Sesame Tofu

This post begins with a story. I first made this dish about a week ago, intending to post it on the blog then. If you scroll down to the recipe, you'll notice that the last ingredient is 1-2 t red pepper flakes. When I was making this, I was really tired, and mistook 2 teaspoons for 2 tablespoons. Needless to say, the meal was pretty much ruined because the dish was so incredibly hot. It was delicious, but the pepper made it nearly unbearable. I suffered through the meal because it was good, but would gulp down half a glass of water after each bite. I learned my lesson this time, and left out the red pepper flakes altogether because a) I ran out and because b) I was slightly scared of them. With or without the red pepper flakes, this dish is wonderful. The tofu has a great crust on it, and the sauce is awesome. I served it with some rice and lemon zucchini.
First, press your tofu. This is necessary in order to get all of the excess water out of it. Take your tofu out of the package and wrap the whole block in several layers of paper towels. Put the block on a plate, and put a heavy saucepan or pot on top. This squeezes out the water. Let the tofu sit for about 20-30 minutes.

While the tofu is draining,place your sauce ingredients in a saucepan: honey, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, garlic, and red pepper flakes.

Stir until combined, and then cook over medium heat until warm. Remove from heat and set aside.

Chop your tofu into 1-inch cubes and toss with the cornstarch.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a frying pan until it reaches 350 degrees. Fry the tofu in batches until golden brown.

Take the tofu out of the oil and dry on paper towels. Place into a bowl and pour the sauce, sesame seeds, and green onions over the tofu, tossing to combine.

It's that easy! This is a great Asian-style recipe, and it is great as a main dish or a side. I'll be making this a lot :).

Here's the recipe:

Sesame Tofu

Ingredients:

14 oz. extra firm tofu

1/4 cup cornstarch

Frying oil

1-2 T sesame seeds

3-4 green onions (minced)

1/3 cup honey

3 T soy sauce

3 T fresh ginger (minced)

2 T sesame oil

2 T rice wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1-2 t red pepper flakes

Instructions:

1. Take your tofu out of the package and wrap the whole block in several layers of paper towels. Put the block on a plate, and put a heavy saucepan or pot on top. Let the tofu sit for about 20-30 minutes.
2. Next, combine the honey, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic, and pepper flakes in a sauce pan. When mixed together, heat until warm, and then remove from heat.
3. Cut the tofu into 1-inch cubes and toss with the cornstarch.
4. Heat the frying oil until it reaches 350 degrees.
5. Fry the tofu in batches until golden brown. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.
6. When all of the tofu is fried, place it in a bowl. Add the sauce, sesame seeds, and green onions. Toss to combine.
7. Eat.

Source: Use Real Butter