I have an exciting new giveaway today. Naturipe Farms is giving away a KitchenAid food processor to one lucky Veggie Belly winner! Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter!

But wait, theres more! You can also win a $500 Williams Sonoma gift card on Naturipe’s site. Head over there and check out their grand prize giveaway!



This simple blackberry jalapeño chutney goes really well with the jerk spiced tofu. You can also use it as a condiment or as a sandwich spread.


Tips
- The onion flakes in the marinade tend to burn. So keep an eye on it. If it starts to burn, sprinkle a little water into the pan. Or use a spoon and remove the bits of the marinade that are browned (but not yet burned). Add the browned onion bits back to the tofu before serving.
-Pressed tofu makes it easier for the marinade to soak in. Pressing tofu is pretty straight forward – you wrap a block of tofu in a kitchen towel and put a weight on it, so that all the water is released. See this post on how to press tofu. If you don’t have time to press tofu, buy extra firm tofu, and gently pat the tofu with a kitchen towel to absorb the liquid. Then proceed with this recipe.
- Substitute allspice with ground cloves.
- The blackberry chutney is very customizable. Adjust the jalapeño, sugar and lime according to your taste.
- Most the heat in jalapeños lies in the seeds and white membrane. If you like it hot, keep the seeds. If you want it mild, remove the seeds and membrane.

Jamaican Jerk Tofu with Blackberry Jalapeño Chutney Recipe

 Serves 2-3

Ingredients
One 15 oz block of firm tofu (drained weight), pressed.
For the Marinade
1 tablespoon onion flakes or onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice. Substitute with 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice, optional
3 tablespoons olive oil

For the chutney
6 oz blackberries
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño*
2 cloves of garlic, optional
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon all spice
Juice of one lime
zest of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar

*This will make a medium-hot chutney. Use more or less jalapeños according to taste.

Method

1. Slice the block of tofu diagonally in half, so you have 2 triangles. Cut each tofu triangle lengthwise into 4 triangles, so that you have 8 tofu triangles in total.
2. Place all marinade ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.
3. Place the tofu in single layer on a plate, container or baking sheet. Pour the marinade on top and spread it evenly to coat the tofu. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days, or cook the tofu immediately.
4. Heat a large non stick skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the tofu slices on the skillet, without over lapping. Scrape the marinade and drizzle all over the tofu. Cook till both sides of the tofu are golden brown, flipping over once.
5. To make the chutney, place all ingredients, except sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer the chutney for about 8 minutes, or till it thickens. Stir in the sugar, mix well, and turn off heat. Chutney will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

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The dipping sauce for this recipe is simple. If you want it spicier add some sriracha or wasabi. For a creamier dipping sauce add a spoon or two of peanut butter to the recipe below.

You can easily make the tofu mushroom filling ahead of time and re-heat it when you are ready to eat. Cut the tofu and the mushrooms the same size so it looks pretty!

Tips
- Make sure you get the freshest romaine lettuce hearts you can find. (A romaine heart is the entire lettuce, with the leaves attached to the core). Keep in mind, the inner leaves are usually more fresh and crisp compared to the outer ones. If your romaine heart is looking a little limp on the outside, peel away the outer leaves and chances are, you will find the inner leaves are still fresh.
- I like using dried, rehydrated shiitake mushrooms for this recipe. If you don’t have dried shiitakes, use button mushrooms instead. But they will tend to release liquid while cooking. If button mushrooms release liquid while cooking, increase heat to high and let the liquid evaporate.
- If you are using shiitakes, you can soak and squeeze them ahead of time and store the rehydrated mushrooms in the fridge.
- I like thin, light dipping sauces for lettuce wraps. But if you like yours thicker or richer, add 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter to my dipping sauce recipe below.

8 Ingredient Tofu Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

serves 3-4 as an appetizer
Ingredients
8 dried Shiitake mushrooms. Substitute with 12 button mushrooms
1 lb drained extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Sriracha, or according to taste
zest of half a lime, optional
12 crisp Romaine leaves

For the dipping sauce
4 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
2 tablespoon water
1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

Method
1. Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut the tofu length wise into 4. Then carefully turn the block over on its side and cut into 4 again. You will now have 16 strips. Cut the strips into 1/4th inch cubes.

2. If using dried mushrooms, rehydrate them according to package directions. When the mushrooms are soft, drain them (save the liquid for soups!), squeeze the excess liquid, and chop them about the same size as the tofu cubes. If using button mushrooms, chop them the same size as the tofu cubes.

3. In a cup, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, sriracha and lime juice or vinegar. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a large wok or large skillet. Throw in the tofu cubes. Try to keep them in a single layer. If all the tofu doesn’t fit in a single layer, cook them in batches. If the tofu cubes are too crowded they will stew instead of browning.

4. Cook the tofu undisturbed on medium-high heat till the bottom side is golden brown. Carefully flip the tofu cubes over using a spatula, and cook undisturbed till the other side is golden brown.

5. When all the tofu is browned, add the onion and mushrooms to the skillet. Saute on high heat till the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. If you are using button mushrooms and they let out liquid, just keep cooking on high heat till all the liquid evaporates.

6. Pour in the soy sauce mixture. Cook till all the liquid has been absorbed, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle lime zest, if using, on top.

8. To make the dipping sauce, whisk all ingredients together till the sugar dissolves.

9. To serve, cut each romaine leaf into half. Place one half on top of the other to form a cup. Repeat with all lettuce leaves. Serve the tofu mushroom saute in a bowl, along with the dipping sauce.

I love Pad Thai and have been experimenting with a recipe that is easy, vegetarian and something you can make with just your pantry ingredients (no tamarind or palm sugar!). When I eat Pad Thai at restaurants I always have to ask for it vegetarian and without fish sauce, and even then sometimes they give it to me with the fish sauce! Probably because the pad thai sauce is pre-made.

My Pad Thai is totally vegan and vegetarian, and the Pad Thai sauce is very easy to make!

But before we get to this delicious home made Pad Thai recipe, here’s a story of how it happened..

Emilee is a Veggie Belly fan and has been following the blog for a few years. She, her husband and new baby recently moved back home to Portland after living in Beirut, Lebanon.

As a special surprise for Emilee, her family arranged a cooking session for her with me! How sweet is that?! Emilee had no idea what she was in for until she arrived at my door! Imagine her surprise!

We made this Pad Thai together, and had so much fun chatting and cooking! We talked about food in Lebanon, adjusting to life with a new baby, how awesome Portland, OR is (it really is, trust me!)…all while chopping garlic, squeezing lemons and soaking noodles. My kind of evening!

And the noodles turned out delicious! Below, Emilee squeezes a wedge of lime over her noodles because she likes it tangy.

Check out her nails, I love the color!
Thanks Emilee, for cooking with me!
I love hanging out with my readers!

Some tips for making veggie Pad Thai

- The Pad Thai sauce needs to have a balance of sweet, salty and sour. Everyone likes it a different way. Follow my sauce recipe to start with, and then feel free to adjust the sugar (for sweetness), soy sauce (for salt) and lime juice (for sourness)

- Pad Thai noodles are called Banh Pho. Look for the flat wide ones, sometimes labeled as size “XL”. The ingredients must only have rice or rice flour and water.

- Make sure you soak the noodles correctly (see package instructions). If they get too mushy, you’ve either soaked them too long or they’ve spent too much time in the wok. Or both. And if you don’t soak them long enough they will be crunchy.

- When you soak the noodles, they don’t have to soften all the way, but make sure they are soaked enough that they become pliable, and are no longer stiff.

- I like the boil the pad thai sauce. It gives it a deeper flavor, and caramelizes the sugar a bit. If you dont want to do this extra step, thats fine, simply whisk the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

Easy Vegetable Pad Thai Recipe

serves 2-3
Ingredients

for the sauce
3-4 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2-3 limes)
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup water

for the noodles
8 oz wide Pad Thai rice noodles, also called Banh Pho
2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
crushed red pepper, as much as you like
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
1 heaping cup of cubed fried tofu, available at Asian stores
a big hand full of bean sprouts
2 green onions, chopped
3 tablespoons roasted, chopped peanuts
3-4 cilantro sprigs, chopped
1/2 lime, cut into wedges

Method
1. Place all the sauce ingredients in a non stick sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer on low for about 2 minutes, or till the sauce has thickened just a little. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. Soak and drain the noodles according to package instructions. If the package does’nt have instructions, soak the noodles in warm water for about 15 minutes or till they become pliable. Then drain.

3. Heat the oil in a large wok. Add the crushed red pepper. As soon as they sizzle, add the garlic, broccoli and carrots. Toss on medium-high heat till the broccoli turns bright green and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the soaked noodles, tofu and the sauce. Toss on medium-high heat till everything is well combine and the noodles are cooked, but still a little chewy, and not mushy.

5. Turn off heat, and add the bean sprouts, and green onions and mix well.

6. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Make sure you use a wok or a large sauce pan. For two reasons – you don’t want to crowd the tofu, if you do, it wont brown properly. Also, the bean sprouts will get too watery if you use a small pan and everything is crowded.

Simple Indian Style Tofu and Bean Sprout Braise Recipe

Serves about 2 

Ingredients
8 oz firm tofu
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds. Substitute with cumin seeds.
6-8 curry leaves
A pinch of asafetida, optional
½ a Jalapeno or one green chili
¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
4 Cups bean sprouts (about 8oz)
½ cup coconut milk

Method

1.Drain the tofu, and gently pat it dry with an absorbent towel. Cut the tofu into ½ inch cubes and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large sauce pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop over medium heat.
3. Once they pop, throw in the curry leaves, jalapeno or green chili and asafetida. Stir for about 30 seconds or till the jalapeño/chilies start to sizzle.
4. Sprinkle turmeric over the oil. Immediately add cubed tofu. Mix everything gently so the turmeric coats the tofu.
5. Cook the tofu on medium heat, flipping it around occasionally, till it is lightly browned on all sides. About 8 minutes.
6. Then add the bean sprouts, coconut milk and salt. If you want more liquid, add more coconut milk. Cook just till the bean sprouts wilt a little – about 2 minutes.
7. Serve hot with brown rice or quinoa and some wilted greens.

On a busy weeknight, this is my go to dish. Its quick and easy to make if you have pressed tofu lying around. I like to serve this hot and sweet marmalade glazed tofu with some steamed broccoli and brown rice for a complete meal.

If you are not a tofu fan, but want to start incorporating some tofu in your meals, this is the perfect dish to start with. The glaze is sweet, spicy, and coats the tofu beautifully. I like to cut the tofu into small triangles (a method I learned from Vegan Yum Yum). The thinner you cut the tofu, the better results you will get with this recipe.

I originally posted this recipe a long time ago as sticky orange tofu thins. This continues to be one of my most popular posts, so I thought I should repost it, with updated photos. Checkout the old post to see what rubbish my photos were!

My original recipe requires you to slice the tofu as thinly as you can, that way you get to enjoy more of the orange glaze with every bit of tofu.

Hot and Sweet Marmalade Glazed Tofu Recipe

Inspired by this recipe from Vegan Yum Yum
Serves about 2

Ingredients
one 15 oz package of firm tofu, drained and pressed
A few drops of oil
For the glaze
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons orange marmalade. Substitute with brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon or to taste sriracha or any other hot chili sauce
1 tablespoon chopped mint or cilantro for garnish

Method

1. Slice the tofu into small triangles. The thinner you slice the tofu the better
2. Whisk together the marmalade, soy sauce, lemon juice and sriracha and set aside
3. Heat a few drops of oil and large, flat non-stick skillet. Place the tofu slices on the pan in a single layer. Don’t over crown the pan, do this in batches if needed.
4. Cook the tofu on medium heat, till it is browned on both sides. Gently press on the tofu using the back of a wide spatula to release any excess water, as the tofu cooks.
5. When the tofu is browned, reduce heat to low and pour the glaze all over the tofu
6. Let the glaze bubble and thicken, while stirring gently and flipping the tofu slices. This will happen quickly, so make sure you keep the heat on low to prevent the marmalade from burning. When the glaze has thickened and the tofu is well coated, about 1 minute, turn off the heat.
7. Garnish with chopped mint or cilantro
8. Serve with steamed broccoli and brown rice

I wanted to come up with a vegetarian thanksgiving recipe this year that can be a beautiful centerpiece on the vegetarian thanksgiving table. Just because you are vegetarian doesnt mean you are doomed to eat a bunch of sides (or tofurky..ugh!) on thanksgiving day. Make this tofu skin roulade with sage mushroom stuffing a day ahead and reheat it by steaming it for 10 minutes or so.

The tofu skin forms a golden exterior with great texture, and the stuffing inside is moist and mushroomy. Your very own, home made vegetarian tofurky for thanksgiving!

You will generally find tofu skin in Chinese restaurants, it is usually braised or stewed in a sauce.

Tofu skin, also called beancurd skin or yuba is the skin that forms when simmering a pot of soy milk. It comes dried or frozen and is available in Asian stores. If using dried tofu skin or yuba, reconstitute it in hot water. If using frozen, simply defrost it for this recipe.

Tofu skin may look delicate, but it actually holds up very well to stuffing, rolling and steaming (which is what this recipe involves). If you cant find tofu skin or yuba, try making this recipe with seitan. See this recipe from the vegetarian times for seitan roulade or this recipe by vegan yumyum

Serve this tofu skin roulade with sage mushroom stuffing, along with my red wine gravy, kale and goats cheese mashed sweet potato (recipe coming up next!), and steamed green beans or brussels sprouts.

Tofu Skin Roulade with Sage Mushroom Stuffing

serves 2-3, with some left over stuffing to serve on the side.

Ingredients
three 9×12 inch sheets of dried or frozen tofu skin, also called yuba
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
6 large button mushrooms, chopped
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
2 sprigs of thyme
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 cup store bought stuffing. I like pepperidge farm.

Method
If using frozen tofu skin or yuba, let it defrost before using. If you are using dried tofu skin or yuba, boil a large pot of water, turn off the heat, and put the tofu skins in the water. Let them soak for 15 minutes. Then gently pull them out of the water, letting all the excess water drip away.

Lightly oil a clean work surface, so that the tofu skins dont stick.

Lay 3 sheets of tofu skin, one on top of the other, so that their longest side is closest to you. If the tofu skins tear a little, dont worry, just patch them up.

Now work on the stuffing.

Heat butter in a skillet, add onion, carrot and celery and cook on medium heat till the onions are soft. Then add mushrooms, saute till the mushrooms are cooked, about 3 minutes. Add the sage and thyme, stir.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in stuffing. Toss everything till the stuffing is mixed well, and absorbs all the stock.

Now put the stuffing on the tofu skin layers, leaving a 1/2 inch border (see photo above). You dont have to use all the stuffing if it doesnt fit. Its ok if the stuffing is a little dry, it will moisten up when you steam the roulade.

Gently fold over the right and left sides of the tofu skins. Then pick up the longer side closest to you, and roll away from you. Keep the right and left sides tucked in as you roll away from you. Roll gently but firmly.

Place the roulade on a sheet of aluminum foil. wrap the foil around the roulade to make a log. Twist the ends closed. Repeat this with a second layer of foil.

Now the roulade is ready to steam.

Heat water in a large pot. Place a colander over the pot. Its brim must fit over the pot, but make sure the bottom of the colander doesnt touch the water.

Steaming method 1 – Put the roulade log into the colander, and cover with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, and steam on medium high heat for 1 hour or till the tofu skin is soft. Add more water to the pot as and when necessary.

Steaming method 2 - steam the roulade in a bamboo steamer. Steam till the tofu ski is tender, about 1 hour.

Steaming method 3 – this is what I used. take a skillet large enough to hold the roulade, pour 1/2 to 1 cup water in it. Bring to a boil. Place the roulade in the skillet. Cover it. Reduce heat to medium-high, and let the roulade steam, adding more water as it evaporates. Steam till the tofu skin is tender and no longer rubbery, about 1 hour.

When the roulade has steamed, removed it from the colander, and let it cool a little.

Then removed the foil wrapping.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil or butter in a non stick skillet. Carefully place the roulade on the skillet and sear all sides of the roulade till they are lightly golden.

Serve with red wine gravy, and kale and goats cheese mashed sweet potatoes.

Red Wine Gravy

serves about 4

Ingredients
1 cup red wine
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon flour
1 sprig of thyme, optional
1 tablespoon butter
Salt, pepper

Method
Whisk the wine, stock and flour together. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the thyme sprig. Pour into a sauce pan and simmer till the sauce has reduced to half its original volume. Whisk in the butter, salt and pepper. Strain and serve with tofu skin roulade.

My dear friend Mahi loves my tofu recipes and recently requested a ginger tofu recipe. This is what I came up with. Mahi, this ginger teriyaki tofu noodle bowl recipe is for you ♥

Teriyaki sauce is really easy to make at home. Just whisk together sugar, mirin and sake (or vinegar), and let it boil to thicken. You can use this sauce as a marinade on vegetables, brush it over anything you are grilling, or toss it in some rice or noodles. My ginger teriyaki sauce recipe is sweet, you could ofcourse adjust the sugar according to taste.

I love using thin rice noodles for this recipe. All you have to do is soak them in hot water till they have softened. You can find rice noodles or rice vermicelli in the Asian section of the grocery store. For a larger selection of rice noodles, head to an Asian store. When buying rice noodles for this recipe make sure that rice and water are the only ingredients. Some brands use corn starch in their rice noodles, and thats ok too.

Teriyaki Tofu Noodle Bowl Recipe

Serves 1 as a main dish

For the Ginger Teriyaki Tofu
Half of a 15 oz package of tofu, pressed. Read this post on how to press tofu.
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons brown sugar (this will produce a sweet sauce, use less if you dont want it sweet& remember mirin is sweet too!)
2 tablespoons mirin (look for ‘mirin style seasoning’ in the asian section of the grocery store ot substitute with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar+a pinch of sugar)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Cut the tofu into 1 inch long pieces. Lay the tofu pieces on a non stick skillet and brown each side on medium heat (no oil needed).

Place all remaining ingredients in a non stick sauce pan, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes or till the sugar dissolves and sauce thickens slightly. Take care not to boil the sauce too much and burn the sugar. Taste the sauce, and adjust sugar or rice vinegar if needed.

When the tofu pieces are browned, pour half the teriyaki sauce over the tofu. Save the other half of the teriyaki sauce to serve for dipping.

Turn the tofu pieces so all sides are coated with sauce. On low heat, let the sauce bubble away and thicken (but be careful not to burn the sauce), about 1-2 minutes.

Serve ginger teriyaki tofu over rice noodles (recipe below) and the remaining teriyaki sauce on the side for dipping.

For the Rice Noodles
2 oz dry rice noodles or rice vermicelli
1/4 cup carrots peeled and cut into thin sticks
1/4 cup of cucumber cut into thin sticks
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon dried chili flakes, optional
Salt
1 tablespoon chopped mint or cilantro

Soak rice noodles in very hot water for 10 minutes, or prepare according to package directions. Drain well.

Gently toss the noodles and all other ingredients together in a bowl. Top with ginger teriyaki tofu. Serve reserved teriyaki sauce on the side for dipping the noodles.

Many tofu recipes in cookbooks and online, including several of my own, call for pressed tofu. Pressing tofu takes out the water in it and makes it firm. Pressed tofu becomes wonderfully dense and pleasantly chewy when cooked. Pressed tofu is also a great meat substitute. So how exactly do you press tofu? Read on..

What you need to press tofu
one 15oz package of firm tofu, drained and patted dry
an absorbant kitchen towel
paper towels
a plate
something heavy (weighing about 2 lbs). Choose from:

• 2-3 cans – canned beans, canned corn, peanut butter jar, pickle jar…whatever you have
• a book
• heavy skillet

Lay out the kitchen towel on a table. Place 3 layers of paper towels on top so that the paper towels cover the cloth towel. Put the tofu block in the center.

Now wrap the paper towels over the tofu. Bring all four side up and wrap them gently, but firmly over the tofu block.

Now do the same with the cloth towel. Bring each side up and wrap firmly.

You will now have a tofu parcel. Put a plate over the tofu parcel. Place 2 to 3 cans (or a book, or skillet, or anything heavy – weighing about 2lbs) over the the plate. Adjust their positioning so that the plate is well balanced over the tofu.

Let the tofu with the weights sit for atleast 1 hour, and up to 4 hours.

The weights will release all the water in the tofu, and the towels will absorb it.

 How long to press the tofu will depend on its water content and how dense it is. But you should press tofu for atleast an hour, longer wont hurt. Trader Joe’s extra firm tofu is very firm, so I dont need to press it for more than an hour. Other firm tofus arent as dense, so I press them longer.

Use right away or store pressed tofu in a zip lock bag for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Now go check out some of my tofu recipes!

More tofu pressing methods..

How to press tofu in 5 steps in too many combined
A video on how to press tofu using a plate and book
Tips on how to press tofu on Bon Appetite
How to press tofu using a heavy pot on Fit Sugar

I am on a mission to make myself like eggplant. Many of you on twitter and facebook helped me with your amazing eggplant recipe suggestions to make me like it! I am now trying every method possible (except deep frying!) – grilled eggplant, sautéed eggplant, baked eggplant, stir fried eggplant..and I’m pleased to inform you, I loved the eggplant in this vegan Chinese Szechuan eggplant and tofu recipe!

My dear friend and incredibly talented food blogger, Xiaolu of 6bittersweets blog took me on a tour of a local Chinese grocery store. She showed me some amazing and exotic ingredients that I can’t wait to try! I picked up the chili bean sauce, black vinegar, and Szechuan pepper used in this recipe during my Chinese grocery store visit.

The basic idea for this dish comes from Fuchsia Dunlops  book ‘Land of Plenty’. And because Xiaolu has such a passion for food (you DO read her blog don’t you?!), I consulted with her to perfect this vegan Chinese eggplant and tofu recipe.

This recipe does take a bit of time to make, but it is so worth the effort. It tastes like something you’d get at a Szechuan restaurant.You can easily use any combination of vegetables you like for this dish – broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, or zucchini along with seitan, tempeh or paneer.

Short cuts and substitutions

Instead of pressing and then pan frying your own tofu, buy pre-baked or pre fried tofu in the grocery store
Use store bought paneer cubes instead of the tofu, and lightly pan fry them
Use balsamic vinegar instead of the Chinese black vinegar (it doesn’t taste the same, but it’s the closest substitute for Chinese black vinegar I can think of)
Use regular black pepper corns instead of Szechuan peppercorns

To salt or not to salt an eggplant before cooking? See this post.

More delicious vegetarian and vegan Szechuan Chinese eggplant and tofu recipes

Vegetarian Szechuan eggplant recipe on Weird Combinations
Vegan Szechuan eggplant recipe with beansprouts on No Meat Zone Recipes
Szechuan tofu stri fry recipe  on Eating Well
Szechuan garlic eggplant and tofu recipe on Hypokrtical

I molded the rice using this cute rice mold I got as a gift.

Szechuan Tofu and Eggplant Recipe

adapted from Fuchsia Dunlop’s Land of Plenty
serves about 3 with rice

For the tofu
One 14 oz pack of extra firm tofu
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, optional

For the eggplant
1 lb purple or Asian eggplant, cut into ¾ inch cubes
1 tablespoon oil

For the szechuan sauce
1 tablespoon Soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns lightly roasted in a dry skillet, and then crushed in a mortar and pestle. Substitute with regular black peppercorns. Use less if you dont want it spicy.
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar. Substitute with cider vinegar or balsamic
1/2 cup water

½ tablespoon oil
1-3 tablespoon black bean chili sauce (this sauce is very spicy! Start with 1 tablespoon, taste and add more at the end of cooking if needed) update: I used “guizhou black bean chili sauce”, the brand is Lee Kum Kee. Whatever brand you buy, make sure the ingredients include fermented black beans and chili peppers.

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
5 scallions/green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional

press the tofu
Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Place several layers of paper towels on a table. Place the drained tofu in the middle of the paper towels. Wrap the towels firmly, but without breaking the tofu, around the tofu block (like a gift wrap). Wrap this in an absorbent kitchen towel. Place a plate over the tofu parcel. Put something heavy (like a few cans of beans) on top of the plate. Let the tofu sit with the weights on top for about 4 hours (longer won’t hurt).

cook the eggplant
In a large non-stick skillet, heat the oil. Add the eggplant cubes in a single layer, without crowding. Fry the eggplant cubes on high heat till they are golden, about 3 minutes for american purple eggplants. The eggplant doesnt have to be fully cooked, just browned on the outside. Flip the eggplant pieces and brown the other side. Make sure the eggplant cubes are in a single layer, so they brown quickly. Don’t over-crowd the pan. Do this in batches if needed.

Set the eggplant aside on a plate.

make the tofu
Cut the compressed tofu into ¾ inch cubes

Wipe the skillet clean. Turn heat to medium. Arrange the tofu cubes in a single layer on the skillet. I don’t use oil for the tofu, but you can use 1 tablespoon of oil if you like. Cook tofu on medium heat. Don’t move around or disturb the tofu cubes while cooking. When brown on one side (about 12 minutes), flip the tofu cubes and brown the other side. When the tofu is light brown on all sides, remove it and place it in a plate.

(If you don’t want to pan fry the tofu, toss pressed tofu it in ½ tablespoon oil, spread the tofu cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake it in a 375f oven for about 40 minutes or till the tofu is golden, and slightly chewy).

make the Szechuan sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, Szechuan pepper, vinegar and water. Keep the bowl at hands reach.

Heat a large wok with oil on high heat. Carefully add the chili bean sauce, ginger and garlic, and stir for 30 seconds. The chili bean sauce may give out fumes, so stand back. Take care not to burn it.

Remove the wok from heat. Extend your arm with the wok, so that nothing splashes on you. Now carefully pour in the whisked ingredients.

Return wok to the stove. Immediately add the scallions/green onions, eggplant, tofu, and 1/2 cup water. Toss gently and cook on high for 5 minutes or till the eggplant has softened but is not mushy. Add more water if the dish is too dry. Taste the dish and add more chili bean sauce if you like.

Drizzle sesame oil, if using.

Serve with steamed rice or wheat tortillas and extra soy sauce and chili bean sauce on the side

This is an easy, vegan thanksgiving main dish. The baked tofu is flavorful and chewy. And the vegan mushroom gravy has great meatiness, making this a very satisfying dish overall. Serve this thanksgiving entrée with some stuffing, and few vegetable side dishes.

I like to insert a few thin slices of garlic into the tofu before baking. I enjoy the little bits of garlic in the tofu. You could do this with carrots or celery as well, or just leave this step out.

I love chanterelle mushrooms and always use them in gravy. They have a nice meaty texture, and chicken like flavor. You could use a mix of whatever mushrooms you like. I’ve used buttom mushrooms, criminis, shiitakes and chanterelles.

The mushroom gravy with thyme and sage goes really well with the chewy baked tofu. You could easily make the gravy the previous day and re-heat it in the microwave. You could also marinate the tofu the previous day (flavor will be stronger), and throw it in the oven about an hour before you eat.

Some great baked tofu recipes..

Baked tofu recipe on Fat free vegan
Baked tofu recipe on the kitchn
Kalyn’s baked tofu recipe with soy and sesame
Simple baked tofu recipe on Vegweb
Smokey miso baked tofu recipe on vegan yumyum

Some great mushroom gravy recipes..

Mushroom gravy recipe on Epicurious

Martha Stewart’s vegetarian mushroom gravy recipe
Home brew chef’s wild mushroom gravy recipe using beer
Vegan mushroom gravy recipe on what do I know blog

Baked tofu steaks and Mushroom gravy recipe

serves about 2

One 14 oz block extra firm tofu, drained
1 tiny garlic clove, peeled

For the marinade
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
A pinch of dried Italian seasoning or poultry seasoning, optional
Cracked black pepper

Cut the tofu vertically in half. Then cut each half widthwise into two pieces. You will have 4 tofu pieces. Using a kitchen towel, pat the tofu pieces to absorb as much moisture as you can.

Make 2 small slits on top of each tofu piece. Thinly slice the garlic clove into 8 slices. Insert one slice of garlic into each slit on the tofu. Skip this step if you don’t like garlic.

Whisk together all marinade ingredients and pour into a dish. Place the tofu slices in the dish with the marinade. Carefully flip the tofu pieces so they are covered all over by the marinade. Let the tofu marinade for about 15 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 350f

Remove the tofu pieces from the marinade and place on a non-stick baking dish. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, flipping the tofu pieces every 20 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on your oven and thickness of tofu slices.

Tofu is done when it is firm and browned all over.

Mushroom gravy with thyme and sage

makes about 3 cups

12oz  fresh mushrooms (a mix of white, crimini, shiitake, chanterelle etc)
2 tablespoons olive oil, butter or margarine
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 large sage leaves, chopped
3 splashes sherry or red wine

For gravy
½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable stock or water (I used water)
2 tablespoons flour
Salt & pepper

Clean the mushrooms using a paper towel. Then slice them into even sized pieces. If using shiitakes, remember to remove and discard the stems.

Heat oil, butter or margarine in a large skillet. Add onions and cook on medium-low. When onions are soft, add garlic, thyme and sage. Stir for 30 seconds. Add chopped mushrooms. Increase heat to high and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the sherry or wine and continue cooking another minute or till the alcohol evaporates.

Whisk together all the gravy ingredients (balsamic vinegar through salt and pepper). Make sure there are no lumps. Pour this mixture over the mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar if needed.