Indonesian Tofu Satés

From EatingWell: January/February 2008 — Subscribe Now!

Here we skewer and broil cubes of extra-firm tofu and serve them with peanut sauce for a vegetarian version of the popular Indonesian street food. The accompanying peanut sauce is filled with exquisite sweet, hot and salty flavors but omits the often-used coconut milk, which is high in saturated fat. This flexible recipe works with tofu or chicken. If serving a group with some vegetarians and some meat eaters, prepare half chicken and half tofu and marinate them separately.

6 servings

Active Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

1/4 cup kecap manis, (see Ingredient Note)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon peanut or canola oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
21 ounces (about 1 1/2 packages) extra-firm water-packed tofu, patted dry and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce

Preparation

Combine kecap manis, soy sauce, garlic, oil, vinegar, cumin and coriander in a small bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a medium bowl. Place tofu in a large sealable plastic bag. Pour the remaining marinade into the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Add peanut butter, water, ketchup and hot sauce to taste to the reserved marinade and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil and coat with cooking spray.
Remove the tofu from the marinade and thread equal amounts onto six 12-inch skewers. (If using wooden skewers, cover the exposed end of each skewer with foil to prevent burning.) Broil the skewers until the tofu is heated through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Serve the satés with the reserved peanut sauce for dipping.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2 up to 1 day ahead. | Equipment: Six 12-inch skewers

Ingredient note: Kecap manis is a thick, palm sugar-sweetened soy sauce. It's used as a flavoring, marinade or condiment in Indonesian cooking. Find it in Asian food markets or online at importfood.com. To substitute for kecap manis, whisk 1 part molasses with 1 part reduced-sodium soy sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: 232 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 2 g fiber; 525 mg sodium; 37 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Iron (15% daily value).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 medium-fat meat, 1 fat