June 21, 2016
Crispy Garlic Peppered Tofu [V+GF]
There are two kinds of people in this world:
- People who absolutely love tofu
- People who absolutely do not love tofu.
I used to fall into category #2. I thought tofu was bland and its texture was quite underwhelming each time I’d tried it. It wasn’t until we became vegan that I learned tofu is an amazing protein for so many different types of dishes.
My sister visited this weekend, so anyone who knows us can imagine it was filled with tons of food. If there’s one thing you should know about my family, it’s that we can eat. A LOT. Friday night when she got into town, I made spring rolls with crispy tofu and Ashlee made a tofu scramble for breakfast Saturday morning. Since discovering the endless uses of tofu, we try to incorporate it into as many dishes as we possibly can. 
We spent last Sunday at my grandma’s house. My family is so amazing, they always have vegan options available when they know Ashlee and I are coming over. What are the odds that my Lola (Filipino for grandma) prepared us a dish that showcased my favorite ingredient?! Grandma’s version consists of a black bean gravy with sauteed tofu and a mix of green and yellow onion. IT IS SO GOOD.
I still wasn’t over my tofu kick last night, so I decided to make another dish that reminded me of an authentic, home cooked meal. Being at my grandma’s just the night before, I was craving Filipino food. One of my favorite Filipino dishes is adobo. I can honestly say that anyone who’s ever tried it, loves it. It’s so simple, but it’s so good. I decided I was going to make a version of tofu adobo. Since Ashlee and I love anything spicy and anything pepper-y, I gave the classic adobo dish a twist by adding some extra pepper and jalapenos. I also added some green onions, red peppers and yellow onions. My grandmother’s dish from the day before had me craving those veggies all over again.
This meal is super simple to prepare. To make it even simpler, we just marinated the tofu overnight. While marinating the tofu isn’t necessary, I wanted to ensure these little morsels were packed with flavor. Serve over some Jasmine Rice and you’ve got a meal better than any restaurant in town. We hope you like this recipe as much as we do. Til next time, guys!
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 6-8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 block extra firm tofu, drained
- 1 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 cup no or low sodium vegetable broth
- ¼ spiced vinegar
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
- 1 jalapeno, deseeded and sliced
- 1 cup & 4 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbs water
- 2 tbs vegan sugar
- 1 tbs & 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 4 tbs peanut oil for frying
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Mix together 1 cup soy sauce, vegetable broth, sugar, water, vinegar, cornstarch, and pepper
- Set aside
- Take tofu out of package
- Set tofu between several paper towels and cover with a heavy object (I like to use a large pot we have)
- Let tofu drain for about 20-30 minutes or until much of its moisture is gone
- After tofu has lost most of its moisture, cut into cubes and set pieces in a shallow baking dish
- In a separate bowl, mix together marinade ingredients
- Pour marinade over tofu, cover with foil and let marinate at least an hour, flipping or mixing occasionally
- Once tofu has marinated, in a large sautee pan, heat 3 tbs peanut oil on medium heat
- Sprinkle tofu pieces with cornstarch and flash fry in small batches, flipping after about 3-4 minutes or until golden brown
- Set crispy tofu pieces on a paper towel while finishing the rest of your batches
- After all your tofu is fried, wipe your pan and add your last tablespoon of oil
- Saute the yellow onions about 6-9 minutes, or until they become translucent
- Add bell pepper and green onion, stirring and cooking another 5 minutes
- Add green onions and cook until tender, about 3-4 minutes
- Push vegetables aside and add sauce in half cup increments. Depending on desired thickness off the sauce, stop adding to the pan.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add crispy tofu to the sauce the last minute and stir to incorporate fully
- Serve over white rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy!
