Pineapple lemon tofu
Pineapple lemon tofu
This dish was a Sunday dinner favorite when I was growing up. To make it plant-based, I have just substituted tofu for the chicken breasts in my mom’s recipe. I updated the recipe in 2023 to better reflect my mom’s technique.
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 package tofu – extra firm organic
¼ cup tapioca starch for coating tofu
Oil for sautéing – optional
Sauce
¾ cup pineapple chunks – fresh or small tin (398 ml) of drained pineapple chunks (reserve juice for sauce)
⅓ cup lemon juice – approximately 2 lemons
¾ cup pineapple juice – from canned pineapple or natural juice
2 tablespoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons tamari
½ cup diced onion
3 slices ginger
2 teaspoons garlic - minced
3 teaspoons tapioca starch
Method
Optional - freeze tofu – it changes the texture slightly which gives it more chew.
Thaw, press and dry tofu.
Slice tofu in rectangles. In a shallow dish, toss tofu in tapioca until fully coated.
Heat a non-stick pan to medium - high. Toss in onions. Cook until softened.
Add the tofu to the pan with a little oil. The oil helps make it crispy, but it is not necessary.
Sauté the onion, ginger and garlic with a little water until the onion is softened. Add the lemon juice, pineapple juice, palm sugar and tamari. Simmer for a few minutes. Mix tapioca starch with a little water to remove the lumps. Slowly pour it into the pot. Stir while the mixture thickens. Add pineapple chunks. Cook for a couple minutes, then remove it from the heat.
Pour sauce over crispy tofu and serve immediately. Garnish with lemon slices.
