TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Tofu: Good for you and tasty too

Photo by Jaden Hair

If tofu isn't your thing, this recipe would work just as well with shrimp.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JADEN HAIR

Tribune correspondent

Published: April 24, 2009

If Heidi Swanson, cookbook author and food blogger at www.101cookbooks.com, says that this is one of the very best recipes for tofu, you'd better believe it. In fact, you might as well cut this article out right now and make it this week.

Heidi specializes in whole, natural foods, the good-for-you recipes that you probably can use more of. The original version of this recipe is from a quaint restaurant in San Francisco called Pomelo. "Otsu" is the name of this dish on their menu, and it means "strange, quaint, stylish, chic, spicy, witty, tasty."

If you don't like tofu, this recipe is also great with shrimp. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper, grill two minutes each side or until cooked through. I made this again last night and tossed in cold leftover Kentucky Fried Chicken, but then I think Heidi would be kind of upset with me.

For more food adventures, visit Jaden's Web site at www.steamykitchen.com.

OTSU

Recipe adapted from Heidi Swanson's www.101cookbooks.com. She adapted it from a Culture & Cuisine Magazine recipe from Pomelo Restaurant.

For the dressing:

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1-inch section of ginger, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon honey

3/4 teaspoon Asian chili powder (or cayenne)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons grape seed oil (or olive oil)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

12 ounces dried soba noodles

1 tablespoon cooking oil (whatever oil you use above in the dressing is fine)

12 ounces extra-firm nigari tofu

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients except for the oils and tofu in a food processor or hand blender. Run the blender for a few seconds, until all ingredients are combined. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the soba noodles until just tender, then drain.

While the noodles are cooking, drain the tofu, pat very dry and cut into1-inch cubes. Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and when hot, pour in the cooking oil. Add the tofu cubes in one layer. Cook for 1 minute until browned, toss gently and continue cooking until all sides are golden brown and firm.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba with about 2/3 cup of the dressing and the sesame seeds. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently.

Serves 4 for lunch or as part of multicourse meal.

"Otsu," a dish with soba noodles, nigari tofu and toasted sesame seeds, is said to mean "strange, quaint, stylish, chic, spicy, witty, tasty."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT