A 5-Minute Tofu to Round Out My Weeknight Meals
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Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Sean Dooley
It’s That Simple is our series about recipes so easy, you can make them with your eyes closed. Think tiny ingredient lists, laid-back techniques, and results so delicious you’ll text home about them.
There is a microwave in nearly 90 percent of US homes. So why is it often seen as a cooking sidekick? This humble appliance can do a lot more than reheat leftovers or perk up that forgotten cup of tea. Chef Lucas Sin, for instance, uses a microwave to steam fish. Senior service editor Kelsey Jane Youngman swears by it to toast pecans. And lately, I’ve been using mine for a lightning-fast tofu to round out weeknight meals.
Steaming or blanching is a classic way of waking up tofu’s subtle flavor and leaning into its custardy texture. The microwave accomplishes a similar feat with fewer dishes. Nuking a block expels some of the water content (that’s why many people microwave tofu as an alternative to pressing) and primes it for seasoning. In this recipe, that’s as simple as butter and soy sauce.
As butter melts, silken tofu welcomes it with open arms, soaking up the golden goodness. European-style butter is the move for its higher fat content; I like Kerrygold’s grassy flavor and yellow hue. From there, all you need is a splash of soy sauce. Avoid anything labeled as low-sodium or light—we want something robust to complement tofu’s modesty.
A scatter of cilantro and scallion go a long way, though if you only have one or the other, I have a hunch you’ll be just as satisfied. For the few minutes (and zero skill) it takes to pull off this dish, it can be dinner and done with a starchy side like a hunk of bread, tangle of noodles, or mound of rice. The last of which deputy food editor Hana Asbrink also makes in the microwave—a bright idea indeed:
“When I want perfect rice at the ready, I turn to my favorite cooked instant rice: Korean Hetbahn. After a 90-second spin in the microwave, it’s a reliable partner to time-saving meals,” says Hana. “These convenient individually portioned containers promise plump, glistening rice that you’d be hard-pressed to differentiate from freshly steamed.”
The microwave does it again.
Microwaved Tofu With Butter and Soy Sauce
Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit
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