Bonefish Grill Copycat Bang Bang Sauce and Bang Bang Tofu

Have you tried any of the copy-cat "bang-bang" recipes out there? You know, that creamy spicy sauce made popular by Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang Shrimp. Ever since that dish became popular, I have seen many things made "bang bang" style.

I made Bang Bang Cauliflower a while back and had been craving it again, but wanted it as an entrée. One night Jon was making some shrimp and I planned on making tofu for myself, and as soon as I grabbed the Sriracha sauce I knew I wanted to make Bang Bang Tofu. I used the cauliflower recipe as inspiration.

 I pressed and cubed the tofu, dipped it in a thick batter, and fried it up before tossing it with the sauce that makes my mouth water every time I think about it. Using tofu in this way was perfect - the batter gets thick and crispy while the tofu stays soft. If you have been wanting to try tofu but are nervous about the texture, this may be the way to do it since you'll have some other textures than just the soft tofu.

Bang Bang Tofu

Inspired by: Bang Bang Cauliflower

The Batter

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 c ice water
• 1 3/4 c flour, sifted

Place the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add iced water gradually, blend well. Add the flour all at once and stir briefly so it's all mixed, but still has lumps and clumps. Make this batter as soon as you are ready to start cooking - you don't want it sitting around.


The Bang Bang Sauce
Mix these ingredients together in a bowl -

• 1/4 c mayonnaise
• 1/4 c Sriracha sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar

The Tofu (sub this for anything you'd like - shrimp, chicken, veggies)

• 1 block of tofu
• Canola or vegetable oil; about 1/4 - 1/3 inch deep in a large nonstick pan
• Green onions for garnish

Take 1 block of extra firm tofu, wrap it in paper towels or a clean, dry kitchen towel and place it on a plate. Place something heavy on top of it (but not something that will crush or break the tofu) and place it in the fridge for about an hour.

Heat the oil over high heat

Cube the tofu, dip each piece in batter, and drop it into very hot oil. Fry about 90 seconds - 2 minutes, flip and fry the other side (if frying chicken or shrimp, make sure it is fully cooked by checking the temperature). 
Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to let some of the grease drain. Toss with the sauce and top with green onions.

 

 

Tofu with Tomatoes in a Garlic Ponzu Sauce

  To me, tofu is the ultimate ingredient for a quick and easy dinner. You don't have to worry about cooking it to a certain temperature, it cooks quickly (or it can simmer for a bit to soak up more flavor), and it is so versatile that you can really use it with any flavors. I usually choose to prepare it with Asian flavors and ingredients, but have also tried Mexican and Italian flavors as well.   Tonight I didn't have much time to cook, and I only knew I would be making tofu. I opened the fridge and did my favorite thing - started grabbing ingredients to use to come up with a quick tofu dinner. I spotted a bottle of Ponzu that Jon bought last week. We never used it, so I opened it, gave it a quick taste, and based the rest of the dish on it.   Ponzu has a soy flavor with great brightness since it is citrus based. It isn't as heavy as soy, but still adds that basic flavor and saltiness. Along with the ponzu I also used a touch of soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, mirin as well as tomatoes, garlic, green onions, and spinach.       This dish came together in about 15 minutes, and had a great spicy and tangy flavor. My daughter even ate the rice that was sitting in the sauce and loved it. I served it over Trader Joe's Organic Brown Rice that I buy in the frozen section - it cooks in THREE minutes in the bag it comes in (no extra pot to clean!) and it's good!

Tofu with Tomatoes in a Garlic Ponzu Sauce

Original Recipe by Mary Ellen

Ingredients



• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 3/4 c vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp ponzu sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp mirin
• Sriracha to taste; I used about 1 Tbsp
• 1/4 c broth mixed with 1 Tbsp flour or cornstarch

Directions

• Press your tofu - if you know you are making tofu for dinner, take it out a few hours early, remove it from the container with water, and wrap it in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Press gently, and put it in a dish in the fridge with something on top of it, such as a block of cheese. This will get all of the extra water out and let the tofu absorb more flavors. Once you are ready to cook, cut the tofu into cubes.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan or wok over high heat. Add the tofu and sauté 5 minutes until browned on all sides (let it sit on each side for a minute or so, don't constantly flip it around - you'll get a better crust this way).
• Add the tomatoes and stir; let cook for one minute.
• Add the garlic, and then pour in the ponzu sauce, soy sauce, mirin, and sriracha. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
• Taste and adjust any of the flavors before adding the slurry (broth mixed with the flour/cornstarch). Let simmer 2 minutes before serving.  

 

Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Broccoli and Carrots

 I'm not sure if I ever mentioned this in my blog before, but when I was in my early 20s, I decided to eat vegetarian. It lasted for 8 years, and was mostly because I just didn't like meat. I was never a big meat eater growing up, and at 23 I had just had enough.

Now, I wasn't the best vegetarian at first, eating a lot of pasta and not replacing the protein I wasn't getting by not eating meat. The truth is, I wasn't really sure what I needed to do to make sure I was eating a balanced diet. However, I ended up learning a lot over those 8 years, and to this day still enjoy and am satisfied eating vegetarian meals. Also, I think that time period in my life is what got me into cooking - I had to explore and find new things to eat when my family was eating a meat and potatoes meal, so I ended up cooking for myself quite often, and eventually found it to be enjoyable and even therapeutic.

One thing I carry with me today as a former vegetarian is my love of tofu. I wish my husband liked it because tofu is my go-to dinner when I want something quick and easy to prepare, filling, healthy, and that will give me leftovers for another meal or two. I'm trying my hardest to get my 2 year old to eat it! She did a few times when I first gave it to her, but has been turning her nose up at it recently. I will keep trying!

The other night I was craving tofu, had some broccoli to use, and for some reason couldn't get my favorite restaurant, Buddakan, off my mind. The last time I made a dish to remind me of Buddakan was this Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken with Brussels Sprouts, so I decided to use that recipe as inspiration for this Sweet and Spicy Tofu.

Making this took about 20-25 minutes, and I love using Trader Joe's Frozen Brown Rice. It is ready in just 3 minutes in the microwave - you cook it right in the pouch it comes in. Talk about easy!

Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Broccoli and Carrots
Original Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, separated
• 1 block of extra firm tofu, water pressed out and cut into cubes (note, when cooking with tofu you always want to press out the extra water/moisture which will allow it to take in more flavors when cooking)
• 10-12 baby carrots, cut diagonally into 1/4 inch rounds
• 3 green onions chopped, and separated into green pieces and white pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sm head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1 c vegetable broth
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili garlic paste OR Sriracha sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp flour mixed with 2 tbsp broth

Directions

• Heat 1.5 tbsp of the vegetable oil in a large saute pan
• Add tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Wipe pan clean, and then heat remaining oil in the pan
• Add the garlic, carrots, and white parts of the onions; saute 2-3 minutes
• Add broccoli; saute 2-3 minutes
• Mix the broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic paste or Sriracha, brown sugar, and grated ginger. Add to the pan and bring to a low simmer.
• Slowly add the slurry (the flour mixed with the 2 tbsp of broth) and stir. This will help thicken your sauce.
• Return the tofu to the pan and let simmer until warmed through.
• Serve over brown rice topped with the green parts of the green onions.

Tofu in a Spicy-Sweet Sauce with Mushrooms

Every 2 weeks or so Jon and I cook up a quick and easy meal - shrimp for him, tofu for me. Both ingredients cook so quickly that these meals can be made in 15 minutes, max.

Last week I made a tofu dish using the sauce from this vegetable lo mein recipe as my inspiration. The sauce was great - sweet and spicy.

Ingredients

• 1 block of firm or extra firm tofu, pressed to get the extra liquid out then chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp light olive oil or vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 mushrooms (white or crimini), diced
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/4 tsp mirin
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1-2 tsp chili garlic sauce (depending on how much heat you want)
• 1 c chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp broth
• Rice for serving

Directions

• Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok over high heat
• Add the tofu and saute until browned, 4-5 minutes
• Add the garlic and mushrooms; saute 1-2 minutes
• Mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chili garlic sauce, and broth; add to the pan with half of the green onions and bring to a simmer.
• Add the cornstarch mixed with the broth and let simmer until thickened, just a few minutes.
• Serve over rice topped with the remaining green onions.

Tofu with Jalapenos and Tomatoes

After being away last weekend and having a busy week, I was feeling a bit run down. I realized that I hadn't been eating well, and also hadn't had much protein at all over the past several days. So for a quick lunch, I threw together this delicious tofu dish using things I had around - tomatoes, jalapenos, and cilantro.

Sometimes these types of dishes are the best. No recipe, no set plan, just making it up as you go along. I used the entire block of tofu so I'd have enough for lunch for the next 2 days.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 block of tofu, pressed (to get the water out) and then chopped into 2 inch long and 1/2 inch thick pieces
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sm jalapeno, seeds removed, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• Sauce: 3/4 c chicken or vegetable broth; 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce; a few shakes of sesame oil; touch of Sriracha sauce (to taste; also added more after it finished cooking)
• 1/4 c broth mixed with 1 tsp cornstarch
• Fresh cilantro, about a handful

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan or wok
• Add tofu; cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Add a touch of olive oil to the pan. Add onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Saute 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, saute 3-4 minutes.
• Return tofu to the pan and add the sauce. Bring to a simmer. Add the cornstarch/broth slurry and mix well; bring to a simmer to let thicken.
• Toss in the cilantro and serve over brown rice.

Spicy Tofu with Asparagus and Chile

A few months ago I made Spicy Chicken with Asparagus and Chile, and loved it because of the combination of the asparagus and jalapenos in an Asian dish. I thought it would work really well with tofu, and it did. Below is my variation on this recipe using tofu.

Ingredients

• 1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed and then cut into small cubes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce, divided
  
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 12 oz thin to medium Asparagus spears, cut on a diagonal to 1/2-3/4 inch pieces
• 1 jalapeno, minced (ribs and seeds included)
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 1/4 c chicken broth
• 1 tbsp hoisin
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions

• In a bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp of the soy sauce, the rice wine, and cornstarch. Add the the tofu and toss to coat.
• Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok over high heat. Add the asparagus, jalapeno, and ginger and saute 2 minutes.
  
• Add tofu, saute about 4 minutes.
• Add the remaining soy sauce, hoisin, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, but for no longer than 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the green onions, or serve them on top.

This worked really well as a tofu dish, and was great leftover for lunch the next day. I'll definitely make it again!

Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans

A few weeks ago I had fish on the menu for Jon which means tofu for me. I asked him to pick up a veg at the market, and he came home with string beans, something I don't normally associate with tofu. That is, until I came across this recipe... I think it's my new favorite tofu recipe. I found a recipe for Oriental Green Beans and Tofu, and changed it up a bit, calling it Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Green Beans. See the link above for the original recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 block of tofu, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp hoisin
• 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dry cooking sherry
• 2 tsp chili garlic paste
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Large handful of fresh green beans, trimmed into 1-2 inch pieces
• 1/2 small onion, sliced (same length as green beans)
• 1/2 can water chestnuts, sliced (similar to the onions and green beans - I like everything cut the same way - cooks better, nicer to eat, and is pleasing to the eye)
• 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth (I always use low-sodium broth)

Directions

• Heat olive oil and sesame oil in a large saute pan or wok
• Add tofu; cook until browned on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Add a touch more olive oil to the pan.
• Add garlic and onions, saute 1-2 minutes.
• Add water chestnuts and green beans, saute 1-2 minutes.
• Mix hoisin, brown sugar, soy sauce, sherry, chili garlic paste, and broth. Add to the pan and bring to a simmer.
• Return tofu to the pan; let cook a few minutes. Reduce heat and let simmer if you want the sauce to thicken.
• Serve over rice or noodles.

Delicious way to enjoy tofu, and to incorporate a veggie I wouldn't normally have enjoyed with tofu! A touch sweet with a nice, spicy kick - just the way I like it.

Saucy Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry

I love to read recipes.. that's right, I read the ingredients, directions, and can usually tell what I think will work, how it will taste, and what changes I could make either to make it better or suit my tastes. That is until I stumbled across this recipe for Saucy Broccoli and Tofu Stir Fry (original recipe from Martin Yan's China). And that's because one of the ingredients was ketchup. But the blog author assured me that ketchup in Chinese food worked so I gave it a shot.

I'm glad I did - this was a thick and flavorful sauce that coated the tofu and broccoli nicely, ensuring I got a nice taste of sauce with every bite.

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp oil for cooking
• 1 block firm tofu, pressed and cut into blocks
• 2-3 cups broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c ketchup
• 1/4 c Chinese rice wine
• 1/4 c chicken broth (I used vegetable broth, and about 1/2 c)
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1-2 tbsp chili garlic sauce (depends on how much heat you want)
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Squirt of toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce, more to taste

Directions

• Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat
• Add tofu and cook until browned to your liking; I cooked it for about 10 minutes.
• While the tofu is cooking, mix the ingredients for the sauce - Mix the broth and soy sauce; add the cornstarch and mix until dissolved. Add the ketchup, rice wine, chili garlic sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Whisk, and adjust any ingredients.
• Add the broccoli to the pan and cook 2-3 minutes; it will cook more once you add the sauce. Remove everything from the pan.
• Turn up the heat to high and add 1 tbsp oil. Add the garlic and saute just a few seconds, making sure it doesn't burn.
• Add the sauce mixture, and allow it to reduce/come to a simmer to thicken which will only take a few minutes.
• Return the tofu and broccoli to the pan and toss everything to coat and heat through.

I served this over rice, and it made enough to have dinner, lunch the next day, and then a mid-afternoon snack.

Mongolian Tofu

Of all the fake-out take-out meals I have made, Mongolian Beef is my favorite. It is sweet and savory and I love the sauce over rice. I had some tofu to use last week when Jon was away, and I thought the flavors and sauce from the Mongolian Beef recipe would work well with tofu. I was right -this was delicious!

Here is my recipe -

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 block firm or extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into thirds three ways (from the top, from the side, and from the ends) to get 2 inch rectangular pieces (or just cubed!)
• Cornstarch, approximately 2-3 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp minced ginger (I grated it through the microplane)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 c water
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1 green onion, chopped

Directions

• Toss tofu with cornstarch to coat
• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat
• Add the tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 6-8 minutes
• In the meantime, mix the soy sauce, water and brown sugar in a bowl
• Once the tofu has browned, add the garlic and ginger; saute 1 minute
• Add the soy sauce mixture and stir; bring to a steady simmer and then reduce to low. Let simmer for several minutes to thicken the sauce.
• Add half of the green onions
• Serve over rice and garnish with green onions

I love tofu, and am so glad I have found so many different ways to prepare it. When I first started to eat it, I only made a tofu and vegetable stir fry...and I made it at least once a week! Having options is much, much more delicious!

Tofu with Napa Cabbage, Carrots, and Sprouts in a Hoisin-Garlic Sauce

Tofu - must mean I was on my own again for dinner last night! Really, Jon doesn't know what he's missing.

Anyway, I had a bunch of ingredients left over from the spring rolls we made on my dad's birthday this weekend. I picked up some tofu and made this one up as I went along. It turned out to be a delicious and easy dish that I was able to enjoy for dinner and then lunch the next day. Tofu reheats fabulously in a covered dish for 2 minutes on reheat in the microwave.

Ingredients

• 1 block extra firm tofu, pressed to get the water out, then cut into cubes
• Handful each of julienned carrots, bean sprouts, and chopped Napa cabbage
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 c chicken broth
• 1 tsp Hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp chili-garlic sauce/paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Directions

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok
• Add tofu and cook 5 minutes, flipping often, until slightly browned on all sides
• Add garlic, carrots, and sprouts; saute 2 minutes
• Add cabbage; saute 2 minutes
• Add chicken broth mixed with Hoisin, chili-garlic sauce, and soy
• Bring to a simmer for 3-5 minutes
• Serve over noodles or rice. I served the tofu over some Chinese noodles I picked up at Wegmans.

Delicious!!

Tofu Parm with Spinach and Mushrooms

As you probably know by now, whenever Jon is away, I cook things he'd never eat. What's the number one thing on his "do not eat" list? Tofu.

I make a lot of Asian inspired tofu dishes, but was craving Italian flavors and red sauce tonight. I looked for inspiration on the cooking board I frequent, and the girls had a lot of great suggestions. I'm bookmarking all of them for future use as I was too lazy to go to the market to get the ingredients I didn't have on hand.

So instead of following a recipe, I did what I love best - created as I cooked. I pulled out a few things I had, and just started cooking. I came up with a delicious tofu Parmesan style dish with sauteed mushrooms and spinach.

Ingredients (amounts are approximate)

• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 1/2 c bread crumbs mixed with the following spices:
• Spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, red pepper flakes
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 c marinara; I used Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Marinara.....sooo good for a jar sauce!
• 4 oz fresh spinach
• 1/2 c chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 c shredded cheese; I used a mix of mozzarella, asiago, and Parmesan

Directions

• Cut a block of tofu into 12 squares
• Heat oil in a non-stick saute pan over medium heat
• Dip tofu in egg, then coat in bread crumbs
• Add tofu to pan and fry until golden-brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. This could have been eaten as is just dipped in some marinara sauce!

• Pour half of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish
• Add tofu in a single layer, and top each piece with a bit of the sauce and cheese.
• Clean out pan and add 1/2 tbsp oil
• Saute mushrooms 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle over tofu into baking dish.
• Saute spinach until wilted. Spread over the tofu.

• Top everything with more cheese.
• Bake on 375, covered, for 20 minutes.

If you haven't eaten tofu yet, this may be the way to try it. There were so many flavors from the spices in the bread crumbs, and great textures from the crunch breadcrumbs, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese.

The great thing about a tofu dish like this is that it is full of protein, so it is filling - no need to fill up on pasta.

Crispy Tofu with Garlic and Broccoli in a Soy-Hoison Sauce

Whenever I make tofu, I make things up as I go along, never following a recipe. I love how versatile tofu is, the different textures available, and how you can add so much flavor very easily.

You guessed it, Jon wasn't home for dinner tonight! I usually cook tofu when he isn't home, and decided to make a variation of my Crispy Tofu with Mushrooms and Garlic.

Ingredients

• 1 block firm tofu, cut into thirds
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Approximately 1 tbsp chopped white onion
• 2 tbsp cooking sherry
• 1 small head broccoli, chopped into florets
• 14.5 oz chicken broth
• 1/4 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Hoison
• 1 tsp (or less) red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 green onion, chopped

Directions

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add tofu; remove after 5 minutes. Drain and press some of the water out. Chop into bite sized pieces.
• Heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick pan
• Add tofu and cook until browned on all sides, about 12-15 minutes. Once cooked, remove tofu and let drain on a plate covered with a paper towel. Note - the tofu will still be somewhat wet so be careful when you add it to the oil! I wore an apron tonight to protect me from the splatter.
• Add the onions and garlic to the pan; saute 2 minutes.
• Add cooking sherry, cook 1-2 minutes.
• Add broccoli and red pepper flakes; saute 3-4 minutes.
• Add chicken broth mixed with soy sauce, brown sugar, and Hoison. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.
• Remove a few tbsp of the sauce to a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir.
• Return the tofu to the pan along with half of the green onions. Let simmer for a few minutes.
• Serve over noodles and top with the rest of the green onions.

This sauce was so wonderfully flavorful, and the red pepper flakes added just a touch of heat to keep it from being too sweet. I love browning tofu like this - the outside gets nice and crispy, and the sauce really sticks to it.

I have said it before and I'll say it again - if you haven't already, try tofu! I know the name doesn't sound very appetizing and people usually cringe at the mention of it, but once you try it I think you will like it!

Curried Tofu with Tomatoes and Broccoli

Whenever Jon isn't home for dinner I cook something for myself that he wouldn't eat. Tofu and tomatoes? Nope, he wouldn't eat them.

I make a lot of tofu dishes, but instead of pulling out an old standby, I decided to try something different tonight. I had several tomatoes to use up, which led me to find this recipe for Sauteed Asparagus with Curried Tofu and Tomatoes. After reading it, I wasn't sure why it had me boiling the tofu in salt water before sauteing it. I did some research and found out that cooking the tofu in salt water first helps it to stay firm and to absorb flavors when cooking it. Who knew! You learn something new every day.

I liked parts of the recipe, but not all of it. So I went back to my recipe for Sauteed Curried Chicken with Peppers that I made a few months ago. It had the flavors I was craving. So I took the two recipes, combined parts of them, made up a few new things, and came up with this recipe for Curried Tofu with Tomatoes and Broccoli.


Ingredients

• 1 block of firm tofu
• Pot of boiling salt water (about 1 tbsp salt)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a small onion, halved then sliced (for smaller slices)
• 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp curry powder; I used yellow
• 1 c chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tomatoes, chopped

Directions

• Add the block of tofu to the pot of boiling water. Let it simmer in the water for 5 minutes. Remove from the water onto a paper towel. Press out some of the water and chop into cubes.
• Heat oil in a saute pan.
• Add tofu and cook 6-8 minutes until browned on all sides. Remove tofu from the pan.
• Add onion and garlic to the pan, saute 1 minute.
• Add broccoli and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add brown sugar and curry powder, followed by the broth and soy sauce. Bring to a simmer.
• Return tofu to the pan and add the tomatoes. Let simmer 5 minutes.

How beautiful is this? Yes, you know me...I love the colors.

I loved this. I couldn't get enough of it! I did leave some to have for lunch tomorrow and I can't wait. It had amazing flavor, was a touch sweet but not too much, and had complex flavors from the curry powder.

I am so pleased with the results of this new recipe creation and highly recommend it to anyone who loves tofu, or to anyone who has always wanted to try it.

Spicy Tofu with Peppers

Whenever I make shrimp for Jon, I usually cook up some tofu for myself. Last night I had some peppers to use up, and felt like something spicy, so I came up with this quick and easy tofu dish - (Click here for the shrimp version)

Ingredients

• 1 block tofu, pressed (to get the extra liquid out) and cut into bite-sized pieces
• Thinly sliced onion - about 3 slices off 1 small onion.
• Sliced peppers - I used about 1/4 each of a red, green, and yellow pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp chili-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 c chicken broth
• Optional: chopped green onions

Directions

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat
• Add tofu and cook about 5 minutes until starting to lightly brown
• Add onions, garlic, and peppers. Saute 2-3 minutes.
• Add chili-garlic paste, soy sauce, and chicken broth. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Let simmer 10 minutes - sauce will slightly thicken
• Serve over rice or noodles and top with green onions
  

Tofu Cacciatore

I love making tofu dishes when Jon isn't home. Tonight I planned on making tofu cacciatore, but then Jon got on an earlier flight home...what to do? I still made it, and just made him some shrimp on the side!

A few months ago I made Chicken Cacciatore. Tonight's recipe is an adaptation of that recipe, minus the chicken, plus the tofu.

Ingredients

• 1 package tofu, pressed and cut into cubes
• Spices (I probably used an even amount of each): black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, garlic powder, paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 c each chopped red and green pepper; I had a tiny bit of yellow pepper left too so I added it
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 14 oz can tomatoes with juice, chopped (I used a can of crushed tomatoes with basil)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c dry white wine
• 1/2 c chicken broth
• Bay leaf
  

Directions

• Once tofu has been pressed and cubed, sprinkle all sides with the spices. Heat olive oil in a medium non-stick pan. Add tofu and cook on all sides until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a separate large saute pan
• Add onions, garlic, and peppers; saute 3 minutes
• Add white wine, simmer until reduced by half
• Add tomatoes, juice, and broth; bring to a boil
• Add bay leaf, a touch of oregano, and a touch of dried thyme. Cover most of the way and let simmer for 30 minutes. Optional: add cooked tofu to the pan for the last 10 minutes. I would have done this if Jon wasn't home and the sauce was all for me...
• Remove bay leave and serve tofu and sauce over pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Here is how the tofu should look once browned:

I cooked up some shrimp for Jon since he doesn't each tofu. I sauteed garlic in olive oil and then added shrimp that had been tossed in paprika. I wanted to add oregano and thyme, but they aren't his favorite flavors.

The sauce has a different flavor than when cooked with chicken, but was still really good. This was a great way to prepare tofu.

Crispy Tofu with Mushrooms and Garlic

Tofu is not just for vegetarians! Yes, I ate it a lot when I was a vegetarian, but I still enjoy it a few times a month. It's a nice break from meat, can be flavored in an endless number of ways, and makes for a healthy meal.

I made this recipe up as I went along. As I was cooking, Jon kept asking me if I knew what I was making. Answer...no! I didn't know what it was going to turn out to be until 3/4 of the way through. I love experimenting in this way, and it's even better when you end up with an amazing dinner that goes onto your list of things to definitely make again.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 block of tofu, pressed to get the water out and then cut into 1.5 inch slices
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• Few dashed black pepper; salt
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 tbsp cooking sherry
• 3/4 c low sodium chicken broth (vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1.5 tsp hoisin sauce
• Pinch of white sugar (I think brown sugar would work as well)
• If needed for thickening, 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• Chopped green onions

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat
• Add sliced tofu, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Here is how it looked after being browned:

• Add mushrooms to the pan and saute 2 min; add garlic and saute another minute
• Add cooking sherry and stir until absorbed. In the meantime, mix chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin, and sugar in a bowl.
• Once sherry has absorbed, add broth mixture. Bring to a simmer. Thicken with cornstarch if needed.
• Return tofu to the pan and mix until coated.
• Serve topped with green onions

I loved this creation! I was grabbing things from the pantry and fridge, making it all up as I went along, and it was so much fun! The tofu was nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the sauce had just the right mixture of salty and sweet - just thick enough to stick to the tofu. Delicious!!

I served it with a side of roasted baby bok choy.

Mexican Tofu Skillet Dinner

Standing with the door to the fridge wide open, I took an inventory of what I had on hand. I always crave Mexican flavors, so used that to guide me.

I grabbed a bunch of things, almost Rachael Ray style...a green pepper, red pepper, yellow pepper, Anaheim pepper, a white onion, a block of tofu, 2 tomatoes, a lime, and a bunch of cilantro. From the pantry I pulled out a can of chicken broth (after not finding a can of vegetable broth), flour, a bag of dried ancho chilies, a bag of dried guajillas, 2 cloves of garlic, olive oil, and then from my spice cabinet chose spices to include chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, and cayenne pepper as well as the salt.

• While my tofu was wrapped in paper towels to get the extra water out, I started chopping all of the peppers (except the dried peppers). These colors alone will inspire you to cook -

• I soaked the dried peppers in water for about 20 minutes, then removed the seeds and finely chopped them.


• Making things up as I went along, I combined 3 tbsp flour and the spices - about 1.5 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and 1/4 tsp Mexican oregano.

Then...

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet
• In the meantime, coat the tofu in the flour/spice mixture.

• Add the chopped, dried chilies to the pan and saute for 1 minute.
• Move the chilies to the sides of the pan and add the tofu. Turn to brown on all sides.
• Add 6 oz chicken or vegetable broth along with the peppers, onions, and garlic. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add juice from 1/2 of a lime as well as the cilantro and some salt. Stir and let simmer for a few minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and let simmer until they soften, about 3-4 minutes. Look how gorgeous all of this was while simmering away -

Everything smelled great while cooking, but tasted even better. The dish was so fresh and light, all of the different flavors worked perfectly together, and there wasn't too much heat at all (for me, anyway). Coating the tofu in the flour and spices was a good call - the color was beautiful and it didn't get soggy when simmering in the broth.

This would be a nice dish to serve over rice, but I just ate it plain, so this was a very healthy meal on top of being delicious. After eating a few bites I decided to try something else with it - see my post below for a Tofu Burrito.

Tofu Burrito

After making and sampling some of the Mexican Tofu Skillet Dinner that I made, I decided to make a burrito with it.

I took a corn tortilla and heated it in the microwave for 25 seconds or so, until soft and pliable.

Then I put down a layer of sour cream in the center, followed by some shredded Mexican cheese.

On top of that I spooned a single layer of the tofu mixture along with some more cheese.

After taking that picture, I wrapped it up and ate it. Tofu is something I usually make with Asian ingredients such as Hoison sauce and soy sauce, and I use vegetables like bok choy, green onions, water chestnuts, and peppers. But this Mexican preparation was so nice for a light burrito. I have some of the tofu mixture leftover - I know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow!

Ma Po Tofu

When I was a vegetarian I lived on tofu, but back then I wasn't into cooking a whole lot so I always just had different tofu and veggie stir fry dishes. I tried Ma Po Tofu at PF Changs several years ago but never thought about recreating it myself. Well now that I absolutely love to cook and experiment I decided to try it.

I looked at a few recipes online, including this one, and also got a recipe from Joelen on thenest.com (she has recipes for everything - she's amazing so check out her blog). Below is what I did:

Ingredients

• 1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes (pressing tofu between towels for 30 minutes releases all of the extra water and allows it to soak up more flavors when cooking)
• 10 oz low sodium chicken broth
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp chili sauce/chili paste (I used Hunan Chili Sauce)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• Rice

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a pan; add onions and garlic, saute for a few minutes
• Add tofu and half of the chili sauce; cook for 4-5 minutes
• Add 2/3 of the chicken broth, the rest of the chili sauce, and the soy sauce; let simmer for 5 minutes
• Mix the remaining chicken broth with the cornstarch; add slowly to the pan to thicken your sauce
• Serve over rice

WOW - this was good! So simple, too. It had a good amount of heat and a ton of flavor. I will definitely make this one again. I also think I'll be able to make it with shrimp for Jon.

I'd recommend this to anyone who has never had tofu but would love to try it, or to anyone looking for something new and easy to do with tofu! Enjoy.