Soy meets grill
By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor
Something along the lines of ... "Huh???"
We're used to tofu in miso soup, chilled with a silky or spicy sauce (hiya yakko), added to stews and stir-fries, and munched in fried form (as chewy aburage, which forms the pouch for cone sushi).
But one Japanese custom that doesn't seem to have hopped over the water into most Island kitchens is the custom of grilling tofu over hot coals. Temples all over Japan serve tofu dengaku — tofu grilled on skewers and spread with salty-sweet red and white miso dressing — a cornerstone of vegetarian temple cuisine. At izakaya, Japanese taverns where food is designed to complement beer and sake, grilled tofu is served in skewered chunks or sliced steaks, flavored with marinades and sauces.
Grilling tofu allows vegetarians and low-fat advocates to enjoy the ritual of outdoor cooking and the flavor of smoked foods. But can tofu really stand up to grilling? Doesn't it fall apart on the hibachi?
The answer is no, if you employ some simple techniques:
Use a well-seasoned grill. Well-seasoned means a grill that's been treated right: lightly oiled before use, properly heated to a high temperature and routinely cleaned afterward. It helps if the grill is made of good-quality metal.
Harris Brazina of Honolulu's Well Bento restaurant and takeout spot, where grilled tofu is a regular feature, says it's important that the grill be hot and sufficiently oiled so that you can flip the tofu steak by just nudging it with a finger. (Easy for him to say; the rest of us might want to use a spatula or those new flat tongs.)
He was taught that it's important aesthetically to place the tofu on the grill diagonally — the "stripe" marks look better crosswise — and he likes to cut them into triangles for serving. Placing them diagonally on the grill might also help to keep them from falling through.
But here's a tip: While only true grilling can give tofu the marks and smoky flavor, tofu steaks or skewers cook nicely on a broiler pan in the oven — either broiled or baked at 400 degrees until puffed and slightly browned — if you don't want to mess with the grill.
Before it's grilled, press the tofu to give it a very firm texture; pressed tofu is readily turned on the grill and not prone to breaking up or cracking when cooked. Pressing is simple: Just place the tofu in a flat-bottomed dish, put a cutting board on top and add weights. Leave it for at least 20 minutes or as long as an hour; water will be expressed and the cake compressed.
If you don't want to press the tofu, try this Japanese technique: Cut fresh tofu into large cubes or thick slices, lay them on an absorbent cotton kitchen towel and place another towel on top. Moisture will be wicked away, and the tofu slightly firmed up. Meanwhile, soak bamboo skewers in water 20 to 30 minutes. Spear two skewers lengthwise through the tofu pieces. In Japan, grilled tofu generally is served on skewers.
Employ marinades, spread and sauces to keep tofu moist and flavorful. You can marinate the tofu briefly before it's grilled, brush marinade on during grilling, or remove skewered tofu from the grill, brush it with sauce and then finish it on the grill (about 2 minutes a side before adding the sauce, then another minute afterward). Or you can serve a sauce to pour over the tofu. Teriyaki, miso, furikake mayonnaise, spicy chili and peanut sauces are all options.
Brazina's tofu grilling technique is to place the tofu in a pan or dish and drizzle it with oil and shoyu while the grill is heating up. For Cajun-style "blackened" tofu, he then sprinkles on Cajun seasonings and proceeds with grilling. For maple syrup barbecue and tamari versions, he brushes on sauce while the tofu is grilling.
This story was adapted from one in the Louisville Courier-Journal. Reach food editor Wanda Adams at wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2412.
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Grilled tofu displays its versatility
Grilled tofu takes just a little time to make, can be served hot, cold or lukewarm and fits easily into the appetizer, salad or entrée categories.
You can prepare the following grilled tofu recipe, start to finish, in an hour and 15 minutes, including pressing, marinating and grilling or broiling — and you'll have time in between to whip up a salad, start the rice or watch "Wheel of Fortune."
Use local-style shoyu, which is milder and sweeter than Japanese-style; low-sodium shoyu works well.
This is particularly satisfying over steamed rice, with a side salad or vegetable. Or you can cut the tofu into strips and use it to top a salad, or add it to a stir-fry, as you would strips of meat. You can even make tofu musubi — the slices are just the right size.
Shoyu-honey tofu
- 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed (see box)
- 6 tablespoons local-style shoyu
- 2 tablespoons water or broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger, with juice
- 2 cloves garlic, mashed or pressed
- Thin-sliced bell pepper, red, yellow and/or green
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Fresh parsley, minced
In a bowl, whisk together the shoyu, water or broth, honey, ginger and garlic. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Cut pressed tofu into half-inch slices, about the size and shape of a slice of Spam for musubi. Place in a shallow square or rectangular baking dish and pour marinade over the tofu. (Don't worry about the ginger fiber; it disappears during cooking.) Marinate tofu 20 minutes, turning halfway if marinade doesn't cover tofu.
Bake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a broiling pan with foil. Carefully lift tofu with a spatula and arrange on the perforated top of a broiler pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until puffy and lightly browned.
Grill: Lightly oil the surface of a charcoal or gas grill and heat as usual. Grill tofu until sizzling, puffy and marked with grill lines, about 5 minutes. Lift with spatula and flip onto serving plate to expose grill marks.
Arrange cooked tofu on serving platter. Scatter bell pepper, sesame seeds and parsley on top.
Grilled tofu with miso mayonnaise
- 2 pounds extra-firm tofu
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/3 cup mirin or rice wine
- 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For the miso mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup white miso
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
- 2 teaspoons grated or finely chopped ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced, about 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or rice vinegar
- 12 stalks asparagus, or to taste
Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut each block of tofu in half to form four broad, thin steaks. Press tofu (see box).
Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil and black pepper in a dish wide enough to hold the tofu in a single layer. Place the tofu steaks in the marinade, then turn to coat them. Marinate one hour.
Place the mayonnaise, miso, sugar, grated ginger, garlic and pepper in a food processor and purée to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. With the motor running, add the oil and lemon juice through the feed tube. Correct seasoning, adding more sugar and/or lemon juice as necessary; the sauce should be sweet with just a hint of tartness.
Set up the grill, and brush and oil the grate. Place the marinated tofu on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Pour any leftover marinade over the grilling tofu, dividing it between the two sides. After turning each piece, spoon a little miso mayonnaise over it. Transfer the grilled tofu to a platter.
Brush asparagus with oil and place on heat. Grill, turning often, about 4 minutes or until tender. Grilling time will depend on the size of the spears. Peel the lower stalks of large spears.
Serves four.
Tofu satay
- 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed (see box)
- 16 cherry tomatoes
- 16 medium-size mushrooms
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 teaspoon
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese chili paste, or to taste
- 1 cup Thai-style coconut milk
- Salt to taste
This variation on an Indonesian theme combines tofu with veggies and a silky peanut sauce. You will need bamboo skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes so they won't burn.
Cut drained and pressed tofu into large cubes.
Combine peanut butter, ginger, soy sauce and garlic in a bowl or blender container and mix until evenly combined. Add honey, vinegar and chili paste and mix. Add coconut milk and stir to blend. Add salt to taste.
Combine cubes of tofu with half the peanut sauce in a bowl or shallow dish. Turn the tofu several times and allow it to marinate at least an hour, up to overnight.
Drain tofu and skewer, alternating with cherry tomatoes and mushrooms.
Set up the grill, and brush and oil the grate when ready. Place the marinated tofu on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 4 minutes per side, brushing once or twice with remaining peanut sauce.
Serve over hot basmati rice. Drizzle a little remaining peanut sauce.
Serves four.
Grilled tofu with Southeast Asian relish
- 2 pounds extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
For the relish:
- 4 ripe tomatoes, cored and diced small
- 1/2 cup scallions, both green and white parts finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh basil (preferably Thai), coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, coarsely chopped
- 3 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Chinese chili-garlic paste, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
- 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 3 tablespoons vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
The recipe for the relish comes from "Let the Flames Begin," another inspirational work written by grilling gurus Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby (Norton, $30). It's pretty spicy, so you might not want to add the full amount of chili paste.
Holding your knife parallel to the cutting board, cut each block of tofu in half to form four broad, thin steaks. Press (see box).
Mix sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and hot red pepper sauce in a pan large enough to hold the tofu in a single layer. Place the tofu steaks in the pan and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for an hour or more.
Meanwhile, combine all relish ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and brush and oil the grate when ready. Place the marinated tofu on the hot grate and grill until nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Pour any leftover marinade over the grilling tofu. Serve with a side of relish.
Serves four.
The recipe for Shoyu-honey grilled tofu is from Advertiser food editor Wanda Adams; all others are from the Louisville Courier-Journal.
