There’s a whole class of meals for which I have never used a recipe. Recipes defined by a distinct flavor profile, and with ingredients that just fit together. It’s hard to go wrong when the ingredients you’re using pair so naturally with one another — once the ingredients are out on the counter, I can just throw them together for a delicious meal. I find that these recipes often have flexible cook times, simple ingredients, and fewer moving parts. These simple, wholesome, flavorful meals come together at a moment’s notice, and make great additions to your regular rotation. Which is why it’s high time that I document some of these meals so that you can enjoy them as well.
For this Sesame Tofu and Kale, the ingredients build upon each other, each seamlessly adding a layer of flavor and balance. Tahini is the star of the show. The sophisticated older sibling of peanut butter, tahini has a brighter, sharper flavor, and lighter texture. Soy sauce and cumin add complexity and warmth. Peanut butter enhances the nutty flavor of tahini. Garlic and ginger add classic aromatic depth. And rich brown sugar balances tahini’s hint of bitterness.
While such a forgiving recipe will taste great no matter what, by standardizing the process and ratios you get the best results every time. Whether you feel confident throwing a meal together using just the list of ingredients, or whether there’s a technique that you’re unfamiliar with, follow this recipe for the best Sesame Tofu and Kale, and take the recipe testing out of your process — that’s what I’m here for!
Tofu: The More You Know(fu)
Everyone knows of tofu, but I bet that most people don’t know much beyond the fact that it’s made from soybeans. Many consider tofu as just a bland, neutral, squishy block of food. Yes the flavor of tofu is subtle, but that’s one of its winning attributes — tofu can take on any flavor you want. Plus the porous structure of tofu is primed to absorb sauce and flavor. So let’s get to know more about this chameleon of the plant-based world.
Although the precise origins of tofu aren’t clear, it is believed that tofu was first made over 2000 years ago in China, during the Han Dynasty. There are various theories about who developed the tofu-making process, and whether the discovery was deliberate or an accident, with little evidence to make any conclusion. To this day, the process for making tofu remains largely unchanged.
At the most basic level, tofu is made by pressing soy curds into a block. What that actually entails, is first soaking soybeans in water. The beans and water are then ground together, and the solids are filtered out. At this stage you have soy milk, containing suspended proteins and oil. The soy milk is then boiled, which reduces bean-like flavor, neutralizes enzymes that inhibit digestion, and sets the temperature for the next stage of the process.
A coagulant is added to the warm soy milk, which forms soy curds. The most common coagulant is calcium sulfate, also known as gypsum. Other common coagulants include magnesium chloride and glucono delta-lactone (GDL). GDL causes a rapid coagulation, which produces a uniquely homogenous and gel-like curd from the soy milk. For this reason, it is used to make soft or silken tofu directly in the packaging in which it is sold.
Traditional Japanese nigari salts, which are composed primarily of magnesium chloride with small amounts of magnesium sulfate, calcium chloride and potassium chloride, are still a commonly used coagulant as well. It is interesting to note that gypsum, which is mined directly from the earth, and nigari salts, which are derived from sea water, are both naturally occurring, and point to the ancient and unchanged roots of tofu.
Once the soy curds have formed, they are separated from the remaining liquid, the whey. The curds are pressed together in molds to form large blocks. Whether the tofu is firm or extra-firm is determined by the amount of pressure applied to the curds. Meanwhile, soft and silken style tofu is not pressed. The resulting blocks of tofu are cut into portions that are individually packaged.
One fun fact before we move on: the first documented mention of tofu by an American is in a letter written by Benjamin Franklin, who described it as cheese from China. The comparison is more astute than you might think, considering the process of forming curds from milk, separating them from the whey, and pressing the curds into a block is pretty similar to cheese making.
The Process
I love this simple pan fried method of cooking extra-firm tofu. It’s a great option for any recipe in which the tofu is ultimately stir fried or simmered in sauce. I’m partial to the method, because it’s able to coax some textural contrast out of your block of bean curd without any breading; and the final presentation offers a range of tofu sizes and shapes that feels very rustic-refined, very wabi-sabi. The process is simple and forgiving — essentially just tearing the tofu by hand, and pan frying it until golden brown, before adding sauce. Here’s the breakdown:
Press the tofu between triple-layers of paper towel to remove excess moisture. I like to use a large dutch oven, if I’m pressing 2 blocks of tofu, such as for this recipe; or a small dutch oven, if I’m only using 1 block of tofu. Any heavy pot, or a sheet pan weighed down with cans will do though. Let the tofu drain for at least 5 minutes, but longer is fine. This is a great time to prepare the garlic, ginger and scallions; and mix the tahini sauce.
Tear the tofu into large chunks and add to a hot pan. There is a lot of leeway in the size — 2-3 inches is a good target, but don’t worry if you think you’ve over- or underestimated. The idea here is beautiful, random imperfection.
Pan fry those haphazard chunks of tofu, stirring occasionally, until the tofu starts to brown. Using the edge of a spatula, coarsely break the tofu into medium chunks, about 1 inch give or take. Continue pan frying and stirring gently until the tofu is golden brown on most sides.
At this stage, having prepared the tofu using your new favorite technique, you can switch to a different recipe and add any ingredients or sauce that you like. To continue with Sesame Tofu and Kale, add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and salt; and sauté briefly, until fragrant.
Add the tahini sauce and bring to a simmer. Add all of the kale, cover the pan, lower the heat to medium-low; and simmer for 5 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally to redistribute the bottom layer.
Stir the tofu and kale to thoroughly combine. Cover the pan, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
Add the peanuts, sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. Season to taste with salt or cayenne; add more broth if you prefer a looser sauce. Serve the Sesame Tofu and Kale over rice, and garnish with the scallion greens and more sesame seeds.
What You’ll Need
Non-stick sauté pan: A sauté pan has a wide flat base with tall vertical sides, and a lid. The large cooking surface accommodates more food, while also promoting evaporation, ideal for sautéing and stir frying. The tall sides allow for sauces and liquids, making it a great option for braising, poaching, or glazing as well. A sauté pan also makes a great choice for folding together all of the ingredients in a pasta recipe, or grain bowl. I’ve been using this T-fal model for years, and fully endorse it.
Wine Pairings
Whites:
- Sauvignon Blanc: for its sharp acidity and citrusy herbal notes
- Fiano: for its rich texture and nutty flavor
Reds:
- Grenache rosé: for its candied citrus notes and bold alcohol
- Gamay: for its light body and aromatic fruit
Notes
Pressing the tofu removes excess moisture so that it pan fries rather than stews. You can use any heavy pot, or a sheet pan weighed down with cans.
Make sure to thoroughly shake or stir your tahini so that it has a homogeneous consistency.
Any type of kale will work for this recipe. I most often use curly kale.
Salted or unsalted peanuts are fine, it will just affect how you adjust the seasoning to taste at the end of the recipe.
Sesame Tofu and Kale
Ingredients
- 2 14-oz blocks Extra-Firm Tofu
- 5 Scallions
- 1¼ cups Vegetable Broth
- ½ cup Tahini
- 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Peanut Butter
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- pinch Cayenne Pepper
- 4 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 teaspoons minced Garlic
- 2 teaspoons grated Fresh Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ pound Kale, stemmed, chopped 1-inch wide
- ¼ cup roasted Peanuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- On a large plate or rimmed baking sheet, set tofu between triple layers of paper towel. Place a heavy pot on top of tofu, and set aside. Rinse and dry scallions; remove any bruised or limp layers. Thinly slice scallions; reserve white and light green sections separately from dark green sections.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, tahini, soy sauce, peanut butter, brown sugar, cumin, cayenne, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar until fully combined.
- In a high-sided non-stick sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat until shimmering. Tear tofu into rough 3-inch chunks and add to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu begins to brown, about 5 minutes. With edge of spatula, break tofu into rough 1-inch chunks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, ginger, white and light green parts of scallion; and salt to tofu. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tahini sauce to tofu, and bring to a simmer. Add kale on top of tofu, cover pan, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes, swirling pan occasionally. Stir kale and tofu to combine; kale should be wilted and easy to stir. Cover pan and cook for another 5 minutes, swirling pan occasionally.
- Add sesame seeds, peanuts, and remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar to tofu; stir to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with rice; garnish with scallion greens and additional sesame seeds.
Notes
- Pressing the tofu removes excess moisture so that it pan fries rather than stews. You can use any heavy pot, or a sheet pan weighed down with cans.
- Make sure to thoroughly shake or stir your tahini so that it has a homogeneous consistency.
- Any type of kale will work for this recipe. I most often use curly kale.
- Salted or unsalted peanuts are fine, it will just affect how you adjust the seasoning to taste at the end of the recipe.
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