May 29, 2009

Gabe's Spicy Tofu with Lemongrass Stir-Fry

Hodo's own Gabe Schreiber submits his favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
Stir-fry
    * 8 oz firm tofu, diced (or 1 lb precooked medium shrimp)
    * 2 stalks lemongrass (outer leaves removed), trimmed and minced
    * 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
    * 1 tsp Vietnamese chile paste (or Tabasco)
    * 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
    * 1 tbsp rice wine (found in Asian section of grocery store)
    * 1/2 cup canned lowfat coconut milk
    * 1/4 cup vegetable broth
    * 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
    * 1 tsp dark sesame oil
    * 1 tsp canola oil
    * 4 medium carrots, cut into thin strips
    * 8 medium shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
    * 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
    * 1/2 cup diagonally sliced green onions


Rice:
    * 1 cup long-grain brown rice
    * 2 cups vegetable broth or water
    * 1 bay leaf

Preparation:
Combine tofu, lemongrass, ginger, chile paste, lime juice, and rice wine in a small bowl and toss. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Mix coconut milk, broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl; set aside. Coat a large sauté pan with canola oil and set over medium-high heat. Add tofu and sauté, stirring, for 2 or 3 minutes. Add carrots, mushrooms, and broccoli and sauté, stirring, for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk mixture and onions and cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (If using shrimp, toss in last, just long enough to heat.) Combine rice, broth, and bay leaf in saucepan over medium heat and simmer, covered, 25 to 30 minutes or until rice absorbs all liquid. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Place equal portions of cooked brown rice on each plate and top with stir-fry.

Dean's Fresh Tofu Appetizer

Hodo's own Dean Ku submits his favorite way to cook with Hodo.

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While Hodo Soy Beanery's tofu is awesome cooked, I love to serve it fresh, uncooked, and with a simple sauce. It's delicious and requires very little preparation. Here is my favorite during the hot summer days.

Ingredients (serves 1)
-1 block of medium firm Hodo Soy Beanery tofu
-Dashi sauce (or premium soy sauce)
-Sesami Oil
-Thinly sliced green onions
-Freshly grated ginger (optional if you like ginger)

1. Place chilled block of tofu into a bowl.
2. Pour dashi sauce over tofu to taste (less to start is always better)
3. Add a few drops of sesami (a little goes a long way)
4. Add green onions and a bit of ginger to taste.

May 18, 2009

Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail

Oakland has become a hot-bed of artisan, start-up food businesses. With our move to the new Beanery in West Oakland, Hodo now joins this scene. You can find us on the map of the Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail, which starts in our area of West Oakland, continues through Jack London Square, and finishes by the Coliseum. 

Oakland Waterfront Foodtrail - there is a link to the map in the column of links on the right of the City's home page.

You could spend even more time in our immediate vicinity than the map belies. The Beanery is located in large building which formerly housed a candy producer and then a bakery. We now share the building with some other terrific food producers:Kaia Foods - makers of raw granola - and Cosmic Chocolate.