February 22, 2012

Broiled Tofu with Kale and Sesame Noodles


I'm crazy for tofu! No joke, I have tofu cravings. I know it sounds odd since tofu is usually considered healthy but not terribly tasty and more of a vehicle for added flavors, but I love the texture of all varieties and it tastes divine to me. Actually Big and Little Smith are also tofu-lovers as well as kale and noodle enthusiasts so this dish is a house favorite. I love that it's nourishing and also so quick and easy.

Sesame Noodles: This makes a lot of noodles since we like leftovers but cut it in half if you like. Recipe adapted from Linda (again!)
  • 1lb chinese noodles boiled per instructions (about 3 minutes)
for the sesame sauce:
  • 1/2 c tahini *or use peanut butter for peanut noodles instead- also yummy
  • 1/2 c soy sauce (I like Braggs even better)
  • 1/4 c brown rice vinegar
  • 1/4 c sesame oil
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1 tbs sriracha hot paste
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 6  garlic gloves (pressed if not using a food processor)
  • water as needed (about 1/2 c)
Mix all ingredients in a food processor or just stir in a bowl. Add as much water as necessary, the sauce should be very thin. Pour over the cooked noodles and toss. I like to serve these at room temperature which makes it easy to get out of the way first.



Broiled Tofu:
  • 1 slab extra firm tofu
  • 3 tbs honey
  • 3 tbs soy sauce (or Braggs)
Drain and press tofu for at least 20-30 minutes; wrap in towels and cover with a chopping board and heavy weight. Slice into 8 pieces and lay on a metal baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix honey and soy sauce and drizzle over tofu turning to cover. Broil on high for 5-10 minutes on each side until golden brown. The time will vary depending on how much water you've pressed out of the tofu but watch it carefully since the broiler goes fast! Burnt tofu is not so tasty.


Sauteed Kale:

Coarsely chop kale and trim and discard the thick part of the stems. Heat a few tablespoons of sesame oil in a pan or wok and add a few slivers of garlic and a tablespoon of freshly grated ginger. Add the chopped kale and saute for about two minutes until it begins to wilt. Add a splash of soy sauce and cover, steaming over very low heat for about 5 minutes until tender.


Top the dish with plenty of toasted sesame seeds and a drizzle of reserved sesame sauce.


Little Smith got a side of ginger-roasted carrots and his own special noodles without the sesame sauce because it is a bit spicy. He's a funny kid- super picky eater but he loves kale which amuses me for some reason. We also had to do away with eating with chop sticks for the time being because he obsesses over them the whole meal. I don't know why he doesn't react that way to forks!


As a side note you can really see in these pictures where I lost daylight. Food photos come out so much better with natural light but this dish really needs to be served straight from the oven so the sun set while I was cooking and I was basically cooking in the dark even when I started to try to capitalize on that daylight. I felt very silly!

Oh and if you love these flavors as much as I do here's another variation I've been wanting to try with a raw kale slaw.

7 comments:

  1. Yes!!! I love tofu. Unfortunately I seem to be the only one in my house... but I'm going to make this just in case I can change someone's mind! Thank you, it looks delicious. And broiling it is such a good idea. It might make the old texture issue better for my hubby.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yum, I LOVE tofu! I make a similar dish, but I'm going to try this soon. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yum! We're all big kale eaters in this house and ginger carrots sound delicious! I have never broiled tofu, but it definitely sounds interesting. Normally if I'm going to do soy I go for tempeh, but this sounds pretty good!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't get people who hate tofu. It absorbs flavors so well. The kitchn has a great quick fried rice with tofu. One of my all time favorite recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  5. this meal looks delicious! we are so pro kale. Salmon and kale is Zoe's favorite meal. And well...tofu and sesame noodles are a given. I'm putting this on my meal plan for the week :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am in love with kale!! Can't wait to try this - it looks so good!

    xo
    cortnie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just found you today...thanks for helping me with dinner for TONIGHT!

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.