Hot Honey Walnut Tofu with Sesame Broccoli
Kristina Cho, the cook and blogger behind the celebrated cookbook Mooncakes & Milk Bread, loves celebrating Lunar New Year by decorating her home with handmade paper lanterns and cooking a feast of some of her favorite foods. But this dish isn’t just for celebrations says Kristina, who also counts this among her favorite weeknight dinners, served alongside steamed rice. “Fried, crispy tofu is one of my favorite things to eat on the planet,” she says. "This method of baking tofu is a total game changer because it honestly comes out just as crispy as fried tofu, but with so much less oil and less effort.” She prefers using sweet potato starch, which can be found at most Asian grocers, to get the crunchiest tofu, but cornstarch or tapioca starch will also work if you don’t want to make a special trip.
Ingredients
For the candied walnuts:
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) raw walnuts
- 3 Tbs. brown sugar
- 1 Tbs. maple syrup
- 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
For the tofu:
- 1 lb. (500 g) firm tofu, drained
- 3 Tbs. avocado or olive oil
- 1/3 cup (2 oz./60 g) sweet potato starch, cornstarch, or tapioca starch
- Kosher salt
- 1/3 cup (3 oz./80 g) mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie
- 2 Tbs. hot honey or regular honey
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
For the broccoli:
- 1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil
- 2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
Directions
Preheat an oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the candied walnuts, in a bowl, toss together the walnuts, brown sugar, maple syrup, oil and salt until the walnuts are evenly coated. Spread the nuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Stir the walnuts and continue baking until aromatic and toasty, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Let the nuts cool completely before storing in an airtight container. The nuts can be stored for up to 1 week.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
To make the tofu, cut the tofu into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and cover them with more paper towels or another clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy pan or another baking sheet weighted with a few cans on top of the tofu to press out most of the moisture, 15 to 30 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C). Line another rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. (It is important not to use aluminum foil because the tofu will stick to it). Brush or spray the parchment paper with a little bit of the oil.
Place the sweet potato starch in a shallow bowl. Dip a few pieces of the tofu into the starch, making sure to fully coat each piece, then arrange the pieces in a single layer on the parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining tofu pieces. Brush or spray the tofu cubes with the remaining oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Bake the tofu without turning it until it is crispy and lightly golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
Immediately after putting the tofu in the oven, make the broccoli. In a large bowl, toss together the broccoli, olive oil, sesame oil, sesame seeds, salt and pepper until the broccoli is evenly coated. Arrange the broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the oven along with the tofu. Bake until the broccoli is crisp and browned around the edges, 24 to 28 minutes.
While the tofu and broccoli are cooking, in a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and a pinch of salt.
Transfer the tofu pieces to a bowl, add the mayo mixture and toss until the tofu is thoroughly coated. Serve the tofu with the broccoli alongside, topping the broccoli with the candied walnuts. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Courtesy of Kristina Cho, founder of Eat Cho Food and author of Mooncakes & Milk Bread