Are you tired of greasy dishes every day? Then let’s get cooking right away with TasteVN to change things up with 2 salad dishes of fried tofu and a light, nutritious vegetable tofu salad!
1. Fried Tofu Salad
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Preparation
45 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients for Fried Tofu Salad Serves 3
White tofu 1 piece Pork floss 5 gr Lettuce 100 gr Cabbage 50 gr Carrot 30 gr Vietnamese mint 10 gr Roasted sesame 1 tablespoon Fried garlic a little Crunchy dry batter mix 1 packet Ketchup 1 tablespoon Chili sauce 1 tablespoon Mayonnaise 3 tablespoons Cooking oil 200 ml
How to choose fresh and delicious ingredients
How to choose good white tofu without gypsum
- Color: Good tofu will always have an off-white color. On the contrary, tofu containing gypsum is usually yellower; the more yellow it is, the more gypsum it contains. Therefore, you should avoid buying pieces of tofu that are yellow or yellowish.
- Touch: If the tofu feels soft and light when held, it should be purchased. Heavy, firm, slightly hard, and square pieces of tofu should not be bought.
- Smell: Pure tofu will have a pleasant aroma when sniffed, while tofu with gypsum will have a lime smell or may not have any smell at all.
- Taste: Good tofu will have the characteristic rich flavor of soybeans, while tofu containing a lot of gypsum will taste astringent.
How to choose fresh and delicious lettuce
- You should buy lettuce that has thick leaves, a large stem, a vibrant green color, feels firm when held, and has a milky layer on the outer leaves, as this indicates good quality lettuce.
- Do not buy lettuce with small holes made by snail bites, or where the stem has an unusual white color. This could mean that the lettuce has been cut for a long time, is wilted, or has had its wilted outer leaves removed.
How to choose fresh and delicious cabbage
- You should buy cabbage that is bright white-green or dark purple for purple cabbage, with crispy, fresh, and firm leaves.
- Choose cabbage heads that feel heavy, with tightly packed leaves.
- Good cabbage has a head that is not spread out, thick at the top, closed, and has a small core.
- Do not buy cabbage heads with yellow leaves, a rotten smell, or a cracked core.
- Avoid purchasing cabbage with a brown stem or brown spots on the skin. Cabbage that has been tossed around multiple times may be bruised.
How to make Fried Tofu Salad
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Prepare the ingredients
Wash the lettuce thoroughly and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Rinse the cabbage, shred it finely, and soak it in a bowl of ice water to keep it crisp and reduce its bitterness.
Peel the carrot, wash it, and cut it into long, thin strips. Wash the basil and chop it finely.
Rinse the tofu briefly in cold water to remove dirt, then cut it into long strips.
Tip: You can mix the carrot with a little sugar to maintain its crispness and reduce the bitterness of the vegetables.
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Fry the Tofu
Pour the dry coating flour onto a plate, then coat each piece of cut tofu evenly with the flour.
Heat oil in a pan, wait for the oil to heat up, then add the tofu to fry until golden and crispy over medium heat, then remove to a plate lined with absorbent paper.
Tips for crispy and delicious fried tofu:
- When frying tofu, preheat the pan first, then add the cooking oil, wait until the oil is bubbling before adding the tofu. Do not fry in oil that is too hot and smoking, as the tofu will burn quickly.
- The frying oil should cover about 1/3 or 1/2 of the tofu pieces, fry over medium heat.
- Do not let the tofu pieces stick together while frying, as they will be difficult to remove. Fry in a manageable quantity of tofu, not too many to avoid lowering the oil temperature and resulting in less crispy tofu.
- When frying, let one side of the tofu become fully golden before flipping to cook the other side; if flipped too early, the tofu may crumble.
- If the tofu sticks to the pan, turn off the heat, tilt the oil to one side, and wait for the pan to cool; the tofu will come off on its own.
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Mixing the salad dressing
Put 1 tablespoon of ketchup, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, and 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise into a bowl, and use a spoon to stir well until the ingredients are combined.
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Completing the dish
Add cabbage, carrots, lettuce, and fried tofu into a bowl. Then add shredded pork, fried garlic, roasted sesame, and mint leaves, and drizzle the mixed dressing on top. When eating, mix well and enjoy!
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Final Product
The fried tofu salad is extremely appealing. Fresh and crunchy vegetables combined with rich dressing and golden crispy fried tofu will surely be your favorite dish when you’re tired of greasy food!
2. Tofu Salad with Vegetables
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Preparation
40 minutes
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Difficulty Level
Easy
Ingredients for Tofu Salad with Vegetables Serves 3 people
Soft tofu 200 gr Mint leaves A little Carrot 40 gr Peas 30 gr Potato 40 gr Cherry tomatoes 20 gr Chicken egg 1 piece Mayonnaise 1 tablespoon Seasoning A little (salt/pepper)
How to choose fresh ingredients
How to choose fresh carrots
- You should choose carrots that are slender, of medium size, with the leaves still attached, and feel firm rather than soft. Avoid choosing roots that are bruised, have cracks, or are missing a piece.
- Choose carrots with intact, smooth skin that is not rough or has black spots.
- Choose carrots that have an even orange color; avoid those that are too dark, as they may have been chemically treated.
How to choose good potatoes
- You should choose yellow potatoes as they are tastier and more nutritious than white ones.
- Avoid choosing sprouted potatoes or those with green skins, as these contain harmful substances for health.
- Good potatoes are those that feel firm in hand, with smooth, unblemished skin, and no strange spots.
- Do not buy potatoes with deep dents or cuts, as these spoil quickly and cannot be stored for long.
How to choose fresh green peas
- Choose peas with shiny skins, and when you snap the stem, it should be crunchy. Avoid peas with rough skins as those may not have good seeds or may be shriveled.
- After purchasing, you should store the peas whole in a sealed bag in the refrigerator if not using immediately. When needed, just take them out to shell and prepare. With this storage method, you can keep peas for about 5 – 6 days.
How to choose fresh cherry tomatoes
- Choose ripe, rosy-red tomatoes with firm, plump skins and speckles visible through the skin.
- Avoid buying overly bright red tomatoes as they may have been artificially ripened with unsafe chemicals, and also avoid those that are bruised, mushy, or overly soft, as these may be spoiled tomatoes.
How to make Tofu Vegetable Salad
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Prepare the vegetables
Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes, then dice them. Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.
Wash the peas.
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Blanch the vegetables and boil the eggs
Put a pot of water on the stove, wait for it to boil, then add the potatoes, carrots, and peas to boil for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Then, take them out and place them in a bowl of ice water to keep the vegetables crunchy and enhance their color.
Next, put another pot of water on the stove, add 2 eggs, and boil for about 7 minutes until the eggs are cooked. Then, take them out and place them in a bowl of ice water, then peel the eggs.
After that, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, and use a knife to dice the egg whites.
Note: For this dish, you should boil the eggs thoroughly so that when mixing the salad, the egg whites do not break apart.
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Prepare the tofu
Gently rinse the soft tofu with cold water to avoid breaking it. Then use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces.
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Mix the dressing
In a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, the egg yolk, a little pepper, and a bit of salt, then use a spoon to mix well until the ingredients are blended into a smooth mixture.
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Mix the salad
Add the boiled vegetables along with tomatoes and egg whites into a bowl. Then drizzle the dressing over, using a spoon to mix well so that the vegetables are evenly coated with the dressing.
Place the cut tofu on a plate, then pour the vegetable mixture on top, garnishing with a bit of mint to finish.
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Final Product
Silken tofu salad with fresh, crispy vegetables is incredibly appealing. The vegetables are blanched just right, not too soft, combined with the sweet and sour, rich dressing and smooth silken tofu will surely satisfy your whole family!
See more
Change the flavor of your oily meals right away with 2 tofu salad recipes that TasteVN shares above, wish you success!
*Refer to images and recipes from 2 YouTube channels: Delicious Every Day and TasteShare