Gua Bao with Tofu (Taiwanese Folded Bun)

Purchase Gua bao buns at your local Asian market.  They are refrigerated or frozen and look like fat tacos.

Photo from http://www.eatingclubvancouver.com/2010/03/gua-bao-taiwanese-burger-or-pork-belly.html

About 15 minutes before you plan to eat, place the buns in a steamer for approx. 10 minutes unitl fluffy and soft.  (It helps prevent sticking if you spray Pam on the steamer and the buns prior to steaming.  I use my double boiler steamer which is metal, so foods really can stick to it.)

To assemble your Gua Bao, place two slices of fried tofu with some thinly sliced cucumber, sliced lenthwise scallions, cilantro leaves, some finely chopped jalapeno (without the seeds), and a topping of about a TB of Peanut Sriracha Sauce.

I served the sandwich with a side of sliced mango topped with a little lime juice ( Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice is the best.)

Marinated Tofu
8 servings (98kcal each) 

10 oz of firm tofu cut in rectangles

8 servings (98kcal each)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup plus 1 TB water

1 TB molasses

2 TB agave 

1 tsp Chinese 5 Spice powder

dash of sesame oil and 1 tsp peanut oil

Slice tofu into about 16 rectangles. In a separate bowl, whisk together all ingreadients for the marinade.  Place the tofu int he marinade and cover.  Let sit for about an hour. 
After the tofu has marinated, drain the pieces and fry in a pan with sesame and peanut oil until browned on both sides. 


Peanut - Sriracha Sauce

 Approx. 20 servings ( 23kcal each)

2 TB natural no sugar added peanut butter (smooth)

4TB agave syrup

1/2 tsp - 1 tsp Sriracha sauce (depending upon how hot you want it)

dash of salt

1/2 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder

1/4 cup of water

Slowly add the water tot he remainder of the ingredients and whisk until smooth.  I store mine in a 12 oz. plastic squeeze bottle (you can find them often in the cake decorating section of a craft store).  Refrigerate until use.