Baked fragrant tofu

When I was in Singapore, I tasted a dish called fragrant tofu: a slab of hot silken tofu covered with a meat and herbs topping. I absolutely loved it, it was like a savoury creme brulee!

So recently I have bought some silken tofu, and it stayed in my fridge until I was reminded of my intent by an article about baked tofu I read on the internet. So my intents gave birth to a cross between fragrant and baked, hence the title!
And today, I wanted to eat something healthy and tasty, easy, and most of all satisfying.
Hence I knocked my own version of fragrant tofu with what I had in my fridge and baking it because I fancied it caramelised:

- 1 slab silken tofu
- 1 big slice of ham chopped in small squares
- 1/2 big green chilli chopped
- 1 spring onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon full of chopoped ginger
- 1 dash oyster sauce
- 2 tblspn sesame oil

Place the tofu on a small oven dish, mix all the other ingredients together and cover the tofu with it.
Place in the oven for 1/2h at 200 degC
I did not have time, but marinating the tofu in the mix first could have worked really well too, if you have the time. For vegetarian or vegans, skip the ham and replace by vegges.

Also, the same dish could be steamed, and I reckon it would be pretty tasty too!...


Source: my own food meanderings

Hong Kong Style noodles

I invented this super easy recipe (take it as healthy fast food…:)

Preparation : 10 mn
Cooking time : 10 mn
For 2 people

Ingredients:
- 2 lots of ‘easycook’ noodles (they cook in 3 minutes)
- 1 big onion
- 5 tablespoons of dark soya sauce
- 4 tablespoons of soya sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 birdeye chilli
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 200g of mangetout beans
- 300g of fried tofu pre-cooked (or use caramelised tofu)
- 3 spring onions

Making it:
Blanch the beans and drain (but keep the water). Put aside.
Cook the noodles as indicated on the packet. Rince them with cold water and drain. Put aside.
Cut the onion in thin slices, fry it in the oil until it is golden.
Add the thinly cut garlic and chilli. After a minute or two add the soya sauces, cook a few more minutes; do not hesitate to add some of the water you cooked the mangetouts in to deglaze and maintain the sauce in a sticky state.
Add the tofu cut in bite-size squares. If you use the fried tofu, make sure you coat it well with the sauce.
Add the mangetouts (which should be vivid green and crunchy by the way), and the noodles.
Mix well and cook for 1 min for the noodles to warm up.
Dish in bowls, sprinkle with the sliced spring onions, and serve with chopsticks.

Tips
Do not add salt as the soya sauces already contain salt.
If you don’t like tofu, you can replace it by slices of wok-fried chicken

Vegans, use replacement products for soy sauces

Now, enjoy!

Tofu is good!: the proof is in caramelised tofu

After last post, I thought I'd better make up with my vegetarian friends and prove that I am not carnivore, but omnivore indeed. I am very food curious and I tend to try anything and everything that's new to me, which mean I have experimented with a lot of commonly thought vegetarian ingredients. I have learnt to apreciate tofu in all its shapes and forms, and when I try to convince friends that yes tofu is brilliant, I tend to cook it for them this way first, as it seems that it is the easiest acquaintance. I don't go for the delicate tofu, which they usually find too bland....

Here's a way of cooking tofu that will make it more attractive for those who usually don't like it!

1 - Cut a bloc of fresh tofu in medium sized cubes.

2 - Heat up some sesame oil and 2 or 3 teaspoons of soy sauce (or replacement product for vegans)

3- Throw the cubes in the pan and cook them until they are caramelised.

That's too easy and only 5 min in total. Now we're talking real fast food!

You can use it hot in salads, or in dishes instead of meat. They can make great nibbles too.