using a fork or knife prick the disks.
  9. Collect the leftover dough, and once again roll it out to make more disks.
  10. Brush the papdi disks with oil.
  11. Preheat the air fryer 200C for 5 minutes.
  12. Place the disks in air fryer basket.
  13. Air fry 10-15 minutes on 180C.
  14. Flip them after 7 minutes and brush the other side with the oil.
  15. Bake again.
  16. Since all the air work differently, you may need to change the time accordingly.
three brown plates filled with papri chaat are on a wooden board with chutneys, chaat masala and garnishes - 8

Method

Now once you start assembling the papdi chaat, you don’t have to think of what goes in order, just dump a small amount of all the ingredients on a serving plate, and start munching but if want present your dish with a WOW factor look at the pictures below.

On a serving plate first, arrange some papdi.

Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 9

Then layer with boiled potato cubes, boiled chickpeas and sprinkle chaat masala to taste.

Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 10

Pour a couple of spoons yogurt.

Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 11 Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 12 Burnt Garlic and Tofu Fried Ric - 13

Serving Suggestion and Storage

Papdi chaat is a great tea time snack or a great alternative meal. This chaat can be served as a starter of an Indian meal, or as a potluck party item at the kitty party. This papdi chaat can be eaten on a SHEETLA SATAM day as a part of the cold food menu.

Papdi chaat cannot be assembled in advance but of course, you can prepare all the ingredients in advance ready to use later on. Papdi and sev can be prepared or bought even a week before. Both the chutneys and potatoes can be made a day before and kept in the refrigerator.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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papdi chaat is served in 2 plates with garnishes on the side - 14

Papdi Chaat

Ingredients

  • 500 gram papdi
  • 250 gram nylon sev
  • 4 potato boiled and cubed
  • 250 gram cooked chickpeas
  • ½ cup full-fat yogurt
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • 1 cup tamarind chutney
  • ½ cup coriander and mint chutney
  • 2 teaspoon chaat masala
  • 1 cup coriander finely chopped
  • ½ cup pomegranate arils

Instructions

  • Add sugar to full-fat yogurt and mix it well.
  • Between four serving plates, arrange 500 gram papdi, potato and chickpeas.
  • Sprinkle some chaat masala.
  • Pour over the yogurt and both the chutneys.
  • Top the chaat with onion, tomato, sev, coriander, and pomegranate arils.
  • Sprinkle some chaat masala, if you want pour more chutney.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.