Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher
Send a message
My Books + App
Book trailer, info on ebook w/ video, sample content
BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *
Details on eBooklet, how & where to buy
* * *
BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *
Info on e-book w/ videos!
BUY NOW @ Amazon, B&N, iBooks, IndieBound, J. Biscuit & local bookstores
* * *
The mobile app is here!
BUY NOW @ iTunes store
« How to Use Tofu for Low-Meat Dishes |Main
May 02, 2013Spicy Basil Chicken and Tofu RecipeThe Hmong farmers have returned to our weekly farmer’smarket with a wealth of Asian produce. Last Saturday, they had gorgeous Thai basil and Iswooped down upon a couple of bunches. Basil discolors quickly, its shelf lifeunder refrigeration is just a few days. I wasn’t about to let it go to wasteand thought of Thai chicken and basil, a simple stir-fry.
The thing is, I didn’t want to make the dish with allchicken so I worked in some tofu. I substituted 10 ounces (300 grams) ofextra-firm tofu for 8 ounces (240 grams) of the chicken in the original recipe,which called for a pound. That’s one of several strategy for using tofu forlow-meat dishes.
The keys to this dish include (1) washing and drying thebasil leaves (keep them whole) and (2) seasoning and panfrying the tofu.
Toseal in the moisture in the chicken, I lightly coat it with cornstarch and soysauce; it’s typically added to the wok as is, only to be embellished by flavorsduring the cooking process. Dark soy sauce adds color but the black soy sauce is semi sweet. With so little used, I suppose you could use kecap manis, if you want.
You can make this dish with mint or Italian basil but for the real deal, Thai basil’s warm spice note is magnificent. If flowers are present on the sprigs, use them!
The original recipe came from Kasma Loha-Unchit’s It Rains Fishes, a lovingly producedThai cookbook from 1995 that’s sadly out of print. I bought a signed copy from Kasma but saw that you can get it for a relatively good deal (much much less than what I paid). If you collect Asian cookbooks or are interested in Thai cooking, get a copy of the book.
RECIPE
Spicy Basil Chickenand Tofu
Serves: 4 withother dishes
Ingredients:
10 ounces (300 g) extra-firm tofuSalt8 ounces (240 g) boneless, skinless chickenthighs1/2 teaspoon cornstarch2 teaspoons dark or black soy sauce1 1/2 teaspoons sugar1 tablespoon water1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce3 or 4 tablespoons fragrantpeanut oil or canola oil 4 to 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 large shallot, thinly sliced 2 or 3 Fresno or jalapeno chiles, quarteredlengthwise and cut on the diagonal into slivers2 tender kaffir (makrud) lime leaves, veryfinely slivered (optional)1 cup lightly packed Thai basil, holy basil, mintor a combinationWhite pepperInstructions:
Cut the tofu into small, bite-size pieces. Put ona double layer of paper towel and sprinkle a bit of salt over the pieces. Setaside to season the tofu and to let it drain, about 15 minutes. Cut the chicken in bites-size pieces a littlesmaller than the tofu. Transfer to a bowl and coat with the cornstarch and 1teaspoon of soy sauce. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1teaspoon of soy sauce with the sugar, water, and fish sauce. Set aside near thestove.Blot excess moisture from the tofu. Heat a largewok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 1 to 2 tablespoons ofoil. Add the tofu and panfry for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping midway, until goldenbrown and slightly crisp on two sides. Transfer to a plate.Reheat the wok or skillet over high heat. Whennearly smoking hot, swirl in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic, let itsizzle for a few seconds, then add the shallot. Stir until aromatic, 15 to 20seconds, then add the chicken, spreading it out into 1 layer. Let the chicken searfor about a minute, then use a spatula to flip it and cook the other side. Whenthe chicken is nearly cooked through, add the tofu. Stir to combine and cookfor a minute to heat through. Add the chiles and kaffir lime leaf, thensprinkle on the soy and fish sauce mixture. Stir-fry for a minute to combinethe flavors and allow the tofu to absorb the seasonings. Then add the basil.When the leaves wilt, about 15 seconds, take the pan off the heat. Sprinklewith white pepper, give things a turn, then transfer to a serving dish. Enjoy Thaistyle, over rice on plates with fork and spoon.Related posts:
How to Use Tofu for Low-Meat DishesBurmese Pork Belly, Pickled Mustard Greens and TofuChicken, Tofu, and Shiitake Lettuce Cups Posted in Asian Tofu, Cooking Tips & Tools, Recipe: low-meat, Recipes: All, Recipes: Fast and Easy, Recipes: Gluten-Free Adaptable, Recipes: Main Course, Recipes: Poultry and Eggs, Recipes: soy, Recipes: Stir-Fry, Recipes: Thai, Recipes: Tofu | Permalink | |
| TrackBackTrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341ef22f53ef01901bc895b6970b
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Spicy Basil Chicken and Tofu Recipe:
Comments Spicy Basil Chicken and Tofu RecipeThe Hmong farmers have returned to our weekly farmer’smarket with a wealth of Asian produce. Last Saturday, they had gorgeous Thai basil and Iswooped down upon a couple of bunches. Basil discolors quickly, its shelf lifeunder refrigeration is just a few days. I wasn’t about to let it go to wasteand thought of Thai chicken and basil, a simple stir-fry.
The thing is, I didn’t want to make the dish with allchicken so I worked in some tofu. I substituted 10 ounces (300 grams) ofextra-firm tofu for 8 ounces (240 grams) of the chicken in the original recipe,which called for a pound. That’s one of several strategy for using tofu forlow-meat dishes.
The keys to this dish include (1) washing and drying thebasil leaves (keep them whole) and (2) seasoning and panfrying the tofu.
Toseal in the moisture in the chicken, I lightly coat it with cornstarch and soysauce; it’s typically added to the wok as is, only to be embellished by flavorsduring the cooking process. Dark soy sauce adds color but the black soy sauce is semi sweet. With so little used, I suppose you could use kecap manis, if you want.
You can make this dish with mint or Italian basil but for the real deal, Thai basil’s warm spice note is magnificent. If flowers are present on the sprigs, use them!
Stay Connected
Asian Tofu in the News"A whole cookbook devoted to tofu? Yes, please."— Kate Williams, Serious Eats 2012 Favorite Cookbooks
"Cooking with Tofu (Are You Serious?!)"
— Michael Rulhman on his tofu conversion
"This book should be a priority for anyone with the slightest interest in Asian cuisines."
— Anne Mendelson, Taste & Travel
"The most gratifying part about cooking from Asian Tofu is that all the recipes work the way they’re written."
— T. Susan Chang, Boston Globe
Book info, reviews, radio & TV . . .Classes & Events1/2 day @Cakebreadwines, Rutherford
Sat, May 18, 9:30am-early afternoon: Viet Spring Celebration (cooking class, winery tour & luncheon)
Dumpling Demo & Signing, Loaves & Fishes, Bridgehampton, NY:Sat, July 13, 3-5pm
Dumpling Demo & Signing, Menlo Park, CA
Sat, Aug 3, 11am
5-hrs @SFCooking, San Francisco
Sat, Aug 17, 11am-4pm: Asian Dumplings (waitlist)
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2013/05/spicy-basil-chicken-and-tofu-recipe.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});
No comments:
Post a Comment