Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes with Sriracha Grilled Tofu and Green Olives

I have a deep seated love for stuffed foods - momo, ravioli, paratha, masala dosa, grilled sandwich, rice paper wraps...I really enjoy making and eating these dishes. But what I love most of all are stuffed vegetables! There's something so delicious about a fat, healthy, outer vegetable layer bursting with a variety of textures and flavours on the inside when you bite into it.



Potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums (peppers), zucchinis, brinjals (aubergines) and ladies fingers (okra) are the most commonly stuffed vegetables. But one can always get creative and stuff all kinds of other local vegetables too. What are your favourite veggies to stuff?

This recipe was inspired by a bunch of cute, little, local, naati tomatoes that I got my hands on. It was almost as if they came with labels that said, "STUFF ME" in big, bold letters. hehe





This is yet another recipe that I created for Global Graynz who in turn gathered all the required ingredients and turned them into beautiful packages. If you live in India and would like to make this recipe at home, then visit the links below to source the ingredients super easily by purchasing any of these Chef's Boxes. There are three kinds:

1. Rare/Exotic Ingredients (home delivery to anywhere in India)
2. All Packaged Ingredients (home delivery to anywhere in India)
3. All Ingredients Including Fresh/Perishable Ones (available in Chennai only)




Couscous Stuffed Tomatoes with Sriracha Grilled Tofu and Green Olives

For the Tofu:
3/4 Block Mori-Nu Silken Tofu
Sriracha Sauce
Oil for greasing
12 Green Olives (pitted)

Drain the tofu and gently pat it dry with a clean cloth or tissue.
Slice into cubes.
Lightly grease a non-stick baking tray and arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer.
Drizzle Sriracha sauce over the tofu.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°C for 15 minutes.
Increase the heat to 250°C and grill for 10 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly.
Skewer the tofu and olives on toothpicks and keep aside.

For the Stuffed Tomatoes:
12 Small, Firm Tomatoes
1/2 C Couscous
1/4 Block Mori-Nu Silken Tofu
10 Cloves of Garlic
1 Small Onion - I used White Onion
1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/4 tsp Chilli Powder
12 Capers (optional) - can be replaced with sliced green olives
1 T Oil - I used Coconut Oil
Salt

Bring 3/4 C of lightly salted water to a boil.
Stir in the couscous and turn off the heat.
Cover and keep aside.

Cut the tops off the tomatoes.
Using a small spoon, very carefully scoop out the insides of the tomatoes and keep aside.
Roughly crush the garlic.
Finely chop the onion.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the coconut oil.
Add the crushed garlic and onion and stir fry until they have softened.
Crumble the tofu over this and stir for a minute.
Add the scooped out insides of the tomatoes, cinnamon powder, chilli powder and salt and mix well.
Cover and allow to simmer on low heat for a few minutes.
Add the cooked couscous and mix well.
Turn off the heat and allow to cool for a short while.

Now generously stuff the couscous mixture into the hollowed out tomatoes.
Optionally, press a caper or a slice of olive on top.
Place the tomatoes in a single layer on a greased, non-stick baking tray and grill at 250°C for 10 minutes.

Serve hot along with the skewered tofu and olives.
Enjoy! :)