The working woman's marinated tofu

[stgulik]

Tonight I get to show you how I usually marinate tofu ahead of cooking stir-fry. Most chefs on TV, you know, use Limoges bowls and cut-glass eyedroppers when they marinate tofu. Now for something completely different.




Before you leave for work, cut open a container of extra-firm tofu. Drain the liquid. Using a butter knife, slice the tofu into 1/2" pieces.

Pour about 3 tablespoons of soy sauce over the top, followed by about 2 tablespoons of the oil of your choice. Sesame oil is delicious. Flax seed oil has omega-3.

Add other stuff like ground ginger or minced garlic if you like.

Slide the container into a produce bag from the grocery store. Tie closed, carefully set in the refrigerator. Let it sit all day and think on its sins.

Here's what you get come dinner time:



Ready for anything!

Comments

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

lol. thanks for the tutorial. :)

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

If my tutorials ever start to sound sanctimonious, drop me a PM and tell me to change the subject, LOL.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I'm not much for tofu, but I so much prefer re-using things or re-purposing other things like plastic produce bags and twist-ties. Yes, I am one of those older women who keep a bag of produce bags and save twist-ties and grocery bags. But I also never have to buy baggies or trash bags. I prefer to get a few good uses out of packaging before I send it to the landfill.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

Exactly! As one of those other older women with bags of produce bags and little cups filled with usable twist-ties, I can relate. I've even been known to take the red mesh bag that oranges come in, wad it up and rubber band it, and reuse it as a dish scrubbie. But that was back in my ramen days.

[arcanetrivia]

I save produce bags and re-use them as well, but you do still have to toss them eventually. I keep meaning to get some of the fabric mesh kind that you can wash and reuse indefinitely.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I toss them quite frequently, but I always seem to have more. I think they're breeding in there! Unlike the grocery bags, which seem to have taken a vow of chastity; I sometimes run out of them.

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

I love tofu in principle, but I've yet to cook it into anything remotely edible. Your post has inspired me to try again!

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I thought of you when I posted this. You can do it!

[iqeret.livejournal.com]

Once I've marinated my slabs, I like to fry them in butter until they're crispy brown on either side. The flavor reminds me of bacon. (^_^)

(And this is from a woman who Does Not Cook.)

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

Bacon, eh? I'll have to try this. I miss the taste of bacon.

[iqeret.livejournal.com]

*grin* It's that lovely combination of fat and salt. Mind you, I've never used oil in my marinade, just diluted the soy sauce with water. I'll try the oil next time I've got a pack of tofu. And I cook the things until they're just shy of charcoal and probably about half the size from when they went in. (Again, Does Not Cook.)

[arcanetrivia]

Frying tofu is a bit tricky. Make sure to press excess moisture out of it or you'll get glop that sticks to the pan. I've had OK results dusting the pieces with cornstarch after that but I still haven't quite got the hang of it. Getting the oil temperature right has been a problem for me.

[arcanetrivia]

If you have a farmer's market near you, see if there's anyone there selling their own fresh-made tofu. There are some Korean guys at my local that make tofu so good I can eat it completely unflavored. The flavor is still subtle, and of course it's still tofu texture, so if that puts you off, such a thing might not convert you, but I find the texture is better than most store-bought tofu too.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I made your white bean with sage soup tonight, and it was yummy! AND I got to trim back a bit of my sage plant in the process; he was crowding Rosemary, and she does not like that at all, even though in previous years it was she who crowded him.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

Once upon a time, I planted a baby Rosemary and a baby Oregano in the same planter. By the end of summer, Rosemary had grown so large, she crowded out Oregano and now he's but a faint memory.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

And hurray, I'm glad the soup suited you!

[blueartemis07.livejournal.com]

yum