Shan tofu salad

September 11, 2018 by Marlène 0 0

It was 3 years ago when in Vancouver.

I went to see my friend where he worked at the time : Bao Bei https://www.bao-bei.ca and it’s been a revelation when I tried Shan tofu.

As I am not a fan of tofu, this one had a taste of ‘déjà vu’ that I loved : chickpea !

That’s why I knew it !!!! It was turned into an Asian way but this taste, this shape was exactely the one I know so well, it reminded me our ‘panisse’, a famous dish we have in the south of France.

Panisse is the name given to those French small and thick chickpea ‘galette’ that we fry and eat on the go or for aperitif.

‘Panisse’ is all I love, chickpea and apero 🙂

The Shan tofu is Burmese (Shan is a region in Burma) and is eaten with a salad or deep fried.

Since Vancouver I remembered that dish that I found genius. How can a so simple thing that I eat since I am a child can become sophisticated and so differentely delicious than the one I know….

A few days ago, I heard about Shan tofu and realized that it was exactely what I ate at Bao Bei.

I researched on it and couldn’t find out which one was created first, the ‘panisse’ or the Shan tofu. Let’s say for my own satisfaction that the panisse were first and burmese people copied and arrange it at their taste. 🙂

No matter which one was first, it’s delicious, made of exactely the same ingredients, it’s simple and fast and makes our vegan, gluten-free people happy as it’s only chickpea flour, water and salt.

All those years as a chef and I had never made any ‘panisse’, can you believe it ? Me ? Being from the south of France….?
That’s why I love my job, I learn, always, and I am still, after many years of cooking, amazed by a new ingredient, recipe, technique…
Cuisine and I, is a never-ending love story.

Shan tofu salad, for one thin loaf (the proportions for the salad are for 2)

For the chickpea tofu :

150g of chickpea flour
0.5 liter of water
salt
Turmeric or any kind of spice or dry herb you like (I didn’t add anything in that case)

For the salad:

1 handful of baby spinach
2-3 sprigs of mint leaves
2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
Half of a cucumber skin off and peeled into ribbons
150g of rice noodles
Sesame seeds oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp of rice wine vinegar
1 garlic, finely minced
2 tsp of agave syrup

Method :

Sift your flour to avoid lumps.

Bring the water with salt to the boil, when boiling put the heat down to medium and pour the chickpea flour into it.
Stir energically with a whisk to avoid lumps again. Stir non-stop for 5/10min till it gets thick and take off from the heat.

Grease a mould with olive oil (either a loaf tin, or tart mould…) and pour the mixture, still hot, in your tray.

Let it cool down and harden for at least 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare your salad and dressing.

Unmould and slice your chickpea tofu. I made large ‘fries’ as that’s the way we eat our ‘panisse’ in Nice.

In a pan, heat some olive oil on medium heat and fry your tofu till it’s golden on each side.

Boil some water with salt and cook your pasta that you will refresh with cold water when done. Then add a splash of sesame seeds oil for the taste and to avoid the pasta to stick together.

Assemble everything in a bowl or plate and sprinkle the pasta with turmeric if you like.