What is your Comfort Food?
Mac ‘n Cheese? Chicken Noodle Soup? PB and J sammies?
No matter what it is—one thing holds true for everyone. Comfort Food does exactly what it’s named for….it brings us comfort—and perhaps transports us back to a time of happiness, safety and love.
And for me, that is what Vietnamese food is.
It’s about the “everyday” dishes my family would sit down to at dinner time. A plethora of dishes to be eaten with jasmine rice….fried fish, stuffed squid, various stir-fry veggies, soups, and stinky stuff that just tastes so damn good. And wouldn’t you know it? When I was young, I would complain all the time about it to Mom and say “cơm (rice) again?!” Because at that time, I wanted to eat what all my friends were eating…spaghetti, pizza, burgers, etc. But Mom would always say, “Just wait—one day, you’ll miss this”. And darnit! She was right! Moms…..how do they just know?!
This simple tofu dish is something we would eat quite often. It’s quick and tasty—balancing salty and sweet together. I cheat and buy already fried tofu squares at my local Asian markets which makes this dish SUPER quick and easy. But if you don’t have that available, cube up firm tofu and use paper towels to dry them off. Fry them in oil until golden brown and then throw them into the sauce. Easy Peasy!
So tell me, Friends….what’s your go-to Comfort Foods?
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Đậu Hũ Sốt Cà Chua (Vietnamese Style Tofu with Tomato Sauce)
Ingredients:
4 Cups Fried Tofu 1 Tablespoon Fresh Garlic, minced 1/4 Cup Shallots, diced 4 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and roughly diced 1 Red Jalapeno, thinly sliced 2 Scallions, thinly sliced 1/4 Cup Ketchup 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil Black Pepper Garnish with additional scallions and cilantro
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium heat and cook garlic and shallots for about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until softened. Stir in ketchup and fish sauce. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Toss in fried tofu and coat evenly. Season with black pepper and garnish with additional scallions and fresh cilantro. Serve with steamed rice and Enjoy!