FoodTransform your family dinners with tofu: a delicious meat-free recipe

Transform your family dinners with tofu: a delicious meat-free recipe

Tofu in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Tofu in a sweet and spicy sauce.
Images source: © Adobe Stock | Stanislav Ostranitsa

16 May 2024 20:11

Tofu is an excellent alternative to meat. It absorbs spices and marinades like a sponge. It costs between £1 and £2 per package. Use it to prepare an Asian dish that will win the hearts of your family.

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk. It is a plant-based product that can be used to prepare both desserts and savoury dishes. You can make a sweet cheese spread and an eggless egg paste from it.

In texture, it is something between cottage cheese and chicken breast. It absorbs spices and marinades like a sponge. Tofu is one of the most important ingredients in Asian cuisine. Use it in one of the most popular Asian dishes, and your family won’t even realise there isn’t a gram of meat on their plate.

Sweet and spicy tofu will win the hearts of your family

Asian cuisine is a cuisine of contrasts. It’s sweet, salty, sour, and umami. This contrast is responsible for the explosion of flavours. The cuisine includes meat but also tofu. It was invented in ancient China. It is a plant-based equivalent of meat made by coagulating soy milk.

In texture, it is something between cottage cheese and chicken meat. It is soft yet firm and springy. Vegans and vegetarians eat it in large quantities because it can be used to create many aromatic dishes. Blended tofu is used in cheesecake, while crumbled tofu serves as a ground meat substitute. The possibilities are endless.

Tofu has a neutral taste, so it needs to be properly seasoned. Here’s a recipe for crispy tofu in a sweet and spicy sauce that will convert you to plant-based cuisine. You’ve probably never had it like this before.

Tofu sweet chili — recipe

Ingredients:

                
  • Block of tofu,
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch,
  • Oil for frying,
  • 4 tablespoons sweet and sour sauce,
  • 3 tablespoons ketchup,
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes,
  • Clove of garlic.

Preparation:

            
  1. Drain the tofu and dry it with a paper towel. Cut it into large cubes.
  2. Coat the tofu in potato starch and fry it in a pan with a small amount of oil. Set it aside on a plate.
  3. Don’t discard the oil after frying. Add minced garlic and chilli flakes to the pan. Fry for one minute.
  4. Add ketchup and sweet and sour sauce. Mix both ingredients and add the previously fried tofu.
  5. Coat it in the sauce on all sides. Serve with cooked rice or vegetables.
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