Kimchi tofu
Kimchi tofu
Tofu is such a great carrier of flavours. I really like gochugaru chili powder, which is used to make gochujang paste and kimchi. It is a beautiful, vibrant red. It's a little sweet and not very hot.
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients
Gochujang paste
¼ cup gochugaru powder
½ cup water
2 tablespoons coconut sugar
3 tablespoons red miso paste
1 ½ tablespoons mirin
½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
Marinade
¼ cup vegan kimchi
¼ cup water
½ gochujang paste
Sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
Remaining gochujang paste
Garnish
Raw peanuts - toasted
Green onion – finely sliced
Black sesame seeds
Steps
Press the tofu to remove some of the excess moisture. I use a clean tea towel and place something heavy on top for about an hour.
Gochujang paste
Combine the chili powder, water, coconut sugar and miso in a small pot over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 -10 minutes. Stir in mirin, rice wine vinegar and salt. Split the paste in two equal parts. Half will be used in the tofu marinade, the other half will be used in the sauce.
Marinade
Pour half the gochujang paste you just made in a blender with the kimchi and water. Blend until smooth.
In a shallow container with a lid, tear the tofu into bite size pieces. Pour the marinade over the tofu. Make sure it is well coated. Let it sit at least an hour.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Spread the tofu on a silicon or parchment lined baking sheet. Cook until the tofu is crispy and brown. It should take 20 – 30 minutes, depending on the size of your tofu pieces. Use a spatula to flip it midway through.
Sauce
Take the remaining gochujang paste and mix it with the lime juice and sugar. Serve the sauce on the side or drizzled over the tofu. It is great on rice. If you are lucky to have leftover sauce, it makes a great dip for oven fries.
Leftover sauce makes a great dip for oven fries.
