Can you believe that there are 18 top ranking ways to spell San Choi Bao so I have decided to use the very top one. This is Tofu San Choi Bao w/ Dipping Sauce.
This is a much loved dish for many people as it’s very mild in flavour so appeals to those who don’t go out of their way for asian food. It’s also a hit with kids as they get to play with their food… and who doesn’t love doing that?
For a strong flavour punch then make a dipping sauce, or three. One can be a blow-your-head-off chilli one, another can be a sweet chilli and other can be this soy, lime and ginger one.
If you have never had tofu this way then you are going to be in for such a surprise. It’s a game changer, really. If you are looking for tasty, meat-free alternatives then this is your saving grace as the tofu ‘mince’ can be used in replacement of meat mince in recipes that use it in loose form such as spaghetti bolognese or chilli con carne to name a couple. It’s has the same texture and soaks up all the flavours making tofu mince extraordinarily versatile.
The surprising trick to getting the texture right is freezing it. This process alters firm tofu slightly giving it a bounce or slight chewiness that so closely resembles meat mince. So do as I do now and always keep a slab of firm tofu in the freezer.
This starts the day before as you need to freeze the firm tofu and then defrost it.
Ingredients
500g firm tofu
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
knob ginger, about 20g, finely chopped
120g mushrooms, chopped
2 leaves of silverbeet, spine removed and finely chopped
1 carrot, julienne
aleppo pepper chilli flakes* (not necessary but a wonderful addition if you can source it – you will use it in so many dishes)
San Choi Bao Sauce
2 tbs mushroom sauce (oyster sauce’s vegetarian cousin)
1 tbs light soy sauce (in colour and flavour not calories)
1 tbs dark soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry
1/2 lime, juiced
2 tsp sugar
Final touches
1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Firm, crisp lettuce such as iceberg or baby cos (the cos being my preferred lettuce as it’s a very easy shape to work with)
Dipping sauce
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp white sugar
knob ginger, julienned
Red chilli to taste – either dried, fresh or from a jar
Spring onion, finely chopped
* Aleppo Pepper is a chilli flake from Turkey that has a sweet fruitiness with a salty tartness and a mild heat. It works in all sorts of recipes not just Mediterranean food. You will fall in love with this chilli and will no doubt use in place of other chilli flakes.
Method
Freeze the tofu and then defrost it the day you want to cook with it.
Once defrosted, place the tofu between a couple of pieces of paper towel and place weights on top to put gentle pressure on the tofu. Leave to drain for 20 minutes.
Break the tofu into smaller chunks and then blitz in a food processor till it resembles chicken mince then set aside.
Combine all the ingredients for the dipping sauce, taste and then adjust as needed. Place into separate little bowls, one for each person and then set aside.
Combine all ingredients for the San Choi Bao sauce and then set aside.
Heat some oil in a pan and cook the onion and celery for about 5 minutes or till softened.
Add the ginger, garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the carrot, mushrooms, silverbeet and aleppo pepper chilli flakes. Cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the sauce and stir to combine.
Add the coriander and stir to combine then top with the chopped peanuts
When you are ready to serve, place the filling into a large bowl, place the leaves of the lettuce into another and then enjoy.
Some delectable dishes…
- 500g firm tofu
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- knob ginger, about 20g, finely chopped
- 120g mushrooms, chopped
- 2 leaves of silverbeet, spine removed and finely chopped
- 1 carrot, julienne
- 2 tbs mushroom sauce (oyster sauce’s vegetarian cousin)
- 1 tbs light soy sauce (in colour and flavour not calories)
- 1 tbs dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp shao hsing wine or dry sherry
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¼ cup coriander, finely chopped
- ¼ cup crushed peanuts
- aleppo pepper chilli flakes* (not necessary but a wonderful addition if you can source it – you will use it in so many dishes)
- Firm, crisp lettuce such as iceberg or baby cos (the cos being my preferred lettuce as it’s a very easy shape to work with)
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp white sugar
- knob ginger, julienned
- Red chilli to taste – either dried, fresh or from a jar
- Spring onion, finely chopped
- Freeze the tofu and then defrost it the day you want to cook with it.
- Once defrosted, place the tofu between a couple of pieces of paper towel and place weights on top to put gentle pressure on the tofu. Leave to drain for 20 minutes.
- Break the tofu into smaller chunks and then blitz in a food processor till it resembles chicken mince then set aside.
- Combine all the ingredients for the dipping sauce, taste and then adjust as needed. Place into separate little bowls, one for each person and then set aside.
- Combine all ingredients for the San Choi Bao sauce and then set aside.
- Heat some oil in a pan and cook the onion and celery for about 5 minutes or till softened.
- Add the ginger, garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the carrot, mushrooms, silverbeet and cook for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add the coriander and stir to combine then top with the chopped peanuts
- When you are ready to serve, place the filling into a large bowl, place the leaves of the lettuce into another and then enjoy.