Colorful tofu salad for potluck | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Colorful tofu salad for potluck | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Wednesday, January 31, 2007

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Colorful tofu salad for potluck

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Columnist

•	Going for the Gusto

DID YOU FORGET?

Although The Advertiser's 150th anniversary cookbook, "The Island Plate," is sold out for now, we've still got hundreds of books in our storeroom: books that people pre-ordered (and pre-paid) when sales began late last year.

If you're one of those who haven't come by to pick up your book, you can do so weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the first-floor information desk in the News Building, 605 Kapi'olani Blvd., corner of South and Kapi'olani.

My recent quest for Safeway-style salad dressing for tofu salad prompted reader Carol Takahashi to send her tofu salad recipe. "Everyone loves it when I use it for pot-luck," she said. She advises those who try it to be sure to cut the tofu into tiny squares, because it looks better and also absorbs more dressing. Firm tofu, well-drained, would be best for that purpose. After you wash the watercress, use a salad spinner to dry it, or roll into paper towels. She specifies that you layer this in a glass baking dish so you can see the contrasting colors.

TOFU SALAD

1 block tofu, cut into tiny squares

1 bunch watercress, cut into 2-inch pieces (discard hardest parts of stalks)

1 cup bean sprouts, blanched briefly in boiling water

1 small Maui onion, sliced very thin

2 medium tomatoes cut into small thin chunks

1 large can pink salmon, broken into small pieces

For the dressing:

1/2 cup low-sodium shoyu

1/2 cup low-fat vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

In a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish, arrange ingredients in order given above.

Combine dressing ingredients in a small pan, and cook briefly to combine. Reserve the dressing until just before serving, then pour over salad.

Tofu tip: And while we're on the subject of tofu, I am so excited about a tip I got from reader Margaret Sullivan. She got this idea from her girlfriend.

When you are putting tofu chunks in a stir-fry such as pork tofu, the cut pieces often disintegrate, even if you drain and press the tofu. This doesn't look very nice, and the texture isn't what you're looking for either. Margaret's girlfriend solves this problem by cutting the well-drained tofu into the desired-size cubes, placing them in a single layer on a microwave-safe dish and microwaving the tofu on high for 4 minutes. Remove from microwave, drain off water that's been expelled, and place on paper towels to absorb the last of the moisture. Can't wait to try this.

Now I'd like to ask for something for myself: I'm experimenting with teriyaki recipes — the dark, sweet kind made with very thin-sliced beef. Anybody got a killer recipe that will caramelize beautifully? And what's the best method? Pan-fry? Grill? Broil? Help, please.

Send recipes and queries to Wanda A. Adams, Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.

For more information about our 150th anniversary cookbook, call 535-8189 (message phone; your call will be returned). You can order the cookbook online.

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