Tofu with Lime Coconut
We’re up to week #35 of profiling Gourmet Online’s “50 Women Game Changers.” This week Mary Berger at One Perfect Bite and other bloggers are profiling England’s culinary superstar Delia Smith.
If you were raised in England you would know this Game Changer. Her name is as well-known there as Martha Stewart’s is in the US. Her first big break came in 1969, when she landed a job the Daily Mirror as a recipe writer. In 1972 she started a food column for the Evening Standard where she worked for twelve years. She became famous when she hosted Family Ware, a television cooking show. Delia’s later television show, Delia’s How to Cook, was a big hit with the audience. She was so big herself that if she recommended a product people scrambled to the stores to buy it, creating instant shortages. Her influence was known as the “Delia effect.” Her last show in 2010 was Delia through the Decades, a five-week series. Over the span of her career she has sold over 21 million books. Now, that’s a fan base!
About the recipe:
The first time I made the dish following Delia’s recipe substituting tofu for the chicken, for a vegetarian meal. The end product was disappointing‑‑and no, it wasn’t due to the tofu. My feeling is that something was missing from the recipe because in her picture the sauce is slightly rosy, and when I prepared the dish according to the recipe it was white. The recipe also wasn’t specific as to the type of chile; I used a jalapeño pepper and it was not at all spicy in this dish. Perhaps the recipe would have turned out differently if it had been more specific. The second time making the dish, I used two Serrano chiles and 1 red Fresno chile, a mild chile, but it added some color. A touch more lime juice seemed like a good idea, and I garnished the dish with toasted cashews and chopped red bell pepper for more color and added flavor. Baking the tofu was a good idea too, because it holds up better than when you stir-fry it. The tofu with lime and coconut was interesting and flavorful the second time around, but by then it didn’t feel like Delia’s recipe anymore.
Servings: 5
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Minutes
Ingredients:
16 ounces firm tofu
Grated zest and juice of 1 large lime for the marinade
Juice of ½ lime for the sauce
7 ounces coconut milk
1-1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, or olive oil
1 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
4 heaped tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves
4 scallions, cut into 2 inch shreds, including the green part
1 small handful of cashews, lightly toasted (optional)
¼ cup red bell pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch strips
Procedure:
1) Cube the tofu into ¾ inch squares and marinade it for 10 minutes with the juice and zest of one lime.
2) Turn on the broiler to 500°
3) Line a baking sheet with tin foil. Spread 1 tablespoon of olive oil around on the baking sheet. Pat dry the tofu squares with a paper towel and then place them on the baking sheet. Broil the tofu until they turn light golden brown. Gently flip the tofu over and broil until the other side is golden brown.
Bake the tofu on a tin foil lined baking sheet
4) Mix together 2 teaspoons of lime juice (1/2 lime), the fish sauce, the coconut milk, and set the sauce aside.
5) Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and stir-fry for 1 minute, and add then add tofu and cook 1 more minute. Add the sauce and cook just until it is hot, and then add half of the green onions and half of the cilantro.
6) Plate up the tofu with the sauce, and garnish with the remaining green onions and cilantro.
Garnish with the toasted cashews and red bell pepper over the top of the dish.
Recommendation: Serve with brown rice pilaf.
Check out and see what these other great bloggers have cooked up.
Val – More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne – Eats Well With Others, Taryn – Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan – The Spice Garden, Heather - Girlichef, Miranda – Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette – Healthy Living, Mary – One Perfect Bite, Kathleen -Bake Away with Me Sue – The View from Great Island, Barbara – Movable Feasts, Kathleen – Gonna Want Seconds, Linda A - There and Back Again Nancy – Picadillo, Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica – My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Most Lovely Things , Claudia -Journey of an Italian Cook, Amrit Beetles Kitchen Escapades, Alyce – More Time at the Table
This recipe is also posted at Frugal Food Thursday and Full Plate Thursday
This certainly takes tofu up several notches!
bellini recently posted..A Game Changing Toad in the Hole with Roasted-Onion Gravy
Lovely photo. Funny how a whole jalapeno didn’t give it much zing. I pre-cook my tofu by “baking” it, weighted by a couple of plates, in the microwave for a few minutes. I then dry it with paper towels, cut it into pieces, and stir fry. Don’t know why, but the results are yummy. I think I’d try this with chicken maybe. Happy Friday from St. Paul!
Alyce recently posted..50 Women Game-Changers in Food – #35 – Delia Smith
I’m glad you were able to adapt it to something you like. It really does sound like it’d be delicious!
Heather @girlichef recently posted..50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #35 Delia Smith – Bean, Bacon, and Parsley Soup
This is a great honest review. I really resent it when a recipe clearly isn’t written as it was cooked for the photo. Thanks for the tip on baking the tofu, I actually just bought some and planned to make Thai fried rice with it.
Sue/the view from great island recently posted..Soupe Flamande with Creme Fraiche and Frizzled Brussels Sprouts: #35 on Gourmet’s List of the 50 Women Game Changers
I love Thai food – love how you made this a vegetarian meal and added some more spice.
Jeanette recently posted..Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe – Delia Smith – 50 Women Game Changers In Food
I love cooking with tofu and I always enjoy how people tweak recipes to suit themselves. This is bursting with Thai goodness. Although yes, always interesting when you see a photo and know there is a missing ingredient…
Claudia recently posted..Baked Polenta with Prosciutto and Fontina
I can see serving this dish over steaming hot brown jasmine rice or with a loaf of crusty bread.
Norma Chang recently posted “Hoisin Tofu with Nuts and 3 Peppers” http://gardentowok.com/
I’m sorry things didn’t turn out the way you’d expected. Some recipes just need a lot of specifications and I guess Delia skipped out on that, which is a shame. But, I’m glad you were able to tweak it to something you like, even if it wasn’t very Delia
Great tip on baking tofu, I never thought of that!
Amrita {Beetle’s Kitchen Escapades} recently posted..Farfalle with Wild Mushrooms and Crème Fraîche
I’m not much of a tofu eater and even though you had your problems with the recipe, the end product looks excellent.
Good write up on Delia!
It is a shame the recipe let you down. One of my pet peeves is a recipe where the photo bears no resemblance to the dish. It happens way to often. I really appreciate your tips about cooking with tofu. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Mary recently posted..Mardi Gras Hurricane Cocktail
I made fresh salsa yesterday and used a whole jalapeño – nothing! Too bad this one didn’t work better, kudos to you for trying again and adding cashews, those sound lovely with the combo of flavors.
Miranda recently posted..Soufflé Omelette with 3 Cheeses and Chives {50 Women in Food: #35 Delia Smith}
I love tofu…this dish sounds delicious to me. Sorry it wasn’t what it should have been. I never thought of roasting the tofu before adding it to a recipe…good to know.
Kathy recently posted..FFWD Mussels and Chorizo with or without Pasta
Hi Mireya,
Your post is very interesting and we would really enjoy your recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a fabulous week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Ive just been clicking around your blog for the 1st time and this ie the one I am going to try 1st. I will let you know how it goes but I am going shopping to pick up some of the needed things in 10 minutes!
Healthy recipes are in demand these days because more and more people are getting health consious these days. “;*:.
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