Saag Tofu
Source: Minh Tsai, Hodo Soy
Recipe Type: Appetizers and Sides | Seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer, Winter
This recipe was adapted from Andrea Nguyen’s Asian Tofu and was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on July 22, 2017.
Serves 4 as part of a menu with 2 or 3 other dishes
INGREDIENTS
1 inch piece ginger, peeled
3 cloves garlic
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 pound spinach
¼ cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
12 ounces firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon garam masala
2 serrano chiles, finely chopped
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
PREPARATION
Place the ginger, garlic, and onion in a food processor. Pulse until you get a finely chopped texture, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Chop the root ends off the spinach, then rinse and coarsely chop. Salt the water generously, place the spinach into the pot, and cook over high heat until the greens have wilted. They will turn bright green. Drain and set aside to cool.
When the greens have cooled, squeeze out the residual liquid and transfer to the food processor. Process to a rough texture. Add ½ cup of water and pulse to blend together. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Dry the tofu cubes with a paper towel, then pan fry them for 5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the tofu to a plate, leaving the oil in the pan, and set aside.
Adjust the heat to medium-high, then add the ginger, garlic, and onion mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes or until the mixture begins to caramelize. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, and chile and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is aromatic and browned.
Lower the heat to medium, add the tofu to the skillet, and stir to combine. Add the greens, stirring to combine. Add the salt and cayenne. Cook for 2-3 minutes, mixing frequently, until heated through.
Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Taste and add more salt or cayenne as needed. Serve with basmati rice.
Farmers Market Ingredients