Say tofu to any meat eater and they’ll immediately conjure up sandal-wearing brown-rice loving frumps eating tasteless hunks of pasty mush. This barbecued tofu, which is actually just baked, on the other end of the spectrum, is bound to change hearts and minds!
Start with extra firm organic tofu, marinate for an hour or so (if there’s time) and bake. We’ve given some sauce suggestions here but improvisation is encouraged – just be sure to use something with a little sweetness to encourage a nice brown crust.
This tofu is great on sandwiches, as a main dish, and yes, with brown rice (checking our feet, we do not have sandals on – phew!). We like to make it regularly as it makes a quick and easy lunch,. Leftovers are also great diced in fried rice.
INGREDIENTS:
1 Package Extra-Firm Organic Tofu, drained (Make sure it’s organic if you don’t want GMO)
1/4 Cup Sweet and Spicy Barbecue Sauce or Asian Sweet/Ginger/Sesame Dipping Sauce
2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce (Optional)
2 Tbsp. Black Bean Sauce (Optional)
2 Tsp. Sriracha or other hot sauce (Optional)
1 Tbsp. Peanut, Sesame or other High-Heat Cooking Oil (e.g., Organic Peanut, Sesame, etc.)
HOW TO MAKE IT:
Preheat the Oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare the Dish and Tofu: Prepare a baking dish by coating the bottom and sides with the 1 tsp. of the oil. Press the tofu between paper towels to remove most of the excess water.
Mix the BBQ Sauce: Slice tofu in 1/2 inch slices. Mix sauce ingredients and remaining oil and spread on tofu. You can substitute 2 Tbsp. Mirin and 2 Tbsp. Black Bean sauce for the the barbecue sauce. Other variations include adding sesame seeds, chutney, and spicy salsas. If you have time, you can let marinate for 1 hour, which will enhance flavor but you can also cook immediately.
Alternate BBQ sauce: Mix well 1 Tbsp. Ketchup, 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce, 1 Tbsp. Hot Sauce (any type), 2 Tsp. Sesame Oil, 1 Tbsp. Rice or Cider Vinegar, 1/2 Tsp. Liquid Smoke. Coat pieces of tofu and bake in an oiled dish as below. Remember, these are just guidelines – adjust any combo of sweet, spicy, salty and acid with a neutral oil and spread on tofu.
Bake: Bake 15 minutes, turn over and coat top with excess sauce. Turn down heat to 35 degrees. Bake 10-15 minutes additional. Edges should be crispy and color should be brown.
Enjoy as is or in sandwiches (try our Tofu, Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo version), fried rice, or similar dishes. Try it out on your meat-eating friends and family.