Tofu Peanut Manchurian

Not many of us are fond of tofu. Its because Tofu is bland and does not have a flavor of its own. So its easy to inject any type of flavor we want in it and Tofu Manchurian is such dish. Draining out the water from water and injecting a flavor to it , makes tofu very delicious. This dish was an inspiration from a Alton brown’s Fillet O’Fu.

Ingredients

• 1 pound- Firm tofu(1 box)
• 2 tsp- rice wine/any vinegar
• 2 tsp- soya sauce
• 1 tsp- chilli sauce
• 1 egg- beaten
• ¼ cup- all purpose flour
• salt to taste

Stir Fry

• 2 tsp- garlic finely chopped
• 2 tsp- ginger finely chopped
• 1 bell pepper- roughly chopped(optional)
• 1 bunch- spring onions
• 10-20 groundnuts- chopped
• 1/2 tsp- soya sauce
• 1/ tsp- honey
• ½ tsp- black pepper/chilli flakes
• 1 tsp- hoisin sauce(optional)
• 1 tsp-tomato sauce

Directions

1. Remove the tofu from its water and place the slices on paper towels and and fold the towels over in both directions to cover the tofu.
2. Place a baking sheet/plate on top of the tofu and weigh it down with a can of tomatoes or any other weight for 1 hour.(this helps to drain out all the water from tofu , so it can absorb the marinating later)
3. Once the water has been drained out, cut the tofu into bite size pieces.
4. In a bowl, mix the soya sauce, vinegar, chilli sauce , little salt(soya sauce has sodium/salt in it) along with the tofu pieces and allow it to marinate overnight or at least for 2 hrs.
5. Place the flour into a shallow dish and the eggs into another and lightly beat the egg.
6. Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
7. Remove tofu from marinade and lightly dredge the tofu in the flour, knocking off any excess flour and slide into the eggs until completely, but thinly, coated on both sides.
8. Pan fry the tofu till its golden brown on all sides and place it on a plate.(fry 10-15 tofu pieces in one round or till the pan is not over crowded).

Stir fry

1. After stir frying all the tofu, in same pan, add a little oil and chopped ginger and garlic and stir for a min.
2. Add in the chopped spring onions( lower white part of spring onions)and bell pepper for another min or two.
3. Mix in the fried tofu to pan with other ingredients.
4. Add the sauce mixture (soyasauce, hoisin sauce, tomato sauce, pepper flakes) to the tofu and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Finally add some honey and stir.
6. Garnish with chopped peanuts and chopped spring onions(green part) .

Benefits of Tofu:

• Tofu is believed to lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, strong indicators of heart disease. One serving of tofu also contains 15% of the daily requirement of omega-3 fatty acids, a heart-healthy substance normally found in fish. These fatty acids not only improve cholesterol but are also believed to aid in helping blood to clot properly.
• Because tofu packs so many nutrients into a serving of between 70-100 calories, it can be a great part of a weight loss regimen or a way to maintain a healthy weight. It delivers the protein benefits of meat while still being low in saturated fat and sodium.
• One 4 ounce serving of tofu packs 18% of an adult’s daily requirement for protein, and protein is crucial in building muscle. That same 4 ounce serving also contains one-third of the daily requirement of iron, as well as strong doses of antioxidants manganese, copper and selenium. These nutrients contribute to maintaining energy levels.
• Tofu is a good source of dietary calcium, protecting against bone weakness. A single serving delivers 10% of the daily value for calcium, yet has less calories than many dairy products.

Related Posts :

Raisin Nut Oatmeal...

Lacking concentration? Meditate...

QUICK STIR - FRY GREEN BEANS...

Guilt-free Carrot Cake...