Braised Cinnamon Tofu

This brothy main dish meal comes from the book A Spoonful of Ginger, by Nina Simonds. Nina is a cookbook author, food writer and cooking instructor who has lived, studied, and traveled through Southeast Asia for the past 25 years. Her most recent book is “Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health.” This dish is a variation of the classic dish Braised Cinnamon Beef. Its clean flavors are perfect when a comforting bowl of soup is in order.

Seasonings Ingredients 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

6 green onions, cut into 1-inch sections and flattened with a knife

6 garlic cloves, smashed lightly with flat side of knife

4 slices fresh ginger, smashed lightly with flat side of knife

1 teaspoon hot chile paste

2 sticks cinnamon1 teaspoon anise seed

Soup Ingredients ½ cup soy sauce

6 cups water

2 pounds firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 pound spinach, stems trimmed

3 tablespoons minced green onions

Instructions Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add seasonings; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and water. Bring to a boil, add tofu and boil again. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until tofu is drenched with the flavors of the braising liquid.Remove ginger and cinnamon; discard. Add spinach in handfuls to the tofu mixture and bring to a boil. Ladle the mixture into servings bowls and sprinkle with green onions.

Notes Yield: 6 servings

Calories 196 (46% from fat); Fat 10g (sat fat 0.1g, mono fat 0.1g, poly fat 0.2g); Protein 21g; Carbohydrate 11.4g; Fiber 3g: Cholesterol 0mg; Iron 5mg; Sodium 1097mg; Calcium 251mg;