Salt & Pepper Tofu
As we’ve been cooking more at home and rarely visiting restaurants, we’re really craving bold, unique flavors, especially Asian food. Learning how to use Sichuan peppercorns has been a revelation, and since first trying this dish we’ve started using the combination of salt, white pepper, ground Sichuan peppercorns, and sand ginger powder on everything. It’s as good on hot popcorn as it is this tofu.
Salty Crispy Tofu
Medium or medium-firm tofu can be hard to find, but it’s the perfect texture for this dish. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts at making tofu at home, I found this recipe, which calls for soaking tofu in hot salted water ahead of rolling it in cornstarch and shallow-frying it. It’s crispy and delicious, and one of my son’s favorite dishes.
Serve with roasted broccoli.
Bahn Mi Bowls
Top rice noodles with piles of sliced cucumber, carrot, lettuce, cabbage, avocado, and crispy tofu coated in soy, hoisin, and Sriracha. Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro.
Balsamic Glazed Tofu
Press the moisture out of the tofu, and marinate it in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, olive oil, and herbs. Grill it in a grill pan or bake it in the oven, and reduce the leftover marinade into a glaze.
Vegan Pumpkin Custards
This vegan version of pumpkin pie filling is baked in custard form, for times when the pie crust recipe does not cooperate.