Have you ever had a Bahn Mi before? It's a Vietnamese sandwich generally filled with a meat, pickled vegetables and peppers and it's light and bursting with flavors and spices. The last tofu bowl I made (here) really turned me on to the idea of more flavorful, colorful, nourishing meals in one hefty bowl and a Bahn Mi rendition seemed like a fabulous option. The last one was out of this world good but this one might be better....It's a tough call but man, this is so delicious. My heart sings just looking at the picture.
This tofu seriously might be the best tofu I've ever had. I've become head over heels in love with tofu. My meat loving boyfriend is gonna kill me.
Then comes the carrots and daikon pickled with rice vinegar and coconut sugar to a crunchy, fresh, sweet & acidic bite. You can use regular sugar if you want but I like the subtle sweetness of coconut sugar - and it's a healthier option. Finally it's topped with scallions, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno and of course some gorgeous slices of avocado. Oh, and some crushed peanuts.... very important, as well. Then the kitchen sink comes along and joins, too. Just kidding. I'm done now.
Actually, wait. One last thing, which is actually the subtle star of the show - the creamy chili lime sauce drizzled on top to tie it all together. Yaaaaaaas it's unreal good.
It's a meal that transports you to a different place....... it could be either Vietnam or just a really great Vietnamese restaurant. Both are likely better than eating dinner on your couch watching Netflix. If I had any Vietnamese friends, they'd be proud of this dish, for sure.
Don't get overwhelmed with the slightly long list of ingredients. The preparation and technique is very simple, it just has quite a bit of things going on! Trust me it's absolutely worth it and with some advanced prep it's not tough at all. To reheat for a quick a dinner throughout the week, heat the tofu on the stovetop instead of microwaving to keep it crispy, microwave the quinoa/rice, and assemble!
This recipe is enough to serve four people hearty portions.
Bahn Mi Tofu Bowls w/ Pickled Carrots & Daikon and Spicy Chili Lime Sauce
Ingredients:
Pickled carrots & daikon:
1-1 1/2 carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (2-3 carrots)
1-1 1/2 cups daikon (Japanese radish) cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup coconut sugar (or regular sugar, coconut is healthier and less sweet)
1/2 tsp salt
Crispy tofu:
14 oz extra firm organic tofu
1 tsp five spice powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp coconut oil
Chili lime sauce:
1/4 cup mayo (can sub out 2 tbsp for non-fat greek yogurt to lighten it up)
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp garlic chili sauce*
1 tsp honey
To serve (very flexible measurements, people can build their own bowls, this will serve approx 4):
4-5 cups cooked quinoa, brown or white rice
1-2 cups sliced cucumber
1/2 cup pickled or fresh chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup chopped peanuts
1/2 - 1 cup Fresh chopped basil & cilantro
2 avocados
Directions:
Pickled carrots & daikon:
- Bring water, rice vinegar, coconut sugar and salt to a boil to dissolve sugar. Pour over carrots and daikon in glass bowl and toss to coat. Let sit and once cool, cover tightly with saran wrap and place in fridge for at least one hour to overnight.
- Once they've reached your desired pickle but are still delightfully crisp, dump out pickling liquid. You want them to stay fresh & crunchy if you plan on storing them for another day.
- (Note that this isn't a preserving technique, it's a quick pickling technique and can be stored in the fridge for about a week)
Tofu:
- Drain liquid from tofu package and cut into bite sized pieces, 1/2-1 inch. Lay on paper towel lined plate, top with paper towel and press gently to absorb as much liquid as you can without smooshing the pieces.
- Mix together soy sauce, fish sauce, five spice, garlic powder and sugar. Add tofu in large ziplock bag with soy sauce mixture to marinate for a half hour minimum to overnight.
- To cook tofu, remove from bag on paper towel lined plate and repeat same step as above to dry them out. Toss the tofu in a bowl with 2 tbsp cornstarch.
- Heat coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high/high heat and fry tofu a few minutes each side to brown. Get those babies nice and crisp!
Chili lime mayo:
- Thoroughly mix together mayo, lime, chili sauce and honey. Set in fridge until ready to serve.
To assemble bowl:
- Fill bowl with quinoa/rice. Top with tofu, pickled carrots & daikon, cucumbers, jalapeno, peanuts, basil, cilantro, avocado and a drizzle of the chili lime sauce.
*For the chili garlic sauce, I recommend using Huy Fong (same brand as Sriracha with the rooster). You can find it at some grocery stores and most all Asian markets.
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