Black Pepper Tofu with black garlic Sauce recipe

We infused tofu with a black pepper sauce for a more in-depth flavor profile and then created an incredible black garlic sauce to flow through the entire dish. Add some broccoli for a touch of greenery and serve with perfectly cooked Asian rice noodles.

Ingredients

For the tofu

·       1 block extra-firm tofu

·       1 tbsp vegetable oil

·       1 tbsp rice vinegar

·       ½ cup black pepper sauce (store-bought or you could make your own in advance) 

·       1 tsp sesame oil

For the sauce

·       1 head Black Garlic North America brand Black Garlic

·       1 tsp fresh ginger, minced

·       ¾ cups low sodium soy sauce

·       3 tbsp rice vinegar

·       1 tsp sesame oil

To finish

·       8oz rice noodles, cooked

·       2 broccoli heads, cut into florets and steamed

Method

1.     Use a Tofubud or DIY tofu pressing method to remove any excess moisture from your extra-firm tofu. 

2.     Once all moisture has been squeezed out, cut the tofu into 5 slices, and then cut each slice into 4 pieces.

3.     Create the tofu marinade by combining the tofu ingredients (excluding the extra-firm tofu pieces) in a medium-sized bowl.

4.     Add the tofu to your black pepper marinade and toss until it’s entirely coated by the sauce.

5.     Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours, or overnight.

6.     Once the tofu has finished marinating, heat the sesame oil in a large skillet.

7.     Add the tofu to the sesame oiled skillet and fry on medium heat for 6-8 minutes on either side. The tofu should be nice and crispy.

8.     While your tofu fries, combine all the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil before reducing down to a simmer.

9.     Simmer the sauce for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then pour it into a food processor and pulse until it’s smooth.

10.  Add half the smooth sauce to the tofu along with the cooked rice noodles and broccoli.

11.  Cook everything for 2-3 minutes, tossing to combine.

12.  Serve in bowls with the rest of the black garlic sauce.