Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Wok Steamed Collards and Quinoa

So when I made this, it actually didn't smell very good. Usually you know something will taste good when it smells good, and when it smells bad, well that's not a good sign at all. When my husband came through the door, he secretly thought the same thing, "what on earth is she making?"

Well to both of our surprises, it tasted delicious! You can find the original recipe here over at the 'VeganYumYum' site (with more appetizing pictures demonstrating every step!)

We actually WILL make this again, and it's a great dish and very different from our usual.

Here we go: Serves 2-3

1 Block Tofu, extra firm, 14 oz

Sweet Chili Lime Sauce
3 Tbs Sugar
3 Tbs Reduced Sodium Tamari (or soy sauce)
1 3/4 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 Zest of the Lime
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes (or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, minced)
1 Clove Garlic, pressed, optional
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Mint Leaves, chiffonaded (optional, I didn't have these and it was still good)

Quinoa
3/4 Cup Quinoa, rubbed/rinsed in cool water, drained
1/2 Zest Lime
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/3 Cup Water

Wok Steamed Collards
1 Bunch Collard Greens, middle veins removed, washed
2-3 Tbs Water
1 Pinch Salt
1 tsp Lime Juice

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients for the quinoa in a pot that has a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then turn off heat. Do not open lid. Let steam for 10 minutes before serving.
2. Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt is dissolved.
3. Drain tofu and cut it into small squares or triangles.
4. Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. A 10″ skillet will fit all the tofu, so if you’re using a smaller skillet, you’ll need to do this in batches. In order to properly “dry fry” the tofu, you’ll need a pan the tofu won’t stick to even without any oil. 
5. Spread the tofu out in one layer in the pan. Using a spatula, press the tofu. The liquid will squeeze out and boil away, and the tofu will begin to turn golden. The more water that evaporates, the sturdier the tofu will be, so be gentle at first to prevent the tofu from breaking up. After several minutes, flip the tofu over and press the other side. After about 10 minutes of dry frying proceed to adding the sauce (step 7 is how to finish the tofu).
6. While dry frying the tofu, stack the collard leaves on top of each other, 3-4 at a time, and roll. Slice the roll in 3/4 inch segments. Run your knife through the chopped collards to make smaller pieces, then add them to a wok with the water, lime juice and salt. Cover with any lid that will contain the collards and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes until the collards are steamed and tender.
7. To finish the tofu, you want to heat the pan and the tofu over high heat, making sure the tofu is hot all the way through. Add the sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. If it isn’t bubbling up and forming a glaze, turn the heat back on high and cook until it glazes.

For plating, arrange the collards atop of a bed of quinoa. Add tofu over the top, drizzling any leftover sauce over the dish. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves.

Enjoy!

Cathy