Peanut Tofu Banh Mi
Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, these satisfying sandwiches are a crowd pleaser. Crunchy, creamy, fresh and flavourful!
Yield: 4 sandwiches
INGREDIENTS
For the tofu
1 block of firm tofu
¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
1 Tbsp cooking oil
3 to 5 Tbsp cornstarch
½ cup Nuts to You Peanut Butter (Smooth or Crunchy)
6 Tbsp hoisin sauce
Juice of 1 large lime
6 Tbsp water
1 tsp sriracha
Pinch each of black pepper, cardamom and cinnamon
For the pickled carrots
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
1 medium carrot, sliced into thin matchsticks
For the sandwiches
A regular sized baguette, cut into 4 subs
Garnishes, including cucumber slices, cilantro and sliced jalapeno
INSTRUCTIONS
To make pickled carrots, bring vinegar, water, salt and sugar to a simmer in a small pot. Add the carrots, submerging them in the liquid. Remove pot from heat and set aside to let the carrots pickle while you prepare the tofu.
Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Cut 1cm thick slabs across the short side of the tofu. You should get 12. Place in a shallow dish with 2 Tbsp of the soy sauce/tamari and the oil, and marinate for 5 minutes.
Drain the marinating tofu and place it on the baking tray. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp of cornstarch over the tofu and gently move the slabs around to get them coated. Add more cornstarch if needed, but avoid clumping.
Bake tofu for 10 minutes, then flip the pieces and bake for another 10. They should be totally crisp with browned edges when done.
In the meantime, add peanut butter, hoisin, lime juice, water, sriracha, spices and the remaining soy sauce/tamari to a bowl and whisk until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Prepare the garnishes.
Put baguette subs into the oven for the last 4 minutes of tofu baking to warm up.
To assemble sandwiches, cut the subs in half, add peanut sauce to the bottom and arrange the tofu over top. Then add pickled carrots and garnishes. Drizzle more peanut sauce on if desired. Leftover peanut sauce can be used on grain bowls or as a dip for crudités.
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