We find that braising firm tofu in a delicious liquid to be the best way of getting the most out of it. When you pair tofu with a creamy tahini dressing and the crunch and flavor of broccoli, then you have a dish that will be well-received on any dinner table.
Tofu
- 1 pound firm or medium tofu, cut to your liking
- 3 Tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 inch ginger
- Pinch of crushed red chili flakes
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- ¼ cup tamari
- Veggie broth (unsalted) or water
Broccoli
- 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 2 Tablespoons salt
Tahini Sauce
- ½ cup tahini
- 1 cup ice water
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 sprigs of parsley
- Few drops of maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Tamari
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prep the parsley, garlic and ginger. Pick the leaves off the parsley stems, chop them finely, and reserve in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Cover the parsley with the lemon juice. For the garlic that goes in the tahini sauce, crush the cloves, then chop them finely, stir them into the parsley lemon mixture and set aside. For the garlic for the tofu braise, crush the cloves with the flat side of a knife and remove the skins. For the ginger, rinse the skin off if dirty, then slice as thinly as possible. Cut the tofu as desired.
Heat the oil in a large, oven safe saucepan or sauté pan. When the oil begins to shimmer and move around in the pan, add the crushed garlic cloves, sliced ginger, red pepper and black pepper. Fry on medium high heat for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add the tofu, Tamari, and vegetable stock or water. The tofu should be submerged. Cover with a lid and place in oven. Cook for 30 minutes to an hour.
In a blender, add the tahini and drizzle in the ice water to create a silky texture. Add the lemon juice/parsley/garlic mixture, maple syrup, and Tamari, and blend to combine. In a medium mixing bowl containing the chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon juice, add the tahini. Add salt or lemon as needed, and if it tastes bitter, a bit more maple syrup.
About 15 minutes before serving the meal, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli all at once and cook for 3-5 minutes. When the broccoli is to your taste, drain it through a colander.
Serve the tofu and broccoli over rice and top with some of the tofu marinade and the tahini sauce.