Tofu Salad with Tangy Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 1 3-inch piece peeled fresh ginger
- 2/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup roasted sesame powder (also known as goma, available in specialty shops and online)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mirin (a Japanese rice wine, available in specialty shops)
- Salad:
- 1 (14-ounce) carton medium tofu
- 1 ripe tomato, cut into wedges
- 1 small Japanese cucumber, sliced on the bias
- 1/4 cup daikon sprouts, bottoms trimmed
- 1/2 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi, available in specialty shops)
- 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled nori (dried seaweed, available in specialty shops)
Preparation
To make the dressing: Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the fine grate side of a box grater. Rub enough of the ginger over the grater to make 1 tablespoon of ginger pulp (the pulp will collect on top of the plastic wrap.
Blend the ginger pulp with the mayonnaise, vinegar, sesame powder, soy sauce, sugar, water, and mirin in a blender until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until cold.
To make the salad: Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and place them in a medium serving bowl. Arrange the tomato wedges, cucumber slices, and then the sprouts on top.
Pour enough of the dressing over the salad to coat as desired; cover and refrigerate any remaining dressing.
Garnish with the bonito flakes and nori and serve immediately.
