Asian Tofu Salad Food

JAPANESE TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Place tofu between two plates, and weigh down with a heavy book. Allow tofu to drain for 1 hour, pouring out the expelled liquid every 20 minutes.
• Whisk together the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat, stir in the garlic and ginger, and gently cook until lightly golden; stir into the soy sauce mixture.
• Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces, and toss together with the tomato, onion, and cilantro. Pour in the dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

ASIAN CRISPY TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk all ingredients except for tofu in a 9x9 inch square baking dish.
• Drain and slice tofu in half lengthwise to make two thinner slabs. Blot with a paper towel.
• Preheat non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with non-stick spray. Slide tofu slices onto skillet and grill for about 4-5 minutes per side, flipping carefully with a large spatula. Brown it nicely to give it color and texture.
• Slip tofu slices into marinade, and turn with spatula at least once. While the tofu is sitting in the marinade, cut each slab 3 times lengthwise and widthwise with a sharp knife to make 16 squares per slab. Toss carefully.
• Let marinate for up to 30 minutes and remove garlic and ginger slices before serving warm, at room temperature or chilled.

ASIAN TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk canola oil, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger and salt in a bowl.
• Place tofu and 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a large nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes total. Remove from the heat, add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the pan and stir to coat.
• Toss greens, carrots and cucumber with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately, topped with the warm tofu.

SESAME TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• To make the dressing: Put the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, garlic and 2/3 cup of the olive oil into a blender. Blend until completely emulsified. Taste the dressing and adjust to your taste, adding more vinegar or sugar as needed. Pour half of the dressing into a jar and refrigerate for the salad.
• Put the tofu cubes into a bowl and pour over the remaining dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Remove the tofu from the dressing and pat dry. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tofu on all sides until nicely browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Toss in the sesame seeds and cook for another minute. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
• To assemble the salad, put the mixed greens, halved tomatoes and sliced onion in a large bowl. Pour on half the remaining dressing, reserving the rest for later use. Toss to coat. Arrange the tofu and mandarin oranges all over the greens. Serve immediately.

ASIAN TOFU AND SQUASH SALAD

Steps:

• Put a baking sheet in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Put the tofu cubes on a clean kitchen towel in a single layer; let drain. Make the dressing: Whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, pickled ginger brine and 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Toss the mushrooms and squash with the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper in a separate large bowl; spread the vegetables on the top hot baking sheet. Pat the tofu dry and add to the same bowl along with 3 tablespoons of the dressing; toss, then spread on the bottom hot baking sheet. Roast, switching the baking sheets and tossing the vegetables and tofu halfway through, until the squash is tender and the tofu is golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Add the greens, snow peas, cashews and chopped pickled ginger to the bowl with the remaining dressing; toss. Divide among bowls; top with the roasted vegetables, tofu and sprouts.

CHOPPED SALAD WITH SEASONED TOFU STRIPS

Steps:

• Marinate the tofu: combine the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, ginger and sugar in a 2-quart bowl. Whisk in the sesame oil and combine well. Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Slice into 1/3-inch thick slabs and cut the slabs in half lengthwise to get strips approximately 1/3 inch thick by 3/4 inch wide. Blot each strip with paper towels. Add to the bowl with the marinade and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to an hour, or for up to a day.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment. Lift the tofu out of the marinade and arrange the pieces on the parchment-covered baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to color and the marinade sets on the surface of the tofu. Remove from the heat.
• In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and toss with the salad. If desired, transfer to a platter. Garnish with the tofu strips and serve.

TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• Blot tofu dry. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel; place on a plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour. In a large shallow dish, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, peanut butter and ginger until smooth. Add tofu; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 3-5 hours, turning occasionally. Drain tofu reserving marinade; pat dry. In a large skillet, heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook until crisp and golden brown, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels. In a large bowl, combine romaine, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, onion and tofu. Pour reserved marinade over salad; toss to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

TOFU SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the chili sauce, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Place tofu in the mixture, and marinate 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Immerse the snow peas in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then immerse in a a bowl of cold water. Drain, and set aside.
• Toss the peas, carrots, cabbage, and peanuts with the tofu and marinade to serve.