There is something new in my pantry that works wonders. Seriously. I bet the flavor of any ingredient can be enhanced by the intense smokiness of this magic powder. Is anybody here as enthusiastic as I genuinely am about the spicy mix for fajitas Old El Paso?

I recently told you that for me tofu is somewhat too blend and insipid to be in my top 50 favorite foods. When I decided to become vegetarian I used to dislike food for vegetarians but the more I experimented with a greater variety of ingredients the more I learnt how to cook vegetables and season all those foods that are considered too good for you to be seriously yummy.

No ingredient should ever be underestimated, I learnt. A pinch of the right herb can provide an interesting nuance and elevate a dish to a totally another level of flavor. For example this stir fried tofu, onion and pepper on a layer of herbed Greek yogurt and crispy baked tostadas, would not work without this spicy mix.

The seasoning provides an intense and scrumptious grilling taste to tofu cubes that I haven’t actually grilled. Believe me, I totally forgot that I was just tasting a soy bean curd. Instead, I felt more like if I was celebrating the summer season barbecuing outside with friends 🙂. Cool stuff!

There’s another plus side to this recipe: a very little preparation is required to it. Tofu is ready in no time – let’s say 5 minutes – because it is not necessary to marinate it overnight. The spicy mix has just the right depth of flavor to make tofu flavorful after a quick stir fry. The tortillas don’t need more than 5 minutes in the oven to become low-calorie tostada shells. That’s how the recipe goes if you keep yourself focused in the kitchen and do not forget your food in the oven.

These pics here show you the outcome of my third attempt at baking the tortillas to reach the typical tostada crispiness. At the first attempt I reached the consistency of a dark ceramic plate. At the second try, I didn’t even know what I was thinking of… whatever, opening the oven was like deactivating an atomic bomb.

Moral of the story#1. you can barbecue 365 days a year, in any weather, if you have the right spices and a pinch of immagination.

Moral of the story#2. Four states of matter are observable in everyday life: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Burning the tortillas until the fifth state of the matter is reached, is possible but makes sense ONLY if you are a frustrated physicist like me.

Print Recipe Deep Smoky BBQ Tofu Tostadas Ingredients 4 medium tortillas

1 big pepper

200 gr tofu

1/2 cup green beans optional

2 tsp spicy mix for fajita I used Old El Paso

8 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons coriander finely chopped

1 tablespoon mint

4 tablespoons corn kernels

1/2 onion sliced

olive oil and salt to taste Instructions To prepare the herbed yogurt sauce finely chop the coriander and mint. Add to the yogurt and stir well. Set aside.

Wash and slice the pepper, cut the onions.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pepper, onion, green beans and stir fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the spicy mix seasoning, tofu and corn to the same skillet and cook about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/204 degrees Celsius. Brush both sides of the corn tortillas lightly with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 3-4 minutes or until tortillas turn crispy, with light to medium golden-brown color.

Remove the tostadas from the oven, spread over each tortilla 2 tablespoons of the yogurt mixture, then add the rest of the toppings. Season with salt and olive oil on top. Serve immediately.