Korean Tofu Bowl

Serves 4

If you are looking for a vegetarian/vegan meal that can please a crowd (or need to feed 1 or 2 people and have amazing leftovers!), this is your dish!! The tofu utilizes gochujang and gochugaru which are flavorful Korean ingredients. Both made with chiles, they offer a subtle fruitiness, a nice kick of heat and a beautiful red hue. Pleasing to the eye, a variety of textures and deeply savory, this bowl has it all.

Tofu Ingredients

1 cup rice (your favorite)

1 block of tofu (about a pound)

1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)

¾ tsp salt

1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean red chile paste)

2 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp unsalted butter (can be vegan) or olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

2 shallots, thinly sliced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp Gochugaro (Korean red chile flakes)

1 tbsp black sesame seeds

Cabbage Salad

¼ of a medium sized purple cabbage, finely sliced (Can be done on a mandolin or cheese grater)

½ red bell pepper, small dice

2 green onions, sliced on a bias

½ bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

1 avocado 

Instructions

-Preheat oven to 400

-Rinse and drain rice

-Add rice and 2 cups of water to a small pot and cook according to package

-Wrap tofu in cloth and press with a heavy book or other flat heavy object. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients

-Add cabbage, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro to a bowl and toss 

-Cut tofu into 1 inch cubes

-Mix tofu, 1/2 tsp salt, gochujang and 2 tbsp oil in a separate bowl (Optional: add cornstarch to make tofu crispy)

-Spread tofu out evenly on a baking sheet

-Bake 15 minutes, flip tofu and continue baking for 10 more minutes. 

-In a pan, add olive oil or butter. Once heated add gochugaru and shallots and cook on low heat for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften

-Add 1/4 tsp salt, chopped garlic, and black sesame seeds to shallots and cook for a few more minutes to allow the flavors to meld (you don’t want the garlic to brown)

-Turn off heat, add tofu and soy sauce to the pan of shallots and stir

-To serve, add rice, cabbage salad, and tofu shallot mix to your bowls

-Garnish with lime wedge, avocado, and more black sesame seeds.