Fried tofu is one of my favorite vegetarian meal options, but I pretty much always do the same thing with it; I cut it into either slices or cubes. While there’s nothing wrong with that, I was recently quite intrigued when I came across a completely different way to prepare tofu: grate it on a box grater like a potato and then fry it like a hash. As long as you get the extra firm variety, the grating works surprisingly well, and the tofu strands keep their shape and texture perfectly throughout the frying process.

The beauty of the grating method is that you end up with a lot of surface area on the tofu, all of which will absorb the flavor of any spices and other ingredients you add to the pan. For this Asian-inspired recipe, I stirred in curry powder, soy sauce and rice vinegar and added peas, green onions and shredded carrots. That by itself makes a delicious snack but to make it a whole meal I suggest you serve the tofu hash with cilantro fried rice. The cilantro adds a bit of freshness and pairs very well with the curry flavors.

Another great thing about tofu hash is that it reheats very well in the microwave, so it’s an excellent option for lunch to take to work or merely a make-ahead meal.