Tamari Baked Tofu on Miso Soba Noodles

Recipe by Marnie Nitschke, Accredited Practicing Dietitian at Fork That Nutrition & Cockatoo Grove Ambassador.

Lots of people don’t know where to start with tofu, and I get that, because it’s pretty bland and boring when it’s straight out of the packet. Try this recipe! Baked tofu is a bit chewy, and crispy and delicious.  It goes perfectly with the soba noodles and simple chopped veggies (you can obviously vary these, depending on what’s in your fridge).

This month on the blog I’ve been talking fermented foods, so I thought a recipe including miso and tamari would be a great one to include.  The savoury, umami flavours that develop in fermented foods like tamari and miso add a fabulous depth of flavour to vegetarian dishes like this.

As you can see here, Extra Virgin Olive Oil doesn’t need to be limited to Mediterranean style dishes.  This recipe is vegan and gluten free.  I hope you find it as delicious and easy as I do.

Serves: 3

For the tofu:

1 small packet (450g) firm tofu

1 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 tbsp cornflour

Pinch of salt and good grinding of pepper

For the salad:

180g soba noodles

100g snow peas (stem removed then cut in half)

100g red capsicum (½ large capsicum), sliced thinly into 5cm sticks

2 large bok choy, thoroughly washed and finely sliced

½ - 1 cup frozen edamame beans, thawed

For the sauce:

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 tbsp miso paste

1 tbsp tamari

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 heaped tsp finely grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic (1/2 tsp, finely chopped or grated)

Optional Squirt of shriracha or other chilli sauce

Method:

The first step is to dry out the tofu, so it gets nice and crispy when you bake it:

• Drain the tofu and pat the pieces dry with paper towel, then slice each piece in ½ length-wise (will be about 2-3cm thickness).
• Using two clean, folded tea towels, spread the tofu slabs side by side on the first tea towel, then add the second towel on top, followed by something heavy (a big cookbook and a pot for example). Let it sit for about 30 minutes while you get on with other prep.
• Mix the cornflour, tamari, EVOO, salt and pepper well, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200c, and get cracking on the salad:

• Defrost the frozen edamame
• Finely slice the capsicum and bok choy (like a coleslaw) and add to a large bowl with the halved snow peas and edamame
• Grate the garlic and ginger, then combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir well (dip your finger in here and taste it, adjusting to suit your preference)

After 30 minutes, when the tofu is nicely pressed:

• Slice into approx 3cm cubes and add to a bowl, tipping tamari mixture in and tossing to coat thoroughly
• Line an oven tray with baking paper and spread the tofu out so pieces are separate
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and bubbling (with a quick toss half way through if you can be bothered)

• While the tofu is baking, cook the soba noodles in boiling water for 4 minutes, drain immediately and add straight to the bowl of chopped veggies.

• You can either drizzle the sauce on now, toss through then serve in bowls, ready to add tofu at the end, OR wait till the tofu comes out of the oven and then add the sauce and mix it all through before serving.