After a particularly gluttonous day yesterday, thanks to some donuts at work that I couldn’t resist, this light vegetarian meal was exactly what my system needed. And I wasn’t the only one. I got an email from my husband in the middle of the afternoon that his belly was so full he was going to pop a button or three. This dinner was full of flavor but light and nutritious. And it was fun because the tofu was triangular. Yep, I’m simple. Simple things please me.
I made a few changes, naturally. Cilantro instead of mint, a little oil for sautéing, peas mixed in the quinoa instead of chard. I definitely want to make this again, and next time, double the sauce. I also used leftover quinoa with green onion so it made it a really quick dinner… which left us more time to watch Lost. (We’re halfway through Season 1! No spoilers, please!)
Sweet Chili Lime Tofu
1 Block Tofu, extra firm, 14 oz, drained, pressed, and cut into bite-size pieces.
1 Tbls sesame oil
Sesame seeds for garnish
Sweet Chili Lime Sauce
2 Tbs Sugar
3 Tbs Soy Sauce
Zest and juice of 1 large lime
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes (or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, minced)
1 Clove Garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt is dissolved.
Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Spread the tofu out in one layer in the pan. Using a spatula, press the tofu. The liquid will squeeze out and boil away, and the tofu will begin to turn golden. The more water that evaporates, the sturdier the tofu will be, so be gentle at first to prevent the tofu from breaking up. After several minutes, flip the tofu over and press the other side.
Add the sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze.
Filed under: Food Blogs Tagged: | Asian, spicy, Tofu, vegan, vegetarian
I need to try this. I’m always looking for new ways with Tofu.