Think you hate tofu? These may change that

VEGETARIAN COOKING

Tofu Jumble Bowls are made with grated tofu, fried in garlic-infused oil and served over rice.

These Banh Mi sandwiches are made with fried tofu topped with cilantro, cucumber and carrots on an Italian roll featuring a Sriracha lime mayo spread. PHOTOS BY CATHY THOMAS — ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Mapo Tofu features custardy tofu floating in meat sauce.

Image

By Cathy Thomas

Orange County Register

For years, I was only mildly interested in eating tofu. I could take it or leave it. My husband hated it. He eats everything from beets to liverwurst to stinky cheese. But up until the last couple of years, he drew the I-won’t-eat-that line in the sand when it came to tofu.

A turning point for both of us came when I made a jumble of fried, shredded, extra-firm tofu, in which the bean curd is grated before frying. The pieces are alluringly crisp. They are teamed with toasted sesame seeds, garlic, green onions and a mix of soy sauce and mirin. A little butter is tossed in at the last.

I serve the concoction over rice, and every morsel disappears once it reaches the table. I’ve included that formula along with more of my tofu favorites.

Tofu Jumble Bowls

It may sound tricky to grate tofu on a box grater, but when you realize that it doesn’t matter if some of the tofu crumbles or falls apart, it’s not so daunting. In the frying process, those odd crumbles can be cut up in a casual manner with a spatula. Even though a small amount of dried red pepper flakes is in the mix, I like to add a little more spicy heat along with some acidity as a final step with a few drops of Frank’s RedHot seasoning. It’s a hot sauce with distilled vinegar, which gives a just-right amount of acidity to the dish.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings. Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.

INGREDIENTS

1 14-ounce block of extra-firm tofu, drained

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium-large garlic cloves, smashed, peeled

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish, see cook’s notes

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

3 green onions, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, plus more for garnish

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)

2 tablespoons butter

Optional: Frank’s RedHot to taste

For serving: Cooked long-grain rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Squeeze tofu over a bowl to expel as much liquid as possible. Discard liquid. Grate tofu on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat oil and garlic in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook, turning once, until garlic is starting to tun golden, about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and dried red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tofu, increase heat to medium-high and cook, tossing occasionally and breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until it begins to crisp in spots, about 5 minutes. Stir in green onions, soy sauce, mirin and butter; cook until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes. If desired, add Frank’s RedHot to taste and toss.

3. Divide rice among shallow bowls and spoon tofu mixture over. Top with more sesame seeds and some pieces of dark green stalks of a green onion.

Cook’s notes: To toast sesame seeds, place in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Shake handle to rotate seeds until they turn light brown (keep your eye on them). Turn out onto a plate.

Mapo Tofu

Mapo tofu is a braise of custardy tofu adrift in a garlicky, spicy meat sauce. It’s a signature dish of China’s Sichuan province. This easy-to-prepare version showcases ground turkey and frozen peas and carrots.

Yield: 4 servings. Source: Adapted from “Steamy Kitchen’s Healthy Asian Favorites,” by Jaden Hair (Ten Speed).

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1/4-pound ground turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce

14 ounces extra firm tofu, patted dry, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 cups frozen peas and carrots (no need to defrost)

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 green onions, sliced, including half of dark green stalks

1/4 cup store-bought sweet chile sauce; see cook’s notes

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large, deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, swirl in the oil, add the yellow onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until onion is softened and translucent. Add the meat and use your spatula to stir and break it up.

2. When the meat begins to lose its pink color, add the garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in broth and oyster sauce; bring to a simmer. Add tofu, peas and carrots. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, whisk water and cornstarch. Stir this mixture into the pan and cook for 2 minutes longer. Stir in the green onions and season with sweet chile sauce or hot sauce.

Cook’s notes: We like the sweet spiciness of chile sauce, but if you prefer it spicier, use Sriracha sauce or Yuzu Pao (Sriracha spiked with yuzu citrus juice). I like to use sweet chile sauce and add Sriracha to taste.

Tofu Banh Mi Sandwiches

In Vietnamese, “banh mi” is the word for bread, but it is also the name of one of my favorite sandwiches. Generally, the sandwich features chicken, beef or pork, but this rendition utilizes crisp slabs of extra-firm tofu. Sliced tofu drains on paper towels to aid in getting it crisp. A nice dusting in cornstarch also helps the tofu to crisp up in vegetable oil in a hot skillet. A quick-pickle salad of carrots, cucumber, lime juice and fish sauce offers a just-right partnership. If you wish a vegetarian version, substitute Bragg’s Amino Acids for the fish sauce. The supermarket where I often shop doesn’t sell Italian sub rolls, so I substitute 5 3/4-inch-long French sandwich rolls.

The dressing is a blend of mayo, Sriracha and lime zest. It’s inviting on a banh mi but is a welcome addition on a bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich as well for those who want to add a little spicy heat to the traditional mix.

Yield: 4 servings. Source: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slabs

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup cornstarch

2 carrots, peeled, shredded

1/2 medium-size hothouse cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon grated lime zest, plus 1 tablespoon juice

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 (8-inch) Italian sub rolls, split lengthwise and toasted on cut side

1/3 cup cilantro leaves

DIRECTIONS

1. Spread tofu slices on a paper-towel lined baking sheet and let the tofu drain for 20 minutes, then gently press with dry paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge tofu in cornstarch and transfer to a plate.

2. Combine carrots, cucumber, lime juice and fish sauce in a bowl and toss. Let sit for 15 minutes. Whisk mayonnaise, Sriracha and lime zest together in a separate bowl.

3. Heat oil in a 12-inch, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just starting to smoke. Add tofu and cook until both sides are crisp and browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.

4. Spread mayonnaise mixture evenly over cut sides of each roll. Assemble 4 sandwiches by layering ingredients as follows between prepared rolls: tofu, pickled vegetables (leaving liquid in bowl) and cilantro. Gently press on sandwiches to set. Serve.