Hempnut-Crusted Tofu Steak with Jalapeño-Agave Succotash

Posted by Marina Snyder – November 17, 2015

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Categories: Food & Nutrition

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For vegans and vegetarians, Thanksgiving can be challenging. This will be the eleventh Thanksgiving since I switched my diet and I still haven’t quite figured out how to feast until I’m stuffed, as I did before. So when we decided to put together a collection of recipes for folks who won’t be eating turkey or gravy or butter-drenched potatoes this year, I was stoked!

While exploring our library for a recipe to post, I came across Denis Cicero’s The Galaxy Global Eatery Hemp Cookbook. Out of all of the book’s mouth-watering dishes, the fall ingredients in this one made it stand out. Additionally, succotash comes from the Narragansett people of Rhode Island, and it’s been a traditional Thanksgiving dish in parts of New England since the holiday began. What better way to celebrate?

Cicero’s succotash and tofu steak serves six and could be used as a main course, but would also work as two side dishes as well. I should also mention that the original recipe includes butter but, like almost everything in his cookbook, was easy to adapt into a vegan dish. (In this case, I substituted the butter with dairy-free margarine.) I hope you give this dish a try and have a lovely vegan Thanksgiving!

 

Hempnut-Crusted Tofu Steak

• 2 pounds firm tofu packaged in water
• 1½ cups cornmeal
• ½ cup hempnuts
• 4 cups coconut oil or other high-temperature frying oil

Cut the tofu into 6 even, rectangular pieces. Mix the cornmeal and hempnuts together in a bowl. Dredge the tofu in the hempnut-cornmeal mix (making sure to press the tofu well so that the mixture sticks). Heat the coconut oil to 350°F. Drop in the tofu steak and fry until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil. Set aside.

Jalapeño-Agave Succotash

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1 cup red pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup tomatoes, diced
• ½ cup black beans, cooked or canned
• 1 cup scallions, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, deseeded and minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 3 tablespoons kecap manis*

Heat the margarine in a sauté pan. Sauté the garlic and red onion until they start to turn golden. Add the corn, red pepper, and agave nectar. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes, black beans, scallions, jalapeño, and lime juice. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes.

* Made from soybeans, this intensely dark brown, syrupy thick Indonesian sauce is similar to soy sauce but has a sweeter, more complex flavor. It is sweetened with palm sugar and is used widely in Indonesian cooking. Found at most Asian markets.

Tags: Recipe Vegetarian & Vegan Denis Cicero

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