Baking marinated tofu in the oven is a wonderful way to make protein packed cubes that can be eaten straight from the fridge or popped in a bag to take to the gym or as a snack at work. With a little corn flour you can also turn the marinade into a thick glossy sauce to pour over the hot tofu as soon as it comes out of the oven. This is a simple recipe that just needs time overnight to allow the marinade to absorb into the tofu. You will love this and find yourself baking this over and over again.
Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic
1 large salad onion or 4 spring onions
1tsp wasabi paste
3” chunk of ginger finely grated
1tbs miso paste
4tbs sushi vinegar
2tbs sesame oil
8tbs soya sauce
3 x 400g blocks of firm tofu
1tbs of corn flour
Method
Smash the garlic cloves with a pestle and then chop into fine pieces. Bruising the garlic adds to the strength of the flavour in this marinade.
Pop into a jug and do the same with the salad onion. Peel the ginger and grate it on the fine setting on a grater. Don’t use the citrus side but the fine cheese edge.
Add the miso and wasabi to the jug too. Then add the sushi vinegar and stir to create a fine paste.
Then add the sesame oil and soya sauce and stir together to create a marinade with a scent so wonderful I have to resist drinking it from the jug.
Drain the slabs of tofu and pat dry with kitchen paper. And cut into four slices both ways to create chunks.
Pack all the cubes into a plastic storage container and pour the marinade all over the cubes. Cover with a lid and pop into the fridge overnight or for 24 hours.
Place the cubes of dark stained tofu onto baking trays and pop into the oven at 180C or gas mark 6 and bake for about 40 minutes.
About 5 minutes before the tofu is baked pop the corn powder in a jug and stir in about 1tbs of the marinade to create a smooth paste. Pour the remainder of the sauce into a small pan and then add the arrow root paste and bring to a boil stirring all the time.
Take the tofu out and build a mound with half of it on a plate and serve with the now thickened sauce in a bowl for dipping. You can also serve with boiled sticky rice or noodles. For me I like to carry a small bag or box of these and surprise people by offering them from a random pocket. Much like Tom Baker as Doctor Who and his jelly babies.
I must learn to take better photographs of food. I need a hired, big shiny clean kitchen with brand spanking new utensils and a wider variety of crockery. This is what happens when you sell your house and give away all your things. I have to borrow other people’s kitchens.