Tofu Chorizo

One 1-pound block extra-firm tofu, preferably vacuum-packed rather than water-packed, such as Twin Oaks brand

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 dried ancho chile peppers

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3 whole cloves or ½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup vegetable or olive oil

Spread a clean dish towel on your countertop, and line it with paper towels.

Cut the tofu into 8 equal slabs and lay them in a single layer on the paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towel and another clean dish towel. Use your palms to press down firmly on the tofu to extract as much moisture as possible. (Don't worry if the tofu breaks or crumbles.)

Working over a medium bowl, tear the tofu into small pieces and squeeze them between your fingers to crumble into small pieces. Stir in the vinegar and garlic.

Use kitchen scissors to cut open the chiles; discard the stems and seeds. Cut the chiles into ½-inch pieces and place them in a food processor or a designated spice grinder. Add the chili powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, cumin, coriander and cloves; pulse to form a finely ground spice mixture. Stir all of it into the tofu until well incorporated.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then pour in the oil. Once it shimmers, stir in the tofu mixture and cook, stirring and occasionally scraping the bottom of the pan, until the mixture becomes dark brown and crispy in parts, 12 to 15 minutes. The tofu chorizo can be used right away or chilled for long-term storage. The tofu chorizo can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 2½ cups

Nutrition | Per 1/4-cup serving: 170 calories, 6 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 260 mg sodium, 1 g dietary fiber, 1 g sugar

Adapted from "Roberto's New Vegan Cooking," by Roberto Martin (Da Capo Press, 2015).