table talk / By Joseph Byrd

Superbowl Street Food

The yogurt, on the other hand, is a critical element. Process Nancy’s Yogurt with diced cucumber, minced lemon (skin included), shreds of mint or cilantro and salt. Serve the pita warm, fill the pocket with curry, top with yogurt mix.

I knew eventually I’d find a tofu recipe I like. The point, of course, is not to disguise the tofu, but feature it. The Tofu Shop makes it fresh locally; get the firmer (less likely to crumble in cooking) and cut into half-inch cubes. Prepare a thickish dip of catsup, tamari, dark sesame oil and Serrano chiles (use your knife to cut away the outer flesh, then mince it).

Heat peanut oil in a wok, and when it’s hot, add the coated cubes. Stir-fry briskly, turning with a slotted spoon until they are golden brown all over. Remove and drain over newspaper. Salt and serve with dip.

Yes, street food, but if you want to avoid the inevitable drips, have paper plates and napkins available.

If you have all this as a meal at the table, it would be good to add a simple salad, like Savoy cabbage slaw, with cilantro, lime zest and juice, and a little good olive oil.

Wine doesn’t go with street food. But beer does. Once at a jazz festival in Sacramento, they brought my band frosty mugs of Pyramid Apricot Ale, the only flavored beer I’ve ever liked, fruity and refreshing; it would go very well with the bold flavors of this meal. But this is a Superbowl party — one thing you probably won’t have to worry about is having enough beer.

Note: Super Bowl XLIII, with the Pittsburgh Steelers v. the Arizona Cardinals, is on Sunday, Feb. 1, in Tampa, Fla.

It’s a recession, maybe even a depression, closing in. What are local restaurants doing about rising costs and diminishing sales? Have an example? E-mail Joseph at eat.your.spinach@gmail.com.

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