Ingredients
- 12 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained and patted dry
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon peeled, grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco or your favorite hot sauce
- 1 pound green beans
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Garnish: minced green onion and/or toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Put a cloth dish towel on a plate. Cut the tofu in half horizontally and place on the towel. Top with another towel and then place a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan on top. Set aside.
Heat oven to 400°F. Spread 2 tablespoons of oil on the surface of a wide, shallow sheet pan (13 by 18 inches). Put the remaining oil in a large bowl along with soy sauce, ginger, sugar and sesame oil and stir to dissolve. Trim green beans and cut them into shorter lengths if you want (not necessary), adding them to the bowl as you do. Toss the green beans to coat them all over with the sauce. Mince the garlic and put it on 1 side of the sheet pan. Put green beans on top, drizzling all the marinade over them.
Stack the tofu halves and cut in cubes by slicing down 6 long rows and 5 short columns. Put cubes on a wide plate and sprinkle cornstarch over. Toss so the cubes are coated all over. Place on the other side of the baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Flip the tofu cubes to brown them on as many sides as possible and return sheet pan to the oven. Bake 20 minutes more; tofu will be a light brown and beans will be wrinkled and brown
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Serves 4.
Serve with rice or Asian noodles.