Asian Tofu Salad with Roasted Peanuts
About 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 Cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
3-4 Shallots, halved, thinly sliced into half moon pieces
5-6 Thin slices fresh ginger, finely minced
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Soy sauce
1 Red bell pepper, roasted over an open flame, peeled, seeded, diced
1 Carrot, fine matchstick pieces
1/2 Cup mirin
1 (8ounce) packaged baked tofu
1 Bunch watercress, rinsed well, finely diced
Brown rice vinegar
One half cup Valencia peanuts
2 Tablespoons brown rice syrup
Pinch sea salt
1 Mango, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
Place about 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep skillet and turn heat to medium. When the oil is hot, add garlic, shallots, ginger and lemon zest, a splash of soy sauce and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Stir in red pepper and carrot, another splash of soy sauce and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add one half cup mirin, season lightly with soy sauce and reduce heat to low. Cook vegetables, uncovered, until liquid has reduced to a thin syrup, 10-12 minutes. Stir in baked tofu and lay watercress on top. Cover and turn off heat. Allow watercresss to steam until just wilted, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in a sprinkle of brown rice vinegar.
To make the peanuts, place the peanuts in a heat-resistant bowl. Bring rice syrup and salt to a foaming boil over high heat. Pour over peanuts and stir well to coat. Immediately stir sweet peanuts into tofu dish. Transfer cooked tofu mixture to a serving platter and arrange sliced mangoes around the rim of the dish.
–This dish was sweet and spicy and sour. I got my Kids Can Cook group to make it and we loved it! I served it with rice and yesterdays aduki beans.
This recipe is printed with permission from Christina Pirello