Saturday, October 08, 2011

VeganMoFo 8: Malaysian Black Pepper Tofu Defeats Me

Today's Spice: Black Pepper

It looks amazing, right?

Oh friends, I really love black pepper. It is one of my favorite flavors. I even have 4 or 5 varieties of it in my cupboards. So I was really stoked to find this awesome-looing recipe for Malaysian Black Pepper Tofu. The author did warn me that the recipe was very hot, so I only used one hot pepper... but I underestimated the heat power of 2 1/2 tablespoons of freshly cracked black pepper. Grossly underestimated. Maybe it was amplified because I left out almost all the fat, and just dry-fried the tofu? This dish smelled so wonderful, and made the whole house smell amazing... but man-oh-man, did it come out fighting! I took a few bites and my will power grew weaker and weaker with each moment. Black Pepper Tofu put some serious smack down on me. Mouth on fire, I was forced to surrender. I could not eat it.

Do you know what I did? *shame!* I took my tofus to the kitchen, washed them off in a sieve, and re-sauteed them with a little tamari. So sad, but so true. *hangs head in defeat*

Take two. I ate it like this.
At least I didn't forget to add the green onions the 2nd time around.

*is not worthy of Black Pepper Tofu girl scout badge*

18 comments:

  1. Ha, I would have washed that tofu too! I'm not a huge black pepper fan at all!

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  2. I have this book (which is stunning by the way)! I saw that recipe but was turned off by the 8 tablespoons of butter in an Asian tofu recipe. Too bad it didn't work out.

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  3. oh yea. i think black pepper is seriously intense in quantities. you did great! look at you recycling that tofu, you get a recycling no waste badge for sure!
    how did the baked goods come out?
    xo
    kittee

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  4. You are adorable. I agree with Kittee, you get at least one no-waste badge!

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  5. Anonymous12:09 PM

    you still beat me, i'm sure. i have NO heat tolerance. kudos for trying!

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  6. Oh, I love black pepper but... It does get hot in quantity! At least you still ate the rinsed tofu!

    I'm so happy to see your cartoons making an appearance in this year's MoFo too!

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  7. Anonymous12:47 PM

    Aw, I hate it when that happens that the spice is just too much! I'm glad you were able to salvage it, though! Couldn't the Girl Scouts give you some kind of No Waste badge?

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  8. Anonymous12:59 PM

    I think you are exactly right that removing the fat has something to do with the too-strong flavor. I stopped frying things in oil altogether a couple of months ago, and while simple sautes have been just fine converted to dry frying or veg broth saute, anything that I used to make that was spicy has had issues - either too strong or the flavors don't meld so well. I haven't yet investigated the chemistry of it, but something goes on with the fat and spices that you don't get when you remove the fat.

    Anyway I definitely feel your pain, but am also super impressed that you recycled it rather than throwing it out and that you are unafraid to share things that don't work out.

    :-) jen e.

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  9. Ooooo my hubby would have loved this one! He likes to take black peppercorns are just pop them in his mouth a few at a time and chew on them. True story.

    Pepper or not, the tofu looks super yummy. So don't beat yourself up about washing them.

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  10. Ouh, I should try this dish to scare myself out, people always tell me that I use too much pepper but for me it tastes good. If I would try this dish with the amount recommended, I might learn a lesson.

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  11. ouch - I love pepper far more than chilli but I am sure my pain threshold is quite low. I would have done the same - love your mofo theme

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  12. LOL Amey!! I think fat does cut spiciness, but damn that's a lot of pepper. And hey, admitting defeat is a sign of character, right? :)

    P.S. Your pin now has many friends on the front of my purse!

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  13. I totally hear you with the trying to tough it out! I'm usually that way, especially with a recipe gone bad. Good job on recycling though, half the time I just get fed up and eat cookies.

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  14. Ohh I love pepper, I'll check this recipe out (with the oil though). Good thinking adding the tamari to 'wash' the flavours

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  15. They can't all be winners! I remember a friend who had to throw out a whole batch of curry because she had subbed chili oil for regular oil... thinking, why not? Its oil, right? Big mistake.

    Cute pics though!

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  16. I strongly dislike black pepper so I would have no shame in washing my food before continuing to eat it! I'm sorry it didn't work out as planned, Amey! But your second version looks even better!

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  17. A little fat would definitely smooth out the spice a little, but I bet it would still be spicy! I looooove black pepper probably as much as you, but that much is still a lot in one dish. Good try, at least!

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  18. Most endearing defeat ever <3

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