Chocolate Banana Tofu Mousse

Today is the last day for October's Little Thumbs Up: Soya Beans. I want to thank everyone for all your support. At last count, we have 217 entries! I am just so amazed at the variety of soy dishes that all our talented home chefs have created. You can check them out here.

To end this event on a sweet note, I've saved this Chocolate Banana Tofu Mousse dessert till the very end and this will be my last entry for this blog hop as well. 

Who doesn't love a rich and creamy chocolate mousse but most of the recipes I see outside are made of cream (which is more calorie dense) and sometimes raw egg whites. This tofu version is a guilt free substitute and yet tastes just as good! I could hardly tell it was made of tofu. 

The addition of a ripened banana means we can use less sugar overall as the banana would have sweetened the dessert. It's perfect served with fresh fruits and my kids enjoyed this guilt-free dessert tremendously!

Chocolate Banana Tofu Mousse (6 servings)
Recipe from here

Ingredients

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (175 g)
• 1 (10 ounce) box silken tofu, soft variety (270 g) - I used 300 g
• 2 large ripe bananas, sliced (I used 2 medium bananas)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 -3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (omitted)
• 1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar (omitted)

Method

•  Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in microwave.
• Place tofu and 1/4 of banana chunks in blender or food processor and puree.
• Add remaining banana in small batches and process until smooth.
• Add vanilla, brown sugar, salt and vinegar and blend.
• Add melted chocolate chips (will be warm), pureeing until smooth and uniform texture.
• Adjust brown sugar to taste.
• Sift the mixture to remove lumps
• Transfer to container and cover.
• Chill at least 2 hours prior to serving.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake at this post.

Gado Gado (Indonesian Salad)

The post for Little Thumbs Up October: Soya Beans is here. Please go to this link to submit your posting. Thank you!

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As a veggie and salad lover, the Gado Gado, a Indonesia salad, is one of my favourite salads of all time. I love the mix of ingredients, which could be any of your favourite vegetables. Mine top picks for Gado Gado would be long beans, potatoes, bean sprouts and fried bean curd and tempeh. I have seen other Gado Gado which uses cabbage, spinach and chayote - so its really up to your imagination. 

The best part about Gado Gado is undoubtedly the sauce - a thick, creamy and slightly tangy mixture of peanuts, tamarind juice, prawn paste, chilli and sugar.  In some versions, coconut milk is also added for texture fragrance and creaminess. In this recipe, I substituted ground cashew nuts for peanuts. It was very delicious as well given that cashews have a lovely flavour. Still I much prefer the peanut version. 

The toppings and garnish for the Gado Gado is a must and this could be fried shallots, boiled eggs and lots of crackers. The most delicious would be the slightly bitter Melingjo nut crackers (which is quite hard to find locally) or one can simply use fish crackers. The entire combination is simply divine!

Gado Gado (Serves 2-3)

Sauce recipe from here

Salad

• 2 pieces of firm tofu (tau kwa), pan fried in a little oil
• 1 piece of tempeh, pan fried in a little oil
• 1 potato, sliced and boiled
• 1 Japanese cucumber, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 50 g of bean sprouts, blanched
• 150 g of long beans, blanched
• Romaine leaves or Butterhead lettuce leaves

Garnish

• 2 hard boiled eggs
• Crackers
• Fried shallots

Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp dried shrimp paste
• 3 red bird's eye chillis, cut up
• 1/4 of palm sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water over a slow fire
• 1 cup of finely grounded roasted peanut (or 1 cup peanut butter) - I used 1 cup of grounded cashew nuts
• 20 g of tamarind with 1/4 hot water, remove the seeds 
• 1/2 to 1 cup of water, depending on desired thickness of sauce

Method

• Grind these ingredients with a mortar and pestle or in a blender until they’re smooth: salt, dried shrimp paste, red bird’s eye chilis, palm sugar 
• Add finely ground roasted peanuts (or 1 cup of peanut butter) and grind it all some more until it’s mixed well. If you use peanut butter instead of ground roasted peanuts, add less salt because there’s salt in the peanut butter.
• Add tamarind juice to the mixture. 
• Add ½ to 1 cup of water and mix it well. Amount of water depends on how thick you want sauce to be.
• Transfer the vegetables to a serving plate and pour the sauce on top of it or mix all the vegetables with the sauce in the mortar before serving.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake at this post.

Soya Bean Tofu Cheesecake

The post for Little Thumbs Up October: Soya Beans is here. Please go to this link to submit your posting. Thank you!

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I first posted this Soya Bean Tofu Cheesecake recipe in October last year, and it still remains my favourite cheesecake recipe. 

Unlike normal cheese which tends to be on the heavier side, this version is lighter because tofu replaces some of the cheese and cream. It also uses soy milk instead of milk. What we have a light and pudding-like cheesecake tinged with the fragrance of soya beans. 

I dusted a layer of green tea powder on top and this gives it a light but fragrant green tea aroma with each bite. Instead of a digestive biscuit base, I've used a base of baked almond meal which is more nutritious and delicious.  

I hope you'll enjoy this cheesecake as much as I do!

Soya Bean Tofu Cheesecake (8-9 inches)
Recipe from here. 

Cheesecake Base

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups of almond meal
• 3 tbsp oil

Method

• Mix together and press onto the base of a 8-9 inches spring foam tin
• Bake at 175 degrees C for 15 mins till browned
• Remove from oven to cool down, do not remove from base

Tofu Cheese Layer 

Group A:

• Cream cheese, softened at room temperature 230 g
• Caster sugar 70 g
• Smooth silken tofu 230 g
• Sour cream or yoghurt 50 g
• Soya bean powder 30 g

Beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in tofu, yoghurt and soya bean powder and beat on high speed for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Group B:

• Diary whipping cream 50 g

Whip the diary whipping cream till stiff and place in refrigerator until you need it.

Group C:

• Soya bean milk 100 g (Another option is to use 30 g of soya bean powder and mix with enough water to get 100 g of soya bean milk)
• Gelatine 15 g

Double boil soya bean milk and gelatine over a water bath till the gelatine is completely dissolved.

Method

Combine Group A, B and C ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture onto of the cheesecaje base. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours till the tofu cheese layer is set. Sprinkle with soya bean power before serving (I added some green tea powder into the soya bean powder for colour).

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake at this post.

Homemade Tofu Burger

Burger patties sold commercially, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, aren't probably the healthiest version. I've always wanted to make my own tofu burgers with fresh ingredients and no preservatives and additives. 

Now that I'm hosting Little Thumbs Up for October and the theme is Soya Beans, there is no more excuse for being lazy. Finally, here's my home made tofu burger patties with Asian inspired flavours.

Version one - the one without sprouts for my kids...

And version two - the one with sprouts for me!

Although it takes a while to chop up the ingredients aside, this burger is relatively easy to make and I love the aromatic flavours of the coriander, lime leaves, chilli and seasame oil coming through with each bite. It's great served with regular burger condiments such as mustard, relish, pickles or just simply a dollop of ketchup!

For those who want a healthier burger treat, this is really one delicious home made version. I made them into mini patties and my kids loved it so much and had two of these mini burgers each. 

Home made Tofu Burgers (Makes 6-10 patties depending on size)

Recipe adapted from The Little Teochew

Tofu Patties:

• 480 g firm tofu (tau kwa)
• 1 yellow onion, sliced finely
• 1 sprig coriander (leaves only), sliced finely
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, sliced very, very finely
• 1 red chilli (deseeded), sliced very finely
• 1/3 cup sharp cheddar or parmesan, grated (add more if desired or omit for Vegans)
• Pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper
• Pinch of pepper
• Pinch of salt (taste test as you go because sharp cheeses can be very salty)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (I toasted 5 slices of bread and blitzed them in a food processor)
• 1-2 tsp sesame oil
• 6 - 8 tbsp of water (add enough so that pattie holds well together and does not fall apart)
• Vegetable oil for frying

For serving:

• Burger buns (number depends on number of patties)
• Butterhead lettuce or baby romaine leaves
• Tomato slices
• Condiments of your choice - mustard, relish, ketchup

Method

• Mash tofu till crumbly. Add chopped onions, coriander, kaffir lime leaves, chilli, cheese, breadcrumbs and paprika. Mix well. Season with salt, pepper and sesame oil. Do a taste test to determine if more seasoning is needed. 
• Add 6 tbsp of water to the mixture till it resembles fine wet sand. Shape mixture into patties, and flatten them gently using your palms. If the patties do not hold together, add a little more water. It is important to flatten the patties as much as possible so that they brown evenly on the pan.
• In a frying pan, under a small-medium flame, heat the vegetable oil. The oil/pan must hot be too hot because the bread crumbs in the patty will burn. Fry the patties till crisp and golden brown on both sides.
• Slice your burger buns horizontally and lightly butter both halves. Place some lettuce leaves on top of the bun, followed by the tofu patty, and then with tomato slices. Then cover it with the top half of the bun, and you are ready to dig in!

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cake at this post.

Tofu Lettuce Wraps

Alongside Zoe and Doreen, I'll be hosting next month's Little Thumbs Up for October 2013 and the theme is Soy Beans! 

The Soy Beans theme for next month includes dishes/dessert that include any soy-related products such as:
- tofu
- tempeh
- soya bean milk
- soya sauce only as main ingredient (minimal 2 tsp)
- miso

Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Doreen of my little favourite DIY and I look forward to having you cook alongside us for this event.

Coincidentally, I'm posting a recipe today which involves Tofu from The Pioneer Woman. Now that my hubby is on a healthier eating regime, I source for a more vegetarian recipes which are fuss free and yet filling. It's almost impossible to find vegetarian recipes on the Pioneer Woman's website (if you read her intro, though previously vegetarian, she is married to a meat-eating Marlboro Man!) so this is one of those rare ones. 

The tofu filling for the wraps is a very basic recipe and I put in additional vegetable (water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms) for extra flavour and texture, and you may want to add in some salt and pepper to taste if you prefer. What really added an extra oomp to the filling was the use of balsamic vinegar which added that something special to the tofu filling. 

Served wrapped in crunchy salad vegetables and topped with avocados  this made a very healthy, yet delicious lunch I was happy to serve at home. 

Tofu Lettuce Wraps (Serves 6)

Recipe by Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
• 1 package (about 12-14 Oz. Size) Firm Tofu
• 2 ears Corn (or 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Corn Kernels)
• 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder (more to taste)
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
•  Romaine Lettuce Hearts
• 2 whole Avocados, Sliced
• 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar (optional) - I used 2 tsp
• 50 g of water chestnuts (my own addition)
• 4 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked to soften for a few hours (my own addition)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

Method

• Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Throw in the tofu, then break it up into very small pieces. Cook tofu for several minutes, until much of the liquid cooks off and tofu starts to turn golden.
• Cut kernels off the cobs of corn and throw it in with the tofu. Cook for a few minutes.(corn can remain crunchy.)
• Chop up the water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms and add them at the same time as the corn.
• Add chili powder and soy sauce, then cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in balsamic if using.
• Pile mixture into romaine hearts, then add sliced of avocado. Fold up and chow down!

This is for Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out and Mich of Piece of Cake. 

Sesame Peanut Noodles

I really do enjoy a light and healthy salad lunch and when I came across this recipe - the peanut lover in me just had to give it a try. 

Here is Nigella's Sesame Peanut Noodle - egg noodles (in my case I used spaghetti) tossed in a flavourful peanut sauce, topped with crunchy vegetables and garnished with sesame seeds.  

The sauce made of peanut butter, sesame oil, garlic oil, chilli and lime juice was refreshing, flavourful and aromatic. 

I added a sprinkle of crushed peanuts as well as my favourite pan fried bean curd to go with the salad. It is easy to prepare and can also be eaten straight out of the refrigerator. This is one of those recipes I won't get tired of having!

Sesame Peanut Noodles (serves 6)

Recipe by Nigella

Ingredients

for the dressing

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
• 100 grams smooth peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 4 tbsp water (my own addition)

for the salad

• 125 grams mangetout (snow peas)
• 150 grams beansprouts (rinsed)
• 1 red pepper (deseeded and cut into small strips)
• 2 spring onions (finely sliced)
• 550 grams egg noodles (ready prepared)
• 20 grams sesame seeds
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp of crushed peanuts (my own addition)
• 2 pieces of tau gua, cut into pieces and lightly pan fried (my own addition)

Method

• Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl or jug.
• Put the mangetout, beansprouts, red pepper strips, sliced spring onions and the noodles into a bowl.
• Pour the dressing over them and mix thoroughly to coat everything well.
• Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and chopped coriander and pack up as needed.

My notes: 

• I added 4 tbsp of water to the dressing as I found it too dry
• I used 500 g of cooked spaghetti.
• I stir fried the bean sprouts, snow peas and red peppers over medium heat for about 3-4 mins before adding into the noodles.
• I didn't mix in all the cooked vegetables, I left some as garnish.

This is for Cook Like A Star hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Anuja from Simple Baking. 

Tofu and Soya Bean Cheesecake

My family is a huge fan of tofu, and we eat it several times a week cooked in a variety of ways. Naturally, this Tofu and Soya Bean Cheese Cake was a big hit at home. The tofu cheese layer, which sits on top of a layer of chiffon cake, is lighter and healthier than other cheese cakes as the tofu replaces some of the cream cheese and whipping cream

The soya bean powder adds a lovely fragrance to both the cheese and chiffon layer. The tofu and cheese layer has a melt-in-the-mouth texture and goes well with the springy chiffon cake. I have made this cake three times, each time trying to improve my layering skills and remove the cheesecake from the cake ring without damaging it. The instructor taught us to use a hair dryer to heat up the cake ring so that the cake ring will expand and can be easily removed. Another method is to dip a knife in hot water and run the knife along the sides of the cake (this did not work so well as I ended up with rather ugly edges). This tofu cheese cake can be made without the chiffon cake layer – simply use a base of crushed digestive biscuits mixed with melted butter.

Tofu and Soya Bean Cheese Cake (8 x 8 inch)
Recipe by Phoon Huat

Chiffon Layer

• 5 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• Brown sugar 80 g
• Soya bean powder 30 g
• Top flour 40 g
• Unsalted butter, melted 30 g (I substituted with 30 g of oil)

Method

• Whisk egg whites till fluffy, add in sugar and beat until doubled in volume and stiff.
• Add in egg yolks and beat till just mixed in.
• Fold in flour gently and in one direction using a spoon or whisk.
• Fold in oil gently in one direction using a spoon or whisk till everything is well mixed in.
• Pour into a 9 inch baking tin which is lined at the bottom.
• Bake at 190 Celsius for 12-15 minutes till a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• When it is ready, remove the cake from the baking tin and allow to cool down on a cooling rack. Cover the cake to prevent it from drying out.
• When the cake is cooled, place an 8 inch square cake ring onto the cake and trim off the excess cake outside the ring. This will help the cake fit snugly into the ring so that the tofu cheese layer does not seep through. Place the cake ring with the cake inside on a serving tray.  You can also use a baking tin with a removable base, but make sure the cake fits the size of the baking tin. 

Tofu Cheese Layer

Group A:

• Cream cheese, softened at room temperature 230 g
• Caster sugar 70 g
• Smooth silken tofu 230 g
• Sour cream or yoghurt 50 g
• Soya bean powder 30 g

Beat cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in tofu, yoghurt and soya bean powder and beat on high speed for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Group B:

• Diary whipping cream 50 g

Whip the diary whipping cream till stiff and place in refrigerator until you need it.

Group C:

• Soya bean milk 100 g (Another option is to use 30 g of soya bean powder and mix with enough water to get 100 g of soya bean milk)
• Gelatine 15 g

Double boil soya bean milk and gelatine over a water bath till the gelatine is completely dissolved.

Method

Combine Group A, B and C ingredients and mix well. Pour the mixture onto of the cake layer in the cake ring. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours till the tofu cheese layer is set. Sprinkle with soya bean power and cut into squares to serve (I added some green tea powder into the soya bean powder for colour).