CRUNCHY VIETNAMESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH PAN-SEARED TOFU

Crunchy Vietnamese Cabbage Salad With Pan-Seared Tofu image

Cabbages are the quintessential storage vegetable. You can cut a cabbage in quarters or thirds and use one piece at a time. The other hunks will keep, wrapped well in the vegetable crisper, for at least two weeks, and potentially a lot longer if you mist them with water every once in a while. That means you can buy one large cabbage and use it several times for different recipes, experiencing the deceptively versatile vegetable many ways. Fried tofu turns this Vietnamese-inspired slaw into more of a meal.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories easy, quick, salads and dressings

Time 30m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into slabs, 3/4 inch thick
6 cups shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, grated
1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted, salted peanuts, plus more to serve
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more to serve

Steps:

To make vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, lime zest and juice, jalapeño and garlic. Whisk in 3 tablespoons peanut oil.
Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick. When it shimmers, add the tofu. Cook 3 minutes without moving, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Move the tofu to a cutting board, and brush both sides of each slice generously with this mixture. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces.
In a large bowl, toss together tofu, cabbage, carrot, peanuts, cilantro and vinaigrette. Garnish with more peanuts and cilantro.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 285, UnsaturatedFat 17 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 22 grams, Fiber 5 grams, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 1094 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams