Tofu for Beginners
Tofu skeptics will be pleasantly surprised by this flavorful dish developed by my friend and colleague, Candy Cumming, MS, RD. Using tofu made with calcium salts (rather than with magnesium salts like nigari) makes this recipe calcium-rich. As a light meal serving four people, each portion would provide about 240 mg calcium. Served as an appetizer for 8 people, each portion would provide about 120 mg calcium. Consider adding it to a tossed vegetable salad featuring baby greens to make a light meal rich in calcium, magnesium, and vitamin K. You can also offer it as a scallop substitute in “Scallop Salad with Edamame and Sugar Snap Peas”.
- 1 16-oz. container firm tofu
- 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp. tamari soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. finely grated fresh ginger
- 4 green onions, sliced thinly on diagonal
- Optional — ½ cup finely grated carrot (for extra color and fiber)
Drain tofu and cut into very small cubes (less than ½-inch). Toss gently with sesame oil, tamari, and ginger. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed. Before serving, toss in green onions. You can serve this immediately, but it’s best if you cover the tofu mixture and let flavors blend for a few hours.
Makes 4 portions. Each portion provides about 120 calories, 10 g protein, 8 g fat (1 g sat), 0 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 520 mg sodium, 235 mg potassium, 240 mg calcium, & 50 mg magnesium.