I am constantly trying to make meatless Monday a little more exciting. Whether it is mushrooms, beans or lentils, finding a flavorful meat substitute can be a little challenging. Especially for all my hungry boys! When I came across this spicy tofu marinade by Martha Rose Shulman on NYT cooking, I knew I had a winner. It is the perfect blend of sweet, salty and spicy and makes boring tofu burst with flavor. The original recipe calls for soy sauce, but I substituted tamari to make it gluten-free. Serve with my Asian broccoli rabe salad and cauliflower rice and you’ve got yourself a meatless Monday hit. Enjoy!
Marinated Tofu
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- ¼ cup tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coconut or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet japanese rice wine)
- 1 garlic glove, minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon Asian chili paste
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Instructions
- Place two layers of paper towels on a plate and place the tofu on the towels. Top with two more layers of paper towels and another plate. Place a can or heavy bowl on top of the plate to weight it down. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes. The tofu will release quite a bit of liquid.
- Cut pressed tofu into 1-inch wide sticks.
- Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl and add tofu. Turn the tofu over to make sure it's covered with the marinade. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, preferably a few hours or overnight. Turn the tofu periodically for even marinating.
- When ready to cook, heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and swirl around pan. Remove half of the tofu from the marinade and place in the skillet. Let the tofu cook until golden, about 3-5 minutes. Lower heat as necessary to prevent burning. Turn tofu and cook on the other side until golden. Remove and place on a plate, cover, and keep warm while cooking the remaining tofu. Repeat with second half of tofu. Keep warm until ready to serve.
- Serve with extra marinade on the side.
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