Charred Courgette with Spelt Tofu Medallions
This dish layers charred courgette with golden tofu medallions made from spelt flour and Indian-inspired spices. A fragrant crumb, pickled ribbons, and lemony yoghurt lift the dish into something quietly celebratory. It’s light yet satisfying, full of texture and contrast — a grounded, garden-born plate that brings comfort and intrigue in equal measure.
Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Vinaigrette
- 2 pinch salt
- 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
- 30 ml apple cider vinegar
- 60 ml extra virgin rapeseed oil
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- ½ tsp fresh garlic | finely grated
Ingredients for Herbed Yoghurt
- 3 tbsp plain yoghurt | use the one you like; unsweetened
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp fresh mint | or use coriander if that's what you have
Ingredients for Quick Pickled Courgette Ribbons
- 4 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
- 12 units courgette ribbons | raw; used a potato peeler or mandolin
Ingredients for Crumb
- 2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp salt
Ingredients for Spelt Tofu Medallions
- 75 g firm tofu | crumbled into small crumbs
- 30 g red onion | very finely chopped
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp sumac
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ clove fresh garlic
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- 1 tsp tomato purée
- 1½ tbsp spelt flour
- ½ tbsp fresh coriander | finely chopped
Other Ingredients
- 1 unit courgette | cut in half lengthways, then cut again on the diagonal to make the size and number of pieces you want
- ½ tbsp olive oil | to cook the courgette
- 70 g brown rice | 35g per person, dried weight; dressed with fresh coriander and a little vinaigrette.
- 2 units cherry tomatoes | thinly sliced, lengthways; to dress the plate
- 20 g salad leaves | or rocket, watercress...
- 2 sprays oil spray
Instructions
Prepare the Vinaigrette
- Mix the ingredients listed, and put to one side ready.2 pinch salt, 2 tsp soft light brown sugar, 30 ml apple cider vinegar, 60 ml extra virgin rapeseed oil, 2 tsp dijon mustard, ½ tsp fresh garlic, ⅛ tsp salt
Prepare the Herbed Yoghurt
- Mix the ingredients listed, and put to one side ready.3 tbsp plain yoghurt, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, ¼ tsp fresh lemon zest, 1 tsp fresh mint, 1 pinch salt
Prepare the Quick Pickled Courgette Ribbons
- Put a little heat under the pan, mix the ingredients listed into the pan and warm gently until the sugar and salt dissolve.4 tbsp apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
- Add the prepared ribbons and leave for 15 minutes or more. Roll into curls using some cooks tweezers. These can be done in advance.12 units courgette ribbons
Prepare the Crumb
- Toast the ingredients listed in a dry frying pan on a low heat. Allow to cool and then blitz to a fine crumb.2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 1 tbsp desiccated coconut, ¼ tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp ground cumin
Prepare the Tofu Medallions
- Mix the ingredients listed. Ideally mix the wetter ingredients together first, the dryer ingredients together, and then mix the dry into the wet.75 g firm tofu, 30 g red onion, ¼ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp ground coriander, ¼ tsp sumac, ⅛ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp ground black pepper, ½ clove fresh garlic, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp fresh lemon zest, 1 tsp tomato purée, 1½ tbsp spelt flour, ½ tbsp fresh coriander
- Press into small balls in the palm of your hands; 20mm diameter. Put on a lightly floured board and then squash with the back of spoon to make medallions. You will have some mix left over; eat raw as a sandwich filling or make a pattie for later in the week.
Cook!
- Gently cook the rice; drain it when finished and keep warm in the pan with a lid on. You can wrap the pan in a tea towel to really hold the heat in there. Add some chopped coriander and a little dressing. Just so that it's not a block of under-dressed carbohydrate on your palate.70 g brown rice
- Heat a frying pan (ideally one with a lid), on medium low, with 1/2 tbsp olive oil.½ tbsp olive oil
- Cut shallow diagonal lines across the courgette flesh to help it cook evenly. Place the courgette, skin side down, in the pan. Sprinkle salt on the side facing up. Put a lid on and cook the courgette for a few minutes. When the skin side is brown, turn over to cook the scored side for a few minutes, until it is brown.1 unit courgette
- Spray the tray of your air fryer with oil spray, put the medallions onto the tray, spray the tops of the medallions with oil spray, then cook for 4 minutes at 200 ℃.2 sprays oil spray
- Plate: place the rice on the plate. Add herbed yoghurt in the middle. Place the courgette slices topped with some of the crumb. Add medallions, pickled curls and leaves. Tuck in some tomato slices. Add little squeezes of dressing to the food and careful dots to the plate (shake the dressing vigorously so that the dots of dressing hold their form/don't separate).2 units cherry tomatoes, 20 g salad leaves
Nutrition
Calories: 483kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 12gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1088mgPotassium: 381mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 200IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 3mg
Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
COPYRIGHT
© The Golden Polar Bear, 2025. Recipes and photography by Julia Savory. If you share this, please pass it along with kindness and if possible share a link back to this site. #ForTheAnimals