Favorite Recipes: Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

Baked Tofu with Peanut Sauce and Coconut-Lime Rice

Photo by Elaine Kinnaird

While we are sheltering-in-place with nowhere to go, it is a great time to try some new recipes.

This delicious recipe was featured in the New York Times Cooking. I don't have a paid subscription, so I was not able to get the recipe there. Instead, I went searching online and found it at Dining and Cooking.

If you don't have all the ingredients, don't let it bother you. I had a new bottle of lime juice, so I didn't go looking for fresh limes. This meant that I didn't have the lime zest to fluff into the rice. Even though it was missing that extra flair, the dish was still hearty and delicious.

Also, I used some local honey that was already in my cabinet instead of buying molasses. And instead of hunting down red miso, I used the miso that was in the fridge. The sauce was still excellent.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil, plus more for brushing the pan and drizzling
• ⅔ cup lime juice (from about 5 limes), and zest of 1 lime
• Kosher salt
• 8 baby bell peppers or 1 medium bell pepper (any color will do), stemmed and thinly sliced lengthwise
• Black pepper
• 1 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons buckwheat honey or molasses
• 1 tablespoon red miso
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
• 2 teaspoons chopped habanero pepper, stem and seeds removed, or 1 tablespoon sambal
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced crosswise, 1/4-inch thick
• 1 cup long-grain rice like jasmine or basmati
• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
• 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 cups peppery greens, like arugula, mizuna or baby mustard greens

Preparation:

1.      Heat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly brush a large rimmed sheet pan with oil.

2.    In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons lime juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to dissolve the salt. Add the sliced peppers, a few cracks of black pepper and set aside.

3.    In a medium bowl, use a whisk to combine 4 tablespoons lime juice, peanut butter, 1 tablespoon honey, miso, fish sauce (if using), habanero, ginger, 2 tablespoons oil and 3/4 cup water. Stir until smooth and season to taste with salt.

4.    Arrange the tofu pieces in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet and season with salt. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce over each. Be sure to cover the top, allowing the sauce to run down and coat the sides. Drizzle the tops with some oil, and roast until glaze is set, deep brown and caramelized along the edges, about 18 to 20 minutes. Use the remaining sauce in the bowl to make the dressing by whisking in the remaining lime juice and 1 tablespoon honey, and set aside.

5.     In a small pot, combine the rice with 1 cup water and the coconut milk. Season with salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the rice is just tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the cooked rice to sit covered until you are ready to serve. Just before serving, add in the lime zest, half of the sliced scallions and fluff with a fork.

6.    Divide the greens among bowls, and top with the rice and tofu. Spoon the peanut dressing over everything, and garnish with the drained pickled peppers and remaining sliced scallions.

Tip

• Peanut sauce can be made 2 to 3 days in advance and stored refrigerated until ready to use

•        Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

733 calories; 55 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 24 grams monounsaturated fat; 13 grams polyunsaturated fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 33 grams protein; 206 milligrams sodium

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