1(8 ounce)water chestnutsdrained and finely chopped
2-3green onionsthinly sliced
10-12large lettuce leavesromaine heart leaves or butter lettuce leaves
½cupChow Mein Noodlesoptional
Instructions
If using dried mushrooms, place the dried mushrooms into a heat-safe bowl and cover with boiling water. Let soak for 20-30 minutes.
Place the block of tofu between thick paper towels and place onto a plate and top with a heavy skillet or plate and let sit for 20 minutes, changing out the paper towels after 10 minutes if needed.
In a small bowl, stir together the sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil, garlic, and ginger.
Chop up the dried tofu into small ½ inch chunks, alternatively, you can crumble up the tofu into small bits.
Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu and let saute for 3 minutes to brown and then flip and saute for another 2 minutes.
Drain off the mushrooms and chop into small pieces and add to the tofu. Saute for another 2-4 minutes, or until the tofu has browned slightly.
Add the water chestnuts and the sauce, stirring to coat everything evenly with the sauce. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Spoon the tofu mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Top with sliced green onions, chow mein noodles, and Sriracha hot sauce as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Dried Mushrooms: In place of the dried mushrooms, feel free to use 5 ounces fresh shiitake or baby cremini mushrooms, finely chopped.
Sweet Chili Sauce: Use your favorite store-bought sweet chili sauce, my homemade sweet chili sauce, or for a more mild, less spicy sauce, use Hoisin Sauce.
Leftovers: The tofu filling can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a dry skillet with a bit of water over medium heat until warmed through.
Gluten-Free: Use Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and omit the chow mein noodles.
Oil-Free: You can saute the tofu and veggies in a couple of tablespoons of vegetable broth, pineapple juice (which adds great flavor), or water. Just keep in mind it will be harder to crisp up the tofu. You may want to opt to broil the mixture for a couple of minutes after sauteeing.