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In this 30-minute dish, which is inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe in his 2011 book Plenty, black pepper is the star, not the sidekick: When bloomed in oil, the coarsely ground peppercorns become piquant and fragrant enough to flavor the entire sauce, no red pepper flakes, dried chiles, or hot sauce needed. Take care not to burn the peppercorns as you toast them or the flavor could swing from spicy to bitter.
Recipe information
Yield
2 servings
Ingredients
1
1
2
1
1
½
3
1
⅓
1
1
Preparation
Step 1
Wrap tofu in a clean kitchen towel and place in a shallow baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Weigh down with a heavy object (a cast-iron skillet topped with a couple of heavy cans works well). Let sit at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour (go the full time if you can).
Step 2
Meanwhile, coarsely crack peppercorns in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle (you can use a chef’s knife or a very heavy object, although be prepared for some peppercorns to fly!); set aside. Finely grate garlic and ginger into a small bowl; set aside.
Step 3
Unwrap tofu and cut into 1" cubes. Transfer tofu to a medium bowl. Add cornstarch and salt and toss gently to coat tofu.
Step 4
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Arrange tofu in skillet in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp all over, 6–8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate or baking sheet.
Step 5
Reduce heat to medium and add reserved cracked pepper to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until very fragrant, about 2 minutes, then add asparagus and cook, stirring often, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add reserved garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 6
Return tofu to pan and gently toss to combine. Increase heat to medium-high, add soy sauce and sugar, and cook, tossing occasionally, until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vinegar. Taste and add more salt and/or vinegar if needed.
Step 7
To serve, divide rice among plates and top with tofu mixture.
Leave a Review
Reviews (164)
Back to Topthis is super easy to make and ridiculously good.
Anonymous
London
5/12/2020
Excellent. Easy to make. Big on flavor. Been on a health kick, I love BA, but more often than not a lot of butter/fat is involved in recipes, which is not ideal for me. This one is lovely, I substituted peas as I did not have asparagus. Thank you Sarah!
boopbrie
San Fransisco
5/12/2020
Super tasty and quick! Drizzled a little chili oil on at the end. Will definitely make again.
Crownunder
Los Angeles
5/12/2020
I’ve been a long time BA reader, but I’m a semi-recent vegetarian. I love when BA posts vegetarian recipes and this one is INCREDIBLE. I added green beans to the asparagus because I had them, an extra clove of garlic, and a lot of red pepper flakes (love spicy). I’m probably going to make it again next week and add even more veggies.
Houston
5/13/2020
Perfect weeknight dinner! The measurements here were perfect; usually I find a lot of Asian-inspired tofu dishes too sticky or soupy, making the tofu soggy. The tofu remained nice and crispy in this dish. Pepper brought more than a good kick!
halllu
Houston, Texas
5/13/2020
Fantastic --substitute in any crisp green veg. you like (broccoli, snow peas, green beans, etc.). Quick, easy, and delicious!
Anonymous
Rhinebeck, NY
5/13/2020
Easy and delicious! I subbed green beans and it worked perfectly. I think you could easily put this sauce on any protein or veggie.
Anonymous
ATX
5/13/2020