Pepes Tahu

It's "no meat" Friday during Lent season and I really don't want to eat salad today :) So I made an Indonesian vegetarian dish called Pepes Tahu (Wrapped Tofu). It's mashed tofu mixed with spices, wrapped in banana leaves. It's steamed, then grilled. This dish is flavorful, filling, and packed with protein so it's almost like eating meat...without the extra fat and cholesterol!

Makes about 6

Ingredients

2 pkg. soft tofu
20 fresh Thai basil leaves
5 shallots
2 garlic
2 red chili
6 Thai chili
2 t. salt
2 t. sugar
12 dried or fresh bay leaves
Banana leaves

Cooking instruction:
1. Drain tofu and place in a large bowl. Add basil leaves.

2. In a small food chopper, minced shallots, garlic, red chili, thai chili, salt, and sugar. Then add to tofu bowl and mash together.

3. Place 1 bay leaf on top of a banana leaf then take a few tablespoons of tofu mixture and spread on top. Top with another bay leaf then fold and seal each side with a toothpick or staple. Continue until all the mixture is used up.

4. Steam the wrapped tofu for about 20 minutes then grill for a few minutes on each side until dry. Serve with hot steamed rice.