Unexpected developments

What is it about the holy kitchen trinity of lemongrass, coriander and lime? I'm considering renaming this blog in accordance with an unwavering devotion to all three. These are the flavours I find myself reaching for automatically, and I wonder, at times, if there's a support group. 

Now, edging ever-closer to October, I find myself also wondering if there's a some sort of Tofu Addiction group I should contact. An entirely unexpected development given the sort of vague indifference to it displayed in these pages at the beginning of the year.    

One of the things I love most about Deborah Madison - too long a list to share here - is her ability to understand precisely what makes a plate of vegetables sing so sweetly. Despite the slightly irksome title, This Can't Be Tofu! (just not convinced that exclamation mark works...) has proven time and again that tofu is best treated as its own, unique entity rather than a substitute for fleshier things. Things I have (mostly) left behind. This way tofu becomes something else and, in the process, downright addictive.     

I cannot be stopped. 

Coriander-haters - heathens that you are - beware. The following dish is heady with the stuff, but I implore you to make this recipe your own. As a blueprint for other, coriander-less tofu-based meals, it's resoundingly successful. Ditch the coriander for parsley, up the chilli and serve with juicy wedges of lemon rather than lime. Or, come summer, substitute handfuls of basil leaves and pair with slow-roasted, garlic-studded tomato quarters, caramel and sticky from a generous dousing of balsamic and olive oil. Top with toasted pine nuts and eat beneath sunny skies. Right now though, this delicate, herbal dish, a combination of succulence and crunch, heralds all things Spring - rising sap, bursting blossom-y goodness and, best of all, the bounty that is asparagus season. Dive on in.

Tofu rubbed with lemongrass and coriander feeds 2-3

As is so often written, don't let the long list of ingredients fool you, though you should know, now, that the tofu needs 30 minutes, preferably a day in the fridge, to rest in its fragrant 'rub'. After that, things happen quickly. The rub is exceptional. I have been known to lick fingers, spoons, even - and I can only just bring myself to admit this publicly - the mortar clean. Or is it the pestle? (Actually, I licked both clean this time. So clearly the question is rhetorical.) Adapted from Deborah Madison.   

500g (1 lb) of firm tofu

2 stalks of lemongrass

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 shallot (golden eschallot)

A thumb of fresh ginger 

1 bunch of coriander (cilantro), washed and drained well

2 generous pinches of chilli powder

2 generous pinches of ground turmeric

1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Sea salt

Peanut or macadamia oil

2-3 bundles of asparagus, about 500g (1 lb)

2 tablespoons of dry-roasted peanuts (unsalted)

A couple of limes, halved

Drain the tofu, then wrap in a clean tea towel. Weight down with something heavy, say, a dinner plate and a couple of tins from the pantry. Set aside.

Discard the outer layers of the lemongrass - be ruthless - and keep only the tender white parts. Chop finely. Peel and chop the garlic, shallot and ginger. Separate the coriander stems from the leaves. Chop the stems and set the leaves aside. Using either a mortar and pestle or a food processor, make a rough paste of the lemongrass, garlic, shallot, ginger, coriander stems, spices, sugar, a generous pinch of salt and 2 teaspoons of oil.

Unwrap the tofu. Cut it into 8 slices, then cut each slice diagonally into two triangles. Rub the surfaces generously with the 'rub' paste and rest on a plate for at least 30 minutes (see intro).   

Heat a generous tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Carefully scrape off the excess paste from the tofu, but reserve it for the asparagus. When the pan is hot, arrange the tofu in a single layer and cook over a medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with a little salt and set aside. 

Meanwhile, snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and peel if need be. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and simmer the asparagus until tender- 3 or 4 minutes should do it. Drain well and roll while still hot in the remaining lemongrass rub. 

To serve, arrange the tofu and asparagus on a platter, spoon over any remaining 'rub', scatter with the coriander leaves, the peanuts and serve with lime halves for spritzing.

This is my entry for My Legume Love Affair, an event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook and hosted, this month, by yours truly.

Comments

[kathryn]

Oh Lucy how glorious is that? Complete with new season asparagus too. Exactly my kind of dish. And the tofu fiend I live with will also look. And probablydrool.

Much as I try to be tolerant of other people's food foibles, I just do not understand the dislike of coriander. How can you not love the stuff?

I'm wishing I hadn't added the whole bunch of coriander to today's lunch-time salad.

[docwitch]

I am undone. Coriander is up there for me with avo and ginger as my all-time favourite, craved-for, and shameless food lusts.

[Em]

Oh YUM. I love coriander. It's planted in swaths around our garden to feed the beneficial insects, and to brush past so that gorgeous smell surrounds you for a few moments. This recipe sounds so good, thanks Lucy :)

[another outspoken female]

I once was one of those heathen fools but now I can't get enough of the stuff. I guess I grew up, or my tastebuds did.

I love how the tofu looks so caramelised. Can't wait to try it.

[Johanna]

I am a heathen who doesn't love coriander (nor know a pestle from a mortar) but I do love reading about your encounters with the green stuff even if I would use parsley or basil as you so kindly suggested - and I do love a good tofu seasoning - you had sold me on this one :-)

Oh and I am loving asparagus season - it brings such joy!

[Ricki]

Spectacular, Lucy. (I'd have added an exclamation mark, but. . . ). I adore all three of those main ingredients, though used to be on the "hate coriander" side of the fence years ago. And I've come to adore tofu just as much as you--I think one reaches a critical mass at some point after eating it for a few months. Cannot WAIT to try this recipe. What a great entry for the event! :)

[maybelles mom (feeding maybelle)]

First thanks for your kind comments at my blog. I definitely adore this trio--it fact it fills me with warm joy just reading about them.

[Cassie]

Lucy, this looks so very, very good. I love cilantro, though I didn't always. Will have to give this a try soon.

And oh, I laughed out loud when I read about the mortar and pestle. You crack me up! :)

[holler]

Looks good and I love the garlic photo!

[Callipygia]

Never think of tofu as looking pretty, but this does as well as looking delicious. A good reminder to use the tbsp. of oil, mine never does get the browned crust.

[Maggie]

The flavors sound wonderful! I like that you'll get the rub flavor both cooked (on the tofu) and warmed (on the asparagus).

[Simona]

Glorious photos, as always. However, I miss the self-portrait with cleaned mortar and pestle ;)

[Sophie]

This one sounds divine! Must try it before we get too deep into Autumn over here. I'm glad you say to be brutal with the lemongrass - I have to admit that I'm never sure how much of the tough part it is polite to throw away (lemongrass is always really expensive over here so I always feel guilty discarding any, but then again it's also very stringy!).

Love the pictures, as always

[Zoe]

Me too, Sophie. Until now I have never been ruthless with lemongrass, but I'm going to take Lucy's word for it.

My mother in law hates coriander. I always have to make a point of remembering when she comes to visit, because we eat it all the time. Off to buy some asparagus in the morning!

[Wendy]

I've never seen tofu look so good. Suspect I have all the ingredients (plus an asparagus substitute) in my fridge. Sunday lunch, perhaps?

[Lori Lynn @ Taste With The Eyes]

I agree, let tofu stand on its own. The flavor is quite interesting albeit subtle, and the texture is fabulous.

I like the light in your photographs.

[Andrea]

"Nourish Me" is the perfect name for your blog. After looking around for a bit, it's exactly what your food does. I feel nourished just looking at it all!

[Nora]

Oh Lucy, this sounds perfectly addictive. I will have to get some lemongrass. It might even convert Quikong to eating tofu - that's the only food that I love that he doesn't want to touch. Quikong is the one that usually does the bowl licking in our kitchen :-)

I have one gripe - why does shallots costs so much in Sydney (Australia)? It's something my mom uses daily back in Singapore & doesn't cost any more than regular onions.

[Hippolyra]

When you find that tofu addiction group will you let me know so I can join too please!

Lovely recipe. I can't wait to try it.

[vegetablej]

Lu-lu-lu-Lucy, beeyoutiful, Lu-cy, I'm almost gagging because my mouth is watering so much. Sorry, that doesn't sound appetizing at all. But you have fresh herbs, and asparagus, and limes, and even lemon grass. Not to mention macademia oil. Durned if all I can find here are some pallid lemons and a few ends of fresh parsley. I wonder if I could substiute something for the lemon grass?

This post, and your blog, makes me extremely jealous, because whatever you write about and photograph always seems to be supernaturally delicious, so that I just have to rush right in the kitchen and try it. Even if I don't have half the ingredients. Dang 'ya. ;)

[Mari]

As I am the only tofu eater in this house, I'm always happy to see a tasty recipe to help me eat my way through a package of tofu! I love lemongrass.

[nicole]

S-o-o belatedly, love the new digs! And this recipe looks divine - can't wait to try it out. xx