Seared Tofu with Panch Phoron, Green Beans, and Pickled Shallot
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 18, 2025
Time
1¼ hours
Yield
4
Ingredients
Panch Phoron
1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 1 tablespoon mustard seeds 1 tablespoon nigella seedsTofu, Green Beans, and Pickled Shallots
⅓ cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1⅛ teaspoons table salt, divided1 large shallot, sliced thin1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt ¾ cup minced fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice2 garlic cloves, minced28 ounces extra-firm or firm tofu, drained1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved2 tablespoons water ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided¾ teaspoon ground turmericBefore You Begin
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. The Panch Phoron recipe makes ¼ cup; you will have leftovers.
Instructions
- Combine all panch phoron ingredients in bowl. (Panch phoron can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 month.) Set aside.
- Microwave vinegar, sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in medium bowl until steaming, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and stir until submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain shallot and set aside for serving.
- Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and garlic in separate bowl and season with salt to taste; set sauce aside for serving.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Tear tofu into rough 1½-inch pieces and transfer to prepared sheet. Top tofu with second layer of paper towels and let drain for 10 minutes.
- Combine green beans, water, 1 tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally, until beans are nearly tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until water has evaporated and beans are just beginning to brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to large bowl.
- Sprinkle tofu with turmeric and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tofu and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed and adding 1 tablespoon oil halfway through cooking. Transfer tofu to bowl with green beans.
- Add 4 teaspoons panch phoron and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to again-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant and seeds start to pop, about 1 minute. Off heat, immediately add green beans and tofu and toss gently to combine.
Time
1¼ hoursYield
4Ingredients
Panch Phoron
Tofu, Green Beans, and Pickled Shallots
Ingredients
Panch Phoron
Tofu, Green Beans, and Pickled Shallots
Ingredients
Panch Phoron
Tofu, Green Beans, and Pickled Shallots
Why This Recipe Works
Firm tofu's neutral flavor makes it an excellent vehicle for seasoning, while its dense bite goes a long way in making a dish more filling and hearty. In this flavorful take, we hand-tore tofu to create craggy edges—all the more surface area for each chunk to absorb flavor. As we seared the tofu in a skillet, the edges turned pleasingly crisp. For a hearty vegetable to pair with the tofu, we chose green beans, cooking them with a little water to help them steam-cook; when the water evaporated, we seared them to encourage flavorful browning. We tossed everything with panch phoron, an aromatic spice blend of whole fenugreek, mustard, cumin, fennel, and nigella seeds. To bolster the spices' impact, we adopted the Indian method of tadka—meaning tempering or blooming—a technique for releasing maximum flavor from spices. Tossed in the skillet with the beans and tofu, the fragrant seeds infused the dish with exceptional aroma. For a pretty presentation, we spread a serving plate with cilantro- and lime-spiked yogurt and topped it with the tofu and beans, leaving the rim of the yogurt visible. To add a pop of piquancy, we sprinkled the whole thing with quick-pickled shallot slices, which were a snap to make in the microwave.
Before You Begin
You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe. The Panch Phoron recipe makes ¼ cup; you will have leftovers.
Instructions
- Combine all panch phoron ingredients in bowl. (Panch phoron can be stored in airtight container for up to 1 month.) Set aside.
- Microwave vinegar, sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in medium bowl until steaming, about 2 minutes. Add shallot and stir until submerged. Let sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain shallot and set aside for serving.
- Meanwhile, combine yogurt, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and garlic in separate bowl and season with salt to taste; set sauce aside for serving.
- Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels. Tear tofu into rough 1½-inch pieces and transfer to prepared sheet. Top tofu with second layer of paper towels and let drain for 10 minutes.
- Combine green beans, water, 1 tablespoon oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, tossing occasionally, until beans are nearly tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until water has evaporated and beans are just beginning to brown in spots, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to large bowl.
- Sprinkle tofu with turmeric and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add tofu and cook until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed and adding 1 tablespoon oil halfway through cooking. Transfer tofu to bowl with green beans.
- Add 4 teaspoons panch phoron and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to again-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until fragrant and seeds start to pop, about 1 minute. Off heat, immediately add green beans and tofu and toss gently to combine.
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