When people find out I am a vegetarian, the conversation inevitably turns to the disgustingness of tofu. Many people try cooking it at home for a healthy alternative and, not knowing how to cook it, make a total watery mess of a meal. Many restaurants aren't much better.
Here's my favorite way to make tofu that tastes good and has great texture...
Super Tasty Baked Tofu
1. Cut the block of tofu into large thin slabs. I like to make mine aprox 2 cm
2. Wrap the blocks of tofu in paper towels and place on a plate. Place something flat (like a cutting board) on top of the tofu and then add something heavy on top to weight down the tofu and squish out the water. I like to use a heavy wooden cutting board and my Kitchenaid mixer on top.
3. After 30 minutes, remove the tofu and change the paper towel. Squish it for another half hour. If you are short on time, one round of squishing works pretty well, but the more water you remove, the more the marinade can soak in and give the tofu a better flavor.
4. Marinate your tofu. I like to put mine in a large 9x12 baking dish, add plenty of marinade and let it soak half of the time on one side and half on the other so it has plenty of time to soak in. If I have time, I like to let mine marinate for 24 hours so it gets good and flavorful.
My Marinade
I never make the same thing twice, but I do have several constants.
1. I always use olive oil to help the tofu crisp up
2. I always use veggie stock to help make a lot of marinade with a lot of flavor
3. I always use coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper - great simple and pure flavors
This last batch I made (as pictured above) is Hawaiian BBQ sauce, ginger, tamari, olive oil, salt and pepper, veggie broth and a splash of Tabasco and apple cider vinegar. It was a particularly good!
Enjoy!
