Punchy mid-week tofu recipes!
Eat Plentiful #6
My desire to cook never waivers, almost never. I find homecooked food tastier than most takeaways, except for pizza, so I just don't bother with them. One thing is cooking though and another is getting a decent photo and writing about it, it takes time. And that is why I started Eat Plentiful, I needed to be held accountable otherwise I would allow myself to slip when the motivation levels are low like they are today. And imagining all of my 10 readers (thank you friends & family) completely distraught at the thought of not receiving my weekly email, is something I cannot live with.
So let me tell you about tofu. Until I met Ash (my husband), I had never eaten tofu except for those bits you get floating around your miso soup. For me, it was something tasteless that vegans ate and once again, I was wrong. Ash is really into his asian cooking and tofu is a traditional component of asia cuisine, he cooks with it a lot and so do I now. Especially now that we are trying to do meatless weeks, tofu brings us some of that much needed protein we might not have gotten otherwise.
In the West we see it mainly as a substitute for meat due to its high protein content but it's so much more than that. Tofu can be a little intimidating as there are several types to choose from. I always go for the firm, extra firm tofu or the fried tofu, it holds its shape well when sliced and is perfect for pan-frying. Tofu has a very neutral taste, slightly boring one might say however the magic of tofu is that it's like a blank canvas, it takes on any flavour you want. It has this sponge-like ability to soak-up aromas from spices and marinades. A lot of people recommend marinating tofu for 30 mins prior to cooking, I’ve never done it and it still tastes great however I do quickly pat it dry so that it absorbs the sauce better.
This noodle stir-fry is super easy to make, it’s loaded with umami and spice, and it’s the perfect back-pocket recipe for busy weeknights. Feel free to customise it with your choice of protein and/or veggies. This is what I had in my fridge/ freezer.
Noodle stir-fry with pak choi, fried tofu and prawns
Makes: 2 adult servings
Cook Time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
150gr store bought fried tofu
2 heads of pak choi each halved through the core
A handful of frozen peeled prawns
200g cooked noodles (I use cooked noodles either egg, udon or ramen noodles but if not cook them as per packet instructions)
2 tsp gochujang (spicy korean sauce you can find it in all Asian stores and in most supermarket these days)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
pinch of sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 garlic bulb (chopped finely or grated)
1 half a thumb size piece of ginger ((chopped finely or grated)
pinch of chilli flakes depending how hot you like it.
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or a pan, add the pak choi & prawns and stir-fry for a minute with a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Cover with a lid and steam for a minute, then lift the veg & prawns from the pan, letting any liquid drip off and set aside on a plate.
In the same pan, put the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, chili flakes and gochujang in the pan, bring to a bubble, then add the tofu and stir fry for 2 minutes.
Add the noodles, pak choi and prawns and a sprinkle of chili flakes and toss for a few minutes over a high heat until the sauce is clinging to the noodles and is glossy and coated. Loosen with a bit of water if needed.
Split between two bowls - sprinkle and if you want to add any topping go crazy, sesame seeds, peanut fresh coriander, or spring onion - it will all taste great.
In my second recipe, I use firm tofu. This is a rough guide:
Pat the tofu dry, cut into cubes and fry in a pan with vegetable oil until golden. Set aside on a plate.
In the same pan, add 2 tablespoon of sesame oil, a tsp of corn starch, honey, soy sauce, lime, salt and pepper. Cook the sauce until it boils then lower the heat. Mix slowly until it thickens
Add in the tofu cubes and stir until coated and caramelised.
Serve it with any vegetable of your choice (broccoli, beans, sugar snap peas) on top of some rice and you got yourself a punchy dinner.
Go out, buy some tofu, cook with it and get back to me. I promise you’ll like it.
Until next time x