Meatless Monday recipe of the week: Green tea and tamarind-marinated tofu with vegetables

Posted by Sarah Henning October 22, 2012 at 6:45 a.m.

Meatless Monday recipe of the week: Green tea and tamarind-marinated tofu with vegetables

If you've ever gotten naan at an Indian restaurant, you probably know the wonder that is tangy, fragrant tamarind sauce. It's a fruity, delicious, dippable concoction that is often served with naan, the flat bread cooked on the walls of a tandoori oven.

Still not familiar? Trust us, it's worth a try, especially when paired with something neutral that sops up the flavor. Usually that bland item is naan, but in this Meatless Monday dish, tofu's blandness adopts the tamarind flavor for an out-of-sight pan-Asian stir-fry.

Now, for the full effect, you'll need to marinate the tofu overnight in the tamarind concoction created below. That said, if you want to enjoy this dish tonight (it is Monday, after all) go ahead and let it marinate as long as you can — whether than means setting it up over your lunch break or right when you get home. The longer the flavor is allowed to soak into the tofu, the more pungent it will be. Therefore, it might be worth it to go through our Meatless Monday archives for tonight's dinner and then have this baby tomorrow night (setting up your marinade before heading to work in the morning).

Green Tea and Tamarind-Marinated Tofu with Vegetables

2 tablespoons prepared tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger

1 tablespoon jasmine green tea leaves

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, drained and patted dry, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil

Tamari, to taste

2 packed cups broccoli florets

1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1/2 large red onion, sliced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Put tamarind sauce, ginger, tea leaves, rice vinegar and garlic into a container with a tight fitting lid. Add tofu and toss well. Refrigerate, shaking the container occasionally to distribute the marinade, for 12 hours or overnight.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Drain tofu and reserve marinade. Add tofu and tamari and cook, stirring almost constantly, until tofu is very hot throughout, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet. Add broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, onions, tamari and remaining marinade. Cook, stirring frequently, until broccoli is crisp-tender and pan juices have evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Return tofu to skillet and toss gently to combine. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

— Recipe from www.wholefoodsmarket.com