Tofu

Tofu is one of those ingredients that manages to fit in well in whatever recipe you choose. It takes of the flavors around it, adds protein to the meal, and is fairly inexpensive. Check out today's recipes, including the Pan-Fried Tofu With Red Curry Paste and Sheet-Pan Teriyaki Tofu with Carrots & Broccoli. Enjoy!

CRISPY TOFU WITH BASLAMIC TOMATOES

This comes from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "You don’t need to fry tofu to get it crisp-edged and golden brown. Drizzling it with a mix of cornstarch and oil, then roasting it will deliver a closely crunchy approximation that won’t splatter oil across your countertop. Here, the tofu is roasted alongside balsamic-glazed cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic and red onions, all of which caramelize as they cook. Top everything with a handful of fresh herbs, then serve it over rice, quinoa or another grain for an easy, plant-based meal. Note that the recipe serves only two to three. To double it, use two sheet pans and add a few extra minutes to the cook time."

Total Time: 40 minutes, plus at least 15 minutes' draining; Yield: 2 to 3 servings

This was featured in "Crisp-Edged Tofu Straight From Your Oven," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022852-crispy-tofu-with-balsamic-tomatoes.

Ingredients

1 (14- to 16-ounce) package extra-firm or firm tofu, cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal), plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved if large, kept whole if small

1 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges (about 2 cups)

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, plus more for finishing

1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped

Preparation

Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Arrange tofu slices on a clean kitchen towel or on paper towels. Cover with another kitchen towel (or paper towels) and place a flat cutting board or baking pan on top. If your cutting board or pan is lightweight, stack a few cans or a skillet on top to weigh it down. Let tofu drain for at least 15 minutes, and up to 45 minutes.

Transfer tofu to a cutting board and cut slabs into 1-inch cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels and season both sides of the tofu with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, cornstarch, garlic powder (if using) and 1/2 teaspoon of the oregano. Add tofu to cornstarch mixture and gently toss until tofu is evenly coated. Dump tofu onto one side of the prepared sheet pan.

In a large bowl, toss together tomatoes, onion, garlic, balsamic vinegar, remaining ½ teaspoon oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil, tossing to combine.

Arrange vegetables on other side of the prepared sheet pan. Bake until tofu is crisp and golden brown, and tomatoes are condensed, 25 to 35 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip tofu and toss vegetables while keeping the tofu and veggies separate.

To serve, sprinkle cilantro on top and drizzle with balsamic and oil, if you’d like.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE



I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.



Ingredients

1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu

12 ounce bag of chocolate chips

2 – 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.

Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.

Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.

Dig in! Yum!

PAN-FRIED TOFU WITH RED CURRY PASTE

This is from Raghavan Iyer, and adapted by Kim Severson in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kim wrote, "Raghavan Iyer says Thailand is the only country outside of India that worships curries with as much devotion. In the way Indian cooks use a blend of herbs and spices, Thai cooks use an array of curry pastes to create regional curries. He created three for his 2023 book “On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced The World” (Workman Publishing). His red curry paste is a version of the most common curry. When frying the tofu, add a little more oil if the pan seems dry and be aware that when the chile paste is added to the pan, the capsaicin can produce a head-clearing whiff of heat."

Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "He Taught Americans to Cook Indian Food. Now He’s on His Final Chapter." It can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023907-pan-fried-tofu-with-red-curry-paste.

Ingredients

1 pound extra-firm tofu

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons store-bought or homemade Red Curry Paste

4 small baby green eggplants (each roughly the size of a golf ball), stemmed and quartered (see Tip)

1 medium red or white potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, halved, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 cup sliced bamboo shoots (drained if using canned)

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons fish sauce or soy sauce

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Thai or sweet basil (see Tip)

3 cups cooked jasmine rice (from about 1 cup uncooked rice)

Preparation

To press the tofu, drain it and place it on a cutting board or plate between paper towels. Press down firmly with your hand to get rid of the excess moisture. Pat the tofu dry then cut it into 1-inch cubes.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil appears to shimmer, add the tofu cubes and stir-fry them until they turn light brown along the sides. Transfer them onto a plate.

To the same oil, carefully add the curry paste. Stir-fry the potent melange, as the chiles elevate their heat and send you into a throat-clearing moment, 1 to 2 minutes. Yes, adequate venting or opening a window is advised.

Add the eggplant, potato, bell pepper and bamboo shoots to the curry paste. Shake the coconut milk well, pour it over the vegetables and scrape the bottom of the pot, deglazing it.

Add the tofu and fish sauce and bring the curry to a boil. Cover the pan, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and eggplant are fork-tender, 10 to 12 minutes. During the last few minutes of cooking, remove the lid and continue to simmer, uncovered, to allow the sauce to thicken a bit.

Serve sprinkled with the basil alongside a bowl of jasmine rice.

Tips

Baby green eggplants can be found in Southeast Asian supermarkets or farmers’ markets. If you cannot find them, you can use about 6 ounces of any variety, cut into bite-size pieces.

Thai basil, which is peppery with an anise-like flavor, adds an extra layer of refinement to this curry, but sweet basil can be used instead.

TOFU BROCCOLI STIR-FRY

This is from AARP, and begins, "We like broccoli best in this tofu stir-fry, but any mixture of vegetables you have on hand will work. One way to get great tofu texture without deep-frying is to toss the tofu in cornstarch before stir-frying. Let it cook for several minutes without stirring to help it develop a little crust. Serve with: Chinese egg noodles or rice noodles and a glass of Riesling."

Prep/Cook Time: 30 Minutes, Servings: 4

To view this online, go to https://stayingsharp.aarp.org/recipes/tofu-broccoli-stir-fry/.

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dry sherry or rice wine

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste

1 14-ounce package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons canola oil, divided

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

6 cups broccoli florets

3 tablespoons water

Directions

Combine broth, sherry (or rice wine), soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sugar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry, then sprinkle with salt. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the tofu; toss gently to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the tofu; cook, undisturbed, until browned, about 3 minutes. Gently turn and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and water; cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until tender-crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir the reserved broth mixture and add to the pan. Cook until the sauce has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan; toss to combine with the broccoli and sauce.

SHEET-PAN TERIYAKI TOFU WITH CARROTS & BROCCOLI

This is from Eating Well, and begins, "With just one sheet pan and 35 minutes, you can get a flavorful vegetarian dinner on the table. The carrots get a head start in the oven to ensure they are cooked through, while a drizzle of teriyaki sauce at the end ties everything together. Serve with brown rice, if desired."

Active Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7995065/sheet-pan-teriyaki-tofu-with-carrots-broccoli/.

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, sliced on the bias 1/2-inch thick

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon ground pepper, divided

2 cups broccoli florets

2 cups sliced red bell pepper

1 (16-ounce) package tofu, drained, pressed and cubed (1/2- to 3/4-inch)

1 teaspoon curry powder

3 tablespoons low-sodium teriyaki sauce

Directions

Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F.

Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.

Toss broccoli and bell pepper with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in the bowl. Stir into the carrots on the baking sheet.

Sprinkle tofu with curry powder and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange on top of the vegetables. Roast until the tofu is starting to brown and the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the tofu and vegetables to a serving platter; drizzle with teriyaki sauce.

KUNG PAO TOFU [VEGAN]

This recipe is from One Green Planet. The recipe begins, "This Kung Pao Tofu doesn’t require a lot of time or many perishable ingredients - making it perfect for a “don’t feel like cooking and don’t have a lot of groceries” type meal. Also, if you don’t care for spicy foods - this recipe is for you! If you do care for spicy, add more cayenne and red chili flavors to increase the heat."

Serves 3-4.

To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/kung-pao-tofu-vegan-2/.

Ingredients

For the Tofu:

1 package organic firm or extra firm tofu

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more for more heat

4 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder

1 tablespoon high heat oil (i.e. avocado oil)

For the Sauce:

1 tablespoon fresh, minced ginger root

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pinch red chili flakes, or more for more heat

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or, soy sauce/tamari)

1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder

1/4 cup vegetable broth

For the Dish:

4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)

1-1/2 cups dry brown rice (or, 3 cups cooked brown rice)

Directions

For the Tofu:

Begin by preparing the tofu. Open the tofu package, drain, and press the tofu for 10-15 minutes.

While the tofu is being pressed, if you need to make your rice, start it.

Cut and wash the broccoli (if fresh). Prepare a large pot to steam the broccoli for about 5 minutes. Here is a quick video on how to steam broccoli. Once done, set aside.

When the tofu is pressed, cut into uniform cubes. Add to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Lightly toss. Next, add 4 tablespoons cornstarch and toss together. Use a rubber scraper to fold the tofu to help prevent it from crumbling.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu into as even of a layer across the pan as possible. Allow the tofu to brown for about 4-5 minutes and flip tofu, aiming to brown all sides (if possible).

While the tofu is cooking, make the sauce.

For the Sauce:

In a small bowl, add the ginger, garlic, red chili flakes, rice vinegar, sesame oil, coconut aminos, hoisin sauce, onion powder, sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup vegetable broth/stock (water would do fine as well). Stir until well combined.

To Assemble:

When the tofu is browned to your liking, add the sauce. Mix and gently coat the tofu with the sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes. The sauce should thicken a little as it heats.

Feel free to add the cooked broccoli to the pan to add some sauce to the broccoli, or simply keep it on the side.

Serve tofu and broccoli over cooked brown rice.

Enjoy!