spicy smoked maple tofu
/Back with another recipe to get you out of the dinner rut you’re currently in.
Or is it just me?
I made this tofu recipe on a whim last week and decided it was too tasty not to share.
If you’re looking for a tofu pressing tutorial, check this post. If not, carry on.
When the first batch of tofu was made last week, I paired it with buttered + salted quinoa.
Tasty, but boring.
If you’re looking for a sure fire way to cook tofu, I recommend broiling. It’s the quickest and easiest method. You just need to keep a close eye on it, to ensure it doesn’t burn.
During round two I made a few tweaks to the tofu and came up with a simple recipe that turns this into a full meal.
I’m a bit spinach-ed out at the moment and wanted something with a little more bite.
Curly kale can sometimes be a bit chewy and rough, so I chose lacinato [dinosaur] kale. Curly kale is my go-to for kale chips, but lacinato kale is what I use for salads and sautéing.
The tofu is lightly crisped with a slightly sweet, slightly spicy, smoked flavor.
Then it’s mixed together with chewy rice and a sautéed kale mixture.
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Spicy Smoked Maple Tofu
entire recipe together yields 3-4
- 1 package extra firm tofu
- 1.5 Tablespoons safflower oil
- 1.5 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Drain your tofu and cut into 8 equal slices. Lay the slices out flat on a doubled over kitchen towel with another doubled over towel on top. Lay a large cutting board on top and place a few heavy books on top. [tofu pressing how-to]
- Press for 25-35min.
- Preheat oven to broil with a rack on the top slats.
- Whisk all other ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Slice tofu into 1/4” wide strips or small squares.
- Place tofu in the large bowl with the wet ingredients and stir very gently until well coated.
- Lay tofu out on a parchment lined pan and broil for 4-8min, until golden brown with slightly darker edges. Time varies depending on your oven. Flip and broil for another 4-8min until golden brown. Typically, the second side browns a bit faster.
- Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Rice + Garlic Maple Kale
- 4 cups cooked wild brown rice [1c dry + 2c water]
- 8 cups lacinato kale, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tablespoon safflower oil
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2.5 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper
- cayenne if desired
- Cook desired grain according to package directions. You want 4c cooked.
- In alarge pan, heat the oil over medium.
- Add the onion and cook for 4-6min, until it starts to brown, stirring frequently.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30sec, until just starting to brown, stirring constantly to avoid burning.
- Add the kale, maple syrup, rice vinegar, 1/2t salt and black pepper, stirring frequently for 2-3min. The kale should be just starting to wilt.
- Add in the rice and stir to combine, for 1-2min.
- Gently mix in the tofu.
- Taste + add more salt and pepper [and/or cayenne] if desired.
Now I think we’re in need of a new dessert…
Agreed?
Ashley