I've made it 40+ years now without ever having eaten tofu
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That is, until today
Maybe it was because I was a farm kid who grew up eating meat and potatoes
Maybe I thought it bland, or boring, or high on the mush factor scale. om Se sort of afterthought added to a dish if somebody said: “add more protein.”
But really, how can one have a week of vegetarian cooking without tofu at least making an appearance? It seemed slightly sac-religious
I went to a trusted source, 101cookbooks, and picked a recipe that looked promising. We love brussels sprouts, caramelized anything is always great, and it seems balanced in protein, carbs, and fat
Good heavens, what was I waiting for?
The entire meal came together in less than twenty minutes, including prep. Only one pan to clean up after
But most important was the taste. I pulled a slice of out of the pan and popped it in my mouth, and no mush. Almost a crunch on the outside, and it really HAD picked up the flavors from everything around it (like everyone says)
We chatted while he ate it for lunch, pausing mid-thought to say, “This is fantastic. Seriously, you're going to write about it, yes?”
You bet I am!
If you've been on the tofu fence, take the plunge. It really can be good
Believe me; we'll be having it again very soon
Enjoy!
xoxo
~ Adapted from 101Cookbooks
Caramelized Tofu with Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 10 oz extra-firm tofu, cut into thin 1" strips
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 heads roasted garlic
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- ⅓ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 3 Tbsp natural sugar (Sugar in the Raw or Turbinado)
- ½ tsp molasses
- ¼ cup cilantro, loosely chopped
- ½ lb brussels sprouts, washed and cut into ⅛" wide ribbons
Instructions
- Cook the tofu strips in a large hot skillet with a bit of salt and a Tbsp of olive oil. Saute until slightly golden (4 or 5 minutes).
- Add the garlic and walnuts, and cook for another minute. Stir in sugar and molasses.
- Cook for another couple of minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
- Scrape the tofu out onto a plate and set aside while you cook the brussels sprouts.
- In the same pan add a ½ Tbsp of olive oil, another pinch of salt
- When the pan is hot stir in the shredded brussels sprouts. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring a couple of times (but not too often) until some are starting to brown and the rest still bright and green.
- Serve the tofu strips on to of the brussels sprouts and enjoy!
2 Comments
Going to make this tonight, but really wanted to comment that you’re a great writer. That was the first time I read through the blog before getting to the recipe lol keep up the good work 🙂
I’ve made this recipe for years and love it. HOWEVER! the original calls for pecans, not walnuts and there is no mention of molasses. So skip it. Also as far as sugar goes use brown sugar! Trust me. So much better than processed white. You may need a couple splashes of oil. Either way Is awesome