Tonight E is going to the dreaded business dinner and I am on my own (a rarity). All of a sudden, cooking seems like a lot of work— partially because it literally is twice the work when he’s not doing dishes and partially because I am a big ADHD baby who needs a body double to help me make/eat dinner. And oh yes, the not-so-secret third thing: the pandemic turned me into a dog with separation anxiety (shut up, I’m working on it).
Dinner must be fast, simple, familiar. More importantly, it must be fatigue-proof and ick-resistant. I’ve made peace with the fact that this will probably result in a boring meal. The most likely scenario: I put rice in the bowl and TJ’s frozen palak paneer in the basket of my rice cooker. The best case scenario: I add baked tofu to make it more satiating.
I suppose this is as good a time as any to explain how I’ve been baking tofu lately. It takes a small amount of forethought, but very little actual work. The result is a dry, crouton-like protein that can soak up liquid to create a really pleasing meaty texture. I think this method will work with any firm tofu, but I use one block of the organic sprouted variety you can find at Trader Joe’s.
1. Cut a slit in the top of the tofu package and drain out a splash of liquid so the container doesn’t explode. Freeze it whole in the package until solid.**
2. Defrost completely, then use your hands to gently squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
3. Preheat the oven to 400F (yes, I used the convection setting!). Break the tofu into 1/2”-ish crumbles. Drizzle with enough olive oil to coat all the nooks and crannies. Add a heaping teaspoon of nutritional yeast and any salty, multi-purpose seasoning you like. For me, mushroom seasoning. Toss to coat well and taste a piece to make sure you got it right— no risk of Salmonella here!
4. Bake for 20ish minutes or until mostly dry. To get that full crisp of a crouton, turn the oven off and leave the tofu inside while it cools down. Add to soups, stews, beans, curries, etc. It softens in minutes and holds up well in leftovers.
**Don’t be tempted to skip this step! Water expands inside the tofu as it freezes and completely changes the texture.
Food prep = fast and easy
Saves me every time!
This tofu sounds great, thank you! Ick and fatigue are also problems for me, so I’m adding this to my list of go to’s when I particularly need to avoid those. Thank you!