My favourite way to fry chopped tofu is to pan-fry it and then drizzle the sauce. It’s easy, and the options for sauce are endless. These Hoisin Tofu Lettuce Cups were made with just a few ingredients.
You can also serve it as a bowl meal if you don’t like lettuce cups. It will still taste great and be a lot less fussy. 😉
FREEZING TOFU
You can also freeze your tofu and then thaw it before you start. When I return from the grocery store, I place the tofu in the freezer. The next day, I place the tofu back in the fridge to thaw. This makes it ready to use the next day or as soon as possible. What are the benefits of freezing tofu? The texture of the tofu is changed, making it firmer and less jelly-like. You can squeeze out the liquid with your hands rather than wait for the delicate tofu to press for 30 minutes. Give it a try. It does make a big difference!
MAKE YOUR HOISIN TOFU LETTUCE CUPS SPICY
As you know, I love spicy food. This recipe is not spicy, but you can easily make it spicy if you like to feel a bit of heat (or just for a little extra kick). You can drizzle sriracha on each cup or add a few red pepper flakes to the hoisin sauce. I prefer the sriracha.
HOISIN TOFU LETTUCE CUPS
These Hoisin Tofu Lettuce Cups are a quick and easy way to make a vegetarian meal for the week.
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Serving size: 2 cups per person
INGREDIENTS
- 14 oz. extra firm tofu ($1.79)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch ($0.08)
- 2 Tbsp of cooking oil ($0.08)
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce ($0.89)
- 2 green onions ($0.25)
- 1 carrot ($0.15)
- 1/4 cup peanuts ($0.12)
- 1 cup cooked rice ($0.25)
- 1 head lettuce* ($2.49)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the tofu in a container and set it aside. To help it settle, place a heavy object, such as a cast iron skillet. Press out any liquid. Allow the tofu to rest for 30 minutes. Use a paper towel to dry the tofu.
- Cut the tofu block into small, irregular shapes. Mix the chopped tofu with 1 Tbsp cornstarch in a bowl. Tofu and cornstarch should be mixed until well coated. Add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the mixture and fold it again.
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet (cast iron, Teflon or your choice). Once the oil is hot, add the cornstarch-coated tofu. Let the tofu cook until it is golden brown on the bottom. Stir and cook again until the bottom turns golden brown. Continue this process for about 10 minutes until the tofu becomes crispy around the edges.
- Stir the hoisin sauce into the fried tofu. Cut the carrot and the green onion into small pieces. Chop the peanuts into small pieces.
- To make the lettuce cups, place 1-2 tablespoons of cooked rice in each leaf. Next, add 1-2 Tbsp hoisin tofu. Finally, add sliced green onions, chopped carrots, and chopped peanuts. Enjoy!
NOTES
I used bibb lettuce, but you can use any other sturdy lettuce like Romaine or iceberg.
NUTRITION
Serving Size: 2 Cups Calories : 368.6 Kilocalories : 38.88 G Protein: 16.13 G Fat: 17.55g Sodium : 861.31mg Fiber: 5.08g
