I recently shared one of my favorite dishes, Pressed Salad with Tofu Ricotta, at a potluck for our Seattle Macrobiotic Meetup.
Pressed salad is delicious and health promoting in numerous ways. I have talked about it several times in earlier posts. My body really benefits when I am serving it at least five days a week and it’s also a really important part of supporting the liver and gall bladder as we move into spring. Often, I like to add toppings to add an extra element of flavor and texture. Tofu Ricotta is one of those toppings.
In general, I like to cook my tofu. I think it makes it more digestible and I like the texture. However, if you think you have strong digestion and are short on time, feel free to use it raw, just press it first to remove any excess liquid.
This tofu ricotta can be used in a variety of ways. Use your imagination. I like it on beans, in tacos and in green salads. I have never tried it stirred into a grain salad, but I think it would be delicious. I like to make a whole block of tofu and keep it in the refrigerator for a few days using it on everything.
Tofu Ricotta
1 block of organic firm or extra firm tofu, cut into about 8 chunks
umeboshi vinegar (try to get unpasteurized)
- Either steam the tofu or place it in a medium pot of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. Remove from liquid and place in a mesh strainer over a bowl. This helps it drain. Leave for 10 minutes. I like to press on the tofu a bit to get as much of the excess liquid out as I can.
- Place tofu in a bowl and crumble with your hands to make smallish bite size pieces. Sprinkle a small amount of umeboshi vinegar on the tofu and mix well. Taste and add more vinegar a little at a time until you get a nice salty sour flavor. You want it to taste lightly salty, so take care to not use too much of the vinegar!
- Use as a topping on salads or bean dishes. Keep refrigerated.