This dish is something I’ve been making often for lunch and dinner recently. It’s tasty, nutritious, and fairly easy to make. It also doesn’t require many ingredients, and it doesn’t really matter if you use the exact same ingredients I did; it’s basically up to you. Tofu, onions, and red chili oil are what define this recipe, but beyond that, I think it’s fine to use whatever you have on hand. I’ve been making my salad with mixed greens, tomato, and guacamole because that’s what I have plenty of at the moment, but virtually any combination of veggies would certainly work. Let us know what you think in the comments, and enjoy!
Tofu and red onions caramelized in chili oil, spread over a bed of fresh greens and diced tomato.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cubed tofu, pressed
- 1/2 cup red onion, chopped or thinnly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, diced
- Chili powder
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Vinegar
- Lemon juice
Instructions
- Fill the bottom of a sauce pan with roughly 1/2" of water and a tsp of vinegar. Bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp of chili powder, then stir and simmer until the liquid turns a deep red color.
- Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and continue stirring and simmering until the chili infuses the oil and most of the water evaporates.
- Add red onions and stir.
- Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of chili powder and a dash of cinnamon over tofu and toss until every piece has a light coating.
- Add tofu to the pan and saute with the onions until the onions caramelize and the tofu starts to brown around the edges. Add garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, then stir for a couple more minutes until the garlic is browned but not burnt.
- Spoon the tofu, onions, and fried garlic over a bed of mixed greens and diced tomato, or mixed veggies of your choice. Top with fresh guacamole.
Notes
The finer you chop or slice your onions, the faster they will caramelize. Keep this in mind because the tofu takes at least several minutes to brown. I find a medium chop works best for getting the onions and tofu to cook in roughly the same amount of time. Similarly, the smaller you chop your tofu, the faster it will cook. If you want extra crispy bits of tofu, cut the pieces into tiny cubes.
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