BAKED TOFU: Sesame Surprise (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

I have to tell you that this BAKED TOFU recipe is one of my favourite tofu recipes of all time.

Baked Tofu: Sesame Surprise

 My husband and I have been back and forth on the Tofu Road.  We read a lot of health-related articles and watch a lot of (junk?) science on Youtube, so of course, we are well aware of the controversy around soy products... you know where you can go to read that side of the story as well.

Well, here we are back again!  Because we have such great respect for slim heralds of plant-strong health like Dr. Darlene Blaney (recipes on this site),  Dr. Hans Diehl, Dr. John A. McDougall, Lani  Muelrath, Dr. Neal Barnard, among many others, some people we actually rub shoulders with on a regular basis, these tofu-eating crusaders for a healthy lifestyle have won us back again to tofu.  

We're sort of like "slacker voters" I guess... we go with who impresses us the most with their pitch for benefits we will receive, and we vote with our forks.  But remember that the 'fake' soy products on the grocery shelf: soy bacon, soy burgers,etc., are meant to be eaten like birthday cake...very rarely, if ever.  If you do eat soy, eat it as it has been eaten traditionally for hundreds of years: as tofu, seitan, miso, and ORGANIC.  Avoid the GMO soy.

On with the BAKED TOFU:Sesame Surprise Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Block of Organic Medium Firm Tofu, 350 g
• 1/4 C. Tamari or Soy Sauce
• 2 T. Coconut Sugar or Maple Syrup
• 2 T. Ketchup
• 1 T. Apple Cider Vinegar
• Pinch of Chipotle or dash of Hot Sauce
• 2 T. Sesame Seeds
• 1/4 tsp. Garlic Powder (or 2 minced garlic bulbs)
• 1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp. Hickory Smoke liquid (optional)

METHOD:

1. Day #1: Put your freshly purchased tofu into the freezer and freeze You can skip freezing it but you will not get the flavor quality of the marinade. The frozen and thawed process turns the tofu into a sponge that just sucks up the flavor and color of the marinade so you really get the effect when you eat it. 
2. Day #2: Thaw the frozen tofu in the fridge. When thawed, remove from package and pour off any of the surplus water. Gently squeeze the block for a bit over the sink. Don't squeeze so hard that you break up the tofu.
3. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
4. Line a small cake pan with parchment paper or spray with oil
5. Press Tofu gently between two clean towels or paper towels until most of the excess moisture is removed, and then slice in half from side to side of the block and into 1 inch cubes. 
6. Maranade: In a large bowl, stir together Tamari, Sugar, Ketchup, Vinegar and Chipotle powder or hot sauce until well combined.  Add in Sesame Seeds, Garlic Powder or mince, black pepper and liquid smoke.
7. Fold in the tofu, attempting not to break them up.
8. Let the tofu marinate for about 5 or more minutes in the sauce if you have used the thawed tofu and it is sucking up the marinade as it does-- if you are using unfrozen tofu, you might leave it a while longer to marinate and probably just go ahead with the recipe anyhow-- it will still taste good, just not FABULOUS!.

   

   Marinating the tofu



9. Gently spoon the cubes into a pan so they are arranged in a single layer
10. Spoon any left-over sauce over them and put in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes, depending on how 'textured' you like them to be (they become somewhat chewier the longer they are in the oven)
11. Serve over rice or quinoa with a salad or side of steamed greens.

NOTES: I have begun to use a slightly different way of preparing this tofu. 

1. I freeze the tofu until it is quite frozen (about an hour +)

2. I slice it up into thin slices or cubes

3. I put the tofu gently into a freezer ziplock bag and pour in the marinade

4. I let it marinate for about a half-hour in the fridge

5. I pour the marinade over the tofu after I have it in the pan.

6. I bake it.

 Results??  It has a wonderful new depth of tastiness over what it does without these steps-- the marinade permeates the tofu throughout. You could try to only freeze the tofu in the morning and marinate it throughout the day in the fridge. I recommend the longer method of a day of freezing followed by thawing the next day to get the satisfactory results I have had, but try what you like and let me know if you come up with variations that worked for you and your family, please! 

COMMENTS are golden to me! Thank you!