‘‘The tofu (which I wanted to not seem like tofu by the end) gets the proper royal treatment here - firstly marinated in all the delicious aromatics to infuse it deeply, then baked to add texture and ‘chew’, and finally grilled for that traditional smoky dimension, before being slathered in a rich, creamy peanut satay sauce (which you’ve balanced to perfection with hot, salt, sweet and sour flavours). Phew!
‘‘It sounds like a lot but I promise you it’s not, rather just a series of steps you can plan out in advance and cook when you’re ready to eat.
‘‘Serve with an Asian slaw, chopped cucumber or a green salad.’’
THE BOOK
Extracted from Tasty by Chelsea Winter. Photography © Tamara West. RRP $55. Published by Allen & Unwin NZ.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Thai peanut satay skewer
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 15 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 x 300g blocks firm tofu
Peanut oil or other neutral oil, for brushing
Marinade
3 Tbsp peanut oil or other neutral oil
1 heaped Tbsp mild Thai red curry paste
2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 Tbsp lemongrass paste or minced fresh lemongrass (optional)
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp salt
1 tsp fine black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
Satay sauce
400g can full-fat coconut cream
¾ cup crunchy or smooth peanut butter
¼ cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
2 Tbsp mild Thai red curry paste
1½ Tbsp lemon or lime juice, plus extra for serving
1 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp salt
To serve
Cooked brown or white rice
Chopped fresh coriander
½ cup chopped roasted peanuts (optional)
Lime juice
Method
Cut the tofu into 2cm cubes and press gently in a clean, dry tea towel to absorb the excess moisture, taking care not to break up the cubes.
To make the marinade, combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add the tofu and very gently toss to combine, taking care not to break up the cubes - I use my fingers for this.
At this point you can cover and refrigerate it for 24 hours until needed if you like.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180°C regular bake and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Put about 15 wooden skewers in water to soak (the thick ones work best).
Arrange the tofu on the prepared baking tray, scrape any remaining marinade over the top and bake for 30 minutes.
While the tofu is baking, make the satay sauce by placing all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over a medium-low heat and simmering for about 5 minutes until thickened.
Reheat it when you’re ready to serve - it may need thinning with water to a pouring sauce consistency.
Adjust with extra soy sauce, sugar, pepper and lemon or lime juice (you probably won’t need more salt) until the balance of salt, sweet, hot and sour is to your liking.
Once the baked tofu pieces have cooled enough to handle, thread them on to the soaked skewers.
Preheat a barbecue hotplate or grill to a medium-low heat.
Brush the tofu skewers and the hotplate or grill with a little oil.
Barbecue the skewers for 5-10 minutes, turning to grill evenly.
Serve on a bed of rice, topped with plenty of satay sauce and a sprinkling of coriander and peanuts (if using).
Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Tips and swaps
• If you can only find regular tofu, just fry the cubes without the skewers as they may break apart.
• Add a finely chopped makrut (kaffir) lime leaf or the zest of a lime to the marinade if you have it.
• Tamari is a good substitute for soy sauce if you can’t eat gluten.
• If you don’t have a barbecue handy, heat a little oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, add the tofu skewers (you may need to do them in batches) and cook until nicely golden brown on all sides.
You can also grill them under a medium grill (don’t take your eyes off them!), or if you have a gas hob you can swish them in and out of the flames to add a little charcoal flavour.
• If you use chicken instead of tofu, skip the baking step.
