Crispy Seared Asian Garlic Tofu
This recipe and photos were provided by Sally Roeckell of Table and Dish and were originally published at 365Barrington.com.
Asian Garlic Tofu has sweet, spicy and crispy edges and is packed with flavor. 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 to delicious and crispy perfection. Serve with broccoli and rice for a meal vegetarians ( an even non-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. Be sure to replace the paper towels a few times as 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 to all it to get a nice sear on the bottom. 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 and 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 and steamed vegetables for serving
Method
- Remove tofu from the packaging. Place about 4 paper towels on a plate. Set tofu on top of plate and cover with more paper towels. Place 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 a bowl with sauce and toss to coat. Let sit 30 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a medium-sized 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 the bottom.
- Drizzle with sesame oil and remove from heat.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve with rice and vegetables of your choice.
Crispy Seared Asian Garlic Tofu
