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View Full Version : Two Terrific Tofu Recipes!



KValley
06-26-2002, 06:55 AM
The only consolation I have about DH being gone is that I get to eat tofu and watch foreign films. ;) So, the two from the latter category I have chosen thus far TANKED ("High Heels, Low Lifes"- love Minnie Driver, but this is one of the worst movies I never sat through; "Amor es Perros"- another I couldn't finish- violent, depressing), but so far so GREAT on the tofu.

***This one has appeared on the BB before (thanks, LGBurns, for the inspiration)- I give it a 10/10-outstanding.***

Gingered Greens and Tofu
Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home
Serves 4

A classic stir-fry with the fresh, clean nip of ginger and cilantro and highly nutritious greens.

Tofu Marinade
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
----
2 cakes tofu (about 1 1/2 lbs)
----
¼ cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root
6 cups coarsely shredded bok choy, kale, Chinese cabbage or Swiss chard
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of cayenne or splash of chile oil
----
toasted cashews or peanuts (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring all the marinade ingredients to a boil. Simmer for 1 minute and remove from the heat. Cut the blocks of tofu into 1/2-inch slices, then cut the slices into 1-inch squares. place the squares in a single layer in a non-reactive heatproof pan. Pour the marinade over the tofu squares, sprinkle on a tablespoon of the canola oil and the sprinkle of sesame oil, and set aside for about 5 minutes.

Preheat broiler. Prepare the remaining ingredients and have them at hand before beginning to stir fry.

Broil tofu for 7-8 minutes, until lightly browned; then turn it over with a spatula and brown the other side.

While the tofu broils, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a wok or large skillet. Stir in the ginger, add the greens, and stir constantly on high heat until the greens wilt. When the greens are just tender, add the lime juice, cilantro and cayenne and remove from the heat. When the tofu is browned, gently toss it with the marinade and the cooked greens, and reheat if necessary. Top with toasted nuts and serve immediately.

Per 8 oz serving: 200 calories, 9.7 g protein, 11.7 g fat 15.4 g carbs, 0 mg chol.

My changes

*NO WAY do you need 1/4 cup peanut oil!!! :eek: I halved the recipe and used 1 tablespoon (of sesame oil, actually). Of course, this changes the fat/calorie content :)

*I used the ginger juice I purchased this weekend at Sur La Table. I am so totally sold on this stuff. I love fresh ginger and this tastes more fresh than what I could grate by hand- really intense flavor.

*I used spinach because I had it on hand, but my preference would be for Swiss chard.

*I don't care for cilantro, so I skipped this.

THis is soooo good- I served it over brown rice. The leftovers for lunch the next day (minus the greens) were even better- the tofu and rice soaked up that delicious marinade and every bite was a savory/sweet delight.
___________________________________________

***This wasn't quite the WOW that the Moosewood was (a 7.5/10), but still very good- lots of flavor, wonderful vegetables. I love the sweet coconut and the bite of the chile sauce. A definite repeater. Today's leftovers should be even better!

Red Curry Braised Tofu with Snow Peas, Red Peppers, and Scallions

Natural Health, March ‘02/Serves 4

Serve this dish, which is a cross between a stir-fry and a soup, in deep bowls with spoons at the side.

1 to 2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 cup low-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil
8 medium scallions, white and greens parts cut into 2-inch lengths
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut into 1 ½ and 1/4 –inch strips
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
12 ounces extra-firm low-fat silken tofu
½ pound snow peas
½ pound whole fresh cilantro leaves

1. Whisk curry paste, soy sauce, coconut milk, and ¼ cup water together in small bowl; set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add scallions and bell pepper and stir-fry until softened., 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

3. Add tofu, snow peas, and curry paste mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tofu is heated through and snow peas are crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and adjust seasonings. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 159 calories; 10 g protein; 9 g fat; 3 g fiber

My changes

*I used chile-garlic sauce instead of red curry paste- they have virtually the same ingredients (chile, garlic are the top 2) and I couldn't justify spending $3.75 on red curry paste for one recipe!

*Ginger juice again! My new favorite find. Worth the splurge!

*I halved this recipe, but instead of 1/2 tablespoon of peanut oil, I used 1 teaspoon. Plenty.

*Again, no cilantro!

*Served over somen noodles. YUM YUM :D

emily
06-26-2002, 08:17 AM
Wow, Julie, those look great! Thanks for posting. Living on my own, I get to eat tofu whenever I want. And I went and saw Amelie last night, which was great! If you're still searching for good independent films. I also saw Monsoon Wedding recently which was another hit for me. But this is supposed to be about tofu...

I should have bought some of that ginger juice - luckily I have a Sur La Table at my local mall <ducking flying objects>. :D

emily

Peggy
06-26-2002, 09:04 AM
Originally posted by emily
I should have bought some of that ginger juice - luckily I have a Sur La Table at my local mall <ducking flying objects>. :D

emily,

BTW - Speaking of hard to find ingredients, thanks again for selling me that Israeli Couscous! My DH was thrilled...(my DD thought it was tapioca:p !!) Can't wait to make it...

Peggy

aggie94
06-26-2002, 09:17 AM
They both look great, Julie! Thanks for posting that Natural Health recipe for me.

Hmmmmm, violent and depressing movies are usually right up my alley. I might have to check that one out! :)

KValley
06-26-2002, 10:39 AM
Originally posted by aggie94
They both look great, Julie! Thanks for posting that Natural Health recipe for me.

Hmmmmm, violent and depressing movies are usually right up my alley. I might have to check that one out! :)

Eva- DON'T PLease- there are very graphic scenes of dog fights- I couldn't even watch- movies in which animals are the subject of pain and violence upset me SOOO much and I know you are an animal lover- I think this would just be too much.

Emily I LOVED "Monsoon Wedding"- one of my absolute favorites of this year. ANd "Amelie" -still waiting, but it's at the top of the list to see!

Now, back to that tofu :D (And I'm definitely going to have to look for Israeli Couscous- it would be great with the Lamb Kebabs I am making Saturday...)

aggie94
06-26-2002, 10:43 AM
Thanks for the heads-up, Julie. I won't be checking it out after all. There's nothing that upsets me more than violence towards animals. :(

aggie94
06-26-2002, 10:47 AM
Strangely enough, this is the only thread I can post on today. :confused:

LGBurns
06-26-2002, 10:52 AM
Julie, so glad you liked the Gingered Greens recipe from Moosewood. I totally agree on the oil. I usually use a tablespoon of canola oil for the stir fry and sprinkle a teaspoon of sesame oil on the tofu. Personally, my favorite greens for this recipe is (are?) kale, but I'm sure chard would be good too. I don't really like it much with spinach because it wilts too much and too fast. I tried this once with amaranth but had the same problem as with the spinach.

wallycat
06-26-2002, 11:11 AM
Julie,
thanks for posting the recipes...I caved in and now am the proud owner of ALL 5 of the moosewood collection...:o :o

I am planning on trying the red curry tofu tomorrow...I have red curry :D

I'm still reeling from the fact that your recipes are so well organized....aaaaahhh, someday ;) ;)

lorilei
06-26-2002, 11:18 AM
:D Big smile from me to you, Julie. There are simply not enough tofu recipes in the world...

I hope you're having a good time flying solo. It sounds like you can really get caught up on those foreign films, though... good for you!

browneye
06-26-2002, 11:33 AM
YUM! Those look so good- especially the Moosewood. Looks like it goes together fairly quickly, also! Dh and I both love Tofu, but not the DS's... so I'll make it some night when they're out and about.

Thanks for sharing these and the movie reviews! I've gotta see some of those too. :D

I think we should have a separate thread on "dinner and a movie"... like a good meal to eat/prepare while watching X movie. One boring rainy Seattle Saturday dh and I rented some old "spaghetti" westerns and made, well.... spaghetti, of course! it was silly and fun. :D

Or you could rent "Tortilla Soup" and make.... uh, well you get the idea.

:rolleyes:

Jewel
06-26-2002, 01:02 PM
Julie, thanks for the thumbs-up on the Ginger Juice! :D I bought some too but haven't had a chance to use it yet! Glad you tried it first. I'm going to stirfry something this week and crack the seal! ;)

HRJ
06-26-2002, 01:13 PM
These sound great -- I have a question about the Tofu and Greens recipe for Julie -- or anyone else who'd care to respond --

do you think it would work if I "grilled" the tofu on my George Foreman grill, instead of putting it under the broiler? Using the broiler in this heat gets the kitchen so hot (we try not to use the AC on our first floor until it gets really, really beastly -- electric rates are pretty high here). Anyway, this seems like it would work, just want a second opinion.

Also -- I've found [b]Israeli couscous[/i] at Trader Joe's, for anyone who's looking for it, and lives near a TJ's.

Helene

BarbaraL
06-26-2002, 01:32 PM
Do you broil the tofu in the marinade, or remove it from the marinade?

KValley
06-26-2002, 01:51 PM
Paula I love the "Dinner and a Movie idea! This could be so much fun! Do you think they'll let me into "Minority Report" with my plate of Seattle Black Beans and Potato-Peanut Cakes on Friday night? :D

"Tortilla Soup"- what a sweet movie and I was just in complete awe of the food/cooking. Hector Elizondo is just a stud- I read (on the BB, I believe) that he did all of his own "stunts" as it were. A must-see if you haven't already!

Helene I don't see why grilling the tofu wouldn't work, as long as you basted it with the marinade, or marinated it for a bit in the fridge before hand. The key is to sear that marinade into the tofu with heat.

Barbara I broiled the tofu in the marinade. A word to the wise, don't use your French white casserole dish to do this-'fraid that baby ain't French white anymore :o I'm such a goof!:rolleyes:

Linda I agree- spinach is a bit too wimpy for this- It needs a serious green. I think bok choy would be awesome too.

Tofu's fun, but I miss DH- something's up with the sprinkler system and the basement now has a mini-Lake Erie :mad: :( :eek: How will I survive until August!!??

aggie94
07-11-2002, 08:52 PM
Julie,

The Natural Health recipe was delicious! I made it today and loved it. Of course, there were some changes. :D

I used sesame oil by accident, and only 2 teaspoons. I used two teaspoons of curry paste, but it was a tad too spicy for my taste tonight. Next time, I'd just use one. I left out the cilantro - yuck! And a HALF POUND of it?? That's a lot of cilantro! Oh, and I used water-packed tofu (firm) because that's what I had.

Served it over somen noodles (thanks for that idea!). Two thumbs up! Thanks again!

soryan
07-12-2002, 08:00 AM
Can someone fill me in a little on tofu -- I am just starting to cook with it. In the first recipe posted, it doesn't say what type to use -- what would you suggest??

lorilei
07-12-2002, 08:07 AM
If you're looking for a "meaty" consistency, as with the recipes above, you should use firm or extra firm tofu. For desserts and recipes that require a "creamier" texture, soft tofu is the preferred type.

Also -- you can try freezing your firm tofu before using it. Once it is thawed again, it takes on a spongier, more firm texture. Many people believe this gives the tofu a more meat-like texture. Baking and boiling tofu also gives a similar effect.

Chris415
09-10-2002, 06:22 AM
For the second time this week, I pulled out a recipe that I've had sitting around for a while and decided to finally make. Too bad I didn't listen to the weather forecast, because it was very hot to be making a spicy red curry dish, but I did it anyways!

Thanks so much, Julie, for posting this! Both of us loved it, the veggies were crisp and the "broth" was very spicy. I too had only chili garlic paste and used the full 2 tsp. I also took your suggestion and put it over soba noodles. Yum! I like cilantro, and completely forgot to put some on top at the end, but it was just as good without. SO said it's a definite keeper! :D
Chris

newcook
07-26-2003, 03:57 PM
Thanks KValley for the recipe for Gingered Greens and Tofu. I made it tonight for supper and thought it was really really good. I made it with bok choy (which I had never tasted before). When I was preparing the bok choy I tasted a small raw piece and was not sure how it would fit in with the other ingredients but the final product was really delicious. A definite repeater.

Daniele

kwormann
07-26-2003, 04:03 PM
I thought maybe my pal Julie was back....:(

kima
07-26-2003, 04:07 PM
My heart jumped as well-though my mind knows she won't be back until Monday.

But this thread reminds me of why I miss her.:(

Her reviews are so wonderful.:)
But at least you are still here Kimby/Kimsky/Kim Kim...:) :)

kwormann
07-26-2003, 04:19 PM
Originally posted by kima
My heart jumped as well-though my mind knows she won't be back until Monday.

my intelligent mind knew this, but I thought mabye...



But at least you are still here Kimby/Kimsky/Kim Kim...:) :)

Im always here for you...:)...and under anywhich name....:D:D:D