The Chipotle tofu burrito has become almost a mythic creature to me, like a Sasquatch or Elves. I heard about the new Chipotle burrito so long ago, it’s hard to believe that I may actually get to see one. Sure, there were stirrings among the vegans on the internets, passing the word, raising support for the new vegan burrito. But it was last year, when I met the amazing man behind the tofu behind the burrito, well, that is when I really started to get excited about this big fattie.
You see, last year, in San Francisco, I met Minh Tsai, a man who loves tofu so much that he walked away from a big money career in finance to pursue a dream. Tsai grew up in Vietnam, where he learned to love freshly made tofu. The subtle flavors and texture of that tofu must have imprinted on his young mind, because he has been seeking that ideal tofu ever since.
Of course, the tofu is incredible. With a firm, resilient texture and a slight sweetness, the Hodo tofu is so good that when Tsai gave us samples, it was hard to stop eating them. (Yes, tofu so delicious that you want to binge eat it!) There at the shiny-clean tofu factory, we watched his tofu artisans make yuba- the skin that forms on top of hot soymilk-by heating the milk in large stainless tubs and carefully lifting off the skins when they reach the right thickness.
The only sad thing was knowing that I would not be able to get this amazing tofu when I went home to Minneapolis- BUT, Tsai tipped us off that he was working with Chipotle to make a tasty tofu filling for their new vegan burrito. If all the testing and market research went well, Hodo Soy tofu would be in Chipotle burritos across the country.
Maybe. And I might trip over a wood elf on my afternoon walk. It could happen.
So, fast forward to a year later, and that burrito is on the way. It’s taking a little longer for it to get to me, but I am so excited to try it.
So, in the spirit of tofu burrito love, I decided to make up a version of the tofu sofritas that I have, so far, only read about. It know it’s just a pale stand-in, like a guy in a wookie suit pretending to be the real Sasquatch.
Because I can’t get Hodo soy, I used my locally available super firm Wildwood tofu. It’s darn good tofu, too.
I sauteed some onions and garlic and added the crumbled tofu, and browned it a little. Then I pureed some chipotle in adobo with a jarred roasted red pepper (I hear they are using roasted poblanos at Chipotle) and I added some vegetable stock, oregano, cumin and salt.
- Adding the Chipotle Puree to the Tofu
Cooked down, the tofu filling was just spicy enough to balance with creamy guacamole.
When my cilantro-lime laced brown rice, corn salsa and tofu filling hit the tortilla, it looked pretty good.
It really was yummy, and it helped me to satisfy the craving that I can’t meet until the real deal arrives in Minnesota.
At least the tofu burrito is real. At least, I believe.
My Tofu Sofritas Burrito
Makes 8
RICE
2 cups water
1 cup long grain brown rice
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
TOFU
20 ounces extra firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large chipotle pepper (canned)
1 tablespoon adobo from the can (or more to taste)
1 large roasted red pepper, drained
11/2 cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
GUACAMOLE
2 large avocados
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 10- inch tortillas, can use whole wheat, GF rice or teff, or your fave
Jar of black bean-corn salsa ( I used Muir Glen)
First, cook the rice in a 1-2 qt pot, bring the water to a boil, add the rice, add salt, cover and reduce the heat to low for 35-40 minutes. When all the water is absorbed, take off the heat to let steam, covered for 5 minutes, then uncover, fluff and keep warm. To finish, put the cilantro, garlic and lime in the food processor and puree, then stir into the warm rice.
For tofu, saute the onions and garlic until the onions are clear, then crumble in the tofu and stir. Keep stirring over medium heat until the tofu begins to get some golden spots. In the processor, puree the chipotle, adobo, and red pepper, add the vegetable stock and process until smooth. Pour into the pan with the tofu and stir, add the oregano, cumin and salt and stir until the pan is dry and the tofu is firm. Keep warm.
Mash avocados with lime, garlic and salt.
To assemble, put 1/3 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of tofu, a few tablespoons of salsa and about an eighth of the guac on the center of the tortilla, then roll up. Serve with extra salsa on the side.
