Crispy Tofu Salad with Wasabi dressing

Can anyone guess what these plants are?  YES, they are wasabi plants – but not grown in Japan!  I found these in a little town called Takaka on top of the South Island of New Zealand when I was filming last year.  The root is the part that creates the green colour paste that you know as being “Wasabi paste” that many use daily to accompany their sushi or sashimi – very pungent, spicy root vegetable.  Only grown where there is pure water like what exists in NZ!

This salad I created a couple days ago tasted so good that I have share this with you.  I have used wasabi paste that you can buy from the supermarket.  You can still use the powder wasabi but I found that the paste gives a good spicy kick.

Serves:  2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Cooking Time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients:

Dressing (makes  100ml):

1 tsp Wasabi paste

1/2 tsp dashi powder

4 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp grape seed / vegetable oil

1/2 block of firm tofu, cut into strips

2 handful of green salad

1 handful of micro herbs

1/8 Nori, shredded

Method: 

1. Add 1 Tbsp of oil in a pan and cook tofu over medium high heat until crunchy (5-10 minutes).
2. Put tofu on top of paper towel to remove excess oil and set aside
3. In a small ramekin, add all the dressing ingredients and mix well.
4. Put greens and micro herbs on a large plate and add cooked tofu on top.
5. Sprinkle shredded nori and serve with wasabi dressing.

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