Asian-Inspired Salad
Sometimes a simple salad will suffice. And this one, with its crunchy vegetables, sweet, nutty dressing, and firm-textured tofu, is good any day of the week.
I usually make this salad within a day of visiting an Asian grocery store, where I can get perfectly fresh bean sprouts and marinated, pressed tofu, along with all the other ingredients if they are running low in my refrigerator, garden, or pantry. If you’re lucky, you may live near a well-stocked supermarket that can supply the provisions, but an Asian market is sure to have them all.
The three signature ingredients of this salad are the vegetables, selected for their crunchy texture; the marinated, pressed tofu, which is more firm than other varieties; and the dressing, sweet and with the nuttiness of toasted sesame oil.
While it’s a salad, and any kind of vegetables would work, I tend to veer away from lettuces, especially fragile, leafy ones. This salad calls for something sturdier. I always start with a thin bed of shredded cabbage, cut much as you would for coleslaw. A layer of fresh bean sprouts tops the cabbage. Snow peas (or sugar snap, if they’re in season), julienned or cut into bite-size pieces, are always for sale at Asian markets, and add sweetness and texture. The rest of the vegetables are up to personal taste, and what’s available in your refrigerator, garden, or farmer’s market. Thin slivers of cucumber or red pepper are nice, as is a sprinkling of grated carrot. It’s a great place to show off tie-dye pink watermelon radishes if you have them. If not, simple red radishes or thinly sliced daikon radish is good too. Tomato, when in season, is delicious on top. While I don’t always add them, fresh herbs would be an excellent addition; cilantro or Thai basil each would add their own distinct flavor.
As for tofu, I am generally not a huge fan. But the marinated, pressed tofu used in this recipe, sometimes called five spice tofu, is completely different than regular tofu. Available vacuum packed in the refrigerated section of Asian markets, it has been pressed so there is almost no moisture remaining. This gives it a very firm, almost meat-like texture, not what you expect from tofu. With only a light flavor from its marinade, and easily sliceable, it is a good source of protein that is goes well on top of this salad and turns it into a meal. I suppose it would be easy to make marinated, pressed tofu, but packaged, sitting in the refrigerator, is so much easier. It is perfect on top of this salad. I find it best to stock up whenever I am at an Asian market.
The dressing has only three ingredients (four if you want to get fancy) and literally takes a minute to make. Just add them to a bowl and whisk them together, and you have a dressing that perfectly complements this crunchy, healthy salad. The sushi vinegar is acidic enough and provides sweet notes to make it the star. A drop of soy sauce gives it the touch of salt and umami that it needs. And just a bit of toasted sesame oil adds an earthy nuttiness and mouth feel to round out the flavor. As only a small bit of oil is used, much less than a traditional dressing, this salad is extremely low fat. If you want to get fancy, some ginger, grated with a rasp-style grater would be a tasty addition.
To top it off, I sprinkle the plated salad with toasted black and white sesame seeds. While they only add modestly to the taste and texture of the salad, they add wonderful visual appeal, the black and white like keys on a piano or pieces on an Othello board.
On those days when you need a simple, healthy salad, this Asian-inspired one fits the bill. The ingredients are flexible, but it always tastes better if you have just visited an Asian grocery store.
Asian-Inspired Salad
serves 2, half hour
¼ head of a medium cabbage, shredded
⅓ lb. fresh bean sprouts
¼ lb. snow or sugar snap peas, julienned or cut into bite-size pieces
½ cucumber, cut in thin slivers
½ red pepper, cut in thin slivers
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 watermelon radish (or a few red radishes or a 2-inch piece of daikon), peeled and thinly sliced
1 red, ripe tomato, cut into wedges, or several cherry tomatoes
2 2-inch pieces of marinated, pressed tofu (or five spice tofu, available at Asian markets)
2 Tbsp. fresh herbs, such as cilantro or Thai basil, torn (optional)
1 tsp. toasted black sesame seeds
1 tsp. toasted white sesame seeds
For the dressing:
¼ cup sushi vinegar (also known as sushi seasoning)
½ tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
½ tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated using a rasp-style grater (optional)
- Cut all vegetables and assemble on individual plates.
- Slice tofu into ⅛ to ¼-inch thick wedges. Divide equally onto top of each salad.
- Sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using, and black and white sesame seeds.
- Make the dressing by whisking sushi vinegar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and ginger (if using) in a small bowl. Spoon over the top of each salad.
