Summer came and went, but the refrigerator had some reminisce of it.
Let’s talk about flying experiences.
It takes a lot for me to prepare for travels. Not the packing bit, but the medications. I’m always preparing for worse when it comes to air travel. Vertigo and I don’t get along. At the moment, its not a huge flight deterrent. So I’m learning to cope with it.
But when it triggers, the sensation is something I would never wish onto my enemies — if I had any 😉
Did I mention how much I loathe flying? Not because of vertigo or packing, more for the amount of time wasted to be in the airport. Though I’m glad to report I’ve mastered the skills at the security clearance.
Laptop, shoes, jacket and medications — everything gets into the bins. Pockets are emptied, and everything after that is just a cake-walk.
Still don’t get it why people are so uptight about airport security. They are after all just doing their job.
And so, the boarding begins and you’d think I’d stop complaining at this point. Nope, thanks to all of the annoying recent travels. Why is boarding an airplane such a chore?
People tend to hog the walkway even after stowing away their belongings! There’s a long bee-line of people anxiously awaiting to get to their seat.
Sigh. There’s lesser respect for others these days. I’m just going to bury my worldly frustrations into this salad. Enough said for the day.
Ingredients:
- 2 zucchini + 1 yellow squash, shredded
- pinch of salt
- 1 firm tofu, pressed and sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp orange zest
- 3 tbsp tamari/soy sauce
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 3 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp ginger, finely minced
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Garnish: orange segments, toasted sesame oil and black sesame seeds
Directions:
- Line a colander with some paper towel. Add shredded zucchini and squash with a pinch of salt. Mix to combine and allow to drain for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture. Wring out shredded vegetables and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine sliced tofu with black pepper, orange zest, soy sauce, curry powder and orange juice. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Prepare salad dressing by combining all the ingredients into a jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
- Heat a nonstick skillet on medium high. Add 1 tbsp of oil and once it begins to smoke, gently add marinated tofu slices. Pan fry for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and crisped. Drain crisped tofu on paper towel. Add another tablespoon of oil and pan fry another batch of tofu.
- To plate, combine all ingredients, drizzle with a little toasted sesame oil, garnished with sesame seeds and orange segments. If you prefer a layered (non-soggy) salad, begin by plating shredded vegetables. Top it with pan fried curried tofu, drizzle on some dressing and garnish with fresh orange segments, a few drops of sesame oil and sesame seeds.
- Enjoy!
Hope your week is off to a great start. Mine is going to be well-spent by clearing out summer and slowly introducing autumn back into our life. Slowly but surely.
Are you a frequent-flyer? Any flying frustrations? Vent it out, appropriately 😉
Comments on this entry are closed.
That is a great dish! Excatly what I would prepare at home. Very flavorful.
Cheers,
Rosa
What a lovely and healthy dish my dear. Enjoy your travelling. Haven’t travelled a lot in a while, not a big fan though.
Ooh – am always looking for tofu dishes and this one sounds scrumptious! The dressing seems so refreshing!
Nope, not a frequent flyer, but I do love people watching in the airport…oh wait…don’t think thats appropriate venting though …
Safe travels dear 🙂
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com recently posted..My 1st MIMM!
tofu salad sounds great…very healthy…
maha recently posted..CHICK PEAS FENUGREEK LEAVES RICE/KABULI CHANA METHI RICE/SENGALA MENTHI KURA ANNAM
Maha — thank you 🙂
I like that you added citrus notes on tofu, simply beautiful.
I believe you’re so lucky since you get to travel so often… but, yes, I understand your point with airport experiences…
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ recently posted..Dried Apricots and Tahini Energy Balls
Daniela — i’m seriously loathing all the traveling. It’s getting to be too much now. and when it’s too much, it’s no longer fun 😀
I like the Tofu marinade a lot – otherwise it tends to be so bland!
Flying is fun for me but probably because I don’t do it as often. Its physically tiring but I love the idea of travelling – a lot.
I don’t like the slow pace of things at the airport – just because you are at the airport doesn’t mean you walk slowly, move slowly, order slowly. There is a lot of nervousness around – and I keep reminding myself, the worst case scenario is a missed flight – and there are always other flights! 🙂
Archana @ FeedingThefoodie recently posted..GOBI MANCHURIAN | INDO-CHINESE CAULIFLOWER
Archana — clearly you love traveling so much 😀
Curried tofu sounds incredibly tasty! Lovely salad.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..almond roca brownies
There’s always this high-key, sunshine-y, light, feathery, angelic, heavenly touch in your pictures which make me appreciate your hardwork more and more!
What brilliant, healthy, guilt-free salad idea you have presented today, dearie!
Will have it for dinner tonight 🙂
Hugs.
Nusrat Azim recently posted..Ambrosia
Nusrat — thanks so much, love. hope you enjoyed this recipe with the family as much or more than I have 🙂
What a lovely salad for transitioning from summer to fall, Kiran! It looks absolutely beautiful, delicious and fresh. Wonderful recipe!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking recently posted..Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken
My husband and I always say that if we get rich we don’t need a big house, but our own plane would be terrific! I eat a lot of tofu and I’m loooving this salad!
Kari@Loaves n Dishes recently posted..TOTALLY POSSIBLE VEGGIE FETA PIE
Kari — lol, you guys are way too cute 😉
This looks amazing Kiran. Did you use a food processor to shred the zucchini, else how do you get such long strips? I’m not a fan of traveling, but I love to TRAVEL! This year I did my fair share of travel. The one thing that pisses me off is going thru that new XRAY machine.. I can’t stand it. And note, that machine doesn’t exist in the Caribbean, Canada, Europe, or Asia, but it does in the US. They are always testing on us. I always opt out.
Honey What’s Cooking recently posted..Greek Spaghetti… Greek Goodness in a bowl.
Nisha — thanks! you can use a food processor to shred it but i made mine with an OXO hand-held julienne slicer http://amzn.to/18eYNcM.
I hate that X-ray myself. Wonder how much radiation are we exposed too.
I hear ya Kiran! I dispise traveling. The lines, the waiting, the inconsiderate fools taking their sweet time putting their overly large carry-on in the overhead bins. Not to mention people traveling with young crying infants. YIKES! What used to be a fun experience is now something I dread, which prevents me from traveling more than I would like. Anyway… this salad looks amazing, as is with all your gorgeous recipes. Have a great rest of the week friend! 🙂
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker recently posted..Salsa Verde
Anne — good to know I’m not the only one dreading to fly! hope you are having a great week yourself, friend 🙂
It’s the whole waste of time thing I hate about airports. Wait, wait and wait. I rather just do a road trip, where possible and stop as you please. The thing is, I love flying, and wanted to be a RAF pilot when I got out of school (for a short time) but I wanted to be many things….
This salad is gorgeous. I love the shredded long strands of the zucchini and squash and crispy tofu! Yummy! Loving the orange ginger dressing too.
Nazneen
Coffee and Crumpets recently posted..Merguez Kebabs
Nazneen — we prefer road trips too! so much more convenient and healthy.
The salad looks fantastic – zucchini, squash and curried tofu are perfect together with the tangy & mildly spicy dressing.
Where are you traveling at the moment? We are currently in Buenos Aires, Argentina, here for another month. My partner and I are avid travelers and frequent fliers; we travel several times a year. We will be heading back to Oregon in November, Philadelphia for a couple of days, Seattle for a couple of days, Paris for a month and then Peru for a week. We are still working on our 2014 travel plans at the moment. We don’t like flying domestic in the U.S., the services are not so good. We like to fly international within Asia & Oceania on Air NZ, Asiana, Swiss, Lufthansa, etc.
Rika — our jobs doesn’t allow for much international travel opportunities, hence the domesticated flights. i loathe the local flight services too. just not good. wow, looks like you guys do fly for a living 🙂
I can’t do tofu (well, won’t is really more accurate!) but the rest looks great and I’ve got the remnants of summer squash just waiting for something different. LOVE the dressing!
Barbara | Creative Culinary recently posted..Boozy Snickerdoodle Cake with Apples
I am so scared of airplanes! I wasn’t like this but as I grew up I started to be afraid of traveling by airplane! You are so brave and patient! Your salad looks delicious!
Katerina recently posted..Keftedàkia ( Greek Meatballs)
Katerina — thanks love. i might be brave, but have zero patience 😀
Beautiful, healthy and so delicious looking! I can think of no better way to feel better. Lovely!
Maria | Pink Patisserie recently posted..Roasted Fennel and Cherry Tomato Crumble Gratin
A perfect squash salad! Curried tofu slices look marvelous, Kiran.
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Gluten Free Quinoa Chocolate Cake
Gorgeous!!! Simple, flavorful, healthy!! Whats not to love!
Mr. & Mrs. P recently posted..How to Photograph Your Dog (7 Tips!)
I used to fly a ton, but it’s been awhile since I’ve done much. The problem with security is it’s so uncertain how long the whole process is going to take – sometimes you breeze through in a few minutes, other times the line is an hour or more long. Plus the on-plane experience is the pits these days. Anyway, lovely salad! That’s a great dressing, and curry and tofu play so well together. Good stuff – thanks.
john@kitchenriffs recently posted..Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread
John — i don’t mind the security. it’s after all for everyone’s safety. but i loathe the attitude of passengers that never considers others in their presence. so rude.
I’m not a fan of flying either for the same reasons. This salad looks amazing! I love the sound of this citrus dressing drizzled over the crispy tofu with squash and zucchini! Gorgeous pictures as always too:)
Kelly recently posted..Club House Gluten Free Gravy Mixes – Turkey Roulade & Beef Pot Roast
Your photos are PERFECT! Love your food photography 🙂
Tamara Coleman recently posted..Skinny Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita
Tamara — thank you so much!
I am in love with your presentation. Simply beautiful!
Mallika recently posted..Honey Loops & Nuts Chikki
The salad looks very refreshing and love those vibrant colors.
I am not too fond of flying for reasons similar to yours sans the vertigo, but starting mid October this year I will be catching a few flights to different destinations.
easyfoodsmith recently posted..ZA’ATAR LAVASH CRACKERS w/ TAHINI BEETROOT DIP
Taruna — i’ll take all the pain if it weren’t for my vertigo. Lucky you, have fun traveling 🙂
Oh! I love flying for the joy of watching clouds from up there. I always wish that time should stop there for a minute or 5 or maybe more and let me stare into the clouds for forever. Ok, I know I am not helping you so I would stop.
And the salad, it looks oh my gosh gorgeous. But, I just have one thing to ask, how did you shred zucchini so thin and adorable?
Charul — thanks! you can use a food processor to shred it but i made mine with an OXO hand-held julienne slicer http://amzn.to/18eYNcM.
flavorful and healthy salad…
Gayathri recently posted..CABBAGE SOUP FOR WEIGHT WATCHERS
The more I travel – and I have done a lot these last couple of years, the more tolerant and the less afraid I am. I just get there earlier and bring food and a book. I will admit that if I am stuck in a long line I panic and start cursing, but I have become immune to much of it. Now, this curry is fabulous! I love the tofu and the addition of orange! How simple yet how flavorful!
Jamie recently posted..Mom’s Chocolate Waldorf Astoria Cake
Jamie — immune is definitely the perfect word 🙂
Nice salad, I love the orange dressing, such a pretty and tasty dish Kiran.
Hope you are having a wonderful week my dear 😀
Flying’ always a pain, but always always worth it when you reach the destination. These are gorgeous colours, Kiran! It always surprised me how well orange dressings work with tofu.
I hear you, I am not a fan of the airport or being on a plane but I love the experience of going to discover someplace different so I guess that’s the price we pay!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen recently posted..Celery Root and Apple Salad
I love the look and sound of this salad! And yeah, I prefer driving to flying. 🙂
Kimberley recently posted..SAVORY CHICKPEA PANCAKES WITH SMOKY ROASTED CARROTS
Oh man! you don’t know how annoying airport security can be until you have a kid..to add to everything else you have to get the baby out of the stroller and into the stroller 50 times..and get the damn stroller through the machines. Most annoying thing EVER! I feel for you.
Shefali recently posted..I Told You So
Shefali — i feel for everyone who has to fly. it’s never easy 😀
Kiran, I hear you on the headaches of flying. But that salad is gorgeous, and would make anyone feel better!
Viviane Bauquet Farre – Food and Style recently posted..Cannellini beans with braised Tuscan kale and garlic breadcrumbs
What a lovely vegetarian dish! I like tofu a lot, so I think I wouldn’t mind the meat’s absence (even as an avowed carni/piscivore).
What makes me furious at the airport are people who have already travelled at least several times and still pretend they don’t know they should take out their laptops… It takes ages for them afterwards to take the laptop out… (I am rarely asked to take off my shoes though: I wear soft ballerinas, so I never do it).
I must say if airport food/drinks were better, shops more interesting, I wouldn’t mind waiting… Sadly it’s rarely the case.
Sissi recently posted..Ryba po grecku (Polish Greek-Style Fish with Carrots)
Sissi — ditto with every observation, especially the shopping bit 😉
I am not a frequent flyer, but I wish I could fly more often. I always considered airports super interesting. Love observing how people act and then there is the duty free shopping. =)
Glad to have come across your salad Kiran. I need something new!
Helene D’Souza recently posted..Savory Fruit Salad with Cantaloup, Plum, Orange and Vinaigrette
Helene — duty shopping is a bonus I guess 😉
Kiran, you travel so much. I wish I had the opportunity especially overseas. I don’t have vertigo but I dread fling just the same but how am I suppose to get places, right?! Back to your dish if anyone can make tofu appealing to me it’s you and using in season zucchinis is the best. I picked up some last weekend at the farmers market. They were sensational. I hope the rain will cease so I can hit the market again this weekend.
foodwanderings recently posted..Avocado-Grapefruit-Mango Saladita: Mollie Katzen’s ‘The Heart of the Plate’
Shulie — i simply loathe traveling, no thanks to a severe vertigo. it’s no fun at all 🙁
Gorgeous recipe. I love the contrast of the speckled black sesame against the sunny yellow and green! This is a great way to eat tofu (which I normally hate, sorry sunshine!) as it’s got so much flavour happiness in the mix… I think even I could eat it! Thanks lovely x
laurasmess recently posted..South West Rambling
Laura — thanks love. hope you’d get to try this recipe and be a tofu convert 😉
I know I’ll be addicted!
I made it as a Nice lunch today for my mom & me & we both loved it so much! It was sensational even. Yummy too. Xx
Sophie33 recently posted..Home-made vanilla extract & home-made sherry vanilla extract! 🙂 Great food gifts! ( Gluten-Free option! )
Sophie — awww, i’m glad you girls enjoyed it! thanks for reporting it back 🙂 xoxo
I love zucchini noodles–what an awesome way to use them! Gorgeous photos, too. 🙂
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies recently posted..What I Ate This Week | Finally, Quinoa in Convenient Pie Form!
Really beautiful salad. Love the orange with the green and yellow, and of course the flavor is a great addition. The key to flying is…sleeping the entire way through the flight!
The Duo Dishes recently posted..Another Year, Another Seafood Boil
I’m a little in love with this salad, black sesame & delicious orange segments make this no fuss with great flavour. As for the travel but, I’m a seasoned overnight traveller, as long as I have charge on my iPad & snacks in my bags, I’ll survive…just!!!
Alice recently posted..Fresh Pineapple & Prawn Ceviche