Asian Tofu And Squash Salad Recipes

JAPANESE TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Place tofu between two plates, and weigh down with a heavy book. Allow tofu to drain for 1 hour, pouring out the expelled liquid every 20 minutes.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, stir in the garlic and ginger, and gently cook until lightly golden; stir into the soy sauce mixture.
• Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces, and toss together with the tomato, onion, and cilantro. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

ASIAN TOFU AND SQUASH SALAD

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Put the tofu cubes on a clean kitchen towel in a single layer; let drain. Make the dressing: Whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, pickled ginger brine and 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Toss the mushrooms and squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a separate large bowl; spread the vegetables on the top hot baking sheet. Pat the tofu dry and add to the same bowl along with 3 tablespoons of the dressing; toss, then spread on the bottom hot baking sheet. Roast, switching the baking sheets and tossing the vegetables and tofu halfway through, until the squash is tender and the tofu is golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Add the greens, snow peas, cashews and chopped pickled ginger to the bowl with the remaining dressing; toss. Divide among bowls; top with the roasted vegetables, tofu and sprouts.

ASIAN TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk canola oil, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and salt in a bowl.
• Place tofu and 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes total. Remove from the heat, add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the pan and stir to coat.
• Toss greens, carrots and cucumber with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately, topped with the warm tofu.

SALT AND PEPPER TOFU

Steps:

• To make the seasoning, combine the salt, sugar, white pepper, five-spice powder and ground ginger in a small bowl, and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Place the drained tofu onto a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Cut the tofu into ¾-inch cubes.
• Scatter ¼ cup of the cornstarch onto a large plate or sheet pan. Carefully place the tofu cubes onto the cornstarch, then scatter the remaining cornstarch on top of the tofu. Using clean hands, gently dab each side of the tofu into the cornstarch until it is coated on all sides.
• Line a large plate with a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
• Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick or well seasoned cast-iron skillet on medium-high. Add 3 tablespoons of neutral oil and heat until the oil shimmers. Making sure the tofu pieces are not touching each other (you may need to work in batches), add the coated tofu to the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until the tofu is golden and crispy. Remove and place on the paper or kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Continue with remaining tofu, adding more oil as needed.
• The empty skillet should still have a small amount of oil, but if it doesn't, add 1 tablespoon more of oil. With the skillet over medium heat, add the scallions and pepper and stir-fry for 30 to 60 seconds until softened and fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the same paper or kitchen towel.
• Transfer the tofu to a plate and sprinkle with about half of the salt and pepper seasoning. Top with scallions and pepper. Serve with rice and the remaining salt and pepper seasoning.

ASIAN CRISPY TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients except for tofu in a 9x9 inch square baking dish.
• Drain and slice tofu in half lengthwise to make two thinner slabs. Blot with a paper towel.
• Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Slide tofu slices onto skillet and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a large spatula. Brown it nicely to give it color and texture.
• Slip tofu slices into marinade, and turn with spatula at least once. While the tofu is sitting in the marinade, cut each slab 3 times lengthwise and widthwise with a sharp knife to make 16 squares per slab. Toss carefully.
• Let marinate for up to 30 minutes and remove garlic and ginger slices before serving warm, at room temperature or chilled.