Not your everyday tofu

Maybe with all the running around I've beend doing, I wasn't getting enough protien, but the other day I was craving tofu. I like tofu, but I just don't want to limit myself to the stereotypical vegetarian diet of tofu and salad...there are so many other options.

I put together this pan fried recipe based on Aunt Caroline's famous Vietnnamese catfish recipe...don't worry, there are no fish in this recipe....not even fish sauce with is often used in Asian recipes. I love the caramel sauce that is in that recipe and I tend to smother my tofu recipes in some variation of that when I do have the bean curd.

Because tofu absorbs the flavors of the things around it, I like to smother it in things which are flavored the way I like them.

Makes sense. No?

This is a sweet and savory recipe that few people don't like, but if you are trying to avoid sugar in your diet, you might want to avoid it. I have found that few sugar substitutes work well when you are making a melted sugar recipe. I have heard that the new sweetener that combines sugar and stevia works pretty well. I haven't tried it, so I have no idea. If you try it and it works, please let me know.

Panfried Tofu with Caramel Sauce

1 block of extra-firm tofu

4 large shallots
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/3 cup of sugar
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
1/2 tablespoon of  fresh ginger, peeled and chopped finely
3 tablespoons of  soy sauce
3 tablespoons of  rice vinegar
1 1/3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of water
2 tablespoons of  cornstarch
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
Garnish with cooked jasmine rice, steamed baby bok choy and lime wedges

• Cut the tofu block in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into fourths to form 8 slices. Put tofu between several layers of cheesecloth to drain and put a heavy plate on top for weight until you're ready to use it.
• Chop 1/2 cup of the shallots and set them aside.
• Cut the remaining shallots crosswise into 1/8-inch thick slices and separate the slices into rings (like you would with an onion.)
•  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over moderately high heat (until it is hot but not smoking)
•  Fry the shallots, stirring occasionally until they are golden brown. Take them out of the pan and set them aside.
• Cook the sugar - undisturbed - in a dry medium-size saucepan over moderate heat, until it melts around edges and continue to cook, stirring, until all the sugar has melted and turns a golden caramel color.
• Add the shallots you had set aside at the beginning and cook, stirring, until the shallots shrink and are fragrant. Add the ginger and the garlic and cook for less than a minute.
• Stir in the soy sauce, the vinegar, and 1 1/3 cups of the water. Simmer, stirring, for about a minute and until any hardened caramel is dissolved.
• Stir together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of the water until it's smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the caramel sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the thickene sauce from the heat and keep it covered and warm.
• Heat the remaining oil in skillet over high heat until hot, but not smoking. Blot any excess moisture from the tofu with the cheesecloth  and add to the skillet in one layer.
• Fry the tofu, turning it over once, until it is golden and crisp. Drain it on a clean piece of cheesecloth.
• Mix it all together and serve it over rice and garnished with the steamed bok choy and the slices of lime if you like.

Vegan.