Asian Garlic Tofu is packed with flavor with sweet, spicy, crispy edges. These are the times that I wish you could smell what is going on in my kitchen. When this marinade hits the pan the kitchen fills with an amazing aroma. The moisture is removed from the tofu allowing the marinade to infuse its flavor and cook up delicious and crispy. Serve with broccoli and rice for a meal vegetarians will love.
It’s hard to get tofu crispy but it is possible if you start with super firm tofu, wrap it in paper towels (lots of them) and set something heavy on top. The longer you let it sit, the better. And replace the paper towels a few times. They will get completely wet. I change the paper towels three or four times.
This quick marinade is a mixture of Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and a little sugar, giving the tofu plenty of flavor.
You know I love my cast iron pans and this is the perfect dish for cast iron. Cooking it in a sizzling hot cast iron pan is the trick to crispy tofu. Move the tofu around as little as possible. Let it get a nice sear on the bottom and then flip the pieces and let them get a sear on a second side.
Resist the urge to turn the tofu too soon. If you let it crisp up THEN turn it all that flavor will be infused into the edges.
Asian Garlic Tofu
Ingredients
- 1 package super firm tofu
- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- green onions for garnish
- rice for serving
Method
- Remove tofu from packaging. Place about 4 paper towels on a plate. Set tofu on top of plate and cover with more paper towels. Place a something heavy on top. Let sit 30 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, stir together Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Cut tofu into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl with sauce and toss to coat. Let sit 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a medium cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once really hot, add tofu. Once nicely seared on the bottom, flip over. Continue to cook until seared on bottom.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and remove from heat.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve with rice.
About the Author
Photographer Sally Roeckell specializes in contemporary lifestyle portraiture with an emphasis on food photography. Her Blog, Table and Dish is a website devoted to celebrating and curating the many ways that food binds us. Sally hopes that her recipes and images will inspire you to gather your friends and family in the kitchen to make memories, use the time to connect with busy kids, chat over mixing bowls, get messy, laugh, sing, set the table, clear the table, pass the salt, debate the days topics and pray. You can follow her here as a weekly contributor to 365Barrington and Heinen’s as well as via Table and Dish on Instagram and on her website at TableAndDish.com.
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