This lunch recipe is packed with over 30g of plant-based protein with flavours from Eastern Africa.
I have been trying to eat more protein and have founded success in combining a few of my favorite recipes from Eastern Africa. I am a firm believer that a diet consisting of foods and flavors from the African continent can be adjusted to fit any dietary lifestyle, whether it is gluten-free, high protein, or vegan (like myself).
What You Will Need for this Recipe
Mishkaki Tofu (click to learn more about East African food)
- Tofu: this will replace the meat. It acts like a blank canvas that can literally soak up every flavor you give it.
- Aromatics: Garlic and Ginger
- Spices: Coriander and Cumin Seeds, curry powder, garam masala, cayenne pepper, black pepper
- Tamarind: Tamarind is a sweet and sour fruit indigenous to Africa. it is used across many countries now and provides a sweet and tart flavor.
Chapati (click here to learn about chapati and East African food history)
- All-purpose flour
- Chickpea Flour: Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. You can find this flour at many health food stores or grocery stores as Chickpea Flour or Garbanzo bean flour, or even Indian Stores where it is known as Besan.
- Neutral Oil: I use avocado oil
- Salt and Sugar for added flavor
Salad
- Carrot and Lettuce: This served as the base for the salad but feel free to use any vegetables of choice
- Tomatoes and Peppers: These chopped finely add some savouriness and freshness to the salad
- Dressing: a combination of oil, liquid sweetener, and vinegar is the perfect formula for a light dressing
- Hemp Seeds: These are my favorite way to add plant-based protein to my meals.
FAQ+ Substitutions and Advice
- Can I make this recipe soy-free? You can definitely make this wrap with two large cans of chickpeas that can be roasted the same way the tofu is baked. You can also try using canned lentils but instead of baking, you can cook the lentils in the marinade. I haven’t tried these but they should work
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free? I don’t know how well this will work because the gluten helps keep the structure of the chapati together. You are welcome to try a gluten-free all-purpose flour alternative or experiment with adding a starch like corn starch or arrowroot to give it some more structure.
- Is this recipe freezer friendly? You can definitely freeze the chapati and tofu separately. I actually keep my chapati frozen and then reheat it every time I want to make a wrap. But I wouldn’t suggest rolling up the wraps with the salad and freezing just because the fresh salad might not hold well when frozen.
How to Make Chapati Wrap
High Protein Chapati Wrap
100% plant-based chapati wrap featuring 30g+ of protein
Servings: 4 wraps
Ingredients
Mishkaki Tofu
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic (grated)
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 veggie bouillon cube I use the Go Bio Organic Vegetable Bouillon
- 1.5 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 block extra firm tofu (mine was 456g) You can cut into sticks or slice with a mandolin for thinner strips
Chapati
- 85 g of chickpea flour ~2/3cup
- 145 g All purpose flour ~1 cup
- 2/3 cups water
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 tsp of sugar
- 1 tbsp of avocado oil
Salad
- 1 carrot
- 1/8 of a cabbage
- 1 small tomato
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp flavoured vinegar I used pineapple vinegar but Apple Cider or Red Wine vinegar will work
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tbsp of avocado oil
Instructions
Prep the Tofu
- Warm the water in the microwave for a few seconds till it is warm but not hot
- Mix the tamarind paste into the water and try and break it apart. Remove any seeds
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes till it has dissolved
- While the tamarind is soaking, combine all the spices into a spice grinder and blitz till everything is well combined into a powder
- Mix the ground spices with the tamarind paste, grated garlic, ginger, vegetable bouillon powder and oil
- Let the tofu marinade while you prep the chapati
Prep the Chapati
- Combine all the dry ingredients and oil in a bowl and mix well
- Slowly add in the water till you get a soft dough but it should not be sticky. You might not need all the water measured out.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and set aside to rest
- While the dough is resting make the salad
Make the Salad
- Before you make the salad, preheat your oven to 425°F
- Grate your carrot and cabbage and finely chop your green pepper and tomato
- Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl and set aside
Cook the Tofu
- Place the tofu evenly on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes flipping half way.
- While the tofu is baking, you can move on to cooking your chapati
Cook the Chapati
- Divide the dough into four even balls by weight
- Preheat a large non-stick pan
- One at a time, roll out the balls to about 9 inch in diameter. Please make sure it is not too thin otherwise it will crack when it cools down
- Cook the chapati at medium heat till the top starts to turn translucent and air pockets start to develop (roughly takes 2-3 minutes). Flip the chapati and cook on the other side for about a minute or two.
- Sprinkle a little bit of oil on the pan to crisp the chapati for a minute or 2
- Set aside and continue to fry the rest of the chapati
- The tofu should be done by the time you are done making the chapati
- Assemble the wraps with the tofu and salad along with any condiments of choice. I prefer vegan mayonnaise.
- These should make four wraps you can take for lunch.
1 Comment
Lea
July 23, 2023 at 8:24 pmThis was very delicious!! Fiancé and I definitely approve 🙂 And the slaw was very versatile- considering making the leftovers it into a traditional American coleslaw to add to some Jackfruit bbq sliders I’m fixing. Thank you so much for another delicious meal!