Crispy Tofu and Broccoli With Ginger-Garlic Teriyaki Sauce
Published Jan. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2(14-ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained
- Neutral oil
- ¾cup cornstarch
- Kosher salt (such Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
- 1pound broccoli, cut into small 1-inch florets, stems reserved for another use
- Chopped cilantro leaves, for topping (optional)
- Toasted white sesame seeds, for topping (optional)
- Cooked rice, for serving
- ½cup soy sauce or tamari
- ½cup mirin
- ⅓cup sake
- ¼cup granulated sugar
- 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 1garlic clove, peeled and grated
For the Tofu
For the Teriyaki Sauce
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
678 calories; 25 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 12 grams polyunsaturated fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1822 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Arrange racks in the middle and bottom of the oven, and heat the oven to 425 degrees. You will need 2 sheet pans. Line one with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Prepare the tofu: Cut each block of tofu crosswise into ½-inch slices and pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
- Step 3
In a large baking dish or rimmed plate, drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil. In another large baking dish or rimmed plate, scatter the cornstarch, season it with 1 teaspoon of salt and a few pinches of black pepper, and toss to combine.
- Step 4
Place each slice of tofu in the oil and coat both sides, then dip the tofu into the cornstarch and lightly coat both sides. Place the coated tofu straight onto the lined sheet pan. Continue until all the tofu has been coated. All of the tofu should fit on one sheet pan.
- Step 5
Place the tofu onto the middle rack in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until lightly golden and crisp to the touch.
- Step 6
On the second sheet pan, lay out the broccoli and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Place on the bottom rack of the oven and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until tender and golden in parts.
- Step 7
Meanwhile, make the teriyaki sauce by combining the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil (this should take 2 to 3 minutes), stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until there is a layer of light brown foam on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Step 8
To serve, top the rice with the tofu and broccoli and drizzle with the teriyaki sauce. If using, finish with cilantro leaves and sesame seeds.
Private Notes
Comments
Recently learned that you can buy gingerroot, give it a good scrub under running water, pat dry, then freeze. When you need it in a recipe, trim off any dried-up end and grate on a microplane, skin and all. Works beautifully! Skin is not noticeable. Much faster and less fiddly than peeling and grating unfrozen ginger.
I often prepare tofu this way (actually, I use a combination of cornstarch and potato starch) but in addition to the salt and pepper added to this, I also add some garlic powder and onion powder.
Taking a tip from Korean fried foods, I always now use potato starch instead of cornstarch for things like this.
I followed the directions closely, and was rewarded with overcooked tofu, half as much sauce as needed, and a borderline ruinous saltiness. I will make it again, but next time I will: Just pan-fry the tofu, after dredging it in cornstarch. Using a whole baking dish just to wipe some oil on tofu slabs is extra dishes for no extra benefit, something that these recipes call for way too often. Baking added dishes and time, and produced a worse outcome. Not add any salt to the broccoli or the tofu. The sauce has more than enough. Add cornstarch to the sauce, as I simmered for longer than directed without ever seeing brown foam and ending up with a reduced but I thickened sauce. Double the sauce proportions, same as every other NYT recipe. I barely had enough sauce for two servings, but have almost half the tofu and broccoli left over. I should have known better.
@Conor In 1/3 cup of sake there is no more than a 1/2oz of pure ethanol, or less than one standard drink. Calculating the evaporation rate is not simple, and depends on too many variables for me to do for an NYT Cooking comment, but I can tell you that alcohol boils off at a lower temperature than the rest of the sauce. After 15-20 minutes of simmering, some Googling tells me about 40% of the original alcohol content remains. So in the entire sauce there is less than a half a drink's worth of alcohol, at the most. That does not meet my or most people's definition of "boozy", although I understand your definition may differ!
The cormstarch formed heavy clumps on the tofu and became hard but didn't brown much. The broccoli charred on one side but barely cooked on the other. My family liked it anyhow.