Sometimes you just feel like eating the vegetarian way.
When I do, I turn to Asia for my inspiration. Soy and soy products have unami the “sixth sense” that excites the taste buds like no other.
The following menu is easy to prepare and delicious. If you are not a true vegetarian, you may choose to substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock for extra flavor.
The most important part of making the pan seared tofu is to be sure that you squeeze as much water out of the tofu as possible. This enables the tofu to get a lovely golden brown color.
Round out this meal with steamed snow peas and fortune cookies and you have a lovely celebration.
Menu
Serves 4
Lychee Martini
Asian Noodle Soup
Pan Seared Tofu
Steamed Snow Pea Pods*
Fortune Cookies*
*Recipe Not Given
Lychee Martini
Ice cubes
12 oz. vodka
8 oz. lychee juice
2 oz. Cointreau
or Triple Sec
4 lychees for garnish
1. In a cocktail shaker, filled with ice, add vodka, lychee juice and Cointreau or Tripe Sec.
2. Shake until well chilled. Pour into 4 Martini glasses and garnish with lychees.
This recipe may be doubled or tripled for easy entertaining. Just make it in an ice-filled pitcher instead of a cocktail shaker.
Asian Noodle Soup
3 oz. cellophane noodles
3 14.5 oz. cans chicken
broth or vegetable broth
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tblsp ginger
2 tblsp lime juice
2 tblsp fish sauce
(optional)
1 red pepper, cut into
thin slices
1/4 cup chopped fresh
cilanto
1. Soak the bean threads in a large bowl of hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain.
2. Bring the broth, garlic and ginger to a boil in a large saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low and cook the mixture at a simmer until fragrant, about 15 minutes. Add the noodles to the soup; simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the lime juice and fish sauce through the soup. Ladle the soup into the bowls and garnish with cilantro and red pepper.
Pan Seared Tofu
1 lb. extra firm tofu
(extra firm only)
1 1/2-3 tablespoons canola
oil or 1 1/2-3 tablespoons
peanut oil
Soy Dipping Sauce
1. Cut your block of tofu into slices and place on several layers of paper towels.
2. Gently press the tofu with your hands or against the counter top to release the liquid. I put a cast iron skillet on top.
3. Place Wondra on a plate. Lightly “batter all tofu”.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. Add oil.
5. Place the tofu pieces in the pan, leaving room between them. They should sizzle when placed in the oil.
6. Let tofu pan sear for about 6 or 7 minutes. Just gently shake them to make sure they don’t stick to the pan. DO NOT turn them. When you see a golden crust beginning to creep its way up the sides of the slices, turn them and fry the other size. Add more oil if the pan seems too dry.
7. The second side will only take approximately 4 minutes to cook.
8. When the tofu slices are evenly browned, take them out of the pan and place them on paper towels to drain. Serve with Soy Dipping Sauce.
Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 32-year old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties. For more photos and presentation ideas, follow Culinary Architect Catering on Facebook.
