Sometimes, you can find inspiration for a dish with one simple ingredient. Before I created this recipe, I was wandering around the grocery store and passed by a bay of fresh-looking mangoes and they just sounded delicious. When I got home, I realized I had some lettuce that I needed to use up, and voilà this recipe was born.
I’ve said this before, but whenever I make a salad, I like to make sure there are plenty of flavor and texture “surprises” around every corner. To me, there’s nothing worse than a salad with a monotone flavor and no texture differentiation. This particular salad is so fresh thanks to the juicy mangoes, but is complemented by crunchy wontons and salty furikake-crusted tofu.
“Furikake was created by a pharmacist named Mr. Suekichi Yoshimaru after World War I. Yoshimaru wanted to address the lack of calcium in the Japanese diet, and the original version contained calcium-rich ingredients such as ground up bones of small fish and poppy seeds.”
– Mara Seaweed
Crispy Mango Salad with Furikake-Crusted Tofu
Ingredients
For Furikake-Crusted Tofu
- 1 block Firm Tofu
- 5 tbsp Furikake Seasoning
- 5 tbsp Aquafaba (from 1 can of chickpeas)
- 5 tbsp Arrowroot Powder (or cornstarch)
- 1/4 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
For Salad
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color)
- 2 Bok Choy (small)
- 1 can Baby Corn
- 4 cups Lettuce (I like using romaine hearts)
- 1/2 cup Edamame (cooked and shelled)
- 1/2 cup Shredded Carrots
- 1/4 cup Microgreens or Sprouts
- 1/4 cup Cilantro
- 1 Mango
- 1/4 cup Crispy Onions (for topping)
- 1/4 cup Crispy Wontons (for topping)
For Salad Dressing
- Leftover Tofu Marinade (from tofu ingredients above, see recipe below)
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey (or raw sugar)
- 1 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Chili Paste
- 1/2 Lime (juiced)
Instructions
- Squeeze excess water from tofu before cutting into cubes or slices. Place in bowl to marinate with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, garlic salt, pepper, and rice vinegar.
- Then, prepare three separate bowls; in the first bowl, add arrowroot powder (or cornstarch). In the second bowl, add aquafaba, which is the “juice” or brine found in a can of chickpeas. In the third bowl, mix Panko breadcrumbs with furikake seasoning (amount to preference – I like to put a lot).
- Place tofu in the bowl with the arrowroot powder, then sprinkle a few tablespoons of aquafaba over top. Add in Panko/furikake and stir until tofu is well-coated.
- Place tofu in air fryer for 15 minutes at 380 degrees. Set leftover tofu marinade aside; you will use this for your salad dressing.
- While tofu is in the air fryer, chop bell peppers, bok choy, baby corn, lettuce, shallot, and mango. Add chopped ingredients together with the rest of the salad ingredients into a large bowl, with the exception of the mangoes (I like to add these just before serving to avoid getting the veggies soggy), the crispy onions, and the crispy wontons.
- To make the salad dressing, combine all ingredients to taste using the leftover marinade from the tofu. Whisk to combine.
- Once the tofu is ready, add it to the salad along with the mango. Top with crispy onions and crispy wontons, and drizzle in salad dressing. Toss to combine.
Watch my video on how to make this recipe by clicking here.
