Kimchi Jjigae | Always Be My Maybe #FoodnFlix

I'm sliding in under the wire with my submission to the January 2020 (!) edition of Food 'n Flix, hosted by Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla. Okay, I didn't make it in under the wire. That was a lie. That wire was a few paces in the past. I'm coming in last. But that's just because the new decade started with a bang! I gave you a little sneak peek of this month's movie pick back in July when I made a dish inspired by it (this Glazed Spam and Rice)...but I'm excited to be able to share another recipe inspired by the Netflix film Always Be My Maybe with you today!

Childhood best friends turned sweethearts Marcus and Sasha are neighbors growing up. Marcus comes from a pretty close-knit Korean family who spend a lot of time doing things together. Sasha and her (Vietnamese) family live next door. Unlike Marcus's family, she spends most of her time alone since her parents are busy running their store.

Red Curry Delicata Squash w/ Tofu {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

I feel pretty virtuous eating meals like this just two days before "holiday" food.  Now, if only I had the resolve to skip the fattening dips and spreads and cookies and bars and.... well, you get the point.  I suppose it is essential that I eat virtuously for at least a month leading up to a heavy-foodie-holiday.

This marks my first date with Delicata.  I've had my eye on it for a while now.  All tubular and yellow with pretty green stripes.  I haven't been able to get it out of my head.  For at least eight or nine weeks now.  Finally we connected.

I've had a recipe marked for almost as long that used red curry paste - something I love.  And go through "phases" with.  I haven't used any in a while, so this dish was a bonus.  Originally, the squash, the tofu, and the broccoli were basically stir-fried and then liquid was added to them and they were simmered.  And while it sounded good, I know myself.  I prefer both my winter squash AND my tofu roasted.  So I kept the basic flavor profile and the same ingredients, and I turned it into a roast, instead.

The tofu gets pressed and roasted until chewy (the way I like it), while the squash gets tender, but not mushy.  The slight sweetness of the squash goes so well with the mild heat from the curry paste.  Scoop the whole shebang over some warm brown rice, and you've got yourself a meal.

I contemplated whipping up a little sauce of glaze for this, but in the end, decided that I liked it just the way it was.  If you feel you need something, you can make it during the second half of the roasting time and everything will be done together.

(Roasted) Red Curry Delicata Squash w/ Tofu

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: ~30 minutes

Keywords: vegan broccoli squash tofu winter fall

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 3 Tbs. mild olive oil or vegetable oil
• 16 oz. firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed for at least 1 hour
• 3 oz. prepared red curry paste, such as Thai Kitchen
• 1 Tbs. brown sugar
• ½ tsp. salt + more to finish
• ⅛ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 small-medium Delicata squash (~2 lbs.)
• 1 c. small broccoli florets
• cilantro leaves, to garnish
• cooked brown rice, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut the tip and tail off of the squash, cut in half lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Cut into ¼" half-moons. Cut the block of tofu in half lengthwise (through the center so that you have two thin, large rectangles. Cut each half into quarters.

Combine oil, red curry paste, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Dip each piece of tofu into the mixture and turn to coat. The tofu should have a very thin layer covering all sides. Set on one of the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle all over with some more salt.

Add the squash to the bowl and use your hands to toss and coat all of the slices. Lay out in a single layer on the other baking sheet.

Add the broccoli florets to the bowl and toss to coat with the last of the curry paste mixture. Set aside for now.

Slide the baking tray with the tofu on it into the preheated oven; roast for 15 minutes. Remove tray from the oven, and quickly flip the tofu slices over; add broccoli to the empty half of this baking sheet, slide back into oven, also sliding the other baking tray (with squash) in at the same time. Roast for another 15 minutes.

Remove from oven - the squash and broccoli should be tender and the tofu should be chewy.  Serve over warm brown rice and garnish with cilantro.

note:

If you like, you could make a quick sauce/glaze on the stove top while this is roasting. Put some maple syrup into a small pan along with a dollop of red curry paste. Whisk and simmer to reduce a bit. Drizzle over plates before serving.

This recipe was inspired by and adapted from herbivoracious

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Don't forget to drop by my 12 Weeks of Winter Squash co-host, Joanne's place to see what she did with winter squash this week!  Also, we'd love it if you'd share what you're doing with winter squash in your kitchen this week in the linky tool below.

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1. Red Curry Delicata Squash w/ Tofu

2. Black Bean and Butternut Squash Taco & Salad

3. Lasagna of Fall Vegetables, Gruyere & Sage Bechame

Spicy Baked Tofu

Tofu.  I don't really make it all that often, even though I like it.  In some instances, I even love it.  As in this instance.  I am now adding this recipe to my favorite tofu recipes.  I saw it over at Alyssa's place, Everyday Maven.  And I couldn't get it out of my head.  I kept coming back to it.  I pinned it so that I wouldn't forget about it.  I made a note of it on the "scratch pad" on my desktop.  I printed the recipe and (literally) pinned it to the bulletin board in front of my computer.  I added tofu to my shopping list.  And finally...I went shopping!

I have always loved the texture of baked tofu.  It's sort of meaty and chewy.  For some reason I find the texture hard to resist.  Especially when almost all of the "water" has been pressed from the block of tofu first.  I also love it fried...but that's a whole 'nother story.  Anyway.  Back to this Spicy Baked Tofu.  Alyssa mentioned that she uses and loves Thai Kitchen Spicy Thai Chili Sauce Marinade - so I added that to my shopping list, as well.  I was positive that my favorite market would have it.  They have so many amazing products.  Including Thai brand.  But after quadruple checking the shelves, I was proven wrong.  Shoot.  So I decided to use equal parts Sweet Chili Sauce and Hot Chili Paste in place of it.  It was SPICY!  And delicious.  You could definitely decrease the heat by using less (or none) of the chili paste and increasing the amount of sweet chili sauce.

Make it.  Turn it into a sandwich.  Or top salad greens with it.  Or just grab and nibble.  You may find a new addiction!

Spicy Baked Tofu

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 2-6 hours, mostly unattended

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Keywords: bake appetizer entree snack vegan chiles

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Ingredients (serves 3)

• 1 (12-14 oz.) pkg. Extra Firm Tofu
• 1½ Tbs. Sweet Chili Sauce (Maggi Taste of Asia)
• 1½ Tbs. Fresh Chili Paste (Sambal Olek)
• 2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 1 fat clove garlic
• 1″ piece ginger root, peeled

Instructions

Take the block of tofu from it's package leaving any liquid behind. Press it using a tofu press or set in a pan and weigh down with some sort of weight. Press for at least 30 minutes, but up to a couple of hours in the fridge.

Remove tofu from fridge and drain off liquid. Slice into twelve equal slices that run "the short way" and are ~½" thick. Set in a single layer in a small pan with sides.

Combine sweet chili sauce, chili paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Grate the garlic clove and ginger knob into the mixture (using a microplane). Stir well.

Pour the marinade over the slices of tofu. Move it all around to make sure that all of the slices have marinade all around. Cover with plastic wrap and slide into the refrigerator for at least one hour, preferably longer. Refrigerate for at least one hour, the longer the better.

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a sheet tray with foil and spray well with cooking spray.

Lay the tofu slices in a single layer on the prepared sheet. Scrape any marinade left in the pan over the tofu slices. Slide into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, carefully flipping the tofu over twice (every 20 minutes). The edges should be golden brown and crisp and the tofu should feel firm.

Let cool for a few minutes and then enjoy.

slightly adapted from Everyday Maven

notes:

Try serving over a bed of baby spinach with lime wedges for squeezing over the top of everything before eating. I like to serve some extra Sweet Chili Sauce on the side for dipping.

This version is pretty spicy, if you prefer something with less heat, omit the Chili Paste and double the Sweet Chili Sauce.

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Homemade Tofu - 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #41 Elizabeth Andoh

the "Gourmet" prompt...

41. Elizabeth Andoh- As Barbara Tropp was to Chinese food, so is Andoh to Japanese, with specialties in—who knew?—Japanese vegetarian, and the almost equally obscure home cooking.

One of my absolute favorite things about food, cooking, and eating has always been the link to people, culture, and tradition.  It's the ability to get to know someone...some place...through the plate they offer you.  They plate they share with you.  Food.  Although there are countless dialects, it really is the universal language.

Untangling My Chopsticks ...with the latest Cook the Books selection.

When she was twenty-five, Victoria Riccardi left behind a good job, a good boyfriend, and a good apartment in New York City and moved to Kyoto, Japan.  Memory and longing led her to study tea kaiseki...and in turn gain knowledge in ancient Japanese traditions, wisdom, and customs.  While only there for one year, this multi course meal that evolved in the Zen monasteries of Kyoto and its link to Zen Buddhism would have great influence on her life.  You can read more in Untangling My Chopsticks by Victoria Abbott Riccardi, the latest Cook the Books selection.  I am always romanced into books like this.  Imagining myself dropping everything and going somewhere to to immerse myself in an unfamiliar culture.  Putting my finger on the pulse of the people the way I know best...through the kitchen.  I couldn't help but draw on my fondness for Memoirs of a Geisha once Riccardi arrived in Japan- describing the atmosphere.  Subtly stunning kimonos.  Cherry Blossoms.  The art of refinement.  Stark beauty. 

Tea kaiseki is a meal that is based on rice and comes before the actual formal tea ceremony.  During the ceremony a moist sweet will be served before the bowl of thick tea and a dry sweet will be served before the bowl of thin tea.  The food is subtle, beautiful, and it readies your palate...and your mind...for the actual tea.

Although the recipes nestled in at the close of each chapter called to me one by one.  What I would up making was inspired by the simplicity and beauty of the dishes presented for kaiseki.  Although this particular dish would never be served at a tea kaiseki because the amount of salt and chile flakes would dull your palate before the tea master presented you with your tea.  My friend Deb sent me a little package of ogo seaweed with some gorgeous red Hawaiian sea salt from Hawaii and I thought this was the perfect opportunity to put it to use.  And I just knew I wanted to use tofu when I read that Buddhists brought it with them to Kyoto...which now produces the finest tofu in all of Japan!

Tofu Poke
yield ~1 lb.

1 lb. tofu, pressed overnight & drained
~2 Tbs. Sesame Seed Oil

1 small bundle of dried ogo seaweed

Hawaiian Red sea salt, to taste

crushed red chile flakes, to taste

Cube the pressed tofu and toss with the sesame seed oil.  Rehydrate the dried ogo in hot water for two minutes, then squeeze dry and chop.  Toss with tofu and sesame oil.  Add in salt and red pepper flakes to taste.

Simple beauty.  Worth untangling your chopsticks for.

"I had tasted the origins of tea kaiseki at Enryaki-ji and at last experienced its spiritual roots." ~Victoria Abbott Riccardi

Hippie Rice w/ Tofu ...for this dirty hippie.

One of my birthday wishes was from an old friend who said- "Happy Birthday my fellow dirty hippie!"  Luv ya, Shel.  No shame in my game.  Although, dirty is just something people think when they think hippie...so it's kind of a joke...but the hippie part...that I'm good with.  I was always pretty clean hippie chic.  No dreads...no hairy pits...no cigarettes.  That's all I'm gonna deny....the rest of the hippie definition?  Totally true.  So a few months back, when Kim made Bitty's Hippie Rice, I knew it was in my future, too.  Although I realized that her version was a different one...from HTCEV, while mine comes from the newer Food Matters Cookbook (which I totally need to procure, by the way...mine's a library copy and I totally love it!).  Looking back, I think both versions are groovy in their own rite.  I ate this for lunch over the next few days.  It was substantial...and actually very tasty with the nuttiness of the sunflower seeds playing against the sweetness of the raisins, the chewy brown rice and the slight bits of heat from the chiles.

Hippie Salad w/ Tofu
from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman
makes ~4 svgs.

1/3 c. sunflower seeds, toasted
1 c. any long-grain brown rice
salt
~1 lb. broccoli, cored and roughly chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/3 c. raisins
1 lb. cubed pressed tofu extra-firm
½ tsp. red chile flakes, or to taste
lemon wedges

Put rice in pan and add water to cover by ~1".  Add a pinch of salt and bring to boil over medium-high heat.  Adjust so mixture bubbles gently.  Cover and cook until most of water is absorbed and rice is just getting tender, 20-30 mins.

Pack the broccoli  and tofu into the pan on top of the rice- don't stir; just leave it on top- and add a little more liquid if water is evaporating too quickly.  Replace lid and continue cooking, adding a small amount of water if pan boils dry, until rice and broccoli are both tender, 5 to 10 minutes.  Transfer rice and broccoli to bowl with sunflower seeds and raisins then toss with oil and red chile flakes.  Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, serve warm or at room temperature, squeezing lemon wedges over top.

Now, if you'll excuse me...I'm off to light some incense, dab on some patchouli, pop on a Dead record and enjoy the rest of this peaceful day...

*This post is linked to:

Crisp Tofu and Spicy, Bitter Greens w/ Peanut Sauce

Sometimes you just need something to pummel the sh*t out of your taste buds.  You know what'll do that.  Easy?  Turnip Greens.  They're like a swift kick to the face....nose tingling, sinuses opening up with all the force of a raging inferno, eyes watering.  But in a pleasant way.  I gathered a giant handful of them at the community garden a few days back and decided I would pair them with tofu for a quick, pungeant, nutricious lunch.  Since I also still have an abundance of my favorite green, kale...I threw a good handful of that in, too. I modeled it on a Mark Bittman recipe in which he pan fries some tofu hooray!  Another chance to use my magical TofuXpress, then sautés up some Asian greens.  He uses baby bok choy. chinese broccoli, tatsoi, or napa cabbage...those are all puppies compared to the rabid pitbull that is the turnip green  please, no rants about how wonderful and misunderstood the pitbull is.  It's a metaphor people. And I'm a cat person.  I ended up adapting the recipe a bit to match what I was putting in...and this was a serious all-night rager disguised by a sunny day.  Not a plate for the meek.

Crisp Tofu w/ Spicy, Bitter Greens and Peanut Sauce

adapted from Mark Bittman's Kitchen Express

serves 2-3

Slice firm pressed & drained overnight tofu into strips or cubes and pat dry no need; roughly chop a bunch of the greens one handful turnip greens, one handful kale.  Pan-fry the tofu in some vegetable coconut oil until it browns on all sides, about four minutes; remove and pour off all but a little of the oil. Add the greens and a pinch or two of red chile flakes, and continue cooking until the greens turn dark, about 3 minutes.  Mix together a half cup 1/4 c. of peanut butter, a couple of Tbs. soy sauce, and fresh lime juice to taste.  Also added a drizzle of sesame oil & some sesame seeds; and a bit of water if necessary to get a nice consistency I ended up adding a lot of water in order to get a drizzl-able sauce.  Add the sauce to the pan along with the reserved tofu and toss to coat. I removed the greens from the pan first.  Garnish w/ crushed peanuts and serve.

Told ya I adapted it a bit. HA! 

This post is linked to IHCC, where we are having a POTLUCK  this week and...


*There's still a few days left for your chance to win a $75. gift certificate to NOVICA! Enter my GIVEAWAY soon...

Broccoli Tofu (my favorite tofu dish of all time) and a product review: Tofu Xpress

Some people don't like tofu.  I am not one of those people.  I like to put the soft variety into smoothies or whip it up into a dip...but my favorite, FAVORITE way of eating tofu is to fry it.  It gets all chewy and delicious...okay, I find it irresistible.  Call me crazy.  Wouldn't be the the first time.  The problem I've always had, though, is not being able to squeeze enough water out of the tofu to make it hold its shape.  I mean, give me some cheese that needs pressing, and I pull out the dumbells...or the pans & heavy cans...but tofu...you see...it's a bit more delicate.  I said I liked it pressed, not crumbled.  Although I do like it crumbled.  Just not when I'm going for pressed.  Capisce?  So, while I've given it the old college try...many a time...I'd somewhat given up resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't going to get my chewy squares of fried tofu.  Not at home, anyway.

Time rolls on.  Cubes of chewy fried tofu remain the things of fantasy.

Tofu smoothies.  Crumbled attempts at stir-frys.  Tasty tofu still finds its way into my mouth.

And then, one day...just about a week ago...a magical little gadget ingratiates its way into my kitchen...into my life. Fast friends forever.  I already have a pet name for him.  TX (pron. Tex).  You may have heard him called by the name TofuXpress.  It would be an understatement to say he's changed my life forever.  For the better.  TofuXpress is a container with a spring-loaded "compressing" top that is exactly the right shape and size for an average block of tofu.  The cool thing about it is that it can also be used to press the water from other foods such as frozen spinach, eggplant, tomatoes, cheese- you name it!  But I'm guessing my little TX will be reserved exclusively for tofu pressing.

As I said, easy as can be to use...simply center a block of tofu into the base of the TofuXpress, place the top over the tofu, press down while turning and slide the edges underneath the handle-like sides of the base.  Place in the fridge and let sit for 1-3 hours (or overnight...I've tried that, too...totally rockin' chewiness is attained).  Just look at the amount of water that is removed from the tofu!!  Turn it upside down over the sink to drain the water, then remove the top and flip it over to remove the resulting tofu.  The cool thing is, it also comes with a marinating lid, which you can  use to cover the base if you want to store or marinate the tofu once it's been pressed.  And then you can press it again after it's been marinated to get rid of excess moisture, if you choose.  The lid snaps on right under the base for storage when it's not in use.

So, I LOOOOOVE my TX TofuXpress...and HIGHLY recommend it to anyone who cooks with tofu...or who wants to, but isn't familiar with the process of squeezing it.  Shall we move on to my absolute favorite tofu dish of all time!?  Sorry, no measurements...it's a "feeling" kind of dish...

Broccoli Tofu

from the kitchen of girlichef

serves 2

1 block tofu, pressed in the TofuXpress overnight

12 oz. broccoli, cut into florets and blanched

oil for frying

cornstarch 

olive oil

garlic, minced

ginger, minced

scallions, sliced

crushed red pepper flakes

honey

teriyaki sauce

Begin by cutting the pressed tofu into cubes.  Pour some cornstarch in a bowl and toss in a few cubes of tofu at a time.  Shake them around to coat, remove, set to the side and repeat until all tofu is lightly coated.  Preheat about 2-3" of oil in pan to ~350-375 degrees F.  Carefully lower the cubes into the hot oil, a few at a time, so as to not crowd the oil.  Fry until the outsides turn golden.  Remove with skimmer or slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.  

In a large wok or deep nonstick skillet, heat a glug of olive oil.  Add the garlic, ginger, scallions, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Sauté until they begin to soften, just a couple of minutes.  Drizzle in a little teriyaki sauce and a big blob of honey.  Stir it all up over the heat and let it bubble up a bit to thicken.  If it seems too thin, add a bit more honey. 

Once the sauce has thickened up enough to coat the back of a spoon, toss in the reserved tofu and the blanched broccoli.  Toss everything around for a minute.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.  Enjoy the chewy, fried tofu morsels with the green broccoli and the spicy-sweet sauce that envelopes them both like a your favorite blankie on a cold winters night.

Would you just look at that!?  Now THAT is what I was talking about.  And now I can have it anytime I want!

sssshhhhh....you don't see the magical transition from chopsticks to fork...

Please visit the TofuXpress website by clicking HERE...you can learn about the developer, the other uses, and even find some recipes!

*I received the TofuXpress free from the company for review, but this in no way effected my opinion of this rockin' kitchen gadget!

This post is linked to:
*Get Grillin’ with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.

Can you smell my GARLIC BREATH!?

We are eating lots and lots of garlic here at la casa this week!  Yup, we love our garlic...can't get enough.  I tried two new and successful, I might add ways to use garlic in the past couple of days.  What's not to like about garlic...it's tasty, it's good for you, it helps repel bugs and most vampires....  I found some gorgeous Tuscan Kale at the Farmer's Market this week, so I knew that was getting matched up with some stinking rose!  I found a great recipe in Food Matters by Mark Bittman that used both, plus paired them with tofu.  This was my favorite of the two dishes I'm sharing today.

Pan-Cooked Greens with Tofu and Garlic

slightly adapted from Food Matters

yield: 4 svgs.

1 lb. firm tofu

1 1/2 lb. kale, Napa cabbage, bok choy, or other thick-stemmed Asian greens I used Tuscan Kale, sliced in 1" sections

3 Tbs. peanut or veg oil, plus more if needed

3 Tbs. nam pla (Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce), or soy sauce   I used fish sauce

1 small chile, stemmed, seeded if you like, and minced, or crushed red chile flakes to taste  I used crushed red chiles

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. lime juice or rice vinegar, or to taste  I used rice vinegar

2 or 3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers  I used 4 cloves, sliced paper-thin

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Press excess water from tofu.  Cut into slices, cubes or crumble. Set aside. Put one Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high.  Add kale (or do it in 2 rounds if pan is not big enough) and cook, stirring often until it is tender and slightly browned.  Repeat if necessary.  Remove from pan.  Add another Tbs. of oil and sauté tofu until slightly browned; add garlic to pan for another minute or so.  Add kale back in and toss around.  Remove from heat.  Combine remaining ingredients and toss. Eat.

I just felt healthier eating that.  Hmmm.  And can I tell you again how much in love I am with Robert Rodriguez tofu!  Good stuff, Maynard.  I also made a quick dish using cod from HTCE by Bittman.  It used garlic in the finishing sauce...slightly spicy and very tasty.

Sautéed Cod w/ Spicy Garlic Sauce

from How to Cook Everything

1/4 c. peanut oil
salt & pepper
2 cod fillets
flour for dredging
2 Tbs. minced Garlic
1 Tbs. grated ginger
1 Tbs. dry white wine
1/2 c. stock or water
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic chile paste
cilantro and lime wedges for garnishing

Heat large skillet over med-high for a few minutes.  Add oil and when hot, season fish well and dredge in flour, shaking off excess; add to pan.   Raise heat to high and cook until browned on each side.  Total cooking time will be ~10 minutes.  Remove to warm plate.

Pour off any remaining oil in pan and carefully wipe it out.  Add 1 Tbs. fresh oil and turn heatr to high.  Add garlic and ginger and cook 15 seconds.  Add wine followed almost immediately by stock.  Cook for 30 seconds, then add soy and garlic chile paste.  Pour sauce over fish and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

I served this with Incan Red Quinoa and Broccoli & Shiitakes in a garlic-ginger-chile sauce.  It was a good meal...not my favorite ever, but good.

This garlicky goodness is all being to submitted to this week's IHCC theme Garlic Breath!!  Head on over there to see what other aromatic dishes are cookin'.