Mandarin Thai Tofu Satay (Stir-Fry) & Jasmine Rice


mandarin thai tofu satayI first tasted Mandarin Tofu Satay in a quaint walnut-creek Thai restaurant, and was immediately taken in by the taste. I'm not a fan of tofu, yet I was totally blown away by the Thai Tofu Satay, which was basically grilled tofu marinated in thai sauce then drizzled with a typical mandarin sauce made with red-curry paste, soy sauce, sesame and peanut sauce. And then recently, I saw a recipe for the classic Mandarin Tofu in Jeanne Lemlin's cookbook, and I knew it was time to take my Thai cooking to the next level! Sweet-n-sour, with a spicy red-pepper kick, I combined the satay with a stir-fry and served it over plain white jasmine rice. The result of this expriment was a beautiful and inviting platter with chunks of marinated, grilled and pan-fried tofu, emanating numerous flavors and aromas that are so typically native to Thai recipes!

I have made Thai Green Curry before, and it was time to try the Red-curry this time. I am going to list the basic recipes in another post, but for now, let's indulge in a fusion of flavors with the recipe below. Traditioinally, Satay is made by marinating the tofu, then grilling it on skewers and serving it with dipping sauce. But here, I've modified the recipe to stir-fry the Tofu rather than grill it, so it can be served over Rice. The addition of mandarin and wasabi is what sets this recipe apart, and is perfect for those who love spicy food! Off this goes to Kaykat, for her Think Spice-Think Wasabi event.

Ingredients
1 pound extra-firm tofu - cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bell pepper - cut into thin strips
1/2 onion - cut into strips
** cut veggies into cubes if you intend to grill using skewers
2 cup plain cooked jasmine rice
crushed peanuts or sesame seeds - for garnish

The Marinade
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp wasabi
2 tbsp sherry (optional, but recommended)
1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes (optional, this can get really spicy!)

Mandarin Sauce
2 tbsp coconut milk
3 tbsp peanut butter (or thick peanut sauce)
2 garlic cloves - minced
1 tsp red-curry paste
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 small mandarin - sliced, and skin removed
1 tbsp lime juice or vinegar

Method

Tofu Satay
Mix the ingredients for the marinade and set aside. Take the tofu cubes, pat them dry to remove water content, then toss them into the marinade and let it it in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.

Mix all the ingredients for the Mandarin Sauce and blend to a smooth paste in a food-processor. Make sure its smooth and there's no residue, especially of the mandarin skin. check for your taste, and add seasoning if necessary.

Now take about 4 tbsp oil in a pan, and shallow-fry the tofu pieces in it. keep turning around so that it does not burn, yet wait till it becomes hard on the edges and turns golden-brown in color.

In another wok, add 1 tbsp oil and saute the onions and bell-peppers till glossy and cooked. Add the prepared sauce to it, then toss in the stir-fried tofu. Mix everything well together till evenly coated. Adjust for taste, then remove from flame and set aside.

Grilling or Roasting the Tofu
If you are grilling the satay, thread the tofu, bell peppers and onions on the skewers. Meanwhile, prepare the grill or preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If you are roasting the tofu in the oven, place it in 1 layer in a large, shallow baking dish such as a 9 x 13-inch lasagna pan for 20-25 mins. Drizzle half of the sauce over tofu, and use the remaining sauce to serve with the Tofu Satay

When ready to serve, start with a layer of cooked rice, then top it with the Tofu Satay. Drizzle remaining sauce over the dish, then sprinkle some crushed peanuts or sesame seeds over it. Enjoy your delicious Thai Tofu Stir-Fry, complete with scintillating flavors of mandarin, wasabi and the ever-traditional soy and peanut sauce!

Related Recipes:
Tofu & Basil Thai Soup
Vegetarian Tom-Kha-Gai Soup
Sweet & Sour Potatoes with Mango


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41 comments :

amna said...

i am not a fan of the peanut sauce used in satays. but ur pic definitely makes it look yummy :)

Anonymous said...

that's a wonderful use of ingredients! and a great stir-fry recipe! I'll be trying this very soon.

-anita

Manggy said...

Yeah, I recall eating a tofu satay in the States, it was really delicious-- as is your dish! I've not combined mandarin and wasabi components with peanut sauce (all of which I love individually), it must have quite an interesting taste!

FH said...

I love Chicken Satay, love spicy sauce too. Looks wonderful, great lunch or dinner. Good one!:))

Anonymous said...

luckily I have tofu in the fridge. Thanks for sharing the recipe mansi

Sia said...

mansi, i can see that this is one winning dish... i have similar recipe bookmarked to try this weekend. i cant get enough of tofu :D

@the_whisk_affair said...

ooooh wow! it looks absolutely delicious mansi! that shine on the tofu is making me drool!! :-)

Rachel said...

This recipe sounds wonderful and we will be making it soon. Thank you for the deliciousness-to-be!

-Rachel

Unknown said...

looks yummy and delicious.... great click

Rachel said...

Am a fan of satays, the sauce but not tofu as yet....

Lovely presentation

Sailaja said...

I just love Stir Fry. Great recipe and lovely pictures

Anonymous said...

What a terrific and unusual mix of ingredients! Looks like a real winner!

Anonymous said...

I Love thai food and peanut butter/ sauce is my fav. Bokmarked it am gonna try this soon. Lovely recipe and perfect pic.

Sujatha said...

Fabulous recipe Mansi! I love the color.. and I'm a big fan of peanut sauce... Got to try this for sure..

Hetal said...

lovely recipe...Check out my blog for a sweet surprise..

KayKat said...

Wow wow wow! I'm so in love with this. Mandarin, tofu, peanuts, wasabi .... Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Mansi said...

I did not expect so many compliments for this dish, seriously! but after hearing the feedback from you all, and a wonderful reaction from my dear hubby, I'm flying in culinary heaven:)

thanks guys! you all rock, including me!!:)D

Shri said...

Never been a fan for Thai..But this one sounds good.Good try

Kalai said...

Never been a fan of tofu, but this looks really delicious, Mansi! I'm very tempted to try it out. :)

Anonymous said...

Yummy!!! I just love Thai food.Its a very easy and simple recipe anyone can try it.Thanks for sharing.I'm loving it!

Unknown said...

nice recipe with toufu!

Unknown said...

Looks delicious..nice entry

Cynthia said...

You make me want to try tofu.

Sum Raj said...

ur dish looks delicious...am drooling

notyet100 said...

hve tasted chicken satay...but tofu satay looks new,.

SMN said...

Manasi must be tasting good..never tried it

delhibelle said...

Now this is one sriously good way to make tofu!
Thanks so much for sharing:)

Chibog in Chief said...

all the good things of this world in a dish :-) this recipe just made my day!!

Nafisa said...

Came across your blog via TopOfBlogs. I'm very impressed. Love your pictures.

ST said...

looks yummy and delicious...Pics are drooling....

Mansi said...

thanks again for the generous enthusiasm! Dhangitt - I guess you owe me one now!

Nafisa - thanks gal! for the inspiring compliments!

Kana said...

Mansi"

That looks fabulous!!!

Anamika:The Sugarcrafter said...

catching up after a spell but love this thai preparation...must be very tasty..will try and see the reaction of my son and hubby !

KALVA said...

Woo looks temptinG!!

Vaidehi Bhave said...

wow.. Picture is so tempting..love it..

A_and_N said...

I love Thai and I LOVE Tofu, so this is a must try for me. Thanks for the recipe :)
A.

Lore said...

I love stir-fry, scrumptious!

Unknown said...

this looks like a lovely recipe. i've never tried to make thai at home but i guess will try now. is there any particular brand of red curry thats recommended?

Mansi said...

No Priya, as the amount used here is very slight, any brand is fine; however, I'm going to post recipes for red & green thai curry pastes pretty soon, so you can make it at home!:)

Neelakshi said...

Hi mansi it is looking delicious....i want to try it but do not know how to prepare red curry. so please if possible try to give me same..

Mansi said...

Hi Neelakshi!

thanks for your interest. Here is my post on how to make Red and Green Curry paste. hope this helps

http://funnfud.blogspot.com/2008/09/thai-basics-red-green-curry-paste.html

As for red curry, I am actually going to post a vegetarian recipe tomorrow, so come back and take a look:)