WANTED: Your Favorite Tofu Dinner Recipe(s)!

[Lynn B]

I am rather a "newbie" w/ Tofu... but I want to start using it more. I got a 12 oz pkg of "firm" and am looking for a great dinner idea for it! Something hearty, spicy is good, we love veggies, pasta, asian noodles, etc. I want something DH and DD will LOVE, and want to have again! If your favorite tofu recipe is a CL one, you could just let me know the issue/page, etc. If it's from another source, could you please post?
THANKS SO MUCH! (I can't wait to see what you guys come up with!!!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Lynn

[aggie94]

Ma po tofu is my favorite tofu recipe, as well as my favorite Chinese dish. I posted the recipe on another thread:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/004931.html

[emilycat]

Lynn,

This thread has some great ideas, as well as a couple of really, really recipe-loaded links:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000002/HTML/20001113-1-000272.html

And this one has a couple of recipes that I posted: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/005970.html

[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 04-25-2001).]

[Lynn B]

Aggie and Emilycat,
THANK YOU! I will go check those out now!
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Lynn

[gertdog]

Here's one that was also published in Cooking Light when Deborah Madison was still the Inspired Vegetarian columnist. We love it! The mushroom soy sauce adds a unique flavor.

Lacquered Tofu Triangles with Green Beans and Cashews

Adapted from This Can't Be Tofu: 75 Recipes to Cook Something You Never Thought You Would - and Love Every Bite, by Deborah Madison.

Serves 4

Easy, fast, and beguiling. Serve with rice or a baked sweet potato.

1 carton firm tofu
1 red bell pepper
1/4 pound green beans or thin asparagus
1/2 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns
1 tablespoon mushroom soy sauce
3 tablespoons regular soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 cup water or stock
5 teaspoons roasted peanut oil
5 scallions, including the firm greens, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup roasted cashews

1. Drain the tofu. Cut it crosswise into slabs about 1/2 inch wide. Cut each slab in half lengthwise, then cut into triangles. Blot well with paper towels. Cut the bell pepper in half lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, then cut each half into three long strips. Cut each strip into triangles. Tip and tail the beans and cut them into 2-inch lengths. Toast the Szechuan peppercorns in a dry skillet until aromatic, then grind to a powder and set aside.

2. Combine the next five ingredients in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and cook, without disturbing, until firm, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the second side. The tofu should be golden, but still tender to the touch. Remove and set aside.

4. Add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and, when hot, add the green beans. Stir-fry
over high heat for 2 minutes, then add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or
so. Return the tofu to the pan and season with a few pinches of salt and the Szechuan
peppercorns.

5. Pour in the soy-sauce mixture and cook, moving the pan back and forth rapidly to
coat the tofu and peppers. Turn off the heat before it reduces too much. Top with cashews, and serve over rice.

[Gail]

Since Emily was good enough to post one of the threads on my mind, let me take this opportunity to put in a plug for Lori's tofu spinach manicotti listed therein. My kid loved it! http://cwm.ragesofsanity.com/contrib/sally/liplick.gif

[lorilei]

Gail - Thank you... AGAIN for your loyal affinity http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I'd also like to say that my husband was "turned on" to tofu by the TOFU MANICOTTI recipe. Now, he'll eat tofu in almost anything. We especially love spicey curried tofu served over rice (which I make with Thai Kitchen red paste, tofu, peas and red peppers).

Be sure to try a variety of tofu dishes before giving up. Each one is different, and you might find that some recipes appeal to you FAR MORE than others! Good luck! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Lynn B]

Gertdog, Gail and Lorilei,
THANK YOU also! I KNEW I would get lots of great ideas here! You all are wonderful! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif
Lynn

[catharine]

I vote for the Tofu-Basil Pesto. It is listed on one of the threads and on the recipe finder. It is one of my all time favorite recipes, tofu or not. I think your husband and daughter would love and want again.

[CheerLiz]

Gertdog--

I have to try this recipe -- if only because it has the word "Lacquered" in the title and is described as "beguiling"!!

Beguiling tofu...now THAT should be enough for any husband!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[LGBurns]

My new favorite tofu recipe is the Fettuccine and Tofu with Finger-licking Peanut Sauce from April 2001. So easy and so delicious! If you aren't a huge tofu fan (I personally nibble on raw tofu so...) you might want to try browning the tofu in the broiler before throwing it in. Also, the recipe doesn't call for pressing the tofu, but we always press our tofu.

Oops! Forget to give you the page number: 127.

[This message has been edited by LGBurns (edited 04-26-2001).]

[gertdog]

CheerLiz,

I had to laugh when I read your post! I read "beguiling" and thought, did I say that? That's not a word in my everyday vocabulary! I looked at my original post and there it is, but Deborah Madison said it, not me. Phew, I'm not losing it after all!

I do have to admit that I was sucked in by the "lacquered" in the title though... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Ohioan]

I see some of the links I was going to post have already been posted, but here's another one to try:
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Archives/Archive-000001/HTML/20010228-1-000528.html

Also, last night I fried up some green and yellow peppers, onions, garlic, and mushrooms; tossed in some chopped tomato; stirred the whole thing up with salt, crushed red pepper, and oregano; and simmered it all down to a gravy-like consistency, adding spoonfuls of water along the way to keep it gravyish. Then I added strips of drained extra-firm tofu, and continued simmering, stirring gently now and then, until the tofu was thoroughly heated and had absorbed the flavors.

I surprised myself at how yummy this was. (She buffs her nails on her vest, and then remembers she isn't wearing a vest. Oops.) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Cheers,
Phoebe

[Lynn B]

Thanks everyone! I am getting so many great ideas. I appreciate everyones tips and suggestions, and especially the links to "threads past"! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Last night I made the Fettuccine and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce from April 01 issue (LGBurns suggestion!) THANKS!!! It was YUMMY! DH gave it an "8" and even (fussy) DD liked it! I was excited!

I can see that this cooking w/ tofu is going to be FUN!!!!

Lynn

[JLS]

Hi Lynn B: I LOVED CL's mixed bean and tofu chili from awhile ago. It was excellent.

[LGBurns]

Lynn, I'm glad you liked the Fettucine recipe. Did you have the tofu as-is or broil it? Just curious since I suggested broiling it but have never tried it that way with this recipe myself.

[Ohioan]

As it happens, tonight I made the Italian-Style Stir-Fried Tofu that I posted on the thread I mentioned last time, and it was just as delicious as I remembered it. I'll post it here again for those who missed it -- but let me add, too, that almost any cookbook by Robin Robertson is worth checking out of the library (or bookstore http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif). This recipe is from her 366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu, and I've had great success with her recipes from Rice & Spice, too.

Cheers,
Phoebe

Stir-Fried Tofu Italian Style

Recipe By :Robin Robertson
Serving Size : 2


2 tsp olive oil
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 lb firm tofu -- cut in 1/2" cubes
3 tsps capers
10 Kalamata olives -- halved and pitted
10 cherry tomatoes -- halved
1/2 c dry white wine
3 tsps fresh lemon juice
3 tsps chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute 2 minutes. Add the tofu and saute for 2 minutes. Add the capers, olives, and tomatoes, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, lemon juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute and serve.

Source: "366 Healthful Ways to Cook Tofu"

Per serving: 328 Calories (kcal); 20g Total Fat; (57% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 900mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 5 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 3 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates


[This message has been edited by Ohioan (edited 04-29-2001).]

[Lynn B]

LGBurns,
I tried to brown the tofu under the broiler first, but it wasn't working out too well! It started to get crusty but not brown, and it was oozing a lot of liquid! So I just decided to use it as is. Which was OK cause it absorbed the sauce and turned a lovely golden color! Thanks again!

JLS,
Do you know which issue the chili is in? Thanks!

Lynn