Peanut tofu cabbage salad

Thin cabbage shreds and grated carrot give this peanut-dressed salad a firm base for golden tofu. The tofu is cooked first, then allowed to cool slightly while the dressing is mixed. Keeping those parts separate until serving makes the recipe useful for a lunch that still has some crunch.

Cut the vegetables for the way you eat

Remove any tough outer cabbage leaves and cut out the firm core before weighing the amount needed. Shred the leaves finely enough to lift with a fork alongside a tofu cube. Thick strips can be awkward to eat and need more chewing than the grated carrot beside them.

A box grater works for the carrot. Grate it into a bowl rather than directly onto the chopping board if you want to keep the small pieces together. Toss the vegetables thoroughly when dressing so the carrot is distributed through the cabbage rather than gathered at the bottom.

For a softer salad, squeeze or massage the undressed cabbage briefly with clean hands, as suggested in the cooking notes. Stop once the shreds are a little more flexible. There is no need to add unmeasured salt or more dressing to make this adjustment.

Give the tofu time to color

Pat the drained tofu dry before it meets the skillet. Spread the cubes out so several can sit flat against the pan, and turn them occasionally rather than stirring continuously. Their golden surfaces add a different texture from the raw vegetables.

Use firm tofu here. Very soft tofu can break during turning and is harder to lift onto the finished salad. Canada’s food guide includes tofu among plant protein foods; the specific protein amount still depends on the product you buy.

Whisk the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime, ginger and water in a bowl large enough for tossing. Stir separated peanut butter before measuring it, and keep whisking until there are no dense lumps waiting to coat one mouthful. The measured water lets the dressing reach the many thin vegetable surfaces.

Pack the dressing in its own container

For meal preparation, refrigerate the tofu, vegetables and dressing promptly in separate covered containers. Toss just before eating and follow the three-day limit in the card. A roomy lunch box is easier to mix than a tightly filled narrow jar.

The tofu can be eaten cold with the salad after proper chilling, or reheated thoroughly before being added. Warm only the tofu if you want the cabbage to stay crisp. If using the romaine variation, add that more delicate leaf just before eating. Gluten-free tamari can replace soy sauce, but check its label and remember that soy and peanut remain in the meal.