Breaded Tofu with Horseradish & Green Coriander Seeds

green coriander seed

All you coriander/cilantro growers out there probably already know this, but just in case you don't: when your cilantro (aka coriander) starts to bolt, let it. That way, you can harvest the seeds...and they are especially tasty while still green. Of course, you can let them dry out and turn brown, but definitely try some of the green ones too. Whereas you can buy whole coriander seed (dry/brown variety) in most any super market...getting a hold of these green gems is really only the privilege of those who grow it themselves.

The green seeds have a bright and citrus-like flavor, reminiscent of cucumber and lemons.  They go great in salad dressings, marinades, or just sprinkled over your favorite dish. With that in mind, I threw together this quick sauce:

Cashew Cream with Horseradish and Green Coriander Seed

1/2 cup cashew cream (I made mine on the fluid/less thick side)
1 tablespoon prepared (vegan) horseradish (or adjust to taste) ( I like Bubbies brand)
2 tablespoons green coriander seed, roughly crushed with the flat side of a knife (or adjust to taste)

If you don't have any green coriander seed, capers and lemon zest would be good too (or just fresh coriander leaves of course).

Note: the cashew cream recipe I linked to above mentions something like "if you don't have  a Vita Mix you'll have to sieve the cashew cream to get a smooth consistency"... this is false. I don't have a Vita Mix; I just let it blend for several minutes in my food processor--eventually you'll get a lovely smooth texture.

cashew cream with horseradish and green coriander

The sauce has a mild horseradish flavor, brightened by the citrusy coriander seed. It went well with some  oven-baked, breaded tofu.

For the tofu, I began by marinating it in lemon juice, white wine, and garlic.  For better absorption potential, I used frozen tofu, defrosted and pressed to remove the excess liquid. I used a biscuit cutter to make little rounds (tofu circles are fun!): 

marinating tofu rounds 

After letting it marinate for several hours, I breaded it and let it bake in a 375 (F) oven until it was toasty brown. 

Bread Crumb Mixture

mix of sprouted grain (Genesis Bread) and panko bread crumbs

Old Bay Seasoning to taste

dulse flakes to taste

chili powder to taste

We had them on a bed of lightly sauteed chard with some rice/legume pilau and some salad from the garden:

tofu "scallops" with horseradish-coriander cream,  chard,  and rice/legume pilau

You can't really see the chard in the photo, because it's hidden underneath the tofu. The rice mixture (I'm not sure whether it qualifies as a "pilau") is a mix of brown and wild rice with lentils and spilt peas: 

rice/legume mix

It cooks up in the same amount of time as regular brown rice--I usually cook it in veggie broth with some diced onion and it turns out pretty tasty.

This was a consoling dinner on a Sunday evening; it was fun to make so it helped take my mind off of Monday, which is  looming it's big ugly head.