I had never tried pan frying tofu before. There was something about this moist, soft creature and a pot of oil that intimidated me. I also somehow felt that frying tofu entailed a lot of oil, something which in my mind defeated the purpose of eating tofu in the first place. I did, however, so love lightly fried tofu, braised or stir fried in a myriad assortment of sauces. I was finally emboldened by this post.

In this recipe, I did use a good hard anodized pan and used more that the tablespoon of oil, but not a whole lot more. I think the key to getting this right was actually the blotting of the tofu. The vegetables in this dish, pack a lot of good flavor from a light spark from the ginger and the woody softness of the mushrooms folded into the wilted spinach.

Prep Time: 45 minutes (mostly to let the tofu drain)

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the tofu

• 1 pound of extra firm tofu
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil
• For the base
• 3 plus 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 cup sliced white mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons white wine or water
• 2 cups of baby spinach leaves
• 2 fresh or 1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered or chopped into a large dice
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon agave
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Cut the tofu into 2 inch pieces, place on a plate and sprinkle with the salt and set aside to release water for about 20 minutes.
2. Blot the tofu gently but thoroughly to absorb as much water as you can.
3. Add the oil for frying on a large hard anodized skillet and heat for 1 and a half minutes on medium heat.
4. Carefully place the tofu in a single layer, the tofu starts heating up and makes spluttering sounds. Leave the tofu undisturbed for 5-6 minutes before turning. Carefully lift a piece to see that the tofu has formed a golden crust. Cook on the other side for another five minutes.
5. Remove the tofu and place on a plate, or add to the spinach mixture and toss.
6. While the tofu is cooking, add the 3 tablespoons of oil in a separate pan and heat for a minute of medium heat.
7. Add in the shallots and the cumin seeds and cook on medium heat until the shallots wilt and begin to turn golden.
8. Add in the ginger and sauté well.
9. Add in the mushrooms and stir well. Add in the two additional tablespoons of oil and the white wine or water and cook for 3-4 minutes.
10. Mix in the spinach leaves, the tomatoes and red chili powder and the agave.
11. Cook for 2 minutes, until the tomato begins releasing its moisture.
12. Stir in the salt if using and gently fold in the tofu and serve hot.