Magic Garlicky Tofu
If there’s still anyone out there that doesn’t think they like tofu, I’m here to tell you that you’re wrong. I’m sorry but you just are. All tofu, not just the tofu in this recipe for Magic Garlicky Tofu, is magic.
In short, tofu is made in a process similar to cheese but as opposed to starting with cow, sheep, buffalo or goat milk, soy milk is used. Nothing offensive there. Why bother? Well, the resulting product is high in protein, calcium and iron, while low in calories and saturated fat. It’s good for you. I’m just going to assume that we can agree to take the mental “yuck” out of tofu and move on.
Next obstacle, the texture. The texture of tofu is versatile. For simplicity, the starting texture of tofu can be either soft or firm (sure, there’s extra-firm and silken and probably hundreds of varieties in between but you get the point). For us lay people, soft (silken) tofu is likely encountered less frequently. It can disappear in dips (I have one of those recipes coming up before months end) and desserts (remember Tofutti, that soft-serve “ice cream” craze of the 80’s, anyone?) contributing to a smooth texture while increasing the nutritional value of the end product. More often than not, your recipes will call for extra-firm tofu. You will be asked to firm it up even more by compressing the tofu block between two paper towel-lined plates that are weighted with a heavy can. The removal of water enables the resulting tofu to be cut into slices or cubes that can be baked, sautéed or fried until they are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. I’m trying to think of a meat equivalent but can’t come up with one because there’s no flakiness (as in a fish stick, for example) or stringiness (as in a chicken tender). Maybe more like a nicely crisped Yukon Gold potato. Trust me in that it’s a satisfying bite–not mushy or off-putting in any way.
Okay, now we get to the taste. Tofu purists may disagree but I am going to go out on a limb and say that tofu has no taste. It’s a chameleon that can be made to taste like whatever flavors it is surrounded by. This is why manufacturers are able to turn tofu into Italian “meat”balls, breakfast “sausages,” “turkey” slices and so on. In my kitchen, most often cubes of pressed, baked tofu are tossed into an Asian stir-fry in place of chicken. Offering up a different source of protein while adding heft to a meal.
Which leads me to this recipe for Magic Garlicky Tofu by Gimme Some Oven (adapted from an Ottolenghi recipe for Black Pepper Tofu, which as you may imagine is more complicated) where the tofu is used in just this way. The process of tossing the tofu with some seasoning and cornstarch before baking, ensures that extra crispiness that everyone enjoys and the flavor-packed sauce guarantees that you fall in love. The combination is truly magic. Credit for discovering this recipe goes to my mother, who happens to be a newer member of the tofu fan club. Before giving the recipe a try, she shared it with my brother, sister and me, along with the message, “This looks good.” Unbeknownst to one another, my mother, sister and I set off to make this recipe that very same night. Apparently, my brother was asleep at the wheel and my mother forgot to add the tofu to her shopping cart (doh!) so Julie and I became the guinea pigs. Because such is our way, we both instinctively doubled the recipe (one block of tofu alone, won’t feed a family but more to the point we both live for leftovers) and were beyond thrilled that we did. This recipe is hands down delicious and for fear that my long tofu sermon may have already lost you, I’m just going to get to my customary conclusion with some additions. Please make this recipe tonight. I promise you will Enjoy! And if you do, please share your opinion in the comment section of this post.
Magic Garlicky Tofu–either my lens was dirty or there was steam rising from this dish, sorry for the fog!
- 1 block extra-firm tofu
- 1 Tbls olive oil
- 1 Tbls cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 c water
- 1/4 c soy sauce
- 2 Tbls maple syrup
- 1 Tbls freshly-ground coarse black pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 4 Tbls oil (or butter)
- 1 small red onion, finely minced (about 2/3 cup)
- 1-2 fresh jalapeños (or 2 Thai bird chiles), cored and finely minced
- 10 garlic cloves, finely minced
- thinly-sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Drain the tofu by placing the block of tofu on a paper towel-lined plate; place another layer of paper towels over the tofu and top with a second plate. Then place a large can or heavy book on top of the stack with the intention of pressing the water out of the tofu block. Let the tofu drain for 15-30 minutes.
- Once the tofu has drained, remove the weights and paper towels. And use a knife to cut the tofu into cubes (about 3/4-inch each). This size of your cubes will determine your crispy-outside to soft-inside ratio. So if you want even crispier bites of tofu, make your cubes a bit smaller.
- Then add your tofu to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle it with olive oil, and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and pepper). Toss gently again until the tofu is evenly coated.
- Then turn the tofu out onto a parchment or foil-covered baking sheet, and arrange it so that the tofu is in an even layer (not overlapping).
- Bake tofu for 15 minutes. Then remove the baking sheet from the oven, and flip each of the tofu bites so that they can cook evenly on the other side. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes, or until the tofu reaches your desired level of crispiness.
- Meanwhile, as your baked tofu is draining and later baking, prep all of your ingredients for the black pepper sauce.
- In a small bowl, whisk together water, soy sauce, maple syrup, black pepper, cornstarch and ground ginger until combined. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan, heat the butter (or oil) over medium-high heat until melted.
- Add the red onion and jalapeño, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and sauté for 2 more minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly pour in the soy sauce mixture, and stir until combined. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer and then thickens.
- Remove pan from heat. Add in the baked tofu, and toss until it is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Serve warm, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds, as desired.
- This recipe should be doubled for a larger family, big eaters or to ensure that you have leftovers for lunch!