Golden Tofu Lettuce Cup Tacos

Tofu has a reputation for being bland, but it is really a blank canvas. Pressing it well is the step that matters most. When the block is drained and squeezed of its water, the crumbles can take on color and spice instead of steaming into soft little clouds. Here you break it apart with your fingers straight into the pan, so the pieces come out uneven, and those craggy edges are where the browning happens. Those golden bits are the reason the filling tastes like taco meat without a single bit of meat in it.

Tofu itself is made by curdling warm soy milk and pressing the curds, which is an old method that goes back well over a thousand years in East Asia. Extra firm is the best choice here because it holds its shape through eight to ten minutes of stirring. A softer tofu would break down into mush.

A quick tip on the lime: zest it first, then squeeze the juice over the zest in a small bowl. The oil in the zest adds a floral brightness that juice alone can't give you, and it lands in the pan just as the spices are toasting.

The filling keeps well. Pack leftover tofu in a sealed container and refrigerate it for up to four days. Reheat it in a skillet with a splash of water so it doesn't dry out, then pile it into fresh lettuce leaves, which are best assembled just before eating. Leftover filling is also good rolled into a warm tortilla with some of the Chunky Black Bean Garden Salsa spooned over the top.

For serving, a bowl of the Spinach Bowls with Pinto Beans and Rice makes a filling side if you want something more substantial than lettuce. If you are making a bigger spread, the Colorful Chopped Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing pairs nicely, since its bright dressing echoes the lime in the filling.