We took inspiration from picadillo, a flavorful, saucy spiced ground meat dish popular throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and in the Philippines, and thought, Why not give tofu a similar treatment? So for this vegetarian (vegan without the queso fresco!) version, we crisped up the tofu in olive oil, then doused it in spices and hot sauce for some heat.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Firmly squeeze tofu to expel as much excess water as possible (don’t worry if it begins to crack or come apart). Tear into 1"–2" pieces.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add tofu, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and crisp around the edges, 5–7 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, break up tofu into ½"–1" pieces. Add garlic and cook, tossing occasionally, until tofu pieces are crisp all over, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Reduce heat to medium. Add coriander, ancho powder, cumin, and fennel. Cook, stirring, just until spices deepen in color, about 20 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring with rubber spatula, until paste slightly darkens in color, about 1 minute. Add hot sauce and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 5–7 minutes. Season with salt.
Step 4
Divide rice among bowls. Top with tofu mixture, cabbage, avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
