Easy Warm Tofu Salad

With the holidays upon us, perhaps like us, you need a palate cleanser. This tofu salad has Asian flavors, mainly from the soy sauce and sesame seeds. Alone, it makes a light lunch, or a light dinner side salad. The flavors are mild, so if you're looking for something a bit bolder, toss the salad with our Thai Vinaigrette dressing. 

To keep the tofu from becoming too crumbly and losing its shape in the salad, be sure to pat it as dry as you can and properly brown it before mixing.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 14-ounce package firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 bag mixed salad greens of your choice
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced (we went with the pre-sliced carrots...because why not)
• 1 large cucumber, chopped

In a small bowl, combine peanut oil, rice vinegar, honey and sesame seeds. Set aside. (If using other dressing, skip this). 

Heat up one additional tablespoon of peanut oil and 2 tablespoons of dressing in a large pan. Pan fry the tofu over medium-high heat, turning every 3-4 minutes, until browned. Remove from heat and combine with salad greens, carrots and cucumbers. Toss with remaining dressing

Weekend Meal: Soy Glazed Salmon

In the new year, the Galley Kitchen vowed to do one fish dish a month. So far so good! This weekend, we broiled some salmon in a simple soy sauce marinade that gave the meal an Asian flair. We adapted this recipe from Sunset Magazine to better fit what was in the pantry and to suit our tastes.


Unlike other fish recipes, this one specifically calls for a filet with skin. The soy sauce and sesame seed mixture blends well with the stronger salmon taste. The skin acts as a welcome vehicle for the sesame seeds and adds a flaky texture.


A note: if using frozen fish, be sure to defrost it at least 6 hours before broiling


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

• 1 cup soy sauce 
• 1/2 cup honey 
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic (about 2 cloves, or 1 big clove)
• 4 pieces (about 6 oz. each) salmon fillet, with skin (fresh or frozen)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a medium pot, mix soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Stir constantly until it is reduced by 1/3
3. Reserve  3 tablespoons glaze into a small bowl and set aside. 
4. Line broiler pan with foil and pour remainder of the soy sauce mix. Set salmon pieces in dish, skin side up and let stand 15 minutes. Turn salmon pieces over and bake for 15-20 minutes, until it is opaque at the edges, but still translucent in the center.
5. Increase oven to broil. Evenly spread half the reserved glaze on the salmon and sprinkle evenly with sesame seeds. 
6. Broil 6 inches from heat until sesame seeds are toasted. Drizzle the remaining soy sauce mix on the salmon. Serve with a side of rice and steamed vegetables. 

Eating Around the Bay: Bun Mee & Dumplings & Buns

Fillmore Street houses a wide array of great new restaurants. Earlier this year it was Bun Mee, and most recently, Dumplings & Buns. Both offer a unique take on much loved Asian fare, with one new eatery making a splash and the other but a ripple.

First stop was Bun Mee (2015 Fillmore Street). The restaurant errs on the small side, with a long bar right up by the kitchen. The Belly Bun jumped off the menu, with its Braised Kurobuta pork belly, salted radish relish, shaved onion, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, jalapenos, cilantro. The sandwich was roughly six inches long and had the right blend of savory and spicy. Two slightly messy thumbs up.

Next on the menu was Dumplings & Buns (2411 California Street). The new eatery offered an enticing combo of a choice of one pork or bbq chicken bun and three dumplings (pork, chicken, pea, shrimp) for only $5.50. The offer was too good to resist: one pork bun and one pork one chicken and one shrimp dumpling coming up. Unfortunately, the good vibes stopped with the offer. The bun had an overdose of garlic and the dumplings were too soft.

Give these restaurants a spin the next time you're on Fillmore St.