Tofu, Made Tasty

Tofu has a bad rap. Everyone associates it as the ultimate "health food," and so shuns it without ever giving it a chance. The first time I ever had tofu was in a yogurt dip my best friend's mom made for me. I was probably 9 or 10, and it tasted pretty good. Until I was told it had tofu in it. How I instinctively knew to not like the stuff...I honestly don't remember. I doubt I even knew what a package of the stuff looked like!

It was many years later, when I was on my own and exploring recipe options, that I finally decided to start working with it. EatingWell was a big part of this; they often feature recipes that use tofu. I believe I made a chocolate mousse to start with, and when that turned out to be amazing I'd toss a little soft tofu into smoothies to add some protein.

Fast-forwarding several years, I now get pretty disgusted when I see the meat options on menus, especially in Asian restaurants. Often the cheapest, bottom-of-the-barrel meats are used, and knowing what I know about the stuff...well, it's pretty unappetizing. As a result, we usually order at least one tofu entree to share, and it's been prepared wonderfully every time I've tasted it in a restaurant to date. If chefs can make savory tofu dishes well, then I should be able to figure it out too!

The following recipe is easy and delicious. It's a great way to introduce your family to eating tofu without disguising it. The first time I tried frying the rectangles up, my kids responded with something along the lines of "yum, Mom! This chicken is really good!" Heh. My husband knew in advance what it was that I'd placed in front of him, and after convincing himself to try that first bite he agreed that it was pretty tasty.

Fried Tofu with Veggies and Brown Rice

1 cup long grain brown rice

2 cups broth or water

6 cups chopped assorted fresh stir-fry vegetables (such as carrots, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, etc.)

1 package fresh extra firm tofu (12 oz)

1 egg white

corn starch or all purpose flour

Peanut Sauce

fresh bean sprouts, if desired

Remove the block of tofu from its package. Place on a cutting board. Elevate one side of the board slightly to allow the water to drain into the sink. Place a heavy plate on top of the tofu to weigh it down. Let drain for at least 1 hour. (This step makes it a meaty texture and not mushy.)

Combine the water or broth and rice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, until tender.

Cut the tofu into 8-10 rectangles, cross-wise. Place them in a single layer on paper towels. Blot with another paper towel to dry the tops a little.

When ready to fry the tofu, heat a tablespoon of oil in a stir fry pan. Stir-fry the veggies a minute or so, then add a little water, cover, and reduce the heat to low to steam them.

Place a flat-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and heat. Take one tofu rectangle at a time, dip it in the egg white, then coat it with flour or corn starch, shaking off the excess. Fry until golden, repeating with the other rectangles.

To serve, place a scoop of rice in the center of the plate. Top with tofu and veggies and drizzle with peanut sauce.

Serves 3-4.

Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup honey

3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp red pepper flakes (or less for spice-sensitive kiddos)

Whisk all ingredients in a small bowl until combined.