Grapefruit, Fried Tofu and Shallot Salad

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

Total Time:
1 hrs
Yield:
4

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

  • 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce

  • 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped

  • 1 small shallot, coarsely chopped

  • 1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint

  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil

  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad

  • 2 small pink grapefruits

  • 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

  • 6 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-by-2-inch pieces

  • 1 cup cornstarch

  • 2 large shallots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

  • Salt

  • 1 large head of butter lettuce, cored and torn into bite-size pieces

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced lengthwise

  • 1 small carrot, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

  • 1/2 cup mint leaves

  • 1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped

Directions

  1. 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. 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.

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