Tofu Triangles with Brown Rice Noodles

This recipe came about from what I had on hand in the pantry and what was ready to pick from the garden. It all came together beautifully with the bitterness of the collards providing a nice balance to the slightly sweetened savory sauce.

This was a big hit with my husband, and it will definitely be in our rotation of favorites.

 Tofu Triangles with Brown Rice Noodles

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu

8 oz brown rice noodles (I like these ones from Thai Kitchen)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 small bunch of collard greens

2 tbsp agave nectar
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sherry
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch

2 scallions, sliced
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Directions:

Drain the tofu and press it between two plates with a can (ex: soup, beans, etc.) balanced on top to squeeze some moisture out. Leave it for about 15-20 minutes. You can gather your other ingredients and prep them while you wait for the tofu to drain.

Drain off the excess moisture from the tofu. Put it on a cutting board and cut an X in the tofu by cutting diagonally from corner to corner. Then cut each of the four triangles formed by the X in half. Now turn the triangles on their side and slice them into four pieces each.

Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Place the triangles flat in the pan and let them cook for 7-10 minutes. Leave the slices alone and don't mess with them too much because tofu is delicate and you don't want to break the little triangles.

Start the water for the noodles and prepare them according to package directions. Drain the noodles and reserve.

When the tofu slices are golden brown on the first side, flip them over and leave them for another 7-10 minutes.

Wash and slice the collard leaves into thin ribbons. I like to cut alongside the tough stem and cut the leaves in half lengthwise, and then slice them into thin strips (you can reserve the stems to use in vegetable stock). Put the collard ribbons over the tofu in the frying pan.

Now make the sauce. Put the agave, soy sauce, sherry, water, and cornstarch in a small measuring cup and mix well. Be sure to break up the clumps of corn starch. When the collard ribbons have wilted a bit, pour the sauce over the top of the tofu and collards. The sauce will thicken up fairly quickly, and when it does it is ready to serve.

Chop the scallions and serve the tofu, collards and sauce over the noodles with the scallions and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Makes 4 servings. Nutritional information from caloriecount.about.com.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 292 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 277 Calories from Fat 71

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 7.9g 12%

Saturated Fat 1.4g 7%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 716mg 30%

Potassium 209mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 40.8g 14%

Dietary Fiber 3.1g 12%

Sugars 7.1g

Protein 10.6g

Vitamin A 16% • Vitamin C 14% Calcium 24% • Iron 12%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet