Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Peanut Coconut Grilled Tofu

Okay, I know this is an old one, but I've been meaning to post the recipe...
It will also be appearing in the Get Sconed! column of next month's issue of Perpetual Toxins, if you're in the Long Island, NY area. It's a magazine co-created and run by one of my best friends in the world, so you should check it out.

Of course this isn’t actually a steak, but if you use the extra or super firm tofu, it’ll hold up to even the fiercest grill. Trader Joe’s makes a super firm, vacuum sealed tofu that would work well in this. If you can find bulk extra firm tofu, definitely give it a try and grill away. Personally, I prefer just 'firm' most of the time.

Peanut sauces are ridiculously versatile, so feel free to change this around. If you don’t have a shallot, use a sweet onion; feel like giving it some more flare, add more heat and the curry powder, etc.

Peanut Coconut Grilled Tofu 'Steak'

Serves 4


Ingredients:


- 1 lb. of firm to super firm tofu, drained and pressed.

- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or other mild tasting oil)

- 2 minced shallots

- 3 cloves of minced garlic

- 1 tablespoon minced ginger

- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water or vegetable broth

- ½ cup coconut milk (light is fine to use)

- 3-4 tablespoons peanut butter

- 1 tablespoon tamari, shoyu or soy sauce

- 3/4 tablespoon rice vinegar

- ½ teaspoon ketchup

- 1 tablespoon sweetener, to taste (agave nectar is very good here)

- ¼ -1 teaspoon Srichi chili sauce, or other hot sauce, to taste


Optional:

- ½ teaspoon lime juice

- ¼ teaspoon curry powder

For the tofu:

1. Cut the tofu into shapes of your choice. I like to cut it width wise into 3 or 4 pieces, and then length wise into large triangles. This can also be cut into cubes and skewered.

Saucin'

1. In a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

3. Set the heat to low and whisk in the coconut milk, broth or water and peanut butter.

4. Increase the heat to medium, and stir in the tamari, vinegar, ketchup, sweetener, hot sauce and optional ingredients, if using.

5. Remove from heat and adjust the flavors and puree in a blender or food processor for a smooth consistency, if desired. If you’d like a thicker sauce, add more peanut butter. For a thinner sauce, add more vegetable broth or hot water by the tablespoon.

6. Place the tofu in a container with a lid large enough so the pieces can all lie flat or slightly overlap. Pour half the sauce on the bottom of the container, then add the tofu, and then the rest of the sauce.

7. Refrigerate and marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight, turning the tofu pieces once.

8. Heat your grill, grill pan or electric grill (such as a classic George Foreman) and cook the tofu on each side for 2-4 minute, until desired doneness. Brush each side with some of the remaining sauce before cooking.

Alternatively, pan fry the tofu in peanut oil or canola oil, and stir in the sauce once both sides have been cooked.

9. Enjoy with steamed or fresh greens, grains, topped or served on the side with additional peanut sauce – either warmed or at room temperature. Any leftover sauce will keep refrigerated for a week.

P.S. Happy Post 200 to meeee.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love when you post recipes! thanks, that looks good

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

thanks! I like posting recipes too/get really nervous about doing so...

laura k said...

Oh, wowee... that sounds amazing! Thanks!

Happy 200!

urban vegan said...

jess, you temptress, you!

Also, to make the chocoreale more spreadable, you can nuke it for a few seconds.

Jody from VegChic said...

Croikie, that looks good!

Your blog kills me sometimes. I'll be reading along and all of a sudden there is a random Boston reference. The Diesel pint glass caught my eye immediately. I still haven't tried that place, I guess I should...since I live here.

The noochy roasted cauliflower reminds of a similar dish I failed to blog about a few weeks back. (I'm a slacker) Basically the same idea, but I mashed th cauliflower with the noochy vegan parm cheese I made.

curmudgeon said...

grill pan envy! the chard leaf definitely ups the sexy quotient. happy 200th.

erica said...

Happy 200 Girly!
That tofu sounds awesome. I'm bummed because there's no such thing as raw peanut butter - or so I am told - as it just doesn't work somehow, plus supposedly they don't taste very good raw. I really haven't tried but I can live with almond butter if I want something to that effect. I'll have to work on a mock pb sauce sometime and see how it goes.

Carrie™ said...

Holy moley Jess! YUMMERS!! I'm copying this recipe right now to make very, very soon. Thanks for posting it.

Unknown said...

That looks fabulous. Posting recipes make me nervous, too. I've been vegan so long that I worry that it has seriously warped my sense of taste, that I'll forget an important ingredient, etc., etc.

Linda said...

ooo yum. thai happiness.

jess (of Get Sconed!) said...

Urban Vegan - Yes! I forgot about that. I actually did nuke it (yikes) for a bit before spreading it in the crepes I mentioned on your blog. Delicious, enjoy it!

Jody - That sounds really, really tasty - I've never mashed caulifower myself, but have considered it. I'll try and keep it in mind next time I pick up a head~ Thanks!

Curmudgeon - I miss the grill pan when I don't cook dinner on it. Crazy! It's so fantastic.

erica - I am proud of you and all the raw talk : )
Maybe there's another nut that's not as gross raw as a spread? almonds? Unless you're looking for the specific pb taste..

Vincent - It's not so much my vegan specifics I'm worried about with recipes, it's actually my own pickiness/flavor ways..but I've learned to accept them, and that's the way recipes go, I guess.

Carrie - please let me know if you try it!

Almost Vegetarian said...

What an inspired combination. Peanut and coconut is a perfect combination for this time of year (everything has to be lighter for the spring, doesn't it). And I love grilling anything, the heat / carmelization thing just makes everything taste so wonderful.

Cheers!

Valerie said...

That looks so delicious - perfect for summer cookouts! Thanks for sharing!

bazu said...

Happy 200th post! I need to get my blogging ass cracking. =)

Shananigans said...

Sweet! I'll be sure to keep this recipe on hand for that portable grill I plan to get once summer gets here. Mmmm, peanut sauce…

Happy 200!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

ooh, a recipe! this is awesome, i love peanut & coconut.

Kati said...

Yup, I will try this even though I do not have a grill pan. Thanks for the recipe!

Happy 200 - I am almost to 100 - woo hoo!

laura k said...

I made this. Oh wow. Thank you so much for sharing.

It's on my blog, if you want to see...

You're amazing!