Friday, November 27, 2009

An Antidote for Gluttony: Spicy Baked Tofu with Chinese Celery

Thanksgiving leftovers are all well and good, but sometimes you need a little break from all that starch and heaviness. Something nutritious, incredibly flavorful, but light and easy on the tummy - and of course, a lot less likely to take up permanent residence around the waistline!

I first saw this baked tofu and Chinese celery dish at Viet World Kitchen, but a little research revealed that there are quite a few versions of it floating around. It's such a perfect meal to have after a bit of holiday overindulgence when you want to get rid of that awful stuffed feeling without sacrificing flavor.

While there are certainly different ways to season this dish based on personal preference, it's crucial to buy brown baked (or pressed) tofu.  You'll definitely find it an Asian markets and health food stores - it has a wonderful smoky flavor that meat eaters (as well as vegetarians of course!)  will definitely appreciate. The Chinese celery is another important component. I suppose you could use the run-of-the-mill stuff in a pinch, but Chinese celery - which has thinner stalks - has a more concentrated flavor, and the bitter leaves are also edible.

Another great thing about this dish - especially if you're worn out from cooking for a ton of people - is its simplicity.  You just cut a couple of blocks of the the tofu into strips and let it marinate in a mixture of garlic, fresh ginger, chili garlic sauce (or chili oil or hot sauce), sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar.  I don't think it's important to  measure quantities; instead, just taste to make sure you have the right balance of spicy/sweet/salty for your palette.

 Meanwhile, trim off the bottom off of the celery (save about 1/2 - 3/4 of the leaves to use in the dish), clean it, and cut it into strips roughly equivalent to the size of your tofu strips.

Next,  stir fry the tofu in about a tbsp. of peanut oil, plus extra garlic if you wish. Remove the tofu to a plate and set aside. Stir fry the celery in peanut oil  - including the leaves - until crisp tender, add the tofu back in and stir to mix. That's it - if you like, serve with some rice, unless you've decided to forego the carbs for awhile!

I urge carnivores to give this dish a try, even if you think you don't like tofu. The baked stuff is a whole different ball game - it tastes rich, satisfying, and dare I say it? Meaty!





19 comments:

  1. Yes, something I could eat right now...very appetizing dish. I don't think I have cooked chinese celeri before

    ReplyDelete
  2. ooooooo this is another one I cant wait to try, sound so good...hope you had a great day yesterday....thanks

    ReplyDelete
  3. This looks beuatiful- so elegant. A perfect lunch or light dinner too! I would loooooove to make this!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely and simple dish. I like tofu and usually eat it when I had too much meat for the week ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is perfect for those who have eaten too much. I love celery and I think it's an underrated vegetable. We should eat more celery. The dish looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh this does sound just perfect for when you want something nice and light!

    ReplyDelete
  7. There are so many types of tofu varieties in Asia, it's mindboggling. This firm type is called Tau Kwa. You did a really beautiful dish!

    Ju

    ReplyDelete
  8. That looks very good indeed. Not a big fan of tofu served like this but always ready to give it a try

    ReplyDelete
  9. This is something my mom makes all the time! Agree it's healthy, easy to make, and super delish! She marinates the tofu in a mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, licorice, and allspice, and it's to die for! You can do this for hard boiled eggs, chinese black mushrooms, even cabbage. Just thought I'd pass it along :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Looks nice and light. Perfect after our over-indulgence!

    ReplyDelete
  11. love this great recipe and Asian veggies rock

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very healthy and a perfect stir fry...looks delicious...

    ReplyDelete
  13. That would be such a nice break from Thanksgiving leftovers - sounds wonderfully light and I love that it is spicy!

    ReplyDelete
  14. I didn't know those were called chinese celery! I've been wondering where I can find those. Now that I know what they're called, I will look for it the next time I go to an oriental store. Your recipe looks fabulous!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thanks everybody!
    @Little Teochew - I will know to ask for Tau Kwa from now on when I can't find it, thanks!
    @experimentalculinarypursuits - I want to try it your mom's way, I bet it's awesome with hard boiled eggs.
    @Sook - Glad to be of help, girly!

    ReplyDelete
  16. very delicious dish! You're right after all of that eating on thanksgiving day we do need a break and have something light and healthy

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm working my way backwards through my foodbuzz email backlog, and just now got to your post. I ordered Chinese celery seeds last week to try in the garden for the first time. I've never been a huge celery fan (perhaps too many of those ants on a log as a child), but I'm curious about growing this type of celery. Now I have a recipe to use if I'm successful in the garden -- I love tofu, and your dish looks wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love the taste of chinese celery, though similar to regular celery I think the taste is more potent. My mother would make this a lot when I was a child, it was so light yet satisfying. Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete