014 / 75 · Bowls, breakfasts and small meals
Turmeric Tofu and Sweetcorn Tortilla Plates
4 medium filled tortillas; 2 tortillas and half the tofu-corn mixture per serving · Active 13 min · Cook 8 min · Total 25 min
Print recipe · PDFCrumbled tofu takes up the color of turmeric and the softness of cooked pepper without needing an egg or a frying pan. Ready-to-eat canned sweetcorn keeps this version straightforward. Warm the tortillas only after the filling has finished, using the same microwave and a separate plate. The recipe includes the carriers, so two medium filled tortillas make one complete portion.
Soften the pepper before the tofu
Small pepper pieces need their own covered cook. Once they are tender, the crumbled tofu and canned sweetcorn can warm through together without waiting for crunchy raw pepper. Keep the tofu in rough small pieces rather than pressing it into a dense slab. Stir from the bottom during heating so the center warms with the edges.
Warm carriers last
Ready-to-eat flour tortillas soften quickly under a microwave-safe cover. They do not need to be fried or browned for this meal. Heat only the measured stack after the filling comes out, and keep it covered until assembly. If your tortilla packet specifies a different method or time, use that instruction and allow for it in the clock.
Ingredients
- 250 g (about 8.8 oz) ready-to-eat pasteurized firm tofu, drained and crumbled into roughly 1 cm (about ⅜ in) pieces
- 150 g (about 5.3 oz) ready-to-eat canned sweetcorn, drained
- 120 g (about 4.2 oz) red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 5 mm (about 3/16 in) pieces
- 5 g (about 1 large clove) garlic, finely chopped
- 10 ml (about 2 US tsp) olive oil
- 1 g ground turmeric, about ½ tsp
- 1 g ground cumin, about ½ tsp
- 1 g (about ⅛ US tsp plus a small pinch) fine salt
- 15 ml (about 1 US tbsp) lime juice
- 20 g (about 0.71 oz) spring onion, finely sliced
- 4 medium ready-to-eat soft flour tortillas, each about 20 cm (8 in) across and 40 g (1.4 oz), 160 g (5.6 oz) total
Set out
1000 W microwave with turntable, Microwave-safe bowl, 1.5 L (about 1.6 US qt) capacity, Microwave-safe dinner plate, Microwave-safe vented covers for bowl and plate, Knife and board, Fork and spoon, Kitchen scale and measuring spoon, Food thermometer, Oven mitts
Allergens
Soy, Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Put the pepper, garlic, olive oil, turmeric, cumin and salt in the 1.5 L (about 1.6 US qt) bowl. Cover with its vented cover. Microwave at 1000 W full power for 2 minutes, stir, then cook 1 minute more until the pepper is tender.
- Stir in the crumbled tofu and drained canned sweetcorn. Cover again and microwave at full power for 2 minutes. Stir from the bottom and heat another 1–2 minutes, until 165°F/74°C in the center and several other positions. Leave the filling covered outside the oven for 2 minutes.
- During that stand, stack the 4 ready-to-eat tortillas on the plate and cover with its vented cover. Microwave at full power for 20 seconds, turn the stack over and give it another 10–20 seconds until pliable. Use a longer label instruction in full if your chosen tortillas require it.
- Stir the lime juice and spring onion through all the tofu filling. Divide it equally between the 4 warm tortillas, giving each person 2 filled tortillas. Fold loosely and eat promptly; these are medium tortillas, not small street-taco rounds.
The corn is canned
The stated method uses drained commercially canned ready-to-eat sweetcorn. Do not slip uncooked frozen corn into the same short heating stage; it needs its full package cooking process first.
Each carrier has a portion
There are four medium 20 cm (8 in), 40 g (1.4 oz) tortillas in the batch, 160 g (5.6 oz) total. Each receives one-quarter of the filling, roughly 140 g (4.9 oz) before normal cooking loss. The larger carriers give the mixture room without changing the four-piece count.
Ingredient labels
Tortillas can contain milk or other allergens; check labels. The corn-tortilla variation is not automatically certified gluten-free.
A useful detail
The 25-minute estimate allows chopping, up to 7 minutes for the filling, less than 1 minute for the selected ready-to-eat tortillas, the covered stand and assembly. Tortillas warm during the filling’s stand, after the filling has left the oven. Times are starting ranges for a 1000 W microwave. Use the stated power setting, stir and turn as directed, and use the food endpoint rather than the clock alone. A different wattage or bowl shape may need additional short bursts.
Another way
- Use 8 small ready-to-eat corn tortillas, 20 g (0.71 oz) each and 160 g (5.6 oz) total, instead of the 4 medium flour tortillas. Divide the filling eight ways and serve 4 small tacos per person. Follow the tortilla packet’s full warming process; a larger stack can take longer. Check labels for wheat cross-contact if needed.
- Replace 250 g (about 8.8 oz) tofu with 250 g (about 8.8 oz) drained ready-to-eat canned chickpeas, coarsely mashed before the second cooking stage. Heat the full mixture evenly to the same endpoint.
Keep it well
Refrigerate filling separately from tortillas in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or colder; use within 3 days. Reheat filling covered with stirring to 165°F/74°C throughout and stand 2 minutes. Warm tortillas separately just before assembling.