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Tofu is an especially nutritional food that I wanted to consume more often but sadly I don’t have many ideas on how to add it in my life… You see, we don’t really have tofu in my village.
Tofu is a product of soy milk, and the way it’s made seems identical to that of cheese but the basic difference is that milk is replaced by a white thick liquid coming out of soy beans while being soaked in water. Tofu is especially popular in Japanese and Chinese kitchens. Keep in mind that its production and texture are similar to mozzarella. So it’s basically the Asian version of mozzarella. Its taste has nothing to do with mozzarella; it’s basically tasteless, so it is mostly marinated when served. What’s good about it being tasteless is that it can be easily manipulated as an ingredient and can be used in many recipes to give a cheesy texture.
It’s a rich source of protein as it includes all 8 amino acids our body cannot produce. It’s also a very good source of calcium and iron. This combination makes it extremely desired by vegans and vegetarians as it offers elements that are difficult to acquire in an exclusively plant based diet. Tofu also includes magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1. Its phytoestrogens levels which are essentially similar to the estrogen hormones our body produces, reduce the risk of breast cancer and make tofu a good thing to consume after menopause when our body ceases producing estrogens, and is therefore in higher risk of osteoporosis.
The fact that tofu is made of soy, which is the top processed ingredient in the USA, means that we need to be extremely cautious when buying tofu and that we need to avoid eating it in restaurants. I personally use Silken tofu by Clearspring which has a biological certificate, is produced in Europe and the company is trustworthy in general.
I’ve used it in previous posts to make delicious mousse, as if you blend it in a food processor it can easily replace whipping cream. It can also replace ricotta cheese in lasagna.
In this particular recipe I introduce it as cheese, spread on delicious sautéed vegetables with an Asian miso and almond butter sauce, a homemade peanut butter satay sauce. Tofu’s multiple healthy fats, fibre and protein make this quick and delicious dish a full meal.
Ingredients (for 2 people)
For the tofu
– A soft Clearsping tofu
– 1 spoon almond butter
– 1 tsp white or black miso paste (http://biosophy.gr/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=miso&product_id=727)
– Some sesame
For the sautéed vegetables:
– 200 gr fresh spinach
– 2 heads of leek cut in circles
For the peanut butter sauce:
– 1 spoon peanut butter
– 1 spoon olive oil
– 1 tsp honey
– 1 spoon tamari sauce or soy sauce
– 1 chopped garlic clove
– 2 centimeters of chopped ginger
Preparation:
Strain the tofu and press it on a kitchen paper so excess water is absorbed. Cut it in 2 slices horizontally. Place it on a pan cautiously so the tofu doesn’t break, and cook it on the grill for about 15 minutes (take it off before it starts to melt). We stir the sauce ingredients in a processor or in a bowl with a spoon. When the tofu heats up a bit, we take it out of the oven and use a brush to spread the almond butter sauce. Garnish with some sesame and cook for 5 more minutes.
Sautee the vegetables in a pan with some olive oil until the spinach turns intensely green. Stir the peanut butter sauce ingredients in the processor or in a bowl. During the 5 last minutes of sautéing, add the peanut butter sauce in the pan and stir the vegetables.
Serve the vegetables on a plate and place the tofu on top.