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lemongrass tofu bowl

[category] Main Course
[published] January 13, 2024
[PREP] 30 minutes
[COOK] 15 minutes
[TOTAL] 45 minutes
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Ingredients

pickled carrots and cucumbers

  • 1 large carrot
  • 1/2 large cucumber
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt

lemongrass tofu

  • 1 block firm tofu around 14 oz
  • 3 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp lemongrass grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic minced
  • 2 tsp ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp worchestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

ginger lime dressing

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp honey use maple syrup or sugar if vegan
  • 1 tbsp ginger grated
  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp garlic grated
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup cilantro

other

  • 4 cups romaine lettuce chopped
  • 2 cups noodles glass noodles, buckwheat noodles, etc.
  • crushed peanuts
  • cilantro

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the pickled cucumbers. Peel and cut the carrot into thin strips (you can also use pre-shredded carrots). Cut the cucumber into thin strips. Transfer them to a jar.
  2. Add the white vinegar, water, sugar, and salt to a pot over medium heat. Cook until the vinegar mixture starts to boil and the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the veggies, in the jar. Cover and transfer to the fridge to cool.
  3. Drain the water out of the tofu package. Transfer to a cutting board and cut horizontally into strips about 1/2" wide. Then, cut each strip in half, and each half into triangles, cutting diagonally.
  4. Transfer all the tofu triangles to a pan or plate lined with paper towels. Stack another pan/plate on top, and weigh it down with a book or something heavy. This will help get any excess water out of the tofu. Set it aside for about 10 minutes.
  5. While the tofu drains, prepare the dressing. Add all the ingredients for the dressing (olive oil, lime juice, honey, ginger, dijon mustard, garlic, salt, cilantro) to a food processor or blender. Blend until well combined.
  6. Now cook the tofu. Add the avocado oil (or any other high smoke point oil) to a pan over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the tofu triangles in, letting them cook on each side for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. You may have to work in batches here, depending on the size of your pan. Once the tofu is golden brown on both sides, transfer it to a plate.
  7. To the same pan (with the excess oil still in the pan) over medium heat, add the sliced green onion and cook for 2 minutes until soft. Add the lemongrass, garlic, and ginger, and cook for 2 more minutes until cooked through.
  8. While that cooks, combine the soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and sugar in a small bowl and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low and add the mixture to the pan, stirring constantly. Add the cooked tofu pieces in, gently stirring so each piece is covered in sauce. Add a splash of water if needed to deglaze the pan or if the sauce is getting too thick. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  9. Cook the noodles according to package instructions.
  10. To assemble, add the romaine lettuce and noodles to a bowl. Top with the lemongrass tofu, some pickled carrots and cucumbers, crushed peanuts, and cilantro. Add the ginger lime dressing and enjoy!