Bulgur with pepper and persimmon vegetables and tofu in za'atar marinade

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 240 g bulgur
• 3 bell peppers, red
• 1 persimmon, fully ripe
• 2 m.-large shallot(s)
• 250 g smoked tofu
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Sriracha sauce
• ½ lemon(s), the juice
• 1 tbsp oil for frying
• some stalks of parsley, fresh
• some sesame, roasted
• n. B. Sumac
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sesame seeds, roasted
• 1 tsp sumac
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• ½ tsp oregano, dried
• ½ tsp marjoram, dried
• ¼ tsp salt

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

vegan

For the marinade, combine the toasted sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, and salt in a mortar and pestle and grind everything. Pour in the olive oil and let it sit for a while. Wrap the smoked tofu in kitchen paper, add a weight, and squeeze the liquid for at least 10 minutes, then dice it. Meanwhile, wash the bell peppers, remove the stems, cores, and white inner membranes, and cut the peppers into strips. Wash and dice the fully ripe persimmon. Peel and finely dice the shallots. Finely chop the parsley. Heat oil in a high-fat pan and sauté the shallots and bell peppers over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Deglaze with the soy sauce, pour in the vegetable stock, and add the sriracha sauce. Bring everything to a boil. Then add the persimmon and bulgur wheat, cover, and let it simmer over low heat for about 8-10 minutes. Finally, season with lemon juice to taste. Meanwhile, fry the tofu in a pan without adding any fat for about 4 minutes. Then reduce the heat slightly and add the marinade. Fry for another 3 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When serving, spread the tofu over the bulgur with the fruit and vegetable mixture and garnish with the chopped parsley, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac. Notes: If you can get real dried za’atar herb, use that instead of the substitute mixture of thyme, oregano, and marjoram, using the total amount of the individual herbs specified. If you only have a ready-made za’atar spice mix, check whether it contains sumac or salt. If not, add sumac or salt to the spice mix and then grind everything in a mortar.