Lemongrass Tofu With Mushrooms

By á-170456

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 14 ounces firm tofu drained, and cut into 3/4" squares
• Salt to taste
• Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh lemongrass
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped seeded jalapeño chili - (heaping)
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut 3/4" pieces
• 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms stemmed, and thickly sliced
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce (nuoc mam) (available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Add enough vegetable oil to heavy medium saucepan to reach depth of 2 inches. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Deep-fry tofu squares in 2 batches until golden, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer tofu to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add minced lemongrass, minced garlic, and chopped jalapeño; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sliced onion, red bell pepper, and sliced shiitake mushrooms; sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add fish sauce and sugar; sauté 1 minute. Add fried tofu squares and sauté until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.

This recipe yields 2 main-course or 4 side-dish servings.