Crispy Sticky Spicy Sweet Tofu
Tofu is boring. That’s what they say. I happen to think tofu has so much potential as it’s really just a blank canvas that can easily be transformed into anything. Biased as I may be as we grew up enjoying tofu in a variety of ways {in soups, braised, fried, etc} I love it. Even you have to admit, tofu doesn’t really have much of a taste either way. This is actually brilliant since you can then make it taste the way you want.
Today, I’ve created a sauce for you that is equally as delicious on any other protein. I’ve used it to marinade chicken/beef, brushed on wings, used as a dipping sauce or even as the flavor base for noodles. I once even used it as an impromtu salad dressing and it was mighty fine. It’s thick, spicy, sweet and tangy all at once and it’s as versatile as it is delicious. I highly recommend keeping some jarred in the fridge as you’ll never know when you’ll need to doctor up a plain meal.
The best part of today’s recipe is how quick and easy it is. The secret to getting most things rapidly crispy is to blot off as much excess moisture from it as you can. Really taking the time to press out the water from your block of tofu will reward you in its golden brown tan later. Another quick tip: if you have left over uncooked tofu, you’ll want to store it covered and sitting in clean water. It’s best to swap out the water every couple of days to keep things fresh.
What results with this dish using tofu is a healthier version of “Chinese take-away” that you can feel good about eating. Today, I paired it with sprouted brown rice for an even bigger health boost. It’s perfect for a #meatlessMonday and quick and easy enough to achieve on a crazed day {especially if you have some of this sauce waiting for you in the fridge!} I love how light yet substantial it is. The tofu gets nicely crisp on the outside and stays soft and fluffy in the center and when glazed with this sauce, it makes for one delicious meal.
- ½ block of firm tofu
- ¼ c soy
- 1 tb mustard
- 1 tb rice vinegar
- 3 tb honey
- 1 tb sugar
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 ts freshly grated ginger
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Optional: sesame seeds
- In a bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients together.
- Pour into a pan and simmer on medium low until it reduces by half. Set aside to cool.
- Press out as much moisture as possible from the tofu.
- Cut into cubes and pan fry until golden brown.
- Toss with the cooled sauce and serve with rice/noodles and top with sesame seeds.
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tofu usually not my thing but i could eat this.