There is no other dish that would complete a Guam fiesta, or festivity, without bringing in the kelaguen (keh-la-gwen) to serve. Kelaguen is a CHamoru dish that is often an appetizer during special occasions or barbecues. Kelaguen is based on the “cooking” property of lemon juice, whereby raw or barbecued meat is “cooked” by the acidity of the lemon. You can basically turn any meat dish into kelaguen – fish, beef, and (most commonly) chicken. But since this is The Earth Kitchen, I’m not preparing any of that.
My dad would often cook kelaguen for the entire family during gatherings. He takes pride in making it, claiming it “one the best dishes ever” with an ice cold beer. We’ve adapted to kelaguen so much that we would even bring his recipe to the Philippines for my relatives to try. Since going vegan, my dad has insisted that I do not miss out eating dish, and thanks to him, he’s taught me his ways making a tofu version. This recipe has been developed, overtime, with his help. And quite frankly, he is my toughest critic; but I can now proudly say, he approves of this.
But tofu is bland.
Be a skeptic, no more! Tofu is the best canvas for kelaguen without using any form plant-based mock meat. For best results, use extra firm tofu and press out excess liquid before frying. A frequently asked question is, “do I have to pan fry the tofu before chopping it to pieces?” The answer is YES.
For two reasons:
(1) You want to give a bouncy texture that almost feels like chicken – it also gives a nice color.
(2) You want to season it while it is frying for better flavor. Raw tofu is not appetizing, even for myself and the only way to make this dish convincing is frying the tofu beforehand.
And, yes, while it is not prepared the way it should be with a traditional kelaguen, there is no denying that this dish is a winner in The Earth Kitchen arsenal for both plant-based enthusiasts and our omnivorous friends. So if you have not tried it yet, it’s the best time to do so during so many festivities. Trust me, it’s very convincing.
Tofu Kelaguen
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Skillet or frying pan
- Food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 14 oz extra firm tofu excess water pressed & drained
- ½ medium yellow or white onions roughly diced
- 5-6 tbsp lemon juice about 2 lemons squeezed
- 1 tbsp low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 1-2 small bird's eye chili chopped with seeds (optional)
- 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil for frying
- salt & pepper to taste
- chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet or frying pan to medium high heat. Pat your tofu dry and dice tofu into small squares. Pan fry tofu on each side until it turns golden brown. Season with salt and pepper as you fry so that the tofu has added flavor. Each side should take about 2-3 minutes depending on the heat of your stovetop.
- Set the tofu aside. On the same pan, sauté yellow (or white) onions until transparent in color and fragrant. Turn off heat and set cooked onions on the side.
- Using a food processor or by hand, roughly chop squares of tofu until it has a loose crumble consistency – leave pieces of chunks for texture. You don't want to make the tofu finely crumbled.
- Pour the tofu onto a mixing bowl and mix in the cooked onions. Stir the rest of the ingredients such as the lemon juice, tamari, red pepper, salt & pepper. Season to taste. Taste should be tangy, savory, and a bit spicy.
- Add in green onions and combine. Kelaguen is best served after allowing it to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight so flavors are soaked in. You can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
