Fried Tofu with Asian Slaw

I've always liked the idea of tofu as a meat alternative. However, I often thought the taste could be rather bland. With a little work searching for good recipes as well as some practice cooking tofu, I've found that it can be really tasty! It absorbs flavors easliy, and serves as a great meat alternative in a variety of meals.

While I was searching for vegetarian recipes online, I came across the following recipe for fried tofu on the about.com website. I love this recipe! The tofu is so incredibly tasty! This would also be fantastic served as an appetizer. The original recipe called for nutritional yeast. I couldn't find it in the grocery store, so I used Parmesan cheese instead. Nutritional yeast is an inactive yeast with a nutty cheesy flavor. It's commonly used in vegan recipes to add flavor.

I found a recipe for a spicy cilantro sauce on the allrecipes.com website. I used it as a dipping sauce for the tofu. The sauce has great flavor and can also be used as a dip for raw veggies. I made a minor change to the recipe by adding a small amount of hot chili sauce. I also used Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil instead of Mayo alone. It turned out really tasty! 

The tofu and dipping sauce were served with a delicious side of Asian slaw topped with a peanut dressing. (See recipe below.) You could add rice as a side dish as well.

I've already made this meal quite a few times during the last month. It has become a favorite in our house. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy eating!


Fried Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
• 3 tbsp finely shredded Parmesan cheese*
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil

* If you are a vegan, use 3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast instead of cheese.


Method:
Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes.*

In a small bowl, combine the tofu with the remaining ingredients, except the oil, and toss gently to coat the tofu well. Or, place all ingredients in a zip-lock bag or covered container and shake well. 

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the tofu. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and lightly crispy. 

*If the tofu is packed in water, drain the water and place the tofu on a cutting board or cookie sheet. Place paper towels on the tofu and lay a flat weight on top to get as much of the liquid out as possible. After 20-30 minutes, cut the tofu into pieces.
  
Spicy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (Use more if you like it hot) 
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 whole green onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I used the Mayo with Olive Oil)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Place lime juice, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Sriracha sauce, cilantro, green onions, and jalapeño peppers together in a blender or food processor. Process until well blended and smooth. Add sour cream and mayonnaise. Process again until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the container as necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. 

                                                                Ingredients

                                                            Frying the tofu.

Asian Slaw 

Ingredients:

• 5 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

*NOTE:

Instead of slicing the cabbages and carrots you could use a precut bag of red cabbage, broccoli, and carrots. This works just as well. :-)  

Method:

In a large bowl, mix the green cabbage, red cabbage, napa cabbage, red bell peppers, carrots, green onions, and cilantro.


                                               The slaw is ready for the dressing.

Peanut Dressing

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

Method:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, oil, peanut butter, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic.  Pour over slaw when plated.


                                                           Dinner is ready!
                                     Fried Tofu with a Spicy Cilantro Dipping Sauce 
                                       & Asian Slaw topped with a Peanut Dressing