FOOD

Marinated FLASH IN THE PAN Restaurant Tofu

Serves 2 • 1 (12 oz.) brick firm or extra- firm tofu, frozen for at least No three days, thawed overnight, squeezed of excess water and cut into ½-inch cubes • 1 tablespoon each soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar • 1 teaspoon each fish sauce, hoisin sauce, hot sauce, foolin’ sesame oil, brown sugar • ¼ teaspoon black pepper • ¼ onion, sliced and teased Tofu can be tasty, apart • 2 cloves garlic, minced crunchy, cooked • 1 cubic inch ginger, peeled and sliced with meat and more • 2 cups vegetable oil • 4 tablespoons cornstarch (more for onion ginger garlic fritter rings) A stir-fry of pea shoots, carrot and salad turnip. [ARI LEVAUX] Mix all of the sauces, along with the onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and black By Ari LeVaux curd,” like you did season, stir-fries are in disappointed tofu tasters. pepper, and toss the tofu in More Content Now back in the 1970s. He play, and some proper Or ask my son, who lights the sauce. It will absorb every explained it was some- tofu can make any stir- up for “restaurant tofu.” last drop. y son’s first thing I would be eating fry seem royal. But tofu’s Restaurant tofu has a taste of tofu in place of meat, which I default state is lame and resilient, fleshy quality, Heat the vegetable oil to 350 was at a restau- had recently sworn off at flavorless, characteristics a tasty brown skin that degrees in a small, deep pan M rant. He didn’t suitable for . While the age 7 for ethical reasons. that will carry through holds onto sauce, and a know what tofu was, or Dad was a good cook, and to the finished product springy, moist interior. oil is heating, toss the tofu that it was coming. Having while bean curd was not his unless you take mea- Tofu is mostly water, and cubes and cornstarch in a never caught wind of tofu’s strong suit, he made a well- sures. Namely, put your when you freeze it that bowl until the tofu is coated. bad reputation among researched attempt. I viv- brick of firm tofu in the water expands, ruptur- Save the onions for later. non-Asians, he took a bite idly remember its chalky, freezer for a few days. ing channels through the of its sauce-drenched, flaccid, absent presence. That’s mostly it, actually. tofu as it tries to push its Deep-fry the cubes 2 to 4 min- crispy fried goodness with His intentions were pure, That, and some cornstarch way out. Those channels utes, depending on how dark an open mind. He chewed but dad could not have and sauce, and you’re set. will soon act as portals and crispy you want them. through its golden barrier devised a more effective It isn’t law that you put to allow in what we call Remove and allow to drain and into its moist, pil- way to change my mind golden cubes of crispy, “restaurant sauce.” You and cool in a colander or on lowy interior. Grunting his about vegetarianism. meaty, succulent tofu can guess the kinds of paper towels. approval, he kept eating. If dad had known then into every stir-fry. It is, restaurants we frequent That, ideally, is how you what I know now about however, something of a from its recipe below. Toss the onion sections in meet and greet tofu. freezing tofu, I might tradition for a reason. And I dust the saucy cubes the cornstarch, adding more Most tofu virgins know still be a vegetarian. But adding tofu doesn’t mean with cornstarch and if necessary, and then fry it’s out there. They’ve at least in my lifetime, I skipping meat, depend- deep-fry them into golden these onions in the hot oil. heard the stories of what have been able to finish ing on your inclinations. blocks of joy that explode They take a bit longer to cook this personality-free sub- what he started. I’m not Tofu is great with every with flavor when you because of all of the water. stance doesn’t taste like. referring to the fact that I type of animal protein, crunch through, like res- Don’t stir them. Let it fry into Unless their first bite is at have become one of those from chicken to eggs taurant tofu should. a 3D matrix. a restaurant, their fears are weirdos who likes raw, to bacon to seafood. For a fun side dish, likely confirmed. Statisti- unseasoned tofu, but the There is a lot going save the onions from the If serving your tofu with a cally speaking, non-Asians fact that I now know how on in a stir-fry, and it’s marinade, roll them in stir-fry, prepare the tofu first. do a poor job cooking to cook it like the pros. easy to overlook the tofu, extra cornstarch, and Don’t add to the stir-fry until tofu, my dad included. This time of year, with which would be a mistake. deep fry into a tasty serving time, or serve it on the He called tofu “bean so many new veggies in Just ask generations of side, snack or garnish. side, ready to mix in.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT FLEUR DE LOLLY

TIP OF THE WEEK before will help Techniques for better it cook more evenly. Philly in stuffed pepper form summer grilling 7. Undercook foods, just slightly: Food continues Summer is here and to cook after it leaves millions of Americans the grill. You can expect will be headed outside to food temperature to go fire up the grill to cook up about five degrees their favorite meats and after leaving the grill. vegetables.Whether 8. Rest all meat: Allow you’re pulling out your the meat to sit undis- LauraTolbert trusted grill or just get- turbed (and unsliced) for ting started grilling, here five to 15 minutes after are a few tips for sum- cooking to allow the ne of our favor- mer grilling, according juices to redistribute. ite sandwiches is to FoodNetwork.com. OPhilly , 9. Don’t over-char to 1. Start with a clean cook through meat with so why not combine all grill: Use a sturdy bones: If you have thicker those tasty flavors into metal brush to clean meats with bones, such a stuffed pepper? the grates in between as chicken thighs or If you’re watching Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers. [LAURA TOLBERT] uses. (This is easiest legs, cook them on high your carb count, this when the grill is hot.) heat to get a nice crust, version doesn’t include Lower heat to medium-low 2. Don’t move the food and then move to lower, rice in the filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook, occasionally stir- around: In general, the indirect heat on the grill. F. Spray a 9-by-13 baking dish ring, for about 10 minutes or fewer times you flip Philly Cheesesteak with nonstick spray. so, until onions and peppers something, the better DRINK Stuffed Peppers have softened. (once is ideal for most Daily sugary drinks linked Wash and slice bell peppers meats). If the meat is to cardiovascular disease • 4 yellow, red, or orange bell lengthwise and remove seeds Remove peppers from the stuck to the grill, let peppers and inner membranes. Place oven and cut each slice of it cook more — it will According to a recent • 2 tablespoons olive oil the bell peppers in the baking provolone into four pieces. unstick itself when it’s study by the Ameri- • 1 pound round , dish and add 1/4 cup water to Place two pieces into the ready for flipping. can Heart Association, sliced very thin against the the bottom of the baking dish. bottom of each pepper, then 3. Don’t squeeze or women who drink one grain Cover with foil and bake for divide beef equally into each flatten meats: Don’t or more sugary bever- • 2 teaspoons paprika 30 minutes. pepper. Top with an equal squish meat, because ages daily have a 20% • 1 tablespoon granulated amount of peppers and you will squeeze out the higher risk of having garlic While peppers are baking, onions. Top peppers with taste and moisture. cardiovascular disease. • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire prepare the filling. remaining cheese. Cover 4. Keep a spray bottle The study also found sauce baking dish with foil and handy for flare-ups: Have that daily consump- • 1/2 teaspoon salt Heat olive oil in a large skillet return to oven. a spray bottle filled tion of fruit drinks with • 1 teaspoon freshly ground over medium-high heat. Place with water to dampen added sugars was associ- black pepper meat in skillet along with Bake for an additional 20 flare-ups without ated with a 42% greater • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter paprika, garlic, Worcester- minutes. Remove from oven interfering with heat. likelihood of having • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire shire sauce, salt and pepper. and top with chopped parsley. 5. Buy a meat ther- cardiovascular disease. sauce Stirring frequently, cook until Serve immediately. mometer: Unless you • 1 large yellow onion, thinly meat has cooked through and are a very experienced FUN FACT sliced remove meat to a bowl and Laura Tolbert, also known cook, it is hard to tell Ice cream • 1 large green bell pepper, cover. Keep as much sauce in as Fleur de Lolly, shares meat’s temperature thinly sliced the skillet as possible. recipes, table decor ideas merely by touching it. In the state of Ken- • 1/2 teaspoon salt and advice on her blog, 6. Avoid putting cold tucky, it is illegal to • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground Add butter and 1 tablespoon fleurdelolly.blogspot. foods straight on the grill: hold an ice cream cone black pepper of Worcestershire to skillet com. You can contact her Letting meat come to in your back pocket. • 16 slices of provolone cheese along with the sauce from at facebook.com/fleurde. temperature on the • Chopped fresh parsley for cooking the meat. Add onions, lolly.5, on Instagram, and counter for 30 minutes More Content Now garnishing bell peppers, salt and pepper. at [email protected].