Korean Tofu Sausage Salad with California Avocados
Serves: 12
Ingredients
Korean Tofu Sausage, (recipe follows) Quick Pickled Carrots, (recipe follows) Sautéed Mushrooms, (recipe follows) Steamed Kale, (recipe follows) Vegan Gochujang Dressing, (recipe follows) 3 ripe, Fresh California Avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced 24 cups arugula, (1 lb. 8 oz.) Korean Tofu Sausage (Yield: 6 cups) Organic Firm Tofu, 2 lbs. 10 oz. 3 Tbsp. Korean gochugaru, (or chili powder) 2 Tbsp. +1tsp. kosher salt 1 1/2 tsp. cumin, ground 3/4 tsp. garlic powder 1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil Quick Pickled Carrots (Yield: 3 cups) 12 oz. carrots, peeled and julienned 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. granulated sugar 1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar 1 tsp. sesame seeds Sauteed Mushrooms (Yield: 3 cups) 18 oz. mushrooms, sliced 1 1/2 oz. shallot, peeled and thiny sliced 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt Grapeseed or canola oil , for cooking Steamed Kale (Yield: 6 cups) 1 bunch kale, (10 oz.) 1 Tbsp. sesame oil 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. sesame seeds Vegan Gochujang Dressing (Yield: 3 cups) 4 1/2 Tbsp. gochujang, (Korean chili paste) 1 1/2 Tbsp. Japanese white miso paste 1 1/2 cups vegan mayonnaise 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1 1/2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil 1 1/2 Tbsp. waterInstructions
Korean Tofu Sausage:
- Drain the tofu and crumble into ½” pieces.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix all spices together, then stir in the olive oil.
- In a large bowl, toss the crumbled tofu with the spice rub mixture until evenly coated. Spread the mixture onto greased or parchment paper lined sheet pans. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir the tofu and bake for an additional 20 minutes. If the crumbled tofu is still wet, bake for another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
Quick Pickled Carrots:
- In a large bowl, toss the julienned carrots, salt, sugar, and vinegar. Let sit for 20 minutes. Drain the carrots, squeezing out any excess water. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Sautéed Mushrooms:
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in some cooking oil. Add the sliced shallots and cook until they start to soften. Add the sliced mushrooms and salt. Cook until mushrooms soften and start to lightly brown. Remove from heat, draining any excess liquid.
Steamed Kale:
- Remove the stems from the kale. Add 2 inches of water to a medium stockpot and fit with a steamer basket. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add kale, cover with lid, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove kale from steamer and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces. Add sesame oil, lemon juice and sesame seeds; tossing to coat. Add salt to taste.
Vegan Gochujang Dressing:
- Mix the gochujang and miso until well incorporated. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until everything is thoroughly mixed.
Assemble:
- Place 2 cups of arugula in the bottom of each bowl. Top each salad with ½ cup of Korean Tofu Sausage, ¼ cup of Sautéed Mushrooms, ¼ cup Quick Pickled Carrots, ½ cup of Steamed Kale and ¼ of an avocado. Drizzle each with ¼ cup of Vegan Gochujang Dressing. Serve.
*Large avocados are recommended for this recipe. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.
Did You Know?
There are hundreds of avocado varieties grown in California, and to avoid injury you should never cut an avocado while holding it your hand.
As with all fruits and vegetables, wash avocados before cutting. Check out our tips for how to choose and use California Avocados