Make vegetables the main character, starting with this colorful Hawaiian dish The combination of sugar snap peas and whipped tofu with a sizzling oil drizzle is a meatless stunner. Until fairly recently, vegetables were mostly an afterthought in both home and professional kitchens in the United States. The protein on the plate was typically the star — lavished with saucy, seasoned care — while a forgettable side of peas or asparagus was probably a simply steamed or boiled supporting player.
Now, with the popularity of farm-to-table seasonal eating and more awareness of health and sustainability, chefs routinely feature vegetables to show off their culinary chops. Treating vegetables with such attention and creativity is bound to make them more alluring and likely to be devoured, which is a good thing because eating more vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your well-being. Alana Kysar’s new cookbook, in which she explores the traditionally meat-centric Hawaiian flavors she grew up with in a vegetable-forward way.
She’s not advocating for vegetarianism; rather, she’s an omnivore who relishes vegetables. ” In this spectacular dish, sugar snap peas are served “Chinese-style” with a sizzling oil, a method, Kysar writes, that people in Hawaii usually think of as a way to prepare fish. They are then drizzled with the sizzling oil seasoned with ginger, scallion, cilantro and soy sauce.
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 garlic clove, peeled1/2 Hawaiian chile or bird’s eye chile, thinly sliced One piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks , divided1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped, dividedIn a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, lemon juice, miso, 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce and the garlic, and blend or process on high until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt, if desired. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, the sesame oil, sugar and chile, if using.
Add the sugar snap peas and sauté until they are crisp-tender and bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the whipped tofu onto a serving plate. Arrange the snap peas on top, and sprinkle them with half of the ginger, scallion and cilantro. Add the remaining ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t burn.
Add the remaining scallion and cilantro, and reduce the heat to medium. Carefully add the soy sauce mixture and cook for 30 seconds. Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free miso. Sesame allergy? Cilantro can swap out for parsley. Per serving : 262 calories, 19 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 17 g carbohydrates, 559 mg sodium, 0 mg cholesterol, 9 g protein, 4 g fiber, 6 g sugarKrieger is a registered dietitian nutritionist and cookbook author who hosts public television’s “Ellie’s Real Good Food.
