Over the last few weeks, I've been experimenting with tofu recipes, also known as bean curd. Tofu is a 100% plant based product, rich in proteins and low in calories and carbohydrates. I’m fascinated that my family is enjoying the dishes I've been trying. Tofu is essentially to soy milk, what cheese is to dairy milk. It is the "curd" of soy milk. Did you know there are a variety of kinds of tofu from silken to extra firm? It can be used in a variety of ways from stir-frying to soups to noodle dishes. For the recipes I've been "playing" with, I've chosen to use extra firm. Tofu contains isoflavones, which are said to reduce the risk of cancer.
This past week, I made a crispy tofu teriyaki with baby bok choy, and it came out DELICIOUS! And huge perk...I didn't even have to fry it! From what I've been researching, baking tofu with cornstarch and just a little bit of oil will give it a nice crisp, and you know what? It did! Since baking is fairly hands-off, it made this dish so easy and quick to put together...right up my alley!
Here's how I did it! First, I drained all the water from the tofu blocks (I tripled my recipe and used 3 to feed my family) and then placed them on a baking sheet. I then put a clean dish cloth on top of them and layer another baking sheet on top of them and added a heavy pot to press the excess water out. I left the tofu under the press for 20 minutes. Next, I diced the tofu up and tossed it with some tamari (gluten free soy sauce) for flavor, some cornstarch, a touch of white pepper for kick and canola oil and then put it in the oven. While the tofu was baking, I cleaned my baby bok choy (I used 6) by quartering it and then gave it a bath in water. After three good rinses, I steamed them quick, and put them aside. You can really steam any vegetable for this dish. For the bok choy, I didn't let them steam too long, because we prefer our vegetables slightly crispy. Finally, I cooked my sauce on the stovetop, while the tofu was still baking. Once it was all done, I tossed the tofu with some sauce, layered my bok choy on a bed of rice, topped it with the tofu and drizzled the remainder of the sauce. And within 40 minutes, look at that dish!
P.S. I decided to order some shrimp fried rice to serve with this dish, to save time and steps! It was the perfect compliment to the flavors.
Ingredients
(Serves 4)
1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil (or high heat oil of choice)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ teaspoon white pepper (or black pepper, if that's what you've got)
For the Teriyaki Sauce
¼ cup water
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons chilled water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions
To make the crispy baked tofu, preheat the oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the tofu into a medium bowl and add the soy sauce, oil, cornstarch, and pepper. Toss to coat the tofu.
Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for about 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until browned and crispy.
While the tofu bakes, prepare the sauce. Stir ¼ cup of water, brown sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sherry, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together in small saucepan.
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
Lower the heat and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, until reduced by about ⅓.
Stir the chilled water and cornstarch together in a small bowl or cup. Stir the mixture into the sauce and allow it to simmer for about 1 minute more, until it thickens up a bit.
Remove the pot from the heat.
Set some sauce aside to drizzle overtop of your dish.
When the tofu is finished cooking, add it to the pot and toss until we’ll coated.
Layer rice, baby bok choy, then tofu onto plate. Drizzle with some extra sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seeds & scallions for color.
Enjoy!
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