Treat yourself to a steak dinner, using tofu instead of meat. The tangy chili-spiked marinade does double-duty as a finishing sauce and transforms otherwise bland tofu into a dish that’ll sound your taste buds’ fire alarm. Bird’s eye pepper would be a good substitute for habanero if needed.
Dousing the fire
If you find yourself with a mouth on fire after taking a bite of a chili-infused dish, don’t try to douse it with water. Instead, reach for a glass of milk. The protein casein in dairy is known to help subdue the flame. Water won’t help nearly as much.
Grilled Chili Tofu Steaks with Quinoa
Ingredients
- 2 - 12 oz (350 g) pkgs extra-firm tofu
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) minced fresh gingerroot
- 1 habanero chili, minced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) maple syrup
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 cup (250 mL) orange juice
- 1 cup (250 mL) quinoa
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories393
- protein21 g
- total fat 17 g
- sat. fat3 g
- total carbohydrates44 g
- sugars10 g
- fibre5 g
- sodium324 mg
Directions
01
Line cutting board with a couple sheets of paper towel. Top with tofu and a couple more sheets of paper towel. Place another cutting board or other flat object on top and press gently to extract excess liquid from tofu. Turn tofu blocks on their sides and slice in half lengthwise.
02
In large shallow container, whisk together shallot, garlic, gingerroot, habanero, thyme, salt, allspice, black pepper, olive oil, maple syrup, lemon zest, and orange juice. Add tofu, and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight, flipping once.
03
Into medium saucepan, place quinoa, a couple pinches of salt, and 1 3/4 cups (435 mL) water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a light simmer, and cook, covered, until quinoa is tender and water has absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let pot sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff quinoa with fork.
04
In charcoal grill, build a medium-hot fire, or heat gas grill to medium-high and grease grill grates. Remove tofu from marinade and reserve marinade. Grill tofu slabs until golden and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Giving tofu a 90-degree turn halfway through cooking each side will produce a nice cross-hatch pattern. Slice each grilled tofu piece into 2 triangles. Alternatively, in large skillet over medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) oil. Add tofu to pan and sear until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Flip and heat until golden and crispy on other side.
05
Into small saucepan, place marinade and bring to a gentle simmer and heat for 2 minutes.
06
Divide quinoa among serving plates and top with tofu pieces. Drizzle on habanero sauce.
Matthew Kadey, MSc, RD, is a dietitian, nutrition writer, and recipe developer. He is also the author of Rocket Fuel (VeloPress, 2016) and Muffin Tin Chef (Ulysses Press, 2012).
