Marinated Sautéed Tofu Recipes

MARINATED BAKED TOFU PACKAGES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Slice tofu into 1/4-inch thick slices. Places slices into a shallow baking dish with the above marinade ingredients. Be sure to coat each slice of tofu well. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour. Place the tofu slices on a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake 30 minutes or until deep golden brown and crispy on the outside. The marinade can be saved to use again. Be sure to boil the marinade before each additional use.
• Heat the toasted sesame oil on a skillet and add the scallions. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes on medium heat until they become soft and becoming translucent. Turn the heat down to low and add the remaining ingredients except the blanched scallion greens) incorporating the scallions into the miso. Heat through for 2 minutes, adding a little water if necessary.
• Make Asandwiches@ with the tofu slices, slathering one piece of tofu with the miso scallion mixture and placing another piece of tofu on top. Cut the sandwiches in half for hors d=oeuvres size or leave whole for main course. If desired, place a piece of nori on top of the tofu Asandwich@. Tie the piece together to form a package with the blanched scallion ribbons. Serve at room temperature.

MARINATED SAUTéED TOFU

Steps:

• Drain the tofu and cut it into small cubes.
• Place the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour this over the tofu and toss to coat well. Let the tofu marinate for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally to make sure the tofu is well saturated.
• Place the tofu cubes along with the marinade in a large nonstick sauté pan. Dry-fry the cubes for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally with a spatula to make sure the cubes are well browned on all sides.

MISO MARINATED TOFU STEAK

Steps:

• Miso marinade:
• Put the sake, lemongrass, ginger, and garlic in saucepot and bring to boil. Continue to boil for one minute to cook out alcohol. Whisk in sugar and miso paste. Cook over low heat for five minutes. Remove from pot and cool.
• Tofu Steak:
• Place the tofu steak in (cooled) marinade and set aside. Let marinate for at least one hour.
• Stir Fry Sauce:
• Prepare the stir fry sauce by combining all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
• Edamame Puree:
• Place cooked edamame beans in a blender with vegetable stock and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine meshed sieve and finish with salt and pepper.
• Tofu Steak Preparation:
• Remove the tofu steak from marinade and bread in Japanese panko breadcrumbs. Place the breaded tofu in a fryer set at 350 and fry for approximately two minutes, or until golden-brown. Set aside.
• Stir Fry:
• Over high heat in a medium saute pan add the soy oil. Next add the mushrooms and shishito peppers to the pan and saute until golden. Add 3 oz of stir fry sauce to pan and cook briefly until sauce reduces slightly and coats the mushrooms and peppers. Be careful not to over-reduce the sauce and burn it. Remove from heat.

THE BEST PAN-FRIED TOFU

Steps:

• Take your block of tofu and wrap it in several layers of paper towels.
• Gently press the tofu with your hands or against the counter top to release the liquid. This will take about a minute.
• Slice the tofu into pieces about 1/2 an inch thick.
• Set tofu aside.
• If you are using a non-stick pan heat it slightly on medium-high heat (about 30 seconds) before adding oil.
• If you are using a cast iron pan, please heat for about 1 minute to 1 1/2 minutes on medium-high heat. Cast iron is very thick and you want the pan to be heated evenly before adding the tofu.
• Add oil to heated pan.
• Gently spread oil over the entire surface of the pan.
• Set the tofu pieces in the pan, leaving ample room between them. They should sizzle when placed in the oil. Sprinkle the tops with salt and a little cayenne pepper.
• Now, the MOST IMPORTANT step is -- LEAVE THEM ALONE for about 6 or 7 minutes. Just gently shake them to make sure they don't stick to the pan. Do NOT turn them or agitate them in any other way. When you see a golden crust beginning to creep its way up the sides of the slices, turn them and spice the other side. Add more oil if the pan seems too dry.
• The second side will only take about 4 minutes to cook.
• When they are evenly browned take them out of the pan and place them on paper towels to drain.
• These are very simply seasoned and basic and can now be used any way you like. I like these with steamed broccoli and peanut sauce -- or in a sandwich with grilled peppers and mushrooms and aioli -- or just eaten with ketchup:-).

MARINATED BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Drain tofu and cut into 1" cubes.
• Mix all other ingredients together except olive oil.
• Pour marinade over tofu and cover.
• Refrigerate overnight or longer (I've left it for 3 nights).
• Lightly grease baking pan or sheet with olive oil.
• Arrange tofu in single layer on sheet, making sure not to forget the garlic and ginger from the marinade dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, flipping tofu at least once during the process, until brown and slightly crispy.

SESAME MARINATED TOFU WITH VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Press tofu: Slice tofu into 1-inch slabs, and place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with cheesecloth or paper towels. Cover with another layer of cheesecloth or paper towels, and place another baking sheet or plate on top. Weight evenly with canned goods or other heavy items. Let stand about 30 minutes. Drain off liquid, and pat tofu dry with paper towels.
• In a large shallow dish, combine mustard, sesame seeds, garlic, and soy sauce. Place tofu in dish, and turn once to coat evenly with marinade. Let marinate at least 20 minutes at room temperature while preparing ingredients for stir-fry.
• Heat a 12-inch nonstick saute pan or a wok over medium-high heat, and add 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil to pan, swirling pan to coat. Add tofu; cook until lightly browned on each side, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer tofu to a platter; cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• In same pan or wok, heat remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms, red pepper, Chinese broccoli, and scallions; cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are crisp-tender and bright, about 7 minutes. Add soy sauce and sesame oil, and stir to combine. Season with pepper, and serve immediately spooned over the tofu.

WICKED GARLIC TOFU SAUTE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, garlic, and about half of the oyster sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, until garlic is lightly browned but not burning. Remove from the skillet to a bowl, and set aside.
• Add the frozen vegetables to the same skillet and cook vegetables according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for the water, and seasoning with the remaining oyster sauce. When vegetables are cooked, mix the tofu garlic mixture back into the pan, and heat through. Serve plain or over rice.

SAUTEED TOFU WITH BITTER GREENS

Steps:

• Cut tofu in half lengthwise, then cut each piece across into 6 slices. Place tofu on a paper-towel-lined plate. Cover with more paper towels; place another plate on top. Weight with a few soup cans. Chill 30 minutes so towels absorb excess water.
• In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce; sesame oil; chili paste or Tabasco, if using; lime juice; ginger; and garlic. Set aside. Transfer tofu to medium bowl; toss with half the marinade; let sit for 30 minutes.
• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, arrange tofu in a single layer in pan. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter; repeat with remaining tofu. Gradually add greens to skillet with remaining marinade. Cook, tossing occasionally, until greens are wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to platter with tofu. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and red pepper; serve.

GRILLED TOFU AND SAUTEED ASIAN GREENS

Steps:

• Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices. Arrange in 1 layer on a triple layer of paper towels and top with another triple layer of towels. Weight with a shallow baking pan or baking sheet and let stand 2 minutes. Repeat weighting with dry paper towels 2 more times.
• Stir together soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, Tabasco, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a glass pie plate. Add tofu slices in 1 layer and marinate, turning over every couple of minutes, 8 minutes total.
• Heat a lightly oiled well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Lift tofu from marinade with a slotted spatula (reserve marinade) and grill, turning over once carefully with spatula, until grill marks appear and tofu is heated through, 4 to 6 minutes total.
• While tofu grills, heat remaining teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté greens, tossing with tongs, until beginning to wilt. Add reserved marinade and sauté, tossing, until greens are just wilted, about 1 minute. Lift greens from skillet with tongs, letting excess marinade drip off, and divide between 2 plates.
• Serve greens with tofu slices.

SWEET AND SAVORY SAUTéED OR BAKED TOFU

Steps:

• Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Blot well between clean tea towels or several layers of paper towel, and cut into 1/2-inch dice.
• To sauté, slowly heat the oil, honey, and soy sauce together in a wide skillet, stirring together as they heat. Add the tofu and stir quickly to coat with the liquid. Sauté over medium-high heat until golden-brown and crisp on most sides, about 10 minutes, and serve.
• To bake, preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the oil, honey, and soy sauce in a mixing bowl and stir together. Stir in the tofu to coat with the sauce. Bake in a shallow, foil-lined baking pan, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden brown and the liquid has been absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes, and serve.
• Sweet and Savory Sautéed or Baked Tofu (this page)
• Chinese-Style Vegetable Fried Rice (page 94)
• or
• Asian Sesame-Soy Noodles (page 85)
• Crisp raw bell pepper strips and carrot and celery sticks
• Calories: 138
• Total Fat: 8g
• Protein: 9g
• Carbohydrate: 7g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 511mg