Vegan Chraime with Tender Tofu Balls

An easy vegan chraime (a North African spicy fish dish popular in Israel), made with tender, flavor-packed tofu balls nestled in a spicy red sauce.

I've been making this vegan chraime regularly for years. This time, I finally decided to share it on the blog, thanks to all the friends who kept asking for the recipe after dunking their challah (braided Jewish bread) into that fiery sauce.

Honestly, I don't know anyone who can resist a wide, steaming pot full of tender tofu balls practically swimming in spicy red sauce. That's why I love serving this as a first course for Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) dinner on Friday night, with fresh challah, of course. Mostly, I just want to hear that collective "Ooooooh" when the pot hits the table.

Compared with most recipes on this blog, this one does take a little more work. But I promise: follow it step by step, and you'll end up with a wonderfully fragrant, delicious vegan chraime.

And there's a bonus: this dish isn't just beautiful, delicious, and comforting. It's nourishing, too.

Each tofu ball with 3 tablespoons of sauce contains: 85 calories, 3.5 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 3.8 g fat, 50 mg calcium, and 0.8 mg iron.

In other words, go ahead and dig into that pot of vegan chraime! Just try not to polish off the entire challah, okay?

Noam Bachar (an Israeli nutrition consultant and fitness instructor):

"Beyond the rich, bright flavors they bring to this recipe, many of the herbs and spices provide vitamins, minerals, and beneficial phytochemicals.

Parsley, for example, is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, folate, iron, and calcium.

Cilantro is also thought to have anti-inflammatory properties and to support the immune system.

Tomatoes—botanically a fruit, but treated as a vegetable in the kitchen—are a great source of lycopene. This carotenoid acts as a powerful antioxidant and may offer a range of health benefits, including supporting immune function, helping maintain eye health, and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease."

Another tofu recipe, with a slightly different spin …

Vegan Chraime with Tender Tofu Balls

An easy vegan chraime with tender, flavor-packed tofu balls nestled in a spicy red sauce. Perfect for Shabbat dinner.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Makes 15 tofu balls

Ingredients

For the tofu balls

• 300 g (10.6 oz) tofu
• 1 bunch parsley chopped
• 1 whole onion chopped
• 4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1 level teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

For the sauce

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
• 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
• 1 small hot chile pepper, sliced omit if you don't like heat
• 1 bunch parsley chopped
• 7 whole ripe tomatoes diced
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• salt
• 5 cups water

Instructions

1. Start with the tofu balls.
2. Process the tofu in a food processor until it forms a firm paste. If the mixture is too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Transfer the tofu mixture to a bowl. Add the parsley, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic, cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Mix thoroughly.
4. With wet hands, shape the mixture into ping-pong-size balls and place them on a baking sheet.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
6. Next, make the sauce.
7. In a wide pot or deep sauté pan, cook the crushed garlic in the olive oil for 2–3 minutes.
8. Add the remaining sauce ingredients except the water, spices, and salt. Cook for another 3–4 minutes.
   
9. Add the spices and salt and stir well.
   
10. Add the water and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Turn off the heat.
    
11. With the heat off, gently nestle the tofu balls into the sauce and serve.