REview: Fettuccine and Tofu with Finger Licking Peanut Sauce April 01

[pmmahan]

YUMMMMMMYYYY! I used pork instead of tofu (fiance isn't a big tofu fan unless I "hide" it). The sauce was incredibly yummy. THis is one of those recipes you can tinker with to your liking. I could see adding veggies like bean sprouts or broccoli, or having chicken or shrimp instead of tofu or pork. Substitute different noodles - buckwheat or rice? I think the sauce is very versatile and could be used as a dip almost for dumplings or won tons or spring rolls.
I WILL be making this again.

[Peggy]

pmmahan,

Well, that one is definately going on my list! I totally trust your judgement, (see my note to Grace on the latest Layered Chili Cheese and Roasted Corn Dip thread!) I saw it in the magazine last night and commented to my DH that it seemed interesting. He even told me to try it with the tofu...very bold of him! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

Thanks for the review!

Peggy

[pmmahan]

Thanks! I always look forward to your reviews - and Grace's, too! I always seem to like what you do!
This recipe is so easy and fast, I want to make it a staple! Hope you like it!

[shoyski]

I'm intriged by your comment on the dipping sauce. I made this last night with tofu and chicken and thought the sauce was really thin. Was your sauce thick?

The flavor was really good. However, I've never eaten tofu in big chunks like that and was a bit turned off. I think I might stick to recipes like CL's Lemon Lime Tofu that can disguise the tofu a bit better. Darn, I thought I was on to something. Maybe it's a mental block.

[pmmahan]

Shoyski-
I used pork instead of tofu, so the pork may have absorbed a lot of the liquid. I found it to be thick enough - as it cooled slightly, it thickened more. If you're not a vegetarian, I would suggest trying chicken or pork next time.

[ElinorC]

I tried this recipe with chicken and thought it was quite good. The sauce was rather thin to start with but when it was mixed with the pasta it thickened quite a lot.

[Peggy]

I made this for dinner tonight and agree with all of the positive reviews. I followed the recipe exactly and used the tofu. It was very good. It reminded me of the peanutty noodle recipe from last spring. I also can see adding additional vegetables the next time I make it. I thought the consistency of the sauce was fine, not too runny and not too thick.

Peggy

[Luv to Cook]

We had this tonite also. It was really great. I added snow peas and broccoli. I had to add a little bit of cornstarch to thicken it up, but it was a hit at our house.

[laughsandlaughs]

what is CL Lemon Lime Tofu??

[shoyski]

Oops, I forgot a word...it's the Lemon-Lime
Tofu Cheesecake from 1998.

[misstapioca]

i made this for supper last night. I did not realize that i was out of low sodium soy sauce. i only had had full octane mushroom flavored soy sauce. i used the amount req. by the reciped and my sauce was very strong it overpowered the peanutty taste. i loved it with the tofu. i used a lower fat peanut butter and tofu.

[This message has been edited by misstapioca (edited 04-22-2001).]

[Lchiles]

Wondered for those of you that used chicken or pork; how did you prepare the meat. Did you grill it before or did you use leftovers or did you add it at some time and cook it during the recipe. Have a problem with Tofu, but the rest of the recipe sounded delicious. Can't wait to try it. Thanks, LaurieC

[Karen M]

How does this compare to the Peanutty Noodles? I can't decide which to try.

[KValley]

Originally posted by Lchiles:
Wondered for those of you that used chicken or pork; how did you prepare the meat. Did you grill it before or did you use leftovers or did you add it at some time and cook it during the recipe. Have a problem with Tofu, but the rest of the recipe sounded delicious. Can't wait to try it. Thanks, LaurieC

Laurie- I cooked the chicken in advance. THis is such a great recipe- takes like amazing Thai take-out, and it's so versatile. I haven't made the Peanutty Noodles, but I've added this one to the "I don't know what to make for dinner tonight" list- I suggest whole wheat pasta (really adds to the nutty taste) and experimenting with the veggies. I like broccoli, pea pods, peas with this.... Julie

[pmmahan]

I cooked the meat in advance - sauteed the pork and chicken (I've made it twice, once with chicken, once with pork) and then just added the meat to the pasta at the end. I love to cook so much and have so many CL recipes to choose from, that I don't make the same recipe more than once unless it is really good- like this one. Its easy and fast, and chances are, you have the ingredients in the pantry.

[browneye]

I made this earlier this week and we loved this. I found the sauce just right after it was tossed with the noodles. Next time, I may steam some asparagus, and throw that in, along with maybe some snow peas.
My kids even ate it and tofu is not on their approved food list, all in all, the family rated it between 7-8 out of 10. I added extra chili paste, which made it a bit too spicy for the 15 year old. Next time, I will constrain myself....

[DmOrtega]

I can't find my April issue. I must have tossed it out with the bath water. Can someone please post the recipe for this? TIA!

[Laura B]

Here it is:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Fettuccine and Tofu With Finger-licking Peanut Sauce

Recipe By :Cooking Light Magazine. April 2001. Page: 127.
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Pasta

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh ginger -- grated and peeled
2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic
4 garlic cloves -- minced
8 ounces fettucine -- uncooked
1 pound firm tofu -- drained and cubed
1 cup green onions -- sliced (2 inch)
1 cup shredded carrot

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add tofu, onions, and carrot; drain. Place pasta mixture in a large bowl. Add peanut butter mixture; toss gently. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 455 Calories; 14g Fat (27.0% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 709mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

NOTES : This dish has endless variations: Substitute chicken, pork, or shrimp for the tofu and almost any kind of pasta for the fettuccine. Or add vegetables of your choice.


Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[gertdog]

We had this on Tuesday night and really enjoyed it. I did not have chili paste so I used chili-garlic sauce (I know there's been another thread about the difference between the two). We also used tofu-kan (a marinated, baked variety with a more dense, chewy texture than plain tofu). The sauce was definitely thin, but coated the noodles and veggies nicely. My SO rarely eats leftovers but he gobbled up these noodles!

We also liked the Peanutty Noodles when we made them a month or so ago... I would recommend either one.

[JennieL]

I blended half the tofu with the sauce to thicken it and used bok choy instead of carrots. Delicious.

[eks]

Once again the reviews on this BB are accurate! I wouldn't have normally tried this but I had a taste for something different. This is so yummy! I made it with chicken instead of tofu, used whole wheat pasta (half fettuccine and half angel hair!), reduced fat peanut butter, and the chili sauce instead of paste. This is one of my new favorite recipes. Thank you for inspiring me to try new things!

[MonkeyBelly]

Reviving this old thread to ask, has anyone besides eks made this recipe with whole wheat pasta to good results? I am eyeballing this recipe for dinner one night this week. Thanks!

[donleyk]

I made this yesterday for lunch and used ww pasta. It was excellent.

[tigermorris]

I have made this recipe numerous times. I use the extra firm tofu, and really drain it good. I use lots of vegetables; broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, green onions and whole wheat pasta.

DH and I just love this recipe. I've never made it with meat, just tofu. We haven't had it for a while; I think now that it was mentioned I will make it soon.

This is a KEEPER.
Terri

[MonkeyBelly]

One more question.... what exactly is chile paste with garlic?!? If you had to pick a "nationality" for this, what would it be --- I am brainstorming on where I would find this in the various markets I go to. Most of the markets stock items by their "ethnicity."

[kristalsnow7]

Originally posted by MonkeyBelly
One more question.... what exactly is chile paste with garlic?!? If you had to pick a "nationality" for this, what would it be --- I am brainstorming on where I would find this in the various markets I go to. Most of the markets stock items by their "ethnicity."

I think you would be able to find this in the "Thai" section of your market. Hope this helps!

Kristal

[MonkeyBelly]

Thanks kristal... I had a feeling that it would be Thai, but I had visions of not finding it in the market, and not being able to call any of you on my mobile phone to ask!

[MonkeyBelly]

Wow!!!! I made this tonight. Believe the hype! I think I could have given my husband a bowl of JUST the sauce for dinner and he would have been happy! My modifications: I used whole wheat spaghetti and I added extra carrots, plus mushrooms and broccolini.

Yum!

[Natasha3]

Well, I know I'm probably the last person here to try this recipe ;), but we finally had it tonight so I thought I'd post a review. We really enjoyed it, though I wasn't surprised since I've never had a peanut sauce or tofu dish I didn't like. :p I made a few changes, such as adding peppers instead of carrots (next time I'll add broccoli if it's on hand), making it with couscous instead of pasta, and adding 1/4 cup of coconut milk at the end. There wasn't as much couscous as if we had made the amount of pasta specified in the recipe, and the sauce was a bit too strong as a result, so I added the coconut milk. That made it perfect. It was delicious, easy and filling. Definitely a keeper for us both. Another bonus is that it'll be great for leftovers! :)

Natasha

[lisas3575]

Natasha, I think it's even better the next day! :) I'm intrigued about trying this with couscous, it never occured to me.

[Natasha]

Originally posted by lisas3575
Natasha, I think it's even better the next day! :)

I think you might be right about that, Lisa. In any event, the leftovers tasted pretty good when I chowed down on some for breakfast this morning! :p :rolleyes: Mmmmm...definitely a repeater.

Natasha

[shscharles]

I finally got to this last night...WOW!

[shscharles]

(Rats! I hit the wrong button!)

The only modifications I made were (1) used Thai Green Curry Paste (Ingredient list: Chilis, Garlic, Gotcha!) instead of Chili Garlic and Snap Peas instead of carrots.

I don't know how this got past me in 2001...Thanks to all for resurrecting the thread. DH just loves tofu!

[BarbaraL]

In case MonkeyBelly is still interested, I've always found chili paste with garlic in with the Chinese stuff. I use it all the time, since a family favorite is Szechuan Shredded Beef.

[Kayaksoup]

This stuff is GOOD. I tried this for the first time tonight, and loved it. All I did different was cook the sauce and tofu in my wok. It thickened up beautifully. I will be making this one again. Oh, and I used whole-wheat linguine

[acginkc]

I made this tonight and it was so good. We used pork in place of the tofu (we're working our way up to the tofu in this whole healthy living thing). Anyways, the peanut sauce was the best I have made yet. If I can figure out how to thicken it up a bit I will use it for my Thai Chicken Pizzas. This was such a great recipe.

[alicerh]

Everyone seems to think this sauce is too thin but no one has used less broth! I mix all ingredients for the sauce except the broth and then add in hot broth to get the desired consistancy. This makes it warm enough without cooking. I actually use hot water instead of broth and haven't measured but I would guess about 1/4 cup
Alice

[acginkc]

Everyone seems to think this sauce is too thin but no one has used less broth!

Thanks for the tip. The thickness of the sauce was perfect for the noodles, I just want a thicker version to use on my pizza.

[AvrilH]

Just wanted to add that I have settled on using shrimp in this recipe only - I think dh would be disapointed if I did it any other way. After his first taste of this, my youngest DS always asks if we are having shrimp for dinner.