Crispy Tofu with Spicy Brown Sauce and Mango Salsa
Yield: 4servings
Prep Time: 25 minutesmins
Cook Time: 40 minutesmins
Total Time: 1 hourhr5 minutesmins
The cold weather continues to hang on here in Colorado, but this crispy tofu with spicy brown sauce and mango salsa is sure to transport you to a tropical place.
2teaspoonsginger, fresh minced, remove the skin from the ginger first
2teaspoons garlic, minced
¼cuplow sodium soy sauce
1tablespoonsesame oil
2tablespoonslight brown sugar
1tablespoon rice vinegar
2teaspoonscornstarch + 2 tablespoons water, form a slurry
¼ - ½cup vegetable stock, or water
½teaspoonred pepper flakes, optional, omit if you do not like spice
Mango Salsa
1mango, pitted and diced small
½cup strawberries, diced small - about 6-8 berries
½cupred onion, diced small
½medium jalapeno, seeded and diced small
2tablespoonslime juice, fresh squeezed
1tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
1avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced small
2tablespoonscilantro, roughly chopped
2tablespoonscashews, crushed into small pieces
Optional toppings:
scallions
toasted sesame seeds
extra crushed cashews
Equipment
1 baking tray spray with olive oil cooking spray
2 mixing bowls
1 non-stick saute pan
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Press any moisture out of the tofu using a kitchen towel or paper towels. Cube the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Grab a large mixing bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Toss the tofu cubes with the cornstarch mixture making sure all sides are well coated.Remove the tofu from the cornstarch mixture and shake off any excess cornstarch. If you leave the tofu in the cornstarch for too long, it will get pasty.
Gently spray a baking tray with olive oil cooking spray and line the tofu cubes on the tray. Spray the tofu with olive oil cooking spray. Cook for 40 minutes, turning the tofu every 10 minutes to make sure each side gets crispy. You might need to spray the tofu cubes with a little more cooking spray halfway through this process.
Prepare spicy brown sauce
While the tofu is cooking begin making your spicy brown sauce.In a small bowl, combine the sesame oil, low sodium soy sauce, light brown sugar, rice vinegar, vegetable stock, and cornstarch slurry. Mix well.
Grab a sauce pan and place it over medium heat. Add the avocado oil. Once hot, add the garlic and minced ginger. Saute until fragrant and lightly browned.
Reduce the heat to low and add the soy sauce mixture. Gently stir the sauce until everything is well combined and begins to thicken. If it gets too thick, simply add more veggie stock. Once it reaches your desired thickness, remove the sauce from the heat and set it aside. Toss the crispy tofu with the sauce making sure its well coated.
Prepare mango salsa
Grab a plastic or glass bowl that can be sealed.Combine the diced onion, jalapeno, strawberries, avocado, and mango in the bowl.
Next, add the chopped fresh cilantro and the lemon and lime juice. Gently toss all of the ingredients together. Finally, add some crushed cashews on top. Set aside.
Make your white rice. I use minute rice, so I cook mine in the microwave. But you can boil the rice according to the package as well.
Assemble your dish
Add rice to the bottom of the plate. Add some of the saucy crispy tofu. Top everything with the mango salsa, along with any other toppings. Examples include, extra crushed cashew, toasted sesame seeds and/or sliced scallions. Serve and ENJOY!