There are basically two reasons that people don’t eat tofu 1) they think it’ll give them man boobs, and 2) they don’t like the texture. I talk about how soy giving you man boobs is total bro science over here, and today I’ma teach you how to cook ‘fu to perfection. Seriously, I’ve got it down. Oh, and I’m going to show you how to get that crispy golden outside without using oil or frying. No, really.
There are a few essentials you need for crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside tofu.
- Really good tofu – I like Couldron Original Organic Tofu. I’ve tried a lot of different varieties in the UK, and this one is definitely the best. You can get it pretty much anywhere too, my local Sainso’s has it.
- A really good tofu press. I use this* guy. You can use the DIY method of wrapping your tofu in a clean dish towel and putting it in between two cutting boards, and then finding something heavy to go on top. That sort of works, but it’s also kind of a ballache. Tofu presses aren’t that expensive, and they last forever. Just get one.
- A really great dressing/marinade like the one I’m gonna share today.
Alright, so now you’ve got the essential down, here’s what you do:
For this recipe I used some cold Clearspring noodles (but use whatever you got), roasted up some broccoli, threw in some raw bok choi and bean sprouts (you can quickly steam fry them in some tamari), and I quick pickled some carrots and cucumber by adding some salt and rice vinegar and letting them sit for around 1/2 an hour.
The dressing is a really simple mix of almond butter, garlic, tamari, maple syrup, and lime juice, all blended up. The marinade is what kills it though – fiery Sriracha and mellow miso – I use this guy, not a sponsored post, I just really like Clearspring stuff – although, if you guys are reading this… I know these ingredients aren’t easy to find everywhere, but check out your local health food shop, or get that shit on Amazon* (ain’t no shame). And that’s it, super easy!
- Sriracha Miso Tofu Noodle Bowl2016-06-09 16:56:13Serves 3For Tofu
- 1 block Cauldron organic tofu (preferably)*
- 2T Sriracha (the one with the rooster NOT the duck!)*
- 1T rice vinegar*
- 2T maple syrup
- 1T Clearspring Hatcho Miso
Almond Butter Sauce- 3/4 Cup almond butter (I make my own, but also check out Pip & Nut)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1T tamari or soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- Maple syrup to taste
Salad ingredients (mix & match)- Bok choi
- Baby spinach
- Steamed broccolini (cook in tamari and rice vinegar, so good!)
- Quick pickled carrot/cuke (just add salt and rice vinegar and let sit for 1/2 hour)
- Avocado
- Bean Sprouts
- Bell pepper
- Julienned sweet potato
- Mushrooms
- Basil and lime wedges to garnish
- Cooked and cooled rice noodles (enough for 3-4 people)
For the 'fu- Drain the liquid out of the tofu (but also keep it for cooking with because it's got lots of calcium in).
- Press it in your tofu press, it can be as little as an hour, or keep it in the fridge and press it overnight. Once it's pressed, cut your tofu up however you like it. I usually cut mine into 8-10 slabs, widthwise, like I did here, or cut them in half again for squares, you feel me?
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F, arrange your 'fu on a baking sheet and cook that ish for 15-20 minutes until it's golden brown. You don't need any oil, but you can season with s+p if you like. You'll want to flip it over halfway through. I have a fan oven so it cooks on the faster side. Just keep an eye on it because it'll get tough if you cook it too long.
- When it's cooking mix all the marinade ingredients together - just whisk them up in a bowl. You can make a paste out of the miso with hot water first to make it easier to whisk.
- For the almond butter sauce - get your food processor going, then throw the garlic in the little hole at the top - the spinning blades will do all the hard work for you and get the garlic all finely chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend, adjust salt and sweet by adding more tamari or maple. Add water to thin it out too, you want it to be pourable consistency.
- Once the tofu has cooked, add it to the marinade and let it sit for 10 minutes up to an hour (or longer if you want to prep ahead, I haven't tried this but should be ok). Get your veg ready.
- Once you've marinated your 'fu stick it back in the oven(180C/350F) for 10 mins or so, just to heat it up and caramelize the marinade a little. Careful not to let it burn.
- Throw your noodles in the bottom of a big bowl then pile with veggies and top with warm tofu. Drizzle on the almond sauce. YUM!
Notes- * I get all this stuff at Sainsbury's, it's not that hard to find.
- ** This will probably blow your head off, so put in less if you don't like it too spicy.
Laura Thomas, PhD | Registered Nutritionist | Wellness Advocate https://www.laurathomasphd.co.uk/
*affiliate link
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