Sesame Tofu

I've made tofu this way before, using tapioca starch in General Tsofu, and more recently used cornstarch for Bourbon Chicken. Starches can be swapped out pretty easily, but I had a discussion with a chef friend once about using cornstarch to thicken a gravy, and he recommended tapioca as he noted cornstarch may alter the flavor of the dish more. I can't say I've got experience enough to qualify that, but the truth is I won't pretend my palate is as sensitive as a trained chef's.

This recipe came from a colleague friend who is dabbling in vegan food more. I saw a photo he shared and he raved about it, so I asked for the recipe so I could try it at home. I wouldn't qualify myself as much of a sesame seed person, as when it comes to things like sushi, I'd much rather leave the seeds off. On the flip side, I love what tahini does to most things, so I'm not against them either. But the idea of a sesame dish with a sauce sounded interesting, so giving it a try was a must.

I started out by pressing the tofu. It's a habit I've been much better with in recent months, whereas before I'd just drain then marinate the tofu. The big pro to me about pressing the tofu is the increased density. It's easier to slice and cook, and the texture is firmer. Pressing is easy to do - I usually use a plate, then put down a cloth towel. Then I put the tofu itself between two paper towels and add some weight - sometimes I use a pan. Just something to slowly push the liquid out. It takes about 30 minutes.

After pressing, I sliced the tofu into pieces 1-2 inches in side and tossed it in some corn starch. And here we have our breading!

I pan fried the tofu in batches (6-8 pieces at a time keeps them cooking evenly) with avocado oil. While that cooked, I made the sauce by mixing sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, sriracha, crushed red pepper, rice wine vinegar, and garlic together in a bowl. The tofu took about 4 minutes on each side to brown, and I removed it from the pan once it was complete and set it on a paper towel to drain the oil. I then mixed the sauce ingredients into the hot pan and let it heat to a simmer before lowering the heat and letting it thicken for 2-3 minutes.

I served the tofu over some cauliflower rice and then poured the sauce in top.

This reminded me a bit of the Bourbon Chicken and General Tsofu dishes I mentioned before - a crispy item topped with a thick sauce. The difference here was the flavor. This was a sweet and spice kind of sauce; the sriracha and crushed red pepper gave this a little heat but the honey made it sweet. It was not overwhelmingly sesame, but I did like the slight flavor. This was a good, simple dish to make, and one you can make in just a few minutes once the tofu is drained. Aren't the benefits of discussing food with your colleagues great? New recipes, new foods.

Sesame Tofu Recipe

Ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil (I use avocado)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons honey

1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional for serving)

Rice to serve with the dish, as desired

Instructions:

Drain tofu block by placing between two towels and placing a lightly weighted item over it. Allow to sit for about 15 minutes, then slice tofu into cubes 1-3 inches in size. Add some cornstarch to a bowl, then toss the tofu gently to coat. Heat a skillet with avocado oil to medium-high, then when the oil is hot, add 6-7 pieces of tofu. Cook about 4-5 minutes on each side until they are lightly browned, then set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cook remaining tofu.

To make the sauce, add soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, sriracha, crushed red pepper, rice wine vinegar, and garlic together in a bowl and stir. Once all tofu is removed from the skillet, add sauce and cook for 3-4 minutes, until thickened slightly. Pour sauce over tofu and serve. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top as desired.

adapted from pan-fried sesame garlic tofu