Peanut-Crusted Tofu and Crisp Slaw Corn Tacos

Amazing. I thought these would be good, but was pleasantly surprised to find that they exceeded all expectations. These fairly simple-sounding tacos came out tantalizingly delicious and kept us racing back for seconds and thirds. The peanut-crusted tofu came out crunchy and flavorful and the slaw added a delicious tangy and fresh burst.

Of course, I would be remiss without addressing the tortillas themselves. After receiving a tortilla press from my dad I made some homemade corn tortillas as part of this recipe. They were salt-free (!!!) which is nearly impossible to find in real-life yet chock full of flavor. They also had a wonderfully soft and pliable texture that is impossible to obtain with store-bought tortillas. They do take some extra time and effort, but are far simpler to make than one would expect and are fully worth it.

Difficulty: medium-hard
Time: 1 hr 15 min
Cost: $14.45



Corn Tortillas
Time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
2 c masa harina
1 1/3 c water

Mix the masa harina and water together in a bowl. Knead until fairly pliable. It should also be nearly smooth.

Form a large ball out of the dough, cover in saran wrap, and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Get a pan heating to medium high.

As the pan heats, put heavy duty saran wrap or wax paper on both sides of your tortilla press. Divide the large ball of dough into 20 balls. Take a single one and place in the middle of the covered tortilla press. Press down until it forms a tortilla - mine were fairly small (about 6" diameter.)

Place a pressed tortilla into the prepared pan. Cook for 45 seconds and then flip. Cook for another 45 seconds and then remove and place on a plate. Continue until all of the tortillas are cooked. Enjoy hot.

Servings: 5
Serving size: 4 tortillas
Nutrition: calories 160; carbs 34g; fat 2g; protein 3g; sodium 0mg; iron 6mg

Peanut-Crusted Tofu and Crisp Slaw Corn Tacos
Time: 50 min

Ingredients:
2 packages extra-firm tofu
3/4 c roasted peanuts, lightly salted
3/4 c panko
1 c low-fat coconut milk
2 eggs
1 c flour
4 c cabbage, sliced
3/4 c green onions, diced
1/2 tsp fake salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c lime juice
3 tbsp canola oil

Cut each tofu block into 4 slices (about 1/2" thick each.) Place several layers of paper towels on the counter. Lay the slices carefully on top and then put several more paper towels on top. Place a few heavy objects, such as a cutting board and a couple books, on top and let it press the tofu for 20-30 minutes.

As the tofu is pressing you can prepare everything else. Put the peanuts in a coffee grinder (or something similar) and pulse until finely ground. Put them in a bowl and add the panko. Stir well. In a separate dish combine the eggs, lightly beat them, and stir in the coconut milk. Put the flour in a third dish.

Next, you can prepare the slaw. Combine the cabbage, green onions, fake salt, black pepper, and lime juice in a large bowl. Toss to combine evenly. Drizzle 1 tbsp of canola oil over the top and toss again.

Finally, it's time to go back to the tofu. Take each slice of pressed tofu and slice it into 4 strips (1/2" thick.) Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 tbsp of oil, swirling to coat. Carefully take a strip and dredge one side in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip into the egg mixture, shake off excess, and then dredge in the peanut mixture. Shake off the excess but ensure that side is fairly well coated. Carefully place in the pan, peanut-side down. Continue until 1/4 of all the tofu is in the pan.

Cook for 2 minutes and then carefully turn. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, browning a bit on each side. Then remove from the pan and carefully set on a plate, keeping it covered to stay hot.

Repeat 3 more times with each 1/4 of the tofu.

Take your homemade tortillas and add some tofu and slaw - enjoy!

Servings: 5
Serving size: 4 tacos
Nutrition: calories 542; carbs 45g; fat 29g; protein 27g; sodium 126mg; iron 31mg