The Popular Kids Make Lettuce Wraps
"I concocted this handy appetizer by combining ideas from a couple different recipes. The end result was so terrific that my friends (vegetarians and non) were recommending my own dish to me, unbeknownst to them! The tofu soaks up the chili and lime flavors, the veggies stay crunchy and tangy, and the lettuce wraps hold everything in a convenient, portable little package! Chili paste is easily found at an Asian market and it's well worth the hunt. If you can't get your hands on any, substitute with red chili flakes."
- Ready In:
- 24hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
12
ingredients
- 453.59 g firm tofu
- 59.16 ml low sodium soy sauce
- 29.58 ml brown sugar
- 44.37 ml sherry wine
- 1 inch piece gingerroot, finely grated
- 1 lime, juice of, separated
- 2.46 ml chili paste, such as sambal oelek
- 4.92 ml vegetable oil
- 340.19 g broccoli coleslaw mix
- 4 green onions, sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 14.79 ml rice vinegar
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 head green leaf lettuce or 2 head romaine lettuce
directions
- Remove tofu from the package, draining any water, and press the tofu for about 20 minutes. I usually fold up three paper towels, place tofu on the towels, fold up three more paper towels, place them on top of the tofu, and put something flat and heavy on top. A partially-filled teapot on top of a frying pan works well for me.
- Discard the paper towels and cut the tofu into 24 little rectangles: cut the flat block in half shortways, cut each half shortways and longways, and slice each chunk into thin thirds. Whatever shape you like works, but it's good to maximize surface area.
- Mix all the ingredients from soy sauce to chili paste (and half the lime juice) in a watertight container or heavy-duty ziplock bag.
- Add the tofu chunks and marinate overnight.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Remove the tofu from the marinade and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Broil one side for about three minutes, flip and broil for another three minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok or to medium-high in a skillet.
- Add broccoli slaw and green onions. When warmed, after about a minute, add the rice vinegar. Cook, stirring, for about four minutes. Keep the veggies nice & crunchy.
- Remove the broccoli-onion mix and let cool slightly.
- Add cucumber, remainining lime juice, and tofu strips. Mix gently to keep the tofu intact.
- Serve veggie tofu mix in a large bowl with lettuce leaves in a separate bowl. Allow guests to spoon a little mix into their lettuce leaves to roll up right before eating. For many little appetizers I suggest tearing big lettuce leaves in half down the middle, or keep lettuce leaves whole for bigger portions.
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Reviews
-
This was killer! We added sliced baby corn and water chestnuts to the veggie mix, stir-frying them with the broccoli and green onion. I also reduced the remaining marinade (there was quite a bit - I don't think my tofu got squeezed enough) and served it on the side. Thanks! -
I really liked this, will add to my low carb salad collection! Used butter lettuce which I think is the caviar of lettuce and couldn't wait to marinate overnight, so 2 hours was all I gave it. There was plenty left over after the lettuce disappeared, and it was just right the next day cold! Tastes like a natural foods gourmet shop salad. -
I never used or ate tofu before but I saw it in the store like always and was feeling daring, so I picked it up. Then I saw that you had a recipe using tofu when I adopted you for PAC 07 so I had to try it. The directions on preparing the tofu were very easy to follow for a beginner like me who doesnt know where to start with it. I scaled this down easily and I used mroe chili paste than stated for the scaled down version since I like spicy food. With all of that said this turned out so tasty! I really think I am turned on to tofu now. I filled mine in a pita with lettuce to make it a more hearty lunch. I plan on making this again, but maybe turning it into a stir fry of some sort. Thanks for turning me onto a diffrent dish!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
this is me in my biking get-up. my husband and i go on monthly critical mass bike rides with a group of local folks to promote alternative forms of transportation.
i'm originally from the Midwest, but my husband & i moved down here to Miami, FL, where we are both in a PhD program in anthropology.
for fun i watch lots and lots of movies, read novels, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers, graphic novels, catalogs, pretty much anything i can get my hands on, especially cookbooks.
my pets are rita and nesta, nearly identical brother & sister littermates. they are the most co-dependent kitties i have ever known. very sweet, but a little too clingy sometimes.
my pet peeves are the phrases, "i don't like it" followed by, "i've never had it".
