When I go to my favorite Thai restaurant, there are some classic salads, like Green Papaya Salad, or variations on Larb. But when I’m making a Thai-style meal at home, sometimes I want a salad with the sour-salty-sweet-hot flavors of Thai food but made from the seasonal produce from my garden and the Farmer’s Market. That’s when I make a salad like this, one, with roasted tofu strips, and easy lime and chili dressing, and the colorful veggies I have on hand. This Thai Tofu and Tomato Salad is sure to please as a light main, or a side to Summer Rolls, Stir Fry or a Rich Curry.
Bake, Don’t Fry
Tou don’t have to deep fry to make the tofu for your Thai Tofu salad.To make a block of tofu into a chewy, savory element in this salad, I simply drizzled it with a mixture of lime, tamari and brown sugar, then baked it on an oiled sheet pan. You don’t need the mess and hassle of deep frying, especially when you are serving the tofu cold. This way, there’s barely any oil in the dish, and the tofu is just as delicious as it would be after frying.
Fresh Lime Juice for a Bright, Spicy Dressing
Once your tofu is baked, you’ll just stir up a simple dressing of brown sugar, lime, tamari, Sriracha and grated ginger. When a dish is so simple, it relies of fresh, flavorful ingredients for success. Your salad will be so much better if you use freshly squeezed lime juice, and freshly grated ginger. Your Thai tofu salad is worth the time to prep fresh ingredients. Don’t even think about using something from a jar. It’s just not going to deliver the flavor punch you deserve!
How to Make Thai Tofu Tomato Salad
First, preheat the ove to 400 F, then wrap the tofu with a towel to remove excess water. Slice it into 1/2 inch wide slices, then cut those into strips. Put them in a bowl, and stir up the marinade of lime, tamari and brown sugar. Drizzle the marinade over the tofu, gently turn to coat, then put on the oiled sheet pan. Bake for 20, turn the tofu and bake for 10 minutes more. Let cool.
Grate the fresh ginger, squeeze the lime, and measure the tamari and Sriracha. Combine the dressing ingredients in a cup and stir with a fork.
Prep the vegetables, then arrange them in bowls or on salad plates, and arrange the tofu on top. Be as creative as you want to be. Sprinkle a few leaves of cilantro on top of the tofu. Drizzle with the dressing, and you are ready to serve.
Enjoy your taste of Thai, with a fresh, local salad.
Thai Tofu and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
Baked Tofu
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 1 pound extra firm tofu drained
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
Salad
- 1 romaine heart
- 1 purple daikon
- 1 cup yellow grape tomatoes halved
- 1 scallion slivered
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spread the oil on a sheet pan and reserve. Drain the tofu and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess water. Slice the tofu into strips and place in a large bowl.
- In a cup, mix the tamari, lime and brown sugar, and pour over the tofu, gently toss to coat. Transfer to the prepared pan and drizzle with any leftover marinade.Bake for 20 minutes, turn the pieces with a metal spatula, and bake for 10 minutes longer. Cool on a rack.
- Make dressing: Combine the brown sugar, lime, tamari, Sriracha and ginger, stir well, reserve.
- Make salads. Slice the lettuce, peel and chop the daikon, halve the tomatoes, chop scallions and tear the cilantro leaves. Arrange the salad in four bowls, then arrange the tofu over the salad and drizzle with dressing. Serve immediately.
