Tofu with shiso marinade

A great and simple starter ..healthy ( high in protein)  and will stun your guest both for the look and the taste





First about Shiso :



Let me introduce you to an aromatic plant you ought to have in your garden : the « shiso » or « perilla « or again sometimes known as the japanese basilic 

It's leaves are often served with “sashimi” (raw fish ) , not only for it’s distinct flavour , but also because of its proprieties known to kill off certain bacterias 

It’s culinary use is varied : cut thinly its is a “must have “in any salad wishing to stand out from the boring crowd 




It can be bought fresh from Japanese shops , but it deteriorates quickly if not used the same day , and so I decided to grow them from seeds , and they do very well on my terrace in pots , but I have also invaded my neighbour’s garden with it too !

I will introduce a few recipes using this subtle and distinct aromatic plant 

I have already posted one : rolled sardines with “ume boshi “(sour plum) paste , and shiso leaves

the recipe below is  a good way to use shiso leaves when you have too many to be eaten in one go ….and those can then be kept in the fridge for quite some time to accompany a variety of dishes (more recipes to come ) click for more on the background  :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_frutescens


Ingredients for the marinade

• 4 table spoons of soja sauce 
• 2 table spoons of sesame oil
• 1 table spoon of (roasted) sesame seeds 
• 2 cloves of garlic thinsly cut 
• A bit of fresh (dry ) chilli 

Mix ingredients, and dip each shiso leaf in it and store in a small container 

Cover the leaves with remaining sauce 










Keep in the fridge for a few days for optimim taste  ( can even keep for well over a month , if you make sure the leaves are well cover by the liquid , in a sealed container in the fridge ) 

Making your Shiso Kimchi Tofu 

You need some Silk Tofu :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tofu

you can buy silk tofu (fresh ) in most organic shops in France , even in rural areas ...

The tofu usually comes in packs of 500 g  

• Open and empty the water , reverse onto a plate , being careful not to damage it ( the silk tofu is very soft)
• 
  
• Cut in portions 
• 
  
• Take a few marinated Shiso leaves and  mince thinly , then  spread on top of the silk tofu portions  , adding a bit of the liquid on top ...et voilà