Ginger Coconut Tofu with Cashews and Blistered Sugar Snap Peas – the name says it all. If you are looking for a fresh, bright, vegan dinner option, you can’t go wrong with this dish. All it needs to dress it up is some simply steamed rice or other grain of choice. Millet anyone?
I came across this recipe and gave it to my husband to prepare. For about 34 years of our 36-year (and counting) marriage, my husband never cooked. Since retirement, though, he has begun baking bread, making pizza from scratch, preparing the absolute best fruity Dutch Babies and making the occasional stir-fry or curry. Andrew has now added Ginger Coconut Tofu with Cashews and Blistered Sugar Snap Peas to his repertoire.
While we are definitely omnivores – except for things we simply don’t like – our meals tend to be very veg-forward. And often we enjoy a purely vegan meal. I wish that I could say that I do it for some well-thought-out philosophical and moral stand. But I can’t.
Yes, I have been eating organic and recycling since long before they became fashionable. And, it’s true that I have never been a huge meat eater and gave up on veal about 40 years ago when I read about the inhumane conditions that calves endured. (I have twice eaten veal from farms where calves are humanely raised in the past 5 years.) But mostly I make and serve vegan meals frequently because we like them. And as someone who cooks all of the time, they challenge – and inspire – me to explore new flavors and seasoning.
Unlike TV chefs and most food writers, I’m not going to make orgasmic “Wow, amazing!” faces and noises or say that this is the most incredible thing that I have ever eaten. It isn’t. But I will say that if you are looking for a new, somewhat flexible and relatively easy-to-prepare vegan meal, this is a good place to start. You can swap out the sugar snap peas for asparagus or green beans, if you prefer, or based on what looks best at the market. Next time we make this, mushrooms will be added.
So whether you make this dish in order to feel virtuous (or make your doctor happy) or out of conviction, or simply because you want to try something new and delicious, you can’t go wrong with Ginger Coconut Tofu with Cashews and Blistered Sugar Snap Peas.
Recipe
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients
1 (14 -ounce) block of firm or extra-firm tofu, drained
3 Tablespoons neutral oil (we used Canola) plus more if needed
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
About 12 ounces of fresh sugar snap peas (if you want more, go for it)
About 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and grated (I prefer grating my own, but sometimes, you go with what you have even if it means out of a jar.)
2 large garlic cloves, grated or crushed
1 can (13 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tablespoon soy sauce (I always use low-sodium)
1 Tablespoon full-bodied molasses or dark brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted cashews
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
4 to 6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn if large
Red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Directions
Slice the tofu in half horizontally and leave on paper or tea towels to dry well. (If you prefer, you can also press the tofu for 30 minutes under a weighted plate.) The tofu needs to be dry to get a good browning.
Once dry, cut the tofu into cubes about 1 to 1.5 inches in size. Season the tofu with salt and black pepper.
In a large skillet (cast iron is great here) or wok, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil over medium high heat until it begins to shimmer. Place the tofu cubes in the pan and sear the pieces on each side. Don’t move them around a lot or you won’t get good color. This can take about 12 minutes and is the fussiest part of the recipe. Once browned, remove the tofu to a plate.
Add another Tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the snap peas (or asparagus or green beans). Cook, stirring occasionally until the snap peas are blistered and tender – 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and set aside.
Toss the peas with the rice vinegar, scallions, mint and red pepper flakes, if using.
Heat the remaining Tablespoon of oil and add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not burn! Pour in the coconut milk, soy sauce and molasses. Simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce reduces some, and its color deepens. This takes between 6 to 8 minutes. The sauce should begin to coat a spoon. Now stir in the cashews, add back the tofu and toss until everything is well coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste, if necessary. Serve over rice or other grain alongside the sugar snap peas.
NOTE: Raw cashews can be toasted in a 350 degree F. oven on an ungreased sheet pan. Toast until you just begin to smell them. This takes about 12 to 15 minutes. Check them after 10 minutes. You can also toast them in a dry skillet on top of the stove, moving them around frequently. Once nuts burn, they are pretty useless, so go by look and smell. And know that nothing happens, nothing happens – and then boom! they are brown.
