February 19, 2020

Burmese Tofu, Pepper Sauce, & Cashew Cheese

Smooth, creamy, protein-packed Burmese tofu squares sit atop a briny roasted red pepper swirl, topped with crispy arugula and a generous dollop of herbed, garlicky cashew cheese sit on two white plates. The combination of textures and flavors creates an elegant, flavorful, and delightful dish, perfect for any occasion you want to celebrate. Plus, it’s not only vegan, it’s gluten-free, soy-free, and grain free, and aside from a little grease on a pan it’s oil-free.

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What is Burmese Tofu?

Burmese tofu is actually much closer to polenta in preparation- chickpea flour (also called besan), is mixed with water and heated before cooling. Once cooled, it gels into a smooth, easily sliced cake with a texture similar to tofu. These days Burmese tofu is often enjoyed by those seeking a soy-free alternative to tofu, but I think it deserves to be enjoyed in it’s own right. It tastes like chickpeas, but is smooth and creamy, and is super easy to make at home. It’s got a healthy serving of protein. It has been enjoyed in Burmese culture for a long time now, it is often enjoyed raw or fried. It’s a fun dish to play around with- experiment using it anyway you might use tofu to explore the many forms and flavors it can take on.

Romantic Dinners made with Love

A lot of the time dinner at our house is whatever’s quick, or leftover whatever-I’m-making-for-the-blog, but sometimes I make more elaborate dishes just to enjoy. Which, when delicious, also do end up on the blog, but that wasn’t their original purpose. This is one of those meals that I made for my boyfriend and I- it was more work than I usually did for dinner, and he had just come home from his job, and it was a nice way to start our evening together. There’s something about spending that extra time on a meal (occasionally) that makes it feel special and a little romantic. If that’s something you have in mind, this dish is for you. It’s pretty garlicky though, so just make sure you both eat it!

Looking for More Vegan Date Night Dinner Ideas? Try one of these!

Making Burmese Tofu in Red Pepper Sauce and Herbed Cashew Cheese

There are a good number of parts to making this dinner- the tofu, the cheese, and the sauce. They could all be made ahead of time, as needed, and then assembled when you’re ready to eat. If you’re choosing one part to make early, prioritize the Burmese tofu as it benefits from some time to chill and set. Making Burmese tofu is a little like making polenta- you add the chickpea flour to water, stir, wait, and it thickens up beautifully. Once it sets, we add a little more texture by roasting it briefly in the oven before serving.

Making the herbed cashew cheese is simple- boil or soak your cashews to soften them, and then blend with the other ingredients to make a smooth, creamy “cheese”. You can use other herbs than the ones I used- whatever fresh or dried herbs you have that you love will bring a personal touch to the dish. If you have cheese leftover afterwards, it’s a great addition to toast or bagels.

The roasted red pepper sauce might be my favorite element of this dish- it’s actually what inspired me to make this dish in the first place, after I got a good price on a bag of red peppers. The first step is to roast them. Cook at a high heat for about half an hour- if the skins are blackened, you’ve done well, and then wrap in a clean dish cloth. This allows the peppers to steam, and helps separate the skins from the flesh. Peel off the skins, discard the seeds and stem, and blend away. You could use jarred roasted red peppers too, but where’s the fun in that? From there, just plate as you please and enjoy!

Burmese Tofu, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, and Herbed Garlic Cashew Cheese

Burmese Tofu, Pepper Sauce, & Cashew Cheese

Yield: 3 Servings

Burmese Tofu, Pepper Sauce, & Cashew Cheese

Ingredients

Half a cup arugula or sprouts

For the Burmese Tofu

½ cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp. nutritional yeast
½ tsp. salt

For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2-3 red bell peppers
2 cloves of garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp. capers
½ cup flax milk
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Garlic Herbed Cashew Cream

½ cup (60 grams) raw cashew pieces
½ lemon, juiced
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast
1 tbsp. coconut oil
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried basil
Pinch dried dill
Pinch dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped

Instructions

Make the Burmese Tofu- this must be done at least 1 hour ahead of time, and can be done a couple days earlier if wanted. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch glass pan and set aside. Add the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, and salt to a jar and shake to combine. Add 1 cup of water to the dry ingredients, and shake well to remove any lumps. Place a second cup of water on to boil in a medium sized saucepan, and once it has boiled reduce the temperature to medium. Pour the chickpea mixture into the hot water and stir with a silicone spatula, scraping the sides and bottom while the chickpea mixture thickens. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the mixture is thick and glossy, and then pour into the greased dish. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to set, and then transfer to the fridge for longer storage.
Make the Red Pepper Sauce: Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C), and place the peppers on a greased baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes, until they are blackened, and remove from the oven and wrap in a clean dish cloth. Let them sit for 10 minutes before taking them out, peeling off the skins, and removing the seeds and stems. Add the peppers with all the other sauce ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth. Before serving heat the sauce in a saucepan, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Make the Cashew Cheese: Boil the cashews in water for 10 minutes, and then drain. Add all the ingredients besides the parsley to the blender, and blend until smooth. Fold in the chopped parsley.
Assemble: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°F). Cut the Burmese tofu into nine squares, brush with oil (optional), and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven. To serve, spread a generous spoonful of red pepper sauce on a plate. Add tofu squares (as many as desired), add a small amount of cashew cheese, a few sprouts or arugula leaves, and finish with a generous amount of cashew cheese (spooned or piped). Serve warm and enjoy!