| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Inactive: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 lemongrass stalks, outer layers peeled, bottom white part thinly sliced and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons chopped Thai bird chiles or another fresh chile
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chile flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces tofu, drained, patted dry and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 tablespoons chopped Roasted Peanuts, recipe follows
- 10 pepper leaves, shredded, or 2/3 cup loosely packed Asian basil leaves
- 1 cup raw, shelled peanuts, skin removed
Instructions
- Combine the lemongrass, soy sauce, chiles, chile flakes, turmeric, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the tofu cubes and turn to coat them evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat half of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. Add the onion, shallot and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions are soft, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
- Wipe the pan clean and heat the remaining oil over moderate heat. Add the tofu mixture and, using chopsticks or wooden spoons, turn so it cooks evenly, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture and cook, uncovered, for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add half the peanuts and all the pepper leaves.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with the remaining peanuts and serve immediately with steamed rice.
- Place the peanuts on a cookie tray and bake in a preheated 325 degree F oven until golden, about 20 minutes. Halfway into the baking, gently shake the tray so the peanuts roast evenly. (You can also roast the peanuts in a dry pan over low heat). Remove and set aside. Use the peanuts whole or coarsely chop them with a mortar and pestle, a food processor or a knife.
- Yield: 1 cup
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 444 |
| Total Fat | 36 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 20 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 470 mg |
Reviews
As I was prepping this, I thought “Whatever made me think that this sounded good!?” I cook SEAsian a lot, so the ingredients are totally familiar to me. But the result was NOT pleasant!
I liked the fragrance of this dish, but the combination of flavors were two sweet for me. I had to substitute basil for the pepper leaves — not sure if that made much of a difference… My fiance loved it though!
This recipe is a great one to try new things and experiment with. You can make it spicier and try with chicken etc. Takes some time to prep but worth it at the end.