This dish is an extravaganza.  It may have many parts to it, but the glazed tofu and delicious dressing can be made in advance, which cuts down on assembly time.  Each bite of this salad is a party in the mouth.  The crunchy bits satisfy my inner child while I’m getting all the nourishment I need from the vegetables and tofu protein.  Try it out on that someone you want to impress.

Glazed Tofu

  • 1 block of firm tofu
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot
  • 1/4 cup water

Crunchy

  • wonton skins wrappers
  • rice noodles
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Salad Dressing

  • 1/4 cup of soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons grated ginger
  • 1 stalk green onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Salad Fixings

  • 1/2 head of green leaf lettuce, sliced thin
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/4 head purple cabbage, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup edamame soybeans, cooked (optional)
  • 3 whole green leaf lettuce leaves for garnish
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 stalks green onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

First make the glaze for the tofu. In a saucepan, heat and bring to a simmer all the ingredients except the cornstarch and the water. In a separate bowl, mix the cornstarch in the water using a whisk until completely dissolved. When the glaze starts to simmer (you should see bubbles in the saucepan) slowly add the cornstarch and water mixture (also called a slurry), a little at a time, stirring all the while, until the glaze thickens.

Squeeze the tofu between two paper towels to remove as much water as possible. You can change the paper towels once they get saturated. Then slice the tofu into 1/2 inch thick slabs. Coat both sides of the tofu slabs with the glaze and bake on a cookie sheet at 350º for 25 minutes. Remove the tofu from the oven, and coat the top of the slices with the glaze once more. Return to the oven, and change the temperature to broil for about 5 to 10 more minutes, or to your desired darkness. Remember, once you put the oven to broil, check the tofu often! It can broil fast and burn your tofu if you don’t keep an eye on it!

In a wok or large skillet, heat the vegetable oil until very hot. Be sure to use a vegetable oil with a high heat point (not olive oil or sesame oil). First fry the rice noodles while the oil is still clean in order to preserve the white color of the noodles. They will puff up in seconds, then remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Slice the wonton wrappers in to 1/4 inch thick strips. An optional idea to create a festive garnish is to slice some of the wrappers into triangles. Fry the wonton skins until crispy, this will only take a minute. Drain on paper towels. You can fry both of these in advance and store them in a ziplock bag. They will stay crunchy for days!

Make the salad dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing well. In a large bowl, mix the lettuce greens, sprouts, and cabbage together and toss with the salad dressing. Crunch up some of the rice noodles and wonton strips with your hands and add them directly to the salad greens for extra texture.

To assemble the salad, line the serving bowl with the large green lettuce leafs. Place the sauced salad in the middle. Lay strips of the tofu over the top of the salad and garnish the edges with the fried strips and triangle wontons and puffed rice noodles. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro over the top.