Tofu in peanut butter sauce. (A guest post)

Remember the orange scallops all the way from Florida?

Because of the overwhelming response to that guest post a couple of months back, CB-- my friend n' chef--agreed to do another guest post. This time with Tofu and peanut butter.  Did I just say peanut butter?? 

Yum :) Here goes CB.

“Peanut butter and me” …the association goes pretty far back in time ... as far as I can remember the real appreciation started during the beginning years of my graduate student life …when every morning that 0.99$ peanut butter jelly sandwich at the food court convenient store was all I ate for breakfast. Although I still love to start my day with a peanut butter sandwich but I guess I have become more efficient to explore the other facets of this incredible ingredient. Here I present one such attempt to use peanut butter outside the usual realm of breakfast sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 box firm tofu

2-3 cloves of garlic

½ medium size red onion

1 tea-spoon of minced ginger

2 table spoons soy sauce

chopped scallions for garnishing (optional)

1 table-spoon of canola oil

2 table-spoons of peanut butter

Directions:

Cut the tofu block onto several equal size cubes (1/2 inch thickness). Preheat the oven for 10-15 mins at 500F. Apply some cooking spray on the tofu and let it sit in the preheated oven for 15-20 mins. The tofu triangles should be golden brown when done.In a non-stick skillet add the oil and set the stove to high heat.  Once the oil is hot enough (~1 minute) add the peanut butter to the hot oil but turn down the heat to medium and allow the peanut butter to melt slowly. Once the peanut butter has molten completely add the onion, garlic, and the ginger to it. Saute for 3-5 mins and be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the soy sauce and let it simmer for 2-3 mins and add a little bit of water if necessary. Add the baked tofu into the sauce and stir to mix. Add 1/3 cup of water and allow it to simmer for another 4-5 mins.

Take it off the stove and garnish with chopped scallions"

 

 What better way to have healthy food without having to compromise on an age old taste?  I tell you this is keeper. Thanks CB!

Happy eating and healthy living!

Photograph: Courtesy Pinki Mondal.