Spicy Thai Salmon...or Chicken...or Tofu

I was online last week looking for Tofu recipes, which really isn’t my first choice for protein but the first choice for a client who was tired of chicken and hates fish. I'm always up for the challenge of making a Tofu meal something tasty so there I was perusing the Internet, trying to find something to inspire my pallet. I found several that looked good, but decided on one and modified from there.

Now I don’t really recommend Tofu if you are not vegetarian. The carbohydrate content usually throws it over in some recipes as far as nutrient ratios, making it a little tricky to get the full nutrients and calories in one meal. In addition it is higher in fat albeit a Mufa. If you're going to go a little high in fat, it's best that it's a Monounsaturated Fatty Acid as opposed to a Saturated Fatty Acid. 

So that said, when it was all said and done, it was quite delicious. The only thing that would make it taste better, in my opinion, was if I swapped out the Tofu for Salmon! I don’t get to cook it very often since I cook for people who just won’t eat salmon. My daughter loves it, but since she moved out, it’s a rare opportunity that I get to cook any kind of fish. However, an evening with the house to myself and casual dinner with a close friend awards me the opportunity to try this delicious recipe out using…

le saumon.
I can’t tell you how exciting this is for me.

So here’s the breakdown:

3.75oz. Salmon 150cal / 21g Protein / Ocarb / 7.5g Fat (omegas!)

4oz. Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast 124cal / 26g Protein / 0carb / 1.2g Fat

4.5 oz Firm Tofu 185cal / 20.3g Protein / 5.4g Carb / 11.3g Fat (Mufa)

2 Cups Garden Greens

The Sauce:

Mix in a bowl

1/4 cup Rice Vinegar

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tsp Rooster Chili Sauce (more if you really like heat)

1 or 2 Tsp Garlic Paste (you like garlic?)

2 Tbsp Honey or Stevia or Agave Necter

1/2 tsp Sesame Oil

1 Tbsp Dry Cooking Sherry

You’ll want to mix up a little more if you’re cooking more than 2 pieces. So the first step is to let it marinate a little in the sauce. I spoon a little over the fish. Cover it and put in the fridge. If you’re cooking chicken or Tofu, add some Chicken Broth along with the sauce for a delicious marinade that will keep it from drying out while cooking. Add enough to completely cover. 

Now, Mince 2 Tblsp Fresh Ginger, 6 cloves fresh garlic and chop the whites of about 4 scallions. Spray a pan with vegie oil pan spray, heat med-high. Put Ginger/Garlic/Scallions and add 2 Tblsp of Raw Blanched Slivered Almonds in pan and stir until tender. Remove from pan. Just a side note here: I use a cast iron pan for the fish. I can move it from the stove top to the oven and I only have to dirty the one pan. 

For the Fish:

Place fish in pan and pour the marinade over it. Spoon a little extra so that it’s sitting in juices.

Cook for 2 Minutes in the oven on a low broil

Remove from broiler, put the Ginger/Garlic/Scallions/Almonds over the top of the fish and spoon a little marinade over the mixture

Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. 

For Chicken or Tofu:

Put the marinated Chicken or tofu in a pan on med-high heat. Pour the liquid over it. Cover and cook until the liquid is almost gone and turn over. Depending on the thickness, it should take less that 20 minutes to cook. I fillet my chicken breasts so they’re thin. This makes them cook faster.

Once the Chicken or tofu is cooked through, add the Ginger/Garlic/Scallions/Almonds to the pan and pour a little more of the sauce over it. 

Cut up a bowl full of fresh greens. 

I use a bottled ginger thai vinaigrette dressing just a tablespoon, mixed with the sauce I made for the marinade and toss it in the greens so they’re nicely coated. 

Serve with the fish or chicken, or tofu. 

Bon Apetit!

Wine Tip: This is a great dinner to have on an evening you want to enjoy a glass or two of wine.