Breaded Tofu: Tofu Parmesan Recipe

Tofu parmigiana is one of the many variations on meat dishes I make, so I'm able to share a similar meal with my husband Lulu, who is a vegetarian. The last time I prepared this dish was to celebrate our wedding anniversary with a romantic dinner. It was a perfect date-night menu: I had chicken and he had tofu.

For this version, I breaded firm tofu with Japanese bread crumbs (panko). First, I flavored the panko with dried oregano and garlic powder. Then, I pan-fried the panko-dredged tofu, layered it with a creamy tomato sauce and a few slices of fresh mozzarella cheese and topped it all with Parmesan cheese. The cheese finished melting in the oven, and with a garnish of sweet basil the dish was complete. I served it with a side of linguine pasta. I guarantee you this dish is as delicious as the meat version!

Muop Tau Hu Xao Recipe (Vietnamese Loofah and Tofu Stir-fry)

Mướp tàu hũ xào (loofah squash and tofu stir-fry) is a standard in Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine. Mướp (Vietnamese Loofah) is stir-fried along with tofu in black bean sauce and chili garlic sauce. The dish is seasoned with soy sauce and fried garlic. I also added straw mushrooms as a foil to the loofah. It's a very quick and easy dish I often make when I'm in a rush and I want a tasty, healthy meal.

Vietnamese loofah is a very common vegetable in Vietnam that is also used a lot in making canh ("soup" in Vietnamese) because of its natural sweetness and tender texture. You won't be disappointed by this, and if you like it, it’s easy to put together non-vegetarian versions.

Tofu Recipe Ideas (How To Prepare Tofu)

Whether you're trying to fit in your bikini for the remaining days of the summer, don't like the taste of meat (like my husband Lulu), you have moral concerns or just want to cut down your grocery bills, tofu might be the ingredient to turn to.

If you're a meat lover like me, you might have preconceived notions of what tofu tastes like. When I first met my husband, I was put off by tofu because I felt that it was boring and lacking taste. Well, after seven years of marriage, I can say that I was wrong! Tofu, or soybean curd, is pretty bland by itself, but picture it as a blank canvas upon which you can "paint" whatever flavors you'd like.

I've listed some recipes that have become my family's favorites. Boiled, pan-fried or sautéed, tofu can taste absolutely delicious, and almost any meat dish can be transformed into a flavorful, vegetarian meal. Enjoy!

Bottle Gourd Recipe with Tofu

Trái bàu translates to calabash, bottle gourd, long melon or opo squash. It's a very common vegetable used in Vietnamese cuisine. The shape is cylindrical and the color is light green. It's best harvested while still young. It can be boiled, stir-fried or added to soups. The texture is very similar to zucchini; the flesh is very soft, spongy and tastes mildly sweet.

Whenever I look at calabash, it makes me think of a very nice lady named Trần and her lovely family. Last year, I got to meet Trần through PhamFatale.com. She read my article about the dragon fruit that I bought at the market and she kindly offered to give me dragon fruit trees her mother grows as a hobby. Trần's mom has magical hands and is a very talented gardener. While visiting their garden in San Jose, I noticed beautiful, giant calabash growing on vines hung over a trellis. I took a few home with me and they were the some of the best I’ve ever had. I’m going to try and to grow some of my own this year, and I’ll let you know how it goes.

For this particular version I made a quick vegetable stir-fry, using miso and honey. In honor of the upcoming Asian New Year, I'm determined to eat vegetarian for a week and at the same time, shed a few pounds.  This recipe was a great way to kick off my challenge.

Kumquat Breaded Baked Tofu

Kumquat breaded baked tofu is the result of one of my various culinary experiments. I pan-fried pieces of tofu, covered them with a crust of bread and baked till golden. Tofu is a blank canvas that will absorb any flavor. By drizzling the puffed baked tofu with a ginger kumquat sauce, the complexity of the flavor matched the complexity of the texture of the dish.

After making my breaded version of Frenched rack of lamb, I thought it would be fun to make a vegetarian alternative. My little munchkin and I went to the garden and picked a basket full of mini kumquats, and it occurred to me that a kumquat persillade crust would go great with tofu.

Experiments don't always go the way you want them to, but judging by how quickly Lulu and the girls devoured the dish, I'd say it worked out all right. Give it a try, and don't be afraid to add your own twist!