Sweet Chili Lime Tofu

Keep reading my tofu-skeptic friends! This recipe may just change your mind about the healthy soy product.

In all honesty, this is the first and only tofu recipe I have ever made, but I've made it over and over again because it's always a winner. In fact, I think I'm afraid to try other tofu recipes for fear they cannot live up to the delicious result of this dish. I'll make it a goal in the upcoming months to get a few more tofu recipes under my belt and pass the good ones along to all of you!

The cooking method seen below is called dry-frying. It uses the natural fats, oils, and moisture in meat, fish, or tofu in our case, to form a crisp outer crust without any additional oils or grease.

I buy Extra Firm tofu which maintains more of a 'meaty' texture in my opinion. I use one 14 oz. package when preparing this for two people. Drain your tofu and cut it up into small pieces with a considerable amount of surface area - cubes, triangles, whatever suits your fancy. Spread the pieces in one layer onto a large, hot cast iron or non-stick skillet. This is important! Using a non-treated pan will cause the tofu to stick without the addition of oil. Use a spatula to occassionally press on the tofu, allowing liquid to squeeze out and evaporate. After about 10 minutes, or once you start to achieve a golden crust, flip the tofu as needed to cook the edges evenly. Remove the pan from the burner and let it rest while you prepare the sauce.

Stir together the following in a small bowl:

3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon garlic (minced)

Take care to fully incorporate the sugar, otherwise your sauce will only partially thicken.

Return the tofu to medium-high heat and add the sauce to the pan. Allow the sauce to bubble and reduce, thickening in the process. Stir the tofu to evenly coat with the glaze.

I like to serve the tofu with couscous and poached asparagus and broccoli, but really any grain and green would do. Garnish with lime wedges, chopped cashews, sliced green onion, and crushed red pepper to taste.

It is so yummy!

As a side note, I didn't forget that I promised more pictures of Florida. They are coming...eventually!

recipe adapted from VeganYumYum