Tofu Banh Mi Salad

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Heya,

I wanted to try something new this month. Hopefully you’ll like what I would have written, but instead filmed.

I’m going to try to film every week, so if you liked it, please subscribe to my YouTube channel! Or not, that’s cool.

Love you guys. You’re what keeps me writing everyday. And um, posting nearly every month. 🙂

P.S. If my voice is way deeper than you thought it was, glad to have freaked you out. xx

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Adapted from Mad Hungry Cravings

Makes 2 Large Salads

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Equipment

A sharp knife

A small saucepan

A whisk (used three times)

A medium sized mixing bowl

A small sized mixing bowl

A few paper towels or dish cloth (to blot the tofu with)

A large skillet with lid

Tongs, chopsticks, whatever you can use to flip the tofu

Two large plates for serving

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Ingredients

For the quick pickled carrots

Three quarters of a cup of white vinegar

Half cup of water

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 medium sized carrots, julienned

For the tofu

Quarter cup of low sodium soy sauce

Quarter cup of water

Half teaspoon of sesame oil

One, 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons of sugar

Half teaspoon of red pepper flake (if you’re heat sensitive, start with a small pinch)

One, 14 ounce block of extra firm tofu (Mine come in 14 ounce packages, but if yours is 15 or 16 ounces, that’ll be fine)

1 tablespoon of mild tasting oil for sautéing, like rice bran oil

For the dressing

2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (I used lowfat)

2 teaspoons of sriracha (if you’re heat sensitive, start with a half teaspoon)

For the salad

4 leaves of lettuce, torn into easily edible pieces

Half an English cucumber, sliced into easily edible pieces

A few sprigs of cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional, for those who are heat sensitive)

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Add the white wine vinegar, water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring the ingredients to a boil and remove from heat. Carefully whisk the mixture to dissolve the sugar, and then add the julienned carrots. Let cool to room temperature. Rinse off the whisk to use again later in the recipe.

Add the soy sauce, water, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, sugar and red pepper flake to the medium sized mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together till well combined. Rinse off the whisk to use again.

Add the plain yogurt and sriracha to a small sized mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients together till well combined. Leave the whisk in the bowl for later.

Place the tofu on its side (skinny side down) and cut it in half. Then lay the tofu down flat (on its wide side), keeping the layers together, and cut it width wise in half. Cut the halves again in half (width wise). When done you should have 8 pieces.

Add the tablespoon of oil to the large skillet and place over a burner on medium heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, blot each piece of tofu and then place in the pan. Try not to allow the tofu slices to touch, as they’ll stick together when cooking. Cook the tofu with a lid, until lightly browned, about six minutes. Carefully flip the tofu over (be careful of oil spatter), cooking until lightly browned with the lid back on. Turn the burner down to low and add the soy sauce mixture. Cook uncovered, flipping the tofu (again) about a minute in. Reduce the liquid to about half. Remove from heat.

Divide the lettuce, cucumbers and jalapeno (if using) between two plates. By now the quick pickled carrots have (hopefully) cooled to room temperature. Divide the carrots and tofu between the two plates. (Leave the sauce cooked with the tofu in the pan, but be sure that the tofu is at least covered with the sauce.) Top the salad with cilantro, and then using the whisk from the yogurt bowl, splatter (it’s too thick to say drizzle, but try to give the whisk a controlled shake) the dressing. Serve immediately.