My husband is not very adventurous when it comes to food. I have pretty much made it my mission to introduce him to as many new foods as I can.
He’s usually a good sport about trying anything I cook, but there are some times when he just looks at the dish and then he looks at me and I can see the doubt in his eyes.
Tofu.
Yes, it was his nemesis. He had never had tofu. Never even thought about eating tofu. If definitely was not on his culinary bucket list (Do you have one of those? I do! Food Network has done that to me!).
So when I told him that I was making tofu for dinner, I saw the doubt in his eyes. And I was determined to make it delicious!
And I did!
This dish is SO good! Crispy baked tofu coated in rich, deep hoisin. It is the best!
You won’t need a lot of specialized equipment for this dish, but I do recommend a couple of things to make your life easier.
As I’ve said before, if you don’t have big sheet pans, you really need to invest in a couple. The size I’m talking about is actually called “half-sheet size” because they are half the size of a large commercial sheet pan. Here’s the kind I have and love:
These are from Nordicware, so they’re going to last a really long time. It’s a two-pack and it’s $22. It is a really good investment because you will seriously use them a ton. Cookies, sheet pan meals, roasted vegetables…so many uses!
You’re also going to want to invest in a couple of silicone baking mats. This is one of the best kitchen inventions EVER. On cooking shows, you’ll hear them refer to it as a “Silpat.” Silpat is a brand. They are a little pricey for me, so I found an alternative. Put one of these in the bottom on your sheet pan and you don’t even have to use baking spray. They just don’t stick! And I mean it! Cheese, caramel, balsamic glaze – it does not stick! This is a three pack – 2 half sheets and 1 quarter sheet. They’re really affordable – around $15. And I’ve had mine for three years and they have never failed me! I’ve even put one on the counter and used it to roll out dough!
Okay, now that you’ve got your pans and an easy way to line them, here we go!
Baked Hoisin Tofu
- 1 block of extra firm tofu
- 1/4 cup of cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of hoisin sauce
- Sesame seeds
- White rice
- Steamed broccoli
Preheat oven to 375.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Press tofu between several layers of paper towels to remove some of the liquid. Remove the paper towels and do it again.
Cut into bite-sized pieces.
In a shallow dish, mix cornstarch and salt. Dredge each piece of tofu in the mixture, shake off excess, and place on parchment. Drizzle all pieces with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove tofu pieces to a deep bowl and pour hoisin sauce over. Stir gently to coat.
Serve over white rice with broccoli on the side. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Well Duh #1: It doesn’t really matter what hoisin sauce you choose. Just make sure it’s really thick and sweet. I use Lee Kum Kee that I buy at Walmart.
Well Duh #2: I’ve heard hoisin referred to as Asian barbecue sauce. That’s a really good analogy. Thick, sweet, and delicious. It’s used in cooking and even as a dip.
Well Duh #3: If broccoli isn’t your thing, choose another side veggie. This is your dish now! Make it your own.
The tribe – including Michael – REALLY loved this dish. They loved how it was so crispy and sweet. A really good meal.
Oh, and the tofu thing? He totally likes tofu now. Even orders it when we get Chinese take-out. If you had told me a year ago that my family would eat and enjoy tofu, I would have laughed and laughed and laughed.
I’m not laughing now. I’m just cooking!
Try this one! It’s amazing!
Recent Comments