Baked Tofu with Spicy Soy Dressing

Yields: A pint or so
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins

Simple tofu prep with a simple Asian dressing. Like revenge, this is a dish best served cold.

Get this:

Dressing

• 1/2 cup  onions or scallions, minced
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 T lime juice
• A squirt or two of Sriracha

Tofu
A brick of tofu, cubed and baked (Baked Tofu)

Do This:

• Whisk it up.
• Pour over some Baked Tofu.

Eat more plants. Eat more tofu. Eat more Asian-ey.
Be well,
Veg VA

No pictures of this recipe, so instead, enjoy these pictures of Aaron dancing with a pig at the 2014 DC Veg Fest.

Go pig.

Go Aaron.

Dance party.

Baked Tofu

Yield: 2 meals for 2 people
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 40-50 mins

If you struggle with frying your tofu, try baking it. It’s super simple. If you love the texture of tofu at the Whole Foods salad bar or at most restaurants, it’s because they bake it, refrigerate it, and then cook it to order. So take 3-4 bricks on a Sunday and bake them for the week.

Get This:

• A cookie sheet, lightly oiled
• 2 bricks of drained tofu, cubed (How to Cook Tofu)
• S&P

Do This:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place the cubed tofu on the sheet and season with S&P.
• Bake for 20 mins, flip, and then 20 more mins.
• Let the tofu cool before putting it in the fridge.

Baked tofu demands that you make it because it’s so easy. Don’t be proud. Bake your fu.
Be well,
Veg VA

Here’s your fu.

Slice it like bread.

Make carrot sticks

Turn.

Chop into cubes.

Spicy Sriracha Baked Tofu w/ Tangy Kale

We Three Kings be Stealing the Fu.

Foil or oil to keep it from sticking.

Space the tofu so it cooks quicker.

How To Cook Tofu

Sometimes tofu is gross. It’s not the fu’s fault. The blame lies with the cook. Here are 3 steps to guarantee that you don’t end up with mush.

Dry your tofu.
Remove it from the package, drain the water and then wrap it in a clean towel. Put a dinner plate on top to gently force water out of the fu faster. Do this at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.

Tip: Cut the tofu into bread-like slices, and wrap each piece in its own towel. This will cut drying time in half.

Cut tofu into cubes.
The cubes give you more surface area to brown. Follow the pictures.

Here’s your fu.

Slice it like bread.

Make carrot sticks

Turn.

Chop into cubes.

Books

Use a HOT pan.
If you have a normal stove top, crank it to 7-8. If your burners run hot, go for 5-6. The key is to cook the tofu at a high temperature to avoid mushy fu. An iron skillet will get super hot and give you a nice crispiness.

Do This:

Use a few tablespoons of oil.
Season with salt & pepper while cooking.
Stir occasionally.

Don’t Do This:

Use a stainless steel pan.
Skip the drying process.

It may take a few times before you get it right, but keep working. Tofu is a finicky mistress. Treat her well, and she’ll take care of you.

Eat more plants. Eat more tofu.
Be well,
Veg VA