Baked Tofu with Celery and Pickled Radish

This is a multi-part recipe. The first stage is to marinate then bake the firm tofu to replicate the taste/texture of Trader Joe's pre-packaged baked tofu. The reason for doing this is that Trader Joe's marinade has onions in it and we all know from reading this blog that onions are the spawn of hell. Eventually, I'll find a recipe that allows me to make the pickled daikon radish that's used in this dish. I've done this with firm, medium firm, and extra firm tofu, the latter of which works well. I'll still "press" the extra firm tofu to drain the excess water from the tofu. If you have ever purchased pre-packaged baked tofu, you'll note that it is supremely dense. Also, Trader Joe's tofu is $3.69 for 7 oz and a standard 16 oz package of "fresh" organic tofu from the supermarket costs around $2. 

The Foodening Blog: Baked Tofu with Celery and Pickled Radish

Baked Tofu

Tofu marinade:

3 tbsp tamari (wheat-free) soy sauce
3 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp raw honey
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tbsp filtered water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1 block organic tofu, extra firm

Press. Before marinading the tofu, put the tofu on a clean plate and place a plate on top of the tofu. Put a heavy object (a bottle filled with water) on the top plate. Let it "press" out the excess water for a half hour. There will be more water exuded from medium firm tofu than from extra firm tofu. Discard this water.

Marinate. Combine marinade ingredients and pour over tofu in a container large enough so that the marinade and tofu can fit. I use a 3-cup resealable container. Let tofu marinade in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer.

Bake. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a metal or glass baking dish, either oil the bottom of the dish or add a bit more water to the marinade; or bake the tofu slightly covered. I did all three and didn't end up with dried/burnt marinade in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. You can flip the tofu half way through baking, but I don't think it matters all that much.

Onto the second stage:

Ingredients

1 recipe baked tofu, sliced thin into matchsticks
3 organic celery stalks, sliced into matchsticks
1-2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
1 6 oz jar of pickled radish
1 bunch cilantro, leaves only

Roughly chop the cilantro. Slice the celery and tofu into matchstick pieces. Add pickled radish and a splash of rice vinegar (can substitute apple cider vinegar). Mix well. Can refrigerate this until ready to serve.

Makes roughly 2 quarts (by volume).

Future note: The pickled radish is a specialty item; though most Asian grocery stores will carry it. And taste-wise, quick pickled radish recipes will not be a fair substitute for it.

Radish Kimchi

This is also known as daikon kimchi or Korean "kkakdugi", though it could probably use a lot more chili flakes for that. This recipe is from a book called Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon. When I weighed the radish, I found that I didn't quite have two pounds. I reduced the amount of salt and chili flakes for the initial ferment cycle. 

Ingredients

1 daikon radish, about 2 lbs
1 tbsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tbsp Korean chili flakes
2 tbsp fish sauce

Directions

1. Peel and cube the radish into 1/2" pieces. Toss in a large bowl with salt and sugar. Let the water drain from the radish for 30 minutes. Drain the water and reserve the radish.

2. In the same bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.

3. Cover with a lid and set bowl in a cool, dark corner in the kitchen. Let ferment for 1-3 days. Stir once each day it ferments.

4. Transfer pickled radish to a clean glass jar and cap. Store in refrigerator. Eat within two weeks.

Daikon Soup

My folks make this soup the traditional way...with a pork bone broth. Traditionally, it is cooked with other earthy ingredients such as shitake mushrooms, some fresh ginger, and maybe a carrot or two for color. The broth itself should be clear, if you're using a meat broth. This version did not come out looking all that clear since I used store bought vegetable broth. 

Ingredients

1 large daikon radish, peeled and cut into chunks
1 quart vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 organic carrots, chopped into 1" pieces
4 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and sliced
1 tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Bring ingredients to a boil, including the reserved mushroom dashi and exclude the carrots. 

2. Simmer on low for an hour or until the radish is fork-tender. Add carrots to the last 15 minutes of cook time.

3. Remove from heat and serve hot.

Quick Pickled Daikon Radish

I picked up a daikon radish at the market today. What you're looking for in this particular radish is that it is fat, white, and has really smooth skin with few roots. This is a water-dense vegetable, so keep that in mind with the prep steps. I used a large hole grater to grate the radish; but you can also cut the radish into matchstick sized pieces. I opted for the former because it took less time. I also drained and squeezed out as much of the water from the grated radish before adding it to a pickling brine.

This makes 1 pint of pickled radish.

Ingredients

1 pint Mason glass jar, cleaned
1/2 lb daikon radish, peeled and sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp organic granulated sugar
1/2 c rice vinegar

Directions

In the pint jar, add salt, sugar, and vinegar. Stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add daikon radish and stir to combine. Cover with lid and refrigerate overnight before using.