13/05/2024
Here’s a tasty way to turn plain firm tofu into a sweet and sour flavour bomb. I posted this pic on my personal page and quite a few people wanted the recipe, so I thought I’d share it for the wellness tribe here at The Octagonal Space..
It’s a relatively simple recipe, the only slightly time consuming thing is pressing then frying the tofu up separately so it gets a its crispy coating - the small effort is well worth it…
SWEET AND SOUR TOFU
Ingredients:
1 block firm tofu around 450g
1 Tbls tamari
1 Tblsp umeboshi vinegar
Salt and pepper
2-3 Tblsp sesame or rice bran oil
2Tblsp arrowroot
2Tbls fine polenta
I head of broccoli
1 lg brown onion
1 red capsicum
Handful of raw cashews
Green part of shallots sliced on the diagonal for garnish.
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
2 Tbls tomato paste concentrate
1 Table brown rice vinegar
1 Tbls tamari
1 Tbls maple syrup
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced ginger
(I just grate these on a ceramic or microplane grater)
2 tsp arrowroot powder
1/4 cup water
Method -
1. Open the tofu and press out the excess moisture by placing the block on a plate and topping with a folded piece of paper towel then a heavy weight - I use a thick wooded chopping board. Put to the side while you make the sweet and sour sauce.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients except the water and arrowroot in a small bowl or jug.
Ina separate cup or glass stir the arrowroot into the water till it dissolves to make a milky liquid. Then whisk this into the rest of the ingredients, till thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. Drain the squeezed out water from the tofu and chop it into cubes approx 1.5cm
4. Pop cubes into a lg bowl and sprinkle with tamari and umeboshi then season with sea salt and pepper and then toss in the arrowroot and polenta, till evenly coated. Set aside.
5. Heat the sesame or rice bran oil over medium high heat in a cast iron skillet of reasonable size. Once oil is hot - check my dropping a piece of shallot into it - it should sizzle straight away - add coated tofu cubes.
6. Fry for a couple of minutes or until golden and then flip over and cook the other side till golden too.
7. Once tofu is golden and crisp all around remove from the pan to drain on a plate lined with paper towel.
8. Toss the cashews into the hot oil and move around briskly for 5-10 seconds - they will colour up quickly, remove them to the paper towel lined plate before they burn.
9. Add the onions and cook till they start to soften, then add the capsicum and the broccoli and continue to cook, constantly agitating the vegetables so they cook evenly without burning.
10. When the capsicum softens and the broccoli turns bright green add the sauce stir briefly.
11. Add the tofu and cashews and continue to stir till the sauce thickens and everything is coated in the sticky sweet and sour sauce.
12. Serve with rice or quinoa, garaged with the chopped shallots.
13. Enjoy - remember to chew 😍
