Caramelized Tofu with Lime and Mint Recipe

Update: I prepared this dish with my little sister on KMVT/CBS 11. She was kind enough to invite sommelier Jon Melone of The Winers Blog on the show to pair the perfect wine with this dish. You can find his recommendation here.

Sometimes you find yourself in a town where you can’t get Chinese, Thai or Vietnamese delivered to your door in less than thirty minutes. Should you ever find yourself in that situation, this dish should appease you. It only has a few ingredients and the most basic version of the recipe is written below. You’ll find a hint of salty, sweet, spicy and bright all in the same place. Whatever you do, don’t skimp on the mint. Cilantro is the only marginally acceptable substitute for this fine herb.

Caramelized Tofu with Grilled Eggplant, Radicchio and Brown Basmati Rice

Caramelized Tofu with Lime and Mint Recipe

Serves 4

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce

1/2 cup peeled and sliced shallot

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

2 pounds tofu, cut into 1″ cubes and blotted dry

1/4 cup fresh mint, cut in chiffonade

Beautiful Eggplant, Long Shallots and Fresh Mint

1) Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add one cup of sugar and a few tablespoons of water. Sugar will bubble and turn into a liquid. The liquid will brown and caramelize in about ten minutes.

5 Minutes into the Caramelization Process

5 Minutes into the Caramelizing Process

Ten Minutes into the Caramelizing Process

10 Minutes into the Caramelizing Process

2) Mix tamari and 1/2 cup water. Step back from the skillet (as there will be splashing) and add liquid. Use a whisk to stir until liquid is incorporated into liquid. This will take about two minutes.

Caramelized Sugar with Liquid Incorporated

3) Add shallots and cook until softened, about five minutes.

Blotted Tofu Cubes

4) Add tofu until warmed through and slightly puffed up. Stir in lime juice and black pepper.

5) Sprinkle mint on top of tofu and sauce.

This dish would go well with long grain brown rice, a fresh green salad and a quick saute of your favorite veggies.

04. January 2011 | Gluten Free, Vegan | Comments (1)

Tags: 30 minute dinner, caramel, gluten-free, lime, mint, tofu, vegan, vietnamese

One Response to “Caramelized Tofu with Lime and Mint Recipe”

Hogue 2005 Gewürztraminer – Wine Review | The Winers Blog
4. January 2011 um 19:01
[...] Hogue Cellars is a family owned and operated winery in Eastern Washington’s Columbia Valley. The climate and soils of Columbia Valley are ideal for grape growing, and the wines produced there are fruit-forward by nature. Hogue Cellars is also a trend-setter within the wine world, when five years ago they switched all of their bottles to screw cap. At the time it raised many eyebrows within the world of wine, but today the practice is being accepted more readily. In sampling the Hogue 2005 Gewürztraminer, the fruit is prevalent on the nose with aromas of peaches, apricots, followed by a hint of citrus. On the palate the stone fruit is present, with a touch of white pepper on the back of the palate. The Hogue 2005 Gewürztraminer is a medium-bodied wine, with a beautiful golden color, low acidity, and a medium finish. I paired this wine with Caramelized Tofu with Lime and Mint, and the two went together beautifully. For more information regarding this recipe, please click here [...]