Five Spice Tofu with Crunchy Veggies & Farro
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- Cooked Farro 2 ½ cup
- Persian or English cucumbers 12 oz
- medium carrots 3
- jalapeño or Fresno pepper 1
- toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp
- soy sauce or tamari 1 tbsp
- Chinese black vinegar 1 tbsp
- roasted sesame seeds 2 tbsp
- Tofu Cubes 1
- Five Spice Tofu Seasoning 4 tbsp
- neutral-flavored oil 2 ½ tbsp
- Kosher
- cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 handful
- Garlicky Crunch 10 tbsp
Not a fan of cilantro? Omit it. If you bought an avocado to make this meal more filling, simply slice or cube it and fold it in when serving. For video instructions on how to smash cucumbers, see this YouTube video. Storage: Store the Cucumber Salad for about 1 to 2 days separate from the farro and tofu, which will stay good for 3 to 4 days. For the best texture, reheat the tofu and farro in a frying pan over medium heat with a touch of oil for a few minutes until warmed through and the tofu is a bit crisp. Toss the tofu-farro mixture with the Garlicky Crunch and Cucumber Salad. Taste, adding more soy sauce, vinegar, or toasted sesame oil as desired. Nutrition boost: Top your bowl with vegan kimchi, sliced scallions, shredded carrots, and/or water chestnuts. For added protein, stir some defrosted or cooked edamame into the Cucumber Salad. For added healthy fats, top with cubed or sliced avocado. Shortcut: If you bought pre-baked tofu or tofu nuggets, simply skip pan-frying the tofu. Shortcut: Skip seasoning the farro in step 7 and simply warm it up in the microwave.
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1Gather: Cooked Farro . For the cucumber salad: Persian or English cucumbers , medium carrots , jalapeño or Fresno pepper , toasted sesame oil , soy sauce or tamari , Chinese black vinegar , roasted sesame seeds , Tofu Cubes , Five Spice Tofu Seasoning , neutral-flavored oil , Kosher salt, cilantro leaves and tender stems , Garlicky Crunch .
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2Take the Cooked Farro out of the fridge to come to room temp.
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3Slice the cucumbers in half, lengthwise (for English cucumbers, chop into smaller segments). Smash the cukes by pressing the flat side of a large, heavy knife down on them with the heel of your palm. Now, tear or chop the smashed cukes into small pieces. (Video instructions here.)
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4Make the Cucumber Salad. Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, ribbon the carrots (or use a mandoline or julienne peeler). Slice the chile pepper thinly, if using. In a medium bowl, toss the veggies with the toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste, adding more sesame oil, soy sauce, and/or vinegar as desired. Set aside to marinate while you cook the tofu, stirring a few times if you can.
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5Pat dry any moisture on the Tofu Cubes. In a large bowl, use a silicone spatula to gently toss the tofu with the Five Spice Tofu Seasoning.
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6Line a cutting board with a few layers of paper towels. Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat with the neutral oil. Once shimmering, add the tofu, leaving behind excess spices. Spread out evenly. Fry until golden brown on the bottom, 5 to 8 minutes, flip with a wide spatula, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown on the second side. Transfer the tofu to the paper towels to absorb excess oil. If desired, sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
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7While the tofu cooks, prepare your side salad (if you’re making one).
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8While the tofu cooks, add the Cooked Farro to a large microwave-safe bowl, add a few sprinkles of water, cover, and heat until warm. Stir in the chopped cilantro, a pinch or two of salt, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
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9To the seasoned farro, add the Cucumber Salad (including any liquid in the bowl) and the Garlicky Crunch. Mix well. Taste, adding a pinch of salt. TIP: If saving leftovers, keep all of these components separate and mix just as much as you plan to eat.
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10Divide the farro and cucumber mixture among bowls and top each with the fried tofu. If desired, add a drizzle of toasted sesame oil before serving. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.