Pan-Grilled Tofu and Eggplant Wraps

By: Alice Henneman

These tasty vegetarian wraps look and taste much “heavier” than they are. Extra-firm tofu stands up well to pan-grilling, and eggplant, onion, and bell pepper add their own grilled-vegetable goodness.

The richest flavor here comes from the creamy, garlicky Mediterranean-style sauce, made extra rich with the addition of nutty tahini. It’s a thick sauce, but you can adjust the consistency to your own liking by adding a little water to thin it.

Note: If you don’t have a grill pan, use a hot, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet to sear the tofu and vegetables.

Makes 4 wraps

Ingredients

For the Garlic-Yogurt Sauce

• 6 oz plain Greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• water, for thinning, as needed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Wraps

• 8 1/3-inch-thick slices of extra-firm tofu, about 3 X 2-inch rectangles
• 1/4 tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, chile powder, garlic powder
• olive oil, for brushing
• 1 small eggplant, sliced lengthwise in half, each half sliced into 1/4-inch half-moon pieces (about 16 total; reserve remainder for another use)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion, sliced into thin 1-inch strips
• 1/2 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin 1-inch strips
• 4 8-inch whole-wheat tortillas

Preparation

For the Garlic-Yogurt Sauce

1. Combine the yogurt, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and cumin in a medium bowl. Stir in a little water, if desired, for a thinner consistency (should be fairly thick). Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the Wraps

1. Place the tofu slices on layers of paper towels and cover with more layers to drain moisture. Let stand 15 minutes.
2. Combine the ground cumin, turmeric, chile powder, and garlic powder in a small bowl. Set the spice mixture aside.
3. Preheat the oven to its lowest temperature.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Season the eggplant slices with salt and pepper and grill until tender and lightly charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a heatproof plate and keep warm in the oven.
5. Brush the grill pan with a little more oil and add the onion and bell pepper slices. Season with salt and pepper and grill, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly charred, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the same plate with the eggplant and keep warm.
6. Blot the tofu with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper, and the reserved spice mixture. Brush the grill pan with more oil and grill the tofu until brown and charred in places, 2-3 minutes per side. (Turn the pieces carefully with a spatula to try to prevent breaking.
7. Lay the tortillas on a work surface and spread a line of garlic-yogurt sauce slightly left of center down each one, using about half the sauce.
8. Divide the tofu slices on top of the sauce and top with eggplant, onion, and bell pepper. Dollop the remaining sauce over the filling. Starting on the left side, roll the wraps tightly over the filling.
9. Brush the grill pan with more oil and place the wraps in seam-side down (2 at a time, if needed). Press with a large spatula or grill press and grill until char marks appear, 1-2 minutes. Turn and grill 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a cutting board and cut each wrap in half on the diagonal. Serve right away.

For more recipes and cooking tips from Pamela Steed Hill, check out The Briny Lemon.