Crispy Tofu with Orange-Ginger-Lemongrass Dipping Sauce

When an experimental recipe turns out better than expected it is time to celebrate! This is a recipe we came up with by wanting to make tofu with ginger and lemongrass, we got the idea to add orange from a recipe called "Crispy Tofu Slices with Orange Dipping Sauce" from Alicia Silverstone's cookbook The Kind Diet.

Our Version turned out as follows:

15 oz pack of Extra Firm Tofu
1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour
1/4 cup Quinoa Flour
2 tablespoon Flaxseed Meal
Olive Oil
2/3 cup fresh Orange Juice (We juiced 4 blood oranges which was less than 2/3 cup)
Zest of 1 Orange (Blood Orange)
About 2 tablespoons of grated Ginger
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
1 Stalk of Lemongrass

Let the tofu drain of its liquid and pat it dry with a paper towel, cut the tofu into slices about 1/4 inch thick. Mix the Flours and flaxseed meal into a bowl, then add the zest of 1/4-1/2 the orange and about 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated ginger. Dip each of the tofu strips in the mixture coating well on all sides.

Pour enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer, and place on medium heat.
While the oil is heating start the dipping sauce. In a pot over low heat add the orange juice, the remainder of orange zest, about 1 tablespoon of ginger, and the lemongrass cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes then add the maple syrup and continue to simmer.
The Sauce has a gorgeous deep red coloring from the blood oranges:

Once the oil is heated place the tofu strips in the skillet, allow to cook for about 3 min on both sides until golden brown and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Remove the pieces of Lemongrass from the sauce. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and serve alongside the crispy tofu...........Bon Appetit!

The tofu has a nice, lightly crispy texture and the sauce turned out perfect! The lemongrass and ginger complement the sweetness from the blood orange and maple syrup wonderfully. You can taste a hint of each flavor without the sauce being overpowered.