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Korean Sweet and Spicy Tofu with Pineapple

Imagine kimchi in that blank spot of white rice. I forgot it this time.

Ever since our favorite Korean restaurant closed, and we got another favorite that was even better, and then that one closed, I've been meaning to try making Korean food at home. I've looked at recipes on several different occasions and been intimidated by the fact that there is usually more than one ingredient that is unfamiliar to me. Cooking them didn't scare me, but I wasn't up for meandering through the Asian supermarket with an impatient toddler while trying to find them.

Then I found this recipe from Connoisseurus Veg on Pinterest, and it only had ONE unfamiliar ingredient, gochujang. And when I looked up what gochujang was, I learned that A) It should be easy enough to find in a regular grocery store and B) It's a fermented chili paste, and that sounds amazing. Sure enough, there was more than one variety in the easy-to-peruse Asian section of Market of Choice, and it is delicious.

This meal is really flavorful, and it feels good to eat it. I will be making it again, but I also feel empowered and excited to start making other things with gochujang now that the jar is in my fridge.

My minor modifications from the original recipe: I put the meal over rice instead of noodles, because I like rice better than noodles and I like the way it absorbs sauce. I baked the tofu instead of frying it, because it still gets plenty crispy and and it much healthier and less messy to make. I also doubled the amount of tofu because I wanted the tofu:pineapple ratio to be higher. And finally, I added pickled cucumbers to the bowl, because I had them on hand, and I think it adds an important freshness and crunch to the dish.


The Recipe (from Connoisseurus Veg):
2 lb extra firm tofu, cubed
1 tb olive oil
1 c pineapple juice
2 tb maple syrup
2 tb soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tb gochujang
2 c pineapple chunks
Jasmine rice, for serving
Scallions, chopped, for serving
Kimchi, for serving
Pickled cucumber slices, for serving (cucumbers, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to taste)
Sesame seeds, for serving
  • Toss tofu cubes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until crispy, flipping occasionally to brown all sides evenly.
  • Mix pineapple juice, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and gochujang in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-20 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and heat through.
  • Serve rice topped with tofu, pineapples with sauce, scallions, cucumbers, kimchi, and sesame seeds.

The Verdict:
Overall grade: A-
Overall reason: Delicious and fairly healthy. I'd like to work more vegetables into it.
Time to prepare: 1 hour
Husband quote: "I like the sauce." (By omission, I think he's implying that he isn't so keen on tofu and pineapple.)

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