Barbecued Tofu
烤豆腐
English: Barbecued Tofu
Chinese: 烤豆腐
Pinyin： kao doufu
Literal: Barbecued tofu
It might surprise some people, but barbecue restaurants are huge in China. There are all kinds of regional styles, but the one most loved in Beijing and across Northern China is known as chuan’r. These places are perhaps the closest thing China has to a bar: rowdy and smoky, packed with friends knocking back beers as they order skewer after skewer from the grill. The barbecue might be lamb, chicken wings, pork belly, or even tofu, but the essentials are always the same: everything is skewered, liberally seasoned with spice, and cooked over open flame.
Barbecued tofu is a staple of chuan’r restaurants, popular as an alternative to the heavier meat dishes. Once grilled, the tofu becomes chewy and almost meaty. The secret, though, is less about smoky char (tofu never chars quite like meat) and more about the seasoning itself: sweet, salty, earthy, spicy and rich. If you sprinkle your tofu liberally with the spice mix and then roast in the oven, you’ll get close to the real thing with slabs of tofu that diners will snap up and devour straight from the tray.
You can use either firm tofu or pressed tofu here. Firm tofu gives softer, chewier slabs, while pressed tofu turns crispier and has more bite. I’ve included timings for both below, as they cook a little differently. If possible, I’d suggest doubling the spice mix and trying both side by side: one block of firm tofu and one block of pressed.
Serves 2
Ingredients
400g block of firm tofu or
400g pressed tofu (豆腐干）
For the oil base
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
For the spice mix
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili flakes
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ground ginger
Method for Firm Tofu
Preheat the oven at 220°C (425°F) and line a baking tray or two with foil.
Press the tofu by wrapping the block in kitchen towels and placing a heavy plate on top for 10 minutes. This will push out some of the water.
Meanwhile, mix the two oils together in a small bowl and set aside. Then mix all the dry rub ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.
Slice the tofu into slabs a bit thinner than 1cm (about 8mm) and pat them dry.
Lay the tofu on the baking tray, making sure they do not overlap or touch. Brush the top generously with half the oil.
Bake the tofu for 15 minutes and then remove from the oven.
Sprinkle over half the dry rub, brush it so it sticks to the tofu, then flip the slices over.
Brush with the remaining oil and sprinkle the remaining dry rub and brush again.
Bake for another 10 minutes and then turn on your grill/broiler. Grill for 2 minutes to give the slabs a slightly charred look.
Method for Pressed Tofu
Preheat the oven at 220°C (425°F) and line a baking tray or two with foil.
Mix the two oils together in a small bowl and set aside. Then mix all the dry rub ingredients in a separate bowl and set aside.
Slice the pressed tofu pieces in half. It’s usually already quite thin so you have to be careful not to end up with shaved pieces.
Lay the tofu on the baking tray, making sure they do not overlap or touch. Brush the top generously with half the oil.
Bake the tofu for 8 minutes and then remove from the oven.
Sprinkle over half the dry rub, brush it so it sticks to the tofu, then flip the slices over.
Brush with the remaining oil and sprinkle the remaining dry rub and brush.
Bake for another 6 minutes and serve.
