Lo Mein with Tofu

I'm pretty sure that when I tell Kevin we are having tofu for dinner, his heart sort of sinks. That's okay with me, because I really enjoy eating tofu, and I think it's a nice alternative to chicken or beef. This recipe is really easy, and the flavor combination is perfect.

An ingredient lesson:

One of the key ingredients is Mirin, which is sweetened sake. If you don't want this to be a sweet dish, I supposed you could use regular sake or dry sherry (which is often a sub for sake, in Asian dishes), but I'm not sure how it will affect the flavor. If Mirin is MIA from your cabinet, or you want to be able to monitor the sugar content of your dinner, you could always use dry sherry (or sake), and add a couple of teaspoons of brown or granulated sugar, to fake the flavors of the dish. I think the subtle sweetness is definitely essential to the dish, but anything is worth a try! Wondering where to find Mirin? Look no further than the Asian section at your grocery store. I found it at Stop and Shop, so it can't be that mysterious!



Maybe you should make this... If you like tofu. Kevin probably gives this 2 Bowls, but I give it 4. The tofu was delish, but it was tofu...

Lo Mein with Tofu

Although lo mein is traditionally made with Chinese egg noodles, here we substitute whole-wheat linguine. Pan-frying the tofu gives it a crisp exterior.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups)


1 (14-ounce) package firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut crosswise into 4 (1-inch-thick) pieces
8 ounces whole-wheat linguine
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 1/2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
3/4 cup vertically sliced onion
2 cups shredded cabbage
2 cups peeled, thinly diagonally sliced carrot
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Place tofu in a single layer on several layers of paper towels. Cover tofu with several more layers of paper towels, and top with a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Let stand for 30 minutes. Discard paper towels.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente; drain. Combine pasta, sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; toss. Set aside.

3. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper evenly over tofu. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add tofu to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from pan; cut into bite-sized pieces. Combine oyster sauce and next 3 ingredients (through vinegar) in a small bowl, stirring well.

4. Heat a wok or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; stir-fry 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cabbage, carrot, and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes or until cabbage wilts. Reduce heat to medium; stir in tofu and vinegar mixture, tossing to coat. Add pasta and bean sprouts; toss. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with green onions.

CALORIES 397 ; FAT 15.4g (sat 1.3g,mono 8.8g,poly 4.1g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 248mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.1g; SODIUM 736mg; PROTEIN 18.2g; FIBER 9g; IRON 4mg


Cooking Light, APRIL 2010