Fall

Honeydew Melon, Tofu & Walnut Salad with Green Beans & Grapes

May  6, 2014
5
1 Ratings
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 1 minute
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

Shiro Ae (White Dressing) is a delicious, savory side dish served at Japanese inns. Usually, not-too-sweet tofu dresses spinach or squash. Here I've combined walnuts with honeydew and grapes to add extra crunch with great flavor.
The Super Secret: South Beach/ Low Carb Diets look down on soft fruits with a high sugar content. But by adding protein (here walnuts & tofu) the glucose enters the blood stream more slowly, meaning a lower glycemic count. For years, I've made Persimmon Walnut Shiro Ae, but since persimmons weren't in season, and that Honeydew was winking at me from the sideboard.... —BoulderGalinTokyo

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Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup Walnuts
  • 100 grams Silken Tofu (1/3 cup), drained
  • 1 teaspoon Soy sauce (I used white shoyu)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/4 Honeydew Melon (generous 1 cup melon balls)
  • 10 Green Beans, tops and strings removed
  • 1/2 cup Seedless Grapes (mixed red, green or black
Directions
  1. Crumble the walnuts in a mortar with a pestle or in a Japanese tsuribachi but not too fine. This can be made in a food processor, but pulse the walnuts, stopping when the nuts are about in 1/4 inch-size.
  2. Add the smashed tofu to the walnuts. This is the Shiro Ae (White Dressing) (In food processor, mix but stop before it becomes a paste, leave some texture to the walnuts.)
  3. Add soy sauce and sugar (or sweetener) to the walnut tofu mixture.
  4. Microwave green beans until soft (about 1 minute) on high (depends on your microwave). Put beans in ice water.
  5. Cut the melon. I make melon balls, but squares are fine.
  6. Section the grapes (removing seeds) into fourths or eights depending on their size.
  7. Mix and serve.
  8. Note--Grapes: I used Crimson from Australia, they are like Red Globe but without the seeds. Any grapes are fine if you have the time to pick the seeds out.
  9. Sweetener is a matter of choice. Keep the flavor proportion of sweet to soy sauce at 1 to 1. Agave and honey will add some liquid, so mix just before serving to prevent the tofu from separating.

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2 Reviews

Splitlikeabanana October 7, 2020
Rly enjoyed how fast and delicious this recipe was!
BoulderGalinTokyo October 7, 2020
Thank you for your kind words!

I see Splitlikeabanana is new to our community, Welcome! and enjoy