I absolutely love making Tacos and I love experimenting with them too! After indulging in carb heavy meals over the weekend I decided to make a low-carb version of tacos with a twist! Crispy Thai Black Pepper & Garlic  Paneer with veggies on Lettuce Tacos for the win! 😀

 

Ingredients:

• Lettuce Leaves – About 10 to 15
• Ice Cubes – 10

To marinade the Paneer/ Tofu:

• Paneer – 12 Oz/ 340 Grams (You can replace the paneer with Tofu)
• Soy Sauce (Low sodium) – 2 Tbs
• Garlic – 2 Large cloves (Minced)
• Rice Vinegar – 1 1/2 Tsp
• Black Pepper (Freshly Ground) – 2 Tsp
• Red Chili Sauce – 1 Tbs

Vegetables:

• Oil – 1 Tbs
• Onion – 1 Small or Half Medium (Thinly sliced)
• Garlic – 4 to 5 cloves (Finely chopped or crushed)
• Carrots – 1 Cup (Diced)
• Broccoli – 1/2 Cup (Diced)
• Bell Pepper – 1 Medium (Diced)

Sauce:

• Soy Sauce (Low Sodium) – 2 Tbs
• Red Chili Sauce or Sriracha – 1 Tbs
• Rice Vinegar – 1 Tsp
• Black Pepper – 1 Tsp
• Corn Starch – 1 Tbs
• Vegetable Broth – 1/2 Cup
• Water – If required (To adjust the consistency of the sauce)

 

To Garnish:

• Fresh Coriander/ Cilantro – 2 Tbs
• Green Onion – 1 (Finely Chopped)
• Sriracha – 1 Tbs or more (As required)

 

 

Method:

1. Gently tear the lettuce leaves and place them on a plate of ice cubes and set aside
2. Place the slab of Paneer in a bowl & add boiling water to it and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Remove the slab and pat it with a paper towel to remove some moisture
3. Cut the paneer into cubes and put the in a bowl or a zip-lock bag. Put all the ingredients from the marinade section and gently mix till all the paneer pieces are covered in the marinade. Marinate for about 15 minutes
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all the marinated pieces of paneer on the parchment paper in one layer
5. Bake the paneer for 15 minutes, gently turn the pieces over and bake for another 10 minutes
6. Remove from the oven and keep aside
7. Now while the paneer is cooking in the oven you can make the vegetable sauce
8. In a separate bowl mix all the ingredients listed under the sauce section and keep aside
9. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add onion & garlic and fry until the onion turns translucent. Add all the chopped vegetables except bell pepper and fry for another 2-3 minutes
10. Now add the prepared sauce and mix well. Cook until the sauce turns thick, now add the bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes
11. Add water by tablespoons if required to get the desired consistency. Let it cook for about 2 minutes and then turn off the heat

 

Assemble the Tacos:

1. Gently place the lettuce leaves on a plate. I cut the leaves round to make them look like flour Tacos 😉
2. Pour the vegetable sauce and place the crispy paneer pieces
3. Sprinkle some coriander/ cilantro, green onion & sriracha over it
4. Fold it like a Taco and enjoy! 🙂

 

Tips:

1. You can use any vegetables of your choice like mushrooms, corn, peas etc.
2. Make the meal #vegan by replacing the paneer with tofu