Tofu Negamaki

Negamaki is a Japanese kebab which traditionally consists of beef and scallions. For this vegan version, use baked tofu instead! The kebabs make a perfect summertime appetizer.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 and 1/2 tablespoons raw sugar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably low sodium), 1 tablespoon mirin, 2 teaspoons grated orange rind, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon rice vinegar. Bring to a boil, then continue to cook for 1 minute - all the sugar should be dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

While the mixture cools, slice 1 (8-ounce) package of baked tofu (such as Soyboy) into 16 equal pieces. Cut 16 (4-inch long) tops off of green onions; reserve the bottoms for another use.

Working with 1 (10-inch) kebab skewer at a time, thread on 1 green onion top, about 1/2-inch from the end of the onion. Thread 1 tofu cube onto the skewer, then wrap the onion top tightly around the tofu and thread the other end of the onion onto the skewer; push to the opposite end of the skewer, then repeat the process. (See the photo if those instructions are slightly unclear!) At the end, you'll have 4 pieces of tofu and 4 green onion tops on each skewer.

Coat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Brush the kebabs with the soy sauce mixture, and coat with cooking spray (the latter of which I forgot!), then grill for about 3 minutes on each side, while basting frequently with the soy sauce mixture.

One thing to watch out for: your grill pan needs to be big enough so that the kebab skewer length don't prevent the food from coming in contact with the pan itself - I actually had to press down on the tofu cubes to ensure that they grilled, since my grill pan is only about 8-inches square!

Each kebab is 130 calories.

Cost:
orange $1.15
green onions $0.99
baked tofu $2.99