Grapefruit, Fried Tofu and Shallot Salad

• Recipe by Rachel Soszynski

Crispy tofu turns this veggie-loaded, Vietnamese-inspired salad into a satisfying main course.

Ingredients

DRESSING

1. 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2. 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
3. 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
4. 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped
5. 1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
6. 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
7. 1 tablespoon chopped mint
8. 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
9. 1/2 teaspoon sugar
10. 1/2 cup vegetable oil
11. Salt and freshly ground pepper

SALAD

1. 2 small pink grapefruits
2. 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
3. 6 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-by-2-inch pieces
4. 1 cup cornstarch
5. 2 large shallots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
6. Salt
7. 1 large head of butter lettuce, cored and torn into bite-size pieces
8. 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise
9. 1 small carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
10. 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
11. 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
12. 1/2 cup mint leaves
13. 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. Make the dressing: Combine all of the ingredients except the oil, salt and ground pepper in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. With the machine on, add the oil in a thin stream. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
2. Make the salad: Using a very sharp knife, peel the grapefruits, carefully removing all of the bitter white pith. Cut in between the membranes, releasing the grapefruit sections into a bowl.
3. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil to 360°. Gently pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Put the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Dredge the shallots in the cornstarch; transfer them to a sieve and shake off the excess cornstarch. Dredge the tofu pieces in the cornstarch. Working in 2 batches, fry the shallots until browned, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. In 3 batches, fry the tofu pieces until golden brown and puffed, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
4. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the grapefruit sections, bell pepper, carrot, red onion, cilantro, mint and peanuts. Toss with 1/2 cup of the dressing; add more dressing if desired. Arrange the fried tofu and shallots on top and serve right away.