Ginger Sesame Tofu Sauce By Deborah Madison Recipes

PAN-GRIDDLED SWEET POTATOES WITH MISO-GINGER SAUCE

Steps:

• Add about an inch of water to a stovetop steamer or a pot fitted with a steaming basket. Add sweet potatoes and steam until tender, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on their size.
• While sweet potatoes are cooking, make the sauce: pound garlic and ginger in a mortar until very smooth and then stir in the sugar, miso, vinegar, sesame oils and 1 tablespoon water.
• Halve steamed sweet potatoes lengthwise and score the cut sides in a crisscross pattern with a small knife. Heat a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add a swirl of light sesame oil (about 1 tablespoon), then add sweet potatoes in a single layer, cut side down, and cook for 3 minutes, or until their natural sugars caramelize and turn an appetizing golden brown. (Depending on the shape of your potatoes, you may have to work in batches.)
• Arrange sweet potatoes on plates or a platter and spoon sauce over them. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve alone or with any accompaniment you like.

GINGER-SESAME TOFU SAUCE BY DEBORAH MADISON

Steps:

• Put the first 7 ingredients (through the lime juice) in the small bowl of a food processor and process until well blended, about 2 minutes.
• Add the tofu, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and continue processing, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until you have a smooth, green-flecked sauce.
• Taste for salt and season with pepper, to taste.
• If sauce is too thick for your taste, or it thickens in the refrigerator, thin it by whisking in water as needed.

GINGER-SESAME GRILLED TOFU STEAKS

Steps:

• Place tofu slices on several layers of paper towels, cover with additional paper towels.
• Let stand 20 minutes, press down occasionally.
• Combine ginger sesame vinaigrette, cilantro, soy sauce in 13x9 baking dish.
• remove 1/4 cup cilantro mixture; set aside.
• Add tofu to dish in single layer, turn to coat.
• Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turn occasionally.
• Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
• Add lime slices to marinade, turn to coat.
• Remove tofu and lime slices from marinade, reserve marinade.
• Place tofu and lime slices on grill rack coated with spray; grill 2 minutes each side till browned, and well heated through, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.
• spoon 1/2 cup rice on 4 plates.
• Top each serving with 2 tofu slices and 2 lime slices; drizzle each serving with 1 tbsp reserved cilantro mixture.
• For vinaigrette:.
• Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk till smooth.
• Stir in green onions and the remaining ingredients.
• Yields 1 1/3 cups (serving size 1 tbsp).

TOFU SIMMERED IN HOISIN SAUCE BY DEBORAH MADISON

Steps:

• If using soft tofu, it is easier to crumble it and heat it up as part of the sauce in step 5.
• If using hard tofu, drain it, wrap it in a towel and press while assembling the ingredients for the sauce. Slice it crosswise to a scant 1/2 inch thick, then into triangles. Blot with paper toweling.
• Heat a nonstick skillet, brush with 2 teaspoons of peanut oil, then add the cut up hard tofu. Fry over medium-high heat until golden, then turn, adding another 2 teaspoons of peanut oil, and browning the other side.
• Combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine (or sherry), garlic, pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon of peanut oil.
• Stir in the water or stock, then pour the mixture over the tofu and shuffle the pan back and forth to distribute it evenly.
• Cook over medium heat until bubbling and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.

SESAME TOFU WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut tofu into 1/2 inch thick slices, lay flat on a towel to dry out.
• Combine all the dipping sauce ingredients in a small mixing bowl.
• Marinate tofu in 1/2 to 3/4 of the dipping sauce for a couple hours. (The original recipe says to marinate for thirty minutes, but I did it overnight to maximize flavour).
• Remove tofu from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel (I skipped this step).
• Dip tofu in beaten egg white then coat with sesame seeds.
• Brown tofu slices on each side over medium heat in a non-stick pan with olive oil until sesame seeds are golden and crispy, about 5-7 minutes per side (The recipe says two minutes per side, but I found it took much longer).
• Serve with remaining dipping sauce.

CLEAR SOUP WITH SWEET POTATOES, SILKEN TOFU, AND MUSTARD GREENS

Steps:

• heat vegetable oil and half of sesame oil in soup pot. when hot, add garlic, ginger, chile, and cilantro. stir-fry for 2 minutes. add broth, five-spice powder, and salt. bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. strain and return to the pan, or simply lift out the chopped flavorings with a small skimmer. press out as much liquid as you can, then discard.
• add sweet potatoes to the pot and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife.
• add greens and tofu. cook gently, uncovered, until the greens are bright and tofu is hot, about 5 minutes. add scallions. taste for salt and add remaining sesame oil. add soy sauce to taste, if dish seems to need a little extra punch.