Are you losing your cool during this coronavirus crisis?
The other day, I was headed for a breakdown. It was 6 p.m. Unanswered work emails kept piling up. A story I needed to file was half-written. Another awaited editing. Ingredients for what was supposed to be this week’s Kitchen Curious recipe sat untouched on the kitchen counter. And, of course, my family began to ask about dinner.
What did we have on hand that could come together fast? I opened the fridge and spotted two blocks of tofu. And I remembered my go-to preparation for tofu dissenters: crispy tofu in sweet and sour sauce.
The recipe is based on one published in Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman’s “500 Vegan Recipes” (Quarto, 2009). The stains and pen scrawls on my photocopy of that page give evidence to its utility in my culinary repertoire. If the image isn’t enough, in a few words, here’s why this one is a winner.
First, the sweet and sour sauce is spectacular (and fantastic as a dipping sauce for egg rolls or spring rolls). Plus, it’s made from pantry staples, and with plenty of options for substitutions. As an example, I used papaya nectar instead of pineapple juice because that’s all I had.
Then there’s the tofu. Crispy tofu is more palatable to those who avert tofu for its mushy texture. Fry it, and at least they’ll try it.
Finally, the dish comes together very fast. Once you get the sauce simmering, it’s just a matter of dredging the tofu in seasoned flour (rummage through your spice cabinet for more powdered add-ins) and tossing it in the frying pan. If you start a pot of rice the same time that you get the sauce going, you’ll have a complete meal in less than 30 minutes.
It wasn’t until I was halfway through crisping those tofu triangles to a golden brown that I realized this was hardly a crisis moment. I had a Kitchen Curious recipe worth sharing with all of you — and dinner was served.
We got this, friends.
Sweet and Sour Tofu
For the sweet and sour sauce:
For the tofu:
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