I really appreciate dishes that authentically represent their cultural heritage, and, as such, I am generally not a fan of fusion cuisine. However, I recognize that different cuisines have different strengths and limitations, and when paired appropriately, can lead to delicious results. Case and point: the Asian-inspired salad.
My first encounter with the Asian-inspired salad was the vegetarian Thai noodle salad at Milestone's, which featured salty feta cheese, creamy avocado, tropical papaya, meaty artichokes, sliced mushrooms, crunchy shredded carrots, greens, sesame noodles, and, of course, an Asian-inspired dressing.
I've made a home-made version of this salad using whole-wheat spaghetti, avocado, Romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, mango, shredded carrots, sliced bell peppers, shredded roasted chicken breast, and Renee's asian sesame vinaigrette. This one dish meal is especially refreshing on those hot summer nights when I'm craving something cool and refreshing.
Recently, I was inspired to make another Asian-inspired salad - grilled tofu and orzo salad. The inspiration for this salad was actually the house-made, Asian-inspired vinaigrette. I inherited the recipe for the vinaigrette from my colleague, who was initially introduced to it by a friend of her's. There's something so special about passing along recipes and sharing them among friends.
I normally use soft tofu in my cooking, especially in steamed or braised dishes, as I adore its smooth silky texture. However, this salad requires a tofu that can withstand more handling and tossing about. Extra-firm tofu is ideal for grilling, and adds heartiness and substance to the salad.
Tofu is a blank canvas for flavour and easily absorbs the flavours of a marinade or cooking liquid. To ensure that maximal flavour is incorporated into the tofu for this dish:
1) Marinate the tofu overnight, and pierce each piece of tofu to ensure that the marinade is absorbed throughout the tofu.
2) After grilling the tofu, cut it up and let it sit in the original marinade until the salad is ready to be assembled.
Aside from the tofu and orzo, I have made this salad with many different types of vegetables and fruit. The versatility of salads allows you to tailor the ingredients to your liking (or to whatever vegetables or fruit in the fridge that need to be used up!).
My first encounter with the Asian-inspired salad was the vegetarian Thai noodle salad at Milestone's, which featured salty feta cheese, creamy avocado, tropical papaya, meaty artichokes, sliced mushrooms, crunchy shredded carrots, greens, sesame noodles, and, of course, an Asian-inspired dressing.
I've made a home-made version of this salad using whole-wheat spaghetti, avocado, Romaine lettuce, mandarin oranges, mango, shredded carrots, sliced bell peppers, shredded roasted chicken breast, and Renee's asian sesame vinaigrette. This one dish meal is especially refreshing on those hot summer nights when I'm craving something cool and refreshing.
Recently, I was inspired to make another Asian-inspired salad - grilled tofu and orzo salad. The inspiration for this salad was actually the house-made, Asian-inspired vinaigrette. I inherited the recipe for the vinaigrette from my colleague, who was initially introduced to it by a friend of her's. There's something so special about passing along recipes and sharing them among friends.
I normally use soft tofu in my cooking, especially in steamed or braised dishes, as I adore its smooth silky texture. However, this salad requires a tofu that can withstand more handling and tossing about. Extra-firm tofu is ideal for grilling, and adds heartiness and substance to the salad.
Tofu is a blank canvas for flavour and easily absorbs the flavours of a marinade or cooking liquid. To ensure that maximal flavour is incorporated into the tofu for this dish:
1) Marinate the tofu overnight, and pierce each piece of tofu to ensure that the marinade is absorbed throughout the tofu.
2) After grilling the tofu, cut it up and let it sit in the original marinade until the salad is ready to be assembled.
Aside from the tofu and orzo, I have made this salad with many different types of vegetables and fruit. The versatility of salads allows you to tailor the ingredients to your liking (or to whatever vegetables or fruit in the fridge that need to be used up!).
Grilled Tofu and Orzo Salad
Ingredients (Serves 8)
2 packages extra-firm tofu
1/2 Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1-1/2 cups cooked orzo
Tofu Marinade
Tofu Marinade
Light soy sauce (生抽)
Dark soy sauce (老抽)
Sesame oil
Fish sauce
Sugar
Vinaigrette
Sugar
Vinaigrette
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sesame oil
3/4 cup canola oil
4 tbsp light soy sauce (生抽)
1) Cut tofu into thick strips. Pierce each strip with the tip of the knife.
2) Mix marinade ingredients together, and marinate tofu overnight in the refrigerator.
3) Grill the tofu strips for 1 minute, flip onto the non-grilled side, and grill for another minute.
4) Cut the tofu strips into cubes, and let it sit in the marinade until the salad is ready to be assembled.
5) Mix all salad ingredients in a big bowl, and pour as much vinaigrette as needed to dress the salad.
6) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
6) Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
No comments:
Post a Comment