Recipe and images courtesy of Romy London (@romylondonuk on Instagram)
Get ready for a bold and flavorful twist on tofu that’s 100% soy free! This Homemade “Pumfu”, aka pumpkin seed tofu, is a protein-packed treat made from only pumpkin seeds - and it’s so easy to make! Paired with a tangy black pepper sauce and some crisp stir-fry veggies, it’s tasty paired with rice or noodles to complete a healthy, hearty meal any day of the week.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Additional Pressing time: 8 hours or overnight
Cooking Time (total): 30 minutes
Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the Pumfu:
- 250g raw hulled pumpkin seeds
- 500ml water for blending
- 500ml water for soaking
- 2 tbsp cornstarch for coating
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, for frying
For the Black Pepper Sauce:
- 2 spring onions (use the white part for the sauce, the green part for garnish)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp water
For the stir fry:
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 300g of your favourite stir fry veggies (e.g. carrot, courgette, sweetcorn, mangetout, peppers, beansprouts etc)
- 4 portions of either cooked rice or stir fry noodles
- Green spring onions & black sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Pumfu:
- Soak the pumpkin seeds in 500ml of water overnight. Drain and rinse the seeds.
- Blend the soaked seeds with 500ml (2 cups) of fresh water until smooth. Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag or fine sieve, reserving the pulp (freeze it for later use).
- Pour the strained milk into a pot and heat to 82°C (180°F), stirring continuously until the milk begins to curdle. Carefully ladle the curds into a tofu mould lined with a damp cloth. Press the pumfu and let it set.
Pan-Fry the Pumfu:
- Heat 2 tbsp of toasted sesame oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Once set, cut the pumfu into cubes. Coat the cubes lightly with cornstarch.
- Add the pumfu cubes and fry until crispy on all sides. Reduce the heat to medium.
Make the Black Pepper Sauce:
- In the same pan, add the white parts of the spring onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until fragrant.
- Stir in the muscovado sugar, tamari soy sauce, rice vinegar, black pepper, and water. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove the pumfu cubes from the pan and set aside.
Stir-Fry the Veggies:
- In the same pan, add 2 tsp of toasted sesame oil and your favourite stir-fry veggies. Cook until tender, coating them in any leftover sauce in the pan.
Serve:
- Serve the stir-fry veggies over rice or noodles. Place the crispy pumfu cubes on top.
- Garnish with the green parts of the spring onions and black sesame seeds.
Calories | 310Kcal |
Total Fat | 15g |
Saturated Fat | 3g |
Sodium | 571mg |
Total Carbohydrate | 40g |
Fibre | 10g |
Sugar | 14g |
Protein | 12g |