Vietnamese Lemongrass Tofu

The best part of this plate of banchan (even though it's not Korean)

Now that Yi Shen is closed, I needed to learn to make lemongrass tofu. I chose to work from this recipe by the Viet Vegan because her picture looks exactly like the old Yi Shen tofu that I was craving. Note that my picture does NOT look that way, because I baked the tofu until crispy all around rather than frying the block and slicing it, but maybe I'll try that one day.

The only real change I made was that I skipped the onion/shallot, though that would be good next time. I also used coconut aminos because my only other soy sauce option at the moment is a gluten-free tamari that I don't love. It was really good with coconut aminos, so I'll have to see if Kikkoman can stand up to this deliciousness or if the coconut aminos are here to stay. And I worked from a tube of lemongrass paste because the lemongrass in my garden still looks sad, but fresh lemongrass is a goal for next time.

The Recipe (adapted from the Viet Vegan):

1 block tofu (sliced, pressed, tossed with avocado oil and salt, baked at 400 until crispy)

1 tb avocado oil

2 stalks lemongrass, chopped (or 1/2 tube lemongrass paste)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp gochugaru

2 tb soy sauce

Over medium heat, saute lemongrass, garlic, and gochugaru in avocado oil until the lemongrass looks melted
Add tofu and soy sauce. Stir for a few minutes, until the tofu has soaked in the seasonings.

The Verdict:

Overall grade: A+

Overall reason: Delicious and Yi Shen-like. I love the fibrousness of the lemongrass sticking to it.

Time to prepare: 10 minutes, plus baking the tofu

Husband quote: "The tofu is REALLY good." (Highest praise for tofu ever. He even took seconds.)

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