There are many reasons to keep a block of silken tofu in your fridge at all times. Raw or steamed, whole or cubed, seasoned lightly or aggressively, silken tofu means dinner, fast.
I love when a recipe puts the wobbly texture of silken tofu front and center, like this one from Hetty McKinnon. She dresses the raw cubes with a spicy soy dressing, sesame seeds, scallions and herbs. And that’s it! The beauty of silken tofu is that you don’t need to do much to turn it into a delicious snack or meal.
But maybe you want to celebrate summer produce! Last Friday I made Hana Asbrink’s cold tofu salad with tomatoes and peaches (above). I ran out of peaches, so I doubled the tomatoes. The tofu soaked up the dressing like a sponge, and I sopped up the juices on the bottom of the platter with some bread and called it dinner. I doubled the tofu because I ❤️ tofu and can’t help but treat a single block as one serving.
And I am dying to make this noodle recipe, also from Hetty, which turns silken tofu into a creamy vegan sauce, punctuated with garlic and five-spice powder. Just try looking at the photo and not wanting to dive right into it!
And finally, the tofu wizard herself, Yewande Komolafe, has this brilliant recipe for a tomato-based Thai curry. You pour the hot broth over the raw silken tofu just to warm it through. I know it’s still hot out, but fall is around the corner.
Me, I could eat tofu all week. But here are a few other ideas to get you set up.
Monday
I am getting married this weekend. (Wedding planning: a process I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemies). That means I’m spending the week in semi-quarantine trying to learn a Sangeet dance while doing table assignments. I’m thinking simple is best for dinner. Maybe a tepary bean salad from the book “From I’Itoi’s Garden: Tohono O’odham Food Traditions” by the organization Tohono O’odham Community Action, which Kevin Noble Maillard adapted. It’s got beans, corn, bell peppers and a cumin-laced vinaigrette that I can repurpose for later in the week.
Tuesday
This herb-marinated swordfish employs one of my favorite techniques, which is to marinate after roasting. You often get more flavor that way!
Wednesday
I love pesto so much and will try any variation on the basic formula. This pumpkin seed pesto pasta by Genevieve Ko is no exception. For all the parents: This pesto has no nuts, so it’s great for school lunchboxes!
Thursday
This Sue Li sweet and sour eggplant tastes even better on Day Two. I skipped the garlic chips and added the thinly sliced cloves in with the eggplant at the beginning. It was still awesome!
I genuinely love to hear from you, so please message me on Instagram or Twitter at @priyakrishna if you liked this newsletter. Until then, I’ll be counting down the days until the Season 2 premiere of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” on September 21. The teaser trailer is everything.
Melissa will be back on Monday, and I’m off to get hitched! Until next time.
