Marinated Tofu Sealed in Sesame Seeds

An elegant recipe that will impress, but it's practical, easy to make, and delicious!

Many people, when they start to think about becoming vegan or reduce their consumption of animal protein, come across Tofu. A plant-based protein source derived from soy that became popular with Asian restaurants. But if you don't know how to prepare this soy cheese, it can get tasteless and become food that people want to avoid.

A simple, practical, easy to make vegan recipe that not only pleases the eyes, but also pleases the palate! A delicious way to consume plant-based protein.

I created this recipe one afternoon when I missed eating a dish that was one of my favorites when I wasn't vegan, Tuna Sealed in Sesame. Not that I was in the mood for fish, but I wanted to feel the sensation on my palate of eating something soft inside and with the crunchy taste of roasted sesame on the outside.

The list of ingredients and recipe is at the end of the post.

Step-by-step video of the recipe:

To create the sauce in which I marinated the Tofu in this recipe, I was inspired by several Asian dishes. As you can see in my eyes I have Asian roots. Koreans in this case, but as Korea was already colonized by Japan at one time, my family knows (and very well) how to cook Japanese dishes that have become classics of our family gatherings.

So inspired by the taste of some of the dishes my mom makes, I decided to use the ginger, garlic, and soy sauce that combined very well with the roasted sesame.

I receive a box of seasonal and local fruits and vegetables twice a week. And I'm loving this experience because I end up cooking with what I have, which makes me vary in my vegetable consumption, as I always get some surprise that I've never eaten before or that I wouldn't have seen in the market. The initial idea was to serve this Tofu with mashed potatoes, but as there were no potatoes in the box that week, I decided to make a carrot pureé, which was much easier and delicious! The sweetness of the carrot complemented the flavor of the marinade and couldn't have been better! Here is the tip to adapt and always cook what you have available. This tofu combines also with rice, steamed vegetables, or even just a simple salad.

The Carrot Purré:

• four medium carrots

• two cloves of garlic

• Olive oil to taste

• salt to taste

1. Wash, peel and chop the carrots and put them to steam with the already peeled garlic cloves

2. When the carrot is very soft, blend all the ingredients in a blender (preferably the immersion blender)

Tofu Marinated and Sealed in Sesame:

• 1 block of Tofu

• 1 cup of water

• 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce

• 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon of Maple Syrup

• 1 clove of garlic

• raw white sesame seeds (the amount will depend on the size of your tofu)

• raw black sesame seeds (the amount will depend on the size of your tofu)

• salt to taste

• black pepper to taste

1. Prepare the marinade: In a container with a lid add the water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, maple syrup, and mix.

2. Cut the tofu block in half and place it inside the marinade. Cover and leave for 24hrs, the longer it stays the more the tofu will pick up the flavor of the marinade. You can leave for up to 5 days.

3. In a small dish mix the white ginger, black ginger, salt, and black pepper and set aside.

4. Squeeze the tofu gently to get rid of excess marinade, but be careful not to break it, and pat it dry with a paper towel.

5. Oil the tofu and then place the tofu on the sesame plate, turning it so that it forms a crust on all sides.

6. Cook it in a non-stick skillet until the sesame is toasted on all sides.

7. Serve with the carrot puree and garnish with creamy balsamic.

I hope this recipe helps you consume this wonderful source of protein!

If you make this tofu, please tag me on Instagram (@cathchoi) because I want to see how yours turned out.

Thank you! And see you in my next post!