Pozole Rojo with Tofu Knots

This vegan recipe is inspired by the classic Mexican stew. It is made with tofu knots, hominy, and red chiles. Seasoned with oregano, cumin, lime juice, and agave nectar.

Overview

If you have never worked with dried chiles before then fear not. They are very straightforward to cook with. In the section that follows we recommend several mild varieties. Generally all they require is removing the seeds, stems, and rehydrating by soaking them in a bowl of warm water.

That being said there is a equipment consideration that needs to be taken into account to make this dish. A food processor or blender are required to make the chile base. Which is a puree made with the rehydrated chiles, cocoa powder, garlic, and chile water.

Cooking Notes

Chile Selection

For this recipe we used Guajillo chiles but Ancho, Chiles de Árbol, or New Mexican Chiles will also suffice. Since these various types of chiles are different sizes it is recommended to go by weight.

The chiles will be used to make a base for the stew in a later step. Which is what gives this dish that deep crimson red color. The heat level for the chiles listed above are pretty mild but make sure to check the packaging. Additional spiciness can be achieved, if desired, by adding hotter peppers such as habaneros or jalapeños.

The Guajillo chiles came in a 3 oz. bag and the entire package was used for this recipe. For reference, there were roughly a dozen dried chiles. If you were to use Ancho instead you may need about half that amount because they are larger. But as long as you use about 3 ounces of dried chiles you shouldn’t have any issues.

Prep Work

Start by peeling the garlic and removing the ends. They don’t need to be minced since they will go in the food processor. Chop the onion and dice the zucchini. Place them both in the same bowl.

Cut the ends off the chiles and remove the seeds. Place in a big bowl and cover in warm water. The amount of water needed to cover the chiles is variable and really just depends on the size of chile used in the recipe. For this dish we found that four cups of warm water worked out perfectly. Let them soak for 15 – 20 minutes.

Chile Base

After the chiles have finished soaking it is time to move ahead to making the chile base for the stew. Begin by using tongs to remove the chiles from the bowl and add them to a food processor. Reserve the water the chiles were soaked in.

Add two cups of the chile water to the food processor as well as the remaining ingredients. Pulse until a nice puree forms that is free from lumps. When the chile base is made set it off to the side and move on to the next step.

Cooking the Stew

Bring a large soup pot or dutch oven up to medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. For this recipe we used a large 8 quart soup pot. Sauté the onion and zucchini until the onion starts to turn translucent. Drain the hominy using a strainer before adding it. Next, add the chile base, tofu knots, oregano, cumin, and vegetable stock. For this dish we used Better than Bouillon with 5 cups of water. We also added soy sauce to the veggie stock at this stage. Stir to combine the ingredients and let the stew simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.

When the time elapses add the lime juice and agave nectar. Stir to incorporate the ingredients. At this phase of the cooking process I recommend carefully removing a few tofu knots on a spoon with the broth and allowing them to cool sufficiently before taste testing. Optionally, you can add salt if required. To serve use a ladle to add the stew to a bowl. Garnish with optional toppings and enjoy!

Topping Ideas

For this dish we used vegan sour cream, green onions, and sliced avocado. The sour cream we used was by Kite Hill. The specialize in almond based dairy alternatives. Some additional toppings to try are tortilla chips, fresh squeezed limes or lemons, vegan cheese, sliced jalapeños, shredded cabbage, or fresh cilantro.

Storage

Place any leftovers in your storage container of choice. Reserve any topping ingredients in a separate container. If you have any avocado leftover it helps to add some lime or lemon juice over them to prevent browning. Place the leftovers in the refrigerator. They should keep nicely for several days before the freshness starts to taper off.

If you like this recipe be sure to check out our other recipes below:

• Coconut Curry Tofu Knots
• Sticky Orange Tofu Knots with Veggies
• Udon Noodle Stir Fry with Tofu Knots
• Seitan Stuffed Bell Peppers