Although tofu has become more widely appreciated in the West as a nutritious food, it still has a reputation for being bland. Agreed, tofu may be insipid by itself, but with a little creative cooking it can be lifted to new heights. The trick with tofu is to add flavor — the thing that it intrinsically lacks. Being porous, firm tofu is a perfect candidate for marination, and its spongy consistency readily absorbs the flavors of whatever it’s mixed with.
In this simple recipe, tofu is cut into thick slices then marinated in a savory Japanese-style sauce before being grilled like a steak — which adds to the overall texture and flavor. These tofu “steaks” are than served on a bed of delicate, slippery soba noodles tossed with stir-fried Asian vegetables.
Grilled Marinated Tofu Steaks with Japanese-style Stir-fried Vegetables and Soba Noodles
Serves 2
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dashi stock powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon miso
- 3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
- 10 oz (300g) block firm tofu
- 3 1/2 oz (100g) soba noodles
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 bunch bok choy (or other Asian greens) - roughly chopped
- 1 carrot - peeled and julienned
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed to a paste with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 scallion (spring onion) - thinly sliced on diagonal
HEAT the water in a small saucepan until boiling and stir in the dashi powder and sugar until dissolved. REDUCE the heat to a low simmer and add the miso, stirring to dissolve. REMOVE from the heat and stir in the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and ginger. CUT the block of tofu in half widthwise, then cut each piece in half lengthwise. MARINATE the tofu steaks in the mixture, covered in the fridge, for at least 1 hour, turning halfway through. BRING a pot of water to the boil and cook the soba noodles for 4 minutes, then rinse under cold water and drain. HEAT a cast iron ridged grill pan over a high heat. ADD the tofu steaks (reserving the marinade) and cook for around 3 minutes each side. WHILE the tofu cooks, heat a wok or large skillet over a high heat, add the canola oil and stir fry the bok choy and carrot for 3 minutes. REDUCE the heat to medium-low, add the reserved marinade liquid, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes. STIR in the cornstarch paste and cook until thickened. ADD the scallions and soba noodles and stir to mix well and heat through. SERVE on a bed of the noodle-vegetable mixture with the tofu steaks on top (glazed with a little of the sauce).
