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Recipes

Striplight
FullCircle

Ginger-Garlic Tofu

For a family-pleasing (and very balanced!) meal, serve this flavorful dish with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

PowerUp Recipes

Ginger-Garlic Tofu

Kitchen Gear
  • Clean dish towel or paper towels
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp knife (adult needed)
  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cup
  • Small pot
  • Skillet
  • Spatula or tongs

Ingredients
  • 1 14-ounce block firm or extra-firm tofu
  • 3 tablespoon slow-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (if you like)
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes or more (if you want to make it spicy)
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (To toast sesame seeds, shake them in a small, dry pan over medium heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes )
  • 2 scallions, sliced
 

Serves: 4

Instructions
Wash your hands with soap and water, then gather all your kitchen gear and ingredients and put them on a clean counter.

To prepare the tofu for cooking: 
  1. Pull the plastic off the tofu container (you may need to cut it with a knife) and tip the liquid out of it. Put the tofu on the cutting board and cut it into 4 equal pieces, then cut each of those pieces in half the other direction to end up with 8 pieces.
  2. Now put a dish towel or 2 layers of paper towel on the cutting board and put the tofu on top. Let drain at least 20 minutes (and up to 2 hours), then put the dish towel in the wash or the paper towels in the trash.
To make the sauce (while the tofu is draining):
  1. Put the soy sauce, water, ginger, garlic, sesame oil (if you like it), and chili pepper flakes (if you want to make it spicy) in a small pot.
  2. Put the pot on the stove and turn it to high. When it comes to a boil, lower the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. The sauce should have halved and be thicker than it was. Set the sauce aside.
To cook the tofu:
  1. Put the skillet on the stove, turn the heat to medium, and carefully add the oil.
  2. Add the tofu and cook until it is golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Use the spatula to turn the tofu over and cook until golden, 3 more minutes.
  3. Add the sauce to the pan and cook 1 minute.
  4. Serve right away, sprinkled with sesame seeds and scallions.

Notes
Add any of the following extras to each serving:
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or basil leaves.
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon chili sauce (Sriracha).