For my gluten free Salt and Pepper tofu recipe, I am using firm tofu as my main ingredient. Likewise, I season the tofu with Chinese five spice powder, paprika and corn starch mixture. Then I serve this salt and pepper tofu with pickled chillies and fragrant garlic oil. Besides, I serve this salt and pepper tofu together with balsamic vinegar for extra flavour. Moreover, this gluten free salt and pepper tofu recipe is also vegan, dairy free, egg free and nut free. As well as paleo and low carb.
Cantonese Salt and Pepper Dishes
Salt and pepper flavourings are an ingenious way in Cantonese cuisine to make a really humble and yet delicious dish. While retaining the freshness and taste of the meat, tofu or seafood used as ingredient. Besides, they use many variations of ingredients in preparing salt and pepper dishes. Namely, prawns, pork, chicken, quails, fish and tofu.
Check out my variations of gluten free salt and pepper dishes for prawns, pork and Chinese five spice fried prawns.
About Cantonese Cuisine
Cantonese cuisine, also known as Yue cuisine, originated from the Guangdong province in the Southeast region of China. Likewise, Cantonese cuisine is the most common style of Chinese cuisine chefs serve in Chinese restaurants all over the world. This is due to the fact that the majority of the early Chinese immigrants from China are mainly from Guangdong. Likewise, salt and pepper dishes, including salt and pepper tofu, are also a favourite entrée. And they often serve these dishes as finger food at special occasions or at parties.
Tofu Facts
Tofu or bean curd and its origin date back in China for more than 2000 years ago. Besides, they make tofu from soy beans by solidifying soy milk. Then compressing the soy bean curds into soft white portions. Besides, they use tofu regularly as a main ingredient in many Chinese and Asian cuisines. Moreover, the varieties of tofu available for sale are soft, silken, firm or extra firm. And the firm or extra firm tofu are perfect for salt and pepper tofu dishes.
In addition, tofu is highly versatile and they use it not only in many savoury dishes but desserts as well. Likewise, they make tofu from soy beans that are not only low price. But abundant but rich in protein as well. The longstanding popularly known benefit of tofu is that of being the “poor man’s protein”. However, many people are widely aware of the health benefits of tofu as a meat alternative. As a result, more people are treating tofu as a crucial source of lean protei. Making recipes like salt and pepper tofu popular, especially for vegetarians or vegans.
Nutritional Values and Health Benefits of Tofu
Tofu is naturally gluten free. It is not only high in protein and low in calories. But it is also an excellent source of calcium, manganese, copper, selenium and phosphorus. In addition, tofu is also a good source of iron, magnesium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B1 (Thiamine). Besides, tofu also contains isoflavones and has antioxidant properties.
On the whole, the health benefits of tofu may include:
- Decrease risks of cardiovascular diseases;
- Assist in lowering bad LDL cholesterols;
- Reduce risks of breast and prostate cancer;
- Lower risks of type 2 diabetes;
- Treat menopause symptoms;
- Prevent and treat obesity; and
- Avert incidents of age-related neurological disorders.
Salt and Pepper Tofu
Ingredients
- Rice bran oil for pan frying
- 750 g organic firm tofu cut into 1½ inch pieces
- Steamed basmati rice to serve
For The Flour Mixture:
- ⅔ cup corn starch
- 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1½ teaspoons salt
For the garlic oil:
- 3 tablespoons rice bran oil
- 5 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 spring onion (shallots) finely sliced
- Pinch salt
For the Pickled Chillies:
- 2 large fresh long red chillies thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 large fresh long green chillies thinly sliced crosswise
- ⅔ cup gluten free rice wine vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons stevia
For the Dipping Sauce:
- some balsamic vinegar optional
Instructions
For the pickled chillies:
- Mix and combine well all the ingredients for the pickled chillies in a small bowl. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Drain the pickled chillies before serving.
For the garlic oil:
- Heat up a small pot with the rice bran oil, pan fry the garlic on low heat until lightly golden, then add in the spring onion (shallots) and pinch of salt and briefly stir-fry for another 1 minute. Turn off the heat and set aside in a small bowl.
For cooking the tofu:
- Heat up a non-stick frying pan with ½ inch of rice bran oil.
- Coat each tofu piece with the flour mixture, shake off any excess flour, and pan-fry for 2 minutes on each side or until lightly golden brown on medium to low heat. Remove from pan drain on kitchen paper towel. Repeat the same process in 2 batches until all the tofu are cooked.
- To serve, drizzle the tofu pieces with the garlic oil and garnish with the drained pickled chillies prepared in step 1.
- Serve with steamed basmati rice.
This looks really tasty! I need to get back into eating tofu again as I really enjoy it, but not had it in so long.
I am also a tofu lover myself, love them in soups, stir-fry, steamed, fried for different Asian cuisines. Tofu is really so versatile to cook. ????
Yum, this looks lovely. I’ve only recently started to like tofu. It’s one of those things which is easy to ruin or get wrong I think but this looks really tasty!
There are many types of tofu available, if pan frying best to go for firm tofu so that they don’t fall apart. This recipe is full of flavour from spices used and the pickled chillies give an extra zing to the tofu. ☺