Tofu can be a hard sell for meat lovers. Thisstands an excellent chance of winning over even the most die-hard carnivore. Tofu is first cut into planks, then patted dry and dredged in cornstarch and roasted at a high temperature to ensure an extra-crispy coating. Then it’s brushed with a savory-sweet, umami-loaded sauce made with the Korean condiment called gochujang (found in Asian sections of many supermarkets), honey, and sesame oil and returned to the oven to caramelize. Add broccoli florets to the same pan, cook up a pot of rice, and you have a quick, healthy dinner. Serves 4. – Susan Puckett, adapted from Christopher Kimball’s “Milk Street 365.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 14-ounce container firm or extra-firm tofu, drained, slicedinto ½-inch-thick planksand patted dry
- 12 ounces broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- Hot, cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Set a rack in the upper-middle portion of the oven and preheat to 475. Brush a large, rimmed sheet pan with vegetable oil.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, honey, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.
- Put the cornstarch in a wide, shallow dish. Add the tofu slices; turn to coat. Put the broccoli florets in a medium bowl, drizzle with the remaining sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper; toss to coat.
- Arrange the tofu in a single layer on one side of the sheet pan and the broccoli florets on the other. Roast for 15 to 18 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet and lightly brush the tofu withthe gochujang mixture. Flip the tofu with a thin metal spatula and lightly brush with more.
- Return the pan to the oven for about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, lightly brush the tofu with more of the gochujang mixture and sprinkle the tofu and broccoli with the sesame seeds. Continue baking about 5 minutes.
- Serve the tofu and broccoli with rice and drizzle with a little more sesame oil, if desired.
Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.