Vegan Bourbon Street Vanilla Tea Marinated Tofu

This beautiful salad was created on a bed of mixed-gaby greens and topped with shredded broccoli, cabbage, and carrot slaw. It is then topped with a sauteed marinated tofu.

How to make tofu taste good? We created a delicious sweet and savory-sweet marinade from one of our rooibos tea varieties, the Bourbon Street Vanilla Rooibos.

To keep the salad simple and yet full flavor, we used the leftover reduced marinade as our dressing and then topped the salad with a slight drizzle of Chipotle Olive Oil, some crunchy noodles, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Tea is Not Just for Sipping

Traditionally, the Japanese have been using tea leaves for cooking for centuries. Most commonly, tea is used as a poaching liquid in which foods are cooked in low boiling tea water instead of broth, but teas are also widely used as infusions or marinades in Japanese cooking and other Asian countries. It is when we start to take a look at these global cuisines with tea steeped heritage that our perception of the versatility of the tea in our pantry changed forever.

Simplicity is Key to This Tofu

Tofu recipes are easy to come by and can seem complicated. However, keeping tofu recipes healthy and still delicious is easy to do!

To make this marinated tofu requires simple steps and few ingredients, most of which you will find already in your pantry or that can be substituted for whatever you have on hand. It’s our MO to make tofu recipes easy and enjoyable.

Is Pressing Tofu a Pressing Matter?

We consider pressing the tofu in this recipe essential. Pressing tofu will help the tofu keep its shape while cooking in a skillet.

What are Liquid Aminos?

Liquid aminos are a soy-based sauce made by breaking down soybeans to release their amino acids, making them digestible. Amino acids are our body’s military. They help fight off cancer-causing free radicals and keep our skin and cells healthy.

Both pressing and marinating your tofu can be done the evening before you plan to make your salad or even during other kitchen tasks. However, you don’t want to store your tofu in the marinade overnight as it might become too soft. This tofu is great for making in bulk and stashing in the freezer until needed.

Always choose the most accessible ingredients, but you will want to choose firm or extra firm tofu for this particular recipe.

The Marinated Tofu Salad Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Yields: 1 serving

Course: Entree or split in two servings for side

Ingredients

½ block of firm or extra firm tofu
1.5 tablespoons of Bourbon Street Vanilla Rooibos
1.5 cups of baby spring mix
2 green onions washed and diced
¼ cup crispy low mein noodles
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of Braggs Liquid Amino Acid
1 teaspoon or less of Chipotle Olive Oil for drizzling

Tools

Two plates
Two clean, dry dish towels
A sharp knife
A frying pan or skillet

Directions

Measure out 1.5 tablespoons of the Bourbon Street Vanilla Tea and add it to a glass or bowl. Boil 6 ounces of water and cover dried tea leaves with hot water. Allow to steep for 5 minutes, strain the leaves, and place the bowl of concentrated tea into the fridge to cool.
While the tea is steeping, drain the excess water from your tofu.
This step is optional but will make for the very best tofu. You will want to press your tofu to remove excess moisture. This will allow it to absorb the marinade and be more flavorful.
Wrap your tofu in a paper towel. Place your tofu on a plate on top of a folded, clean, dry dish towel. Place a second dish towel on top of the tofu and then top with a plate. Place a good-sized book on top of the plate for some added weight. Allow your tofu to press for 30 minutes.
Once your tofu has been pressed for about 30 minutes, remove it from its weight and, using a sharp knife, slice your tofu into similar-sized cubes or strips.
Place your tofu into the cooled, concentrated tea to marinate for another 30 minutes in the fridge. While your tofu is marinating, go ahead and measure out your Liquid Aminos, brown sugar, and chop your green onions.
Once your tofu has marinated for 30 minutes. Pour the marinade off the tofu and into a frying pan. Add in your Liquid Aminos and brown sugar. On medium heat, stir until sugar has dissolved into the liquid.
Now add your tofu to your skillet to cook. Make sure to flip the tofu over onto each side. We like to use our chopsticks to flip to help keep the tofu intact.
Once the tofu is cooked through and you begin to see the sugar caramelize on the sides of the cubes, it is time to build our salad.
In a bowl or bento box, layer your lettuce and your toppings. We added green onions, dry broccoli and cabbage slaw, and crunchy chow mein noodles, but you can add portobello mushrooms, sliced carrots, sliced shallot, or kimchi.
Add your tofu to the top of your salad. Drizzle with a bit of extra Liquid Aminos, some Chipotle Olive Oil, and a generous sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

This salad is perfect for packing up for lunch. You can leave the oil and Liquid Aminos off the salad till you arrive at your destination to keep anything from getting soft or soggy.

The tofu in this salad makes a significant impact in each little bite. It is the ultimate sweet and savory. The Liquid Aminos help reinforce the deep notes of bourbon in the tea, while the vanilla helps lighten it up and round out the sweetness.

Quality Ingredients Create Quality Recipes

At Estero Bay Olive Oil and Tea, we only import the highest quality, and we pass that quality onto you, our beloved customers. Each week we explore more ways to take our extensive selection of olive oils and teas to the next level in the home kitchen.

We work diligently to bring you new and exciting flavors and experiences with our products and share our knowledge and creativity with you through delectable recipes you can make at home.

Sources

https://www.japan-experience.com/to-know/chopsticks-at-the-ready/cooking-with-tea

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-press-tofu

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/liquid-aminos-benefits