I said “Tofu” and A Chill Went Down His Back
Saying the word tofu can send chills down the backs of diners, especially the die hard meat fans. If you believe it to be a perfect substitute for meat, you will no doubt be disappointed, but if you take a page from meat cooking and apply it well, you have a big opportunity to make flavourful dishes that even a meat lover can enjoy. Lots of new ideas for cooking tofu (or any other food) can be generated when we think like this. Although it sounds odd, herbs and spices used typically on meat make great inspiration for vegan and vegetarian cooking in general. A Montreal steak seasoning, for example, can do wonders for tofu as can many other spice blends.
Tofu – A Clean Slate
I like to think of tofu as a very clean slate up on which fresh flavours can be built. It is bland, so it is sure to take on any flavours that I put with it, the bolder the better. For those who complain about texture, the inclusion of other ingredients like mushrooms with cooked and fresh vegetables in the dish help confuse the palate and make the tofu texture indiscriminate. It is also very simple to cook. Pan roasting is the easiest and fastest method which helps make this bean curd an easy weekday meal option. Of course, you can bake it and even deep fry it.
Saying the word tofu can send chills down the backs of diners…
One of my favorite ways to make tofu is to take a page from Thai cuisine and make a bold tasting, spicy tofu atop a nice crunchy salad. Here is how I make my Chili Tofu and Shitake Thai Salad with Basil, Mint and Cilantro.
- 1 medium knob ginger
- 1 block of Firm Tofu
- 1/2 pound shitake mushrooms
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 cup of your favourite chilli sauce
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1/2 lb sugar snap peas
- 1/4 lb cherry tomatoes
- 1 medium red onion
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 lime
- olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- Drain the tofu if it is in water. Wrap the tuff in paper towel and place a few plates on top to squeeze as much water from it as possible. Let sit 15 minutes then cube the tofu into medium cubes.
- Cut the mushrooms in half or quarters depending on size. Chop the basil, mint and cilantro. Peel the ginger and julienne into small sticks.
- Slice the fennel very thin. Pull the string from the peas if you desire. Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Slice the red onion. Cut the cucumber into quarters then slice
- In a large sautee pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. When hot, add the ginger and brown it completely until crisp. Remove it from the pan.
- In the same pan, add the tofu and brown the cubes on all side adding more oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the mushrooms and sauté together until the mushrooms are just cooked through and brown. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Add 1 large pinch each of basil, mint and cilantro reserving some of each herb fresh for garnish. Toss the tofu and mushrooms with the herbs well.
- When the herbs are slightly wilted add the chill sauce. Allow the chili sauce to simmer and coat the tofu and mushrooms. When they are coated and the sauce is reduced, remove the pan from the heat.
- In a large bowl, toss the fennel, peas, tomatoes, onion and cucumber together. Add the cooked ginger. Toss the vegetables in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Squeeze the lime on top of the vegetables and toss. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the tofu and mushrooms on top of a nice pile of the vegetables. Garnish with a dash of basil, mint and cilantro.
I hope you enjoy!!
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How do you make your tofu? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
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