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TBH, I am not sure what my style or brand of food is at this point since I have gone through many changes over the years. Most recently, transitioning away from being vegan. That said, if I had to pick, I'd say it's still buddha bowls, harvest bowls, or abundant bowls. Whatever you wanna call them. It's how I got my start. It's what helped me land a cookbook deal. And it's what I seem to cook repeatedly at home.
You all loved my spicy miso butter chickpea tuna sandwich so I kept on with that theme and made a tofu buddha bowl with red cabbage, cucumber, quinoa, avocado, green onion, coconut aminos, and spisy miso butter marinated tofu & sauce. It's really so damn good.
Miso and butter can be a delicious combination when used in a sauce or marinade because they both bring distinct flavors and textures to the dish. Miso is a fermented soybean paste with a rich, savory flavor and a slightly salty taste. Butter, on the other hand, is a creamy, rich dairy product that adds a smooth texture and a distinct buttery flavor. When combined, these ingredients can create a balance of flavors and a smooth, creamy texture that can complement a variety of dishes, such as fish, meat, and vegetables. The combination of miso and butter can also create a depth of umami flavor, which is known as the fifth taste, and that is why it is so popular.
Gochujang is a traditional Korean fermented chili paste that is known for its unique and delicious flavor. It is made by fermenting chili peppers, rice, and soybeans together, which creates a complex and nuanced flavor profile. The fermentation process also contributes to the depth of flavor and the complexity of the taste.
Gochujang has a balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, due to the combination of chili peppers, glutinous rice, soy sauce, and other ingredients. The sweetness comes from the glutinous rice and sugar, the spiciness from the chili peppers, and the savoriness from the soybeans and soy sauce.
Additionally, Gochujang contains umami-rich ingredients such as fermented soybeans, which contribute to a unique umami taste, adding to the overall deliciousness of the paste.
Gochujang is widely used in many Korean dishes such as stews, soups, marinades, and dipping sauces, and it brings a unique and delicious flavor to the dishes
INGREDIENTS:
TOFU MARINADE & SAUCE
140z extra firm tofu
3 tbsp vegan butter, room temperature. DO NOT MICROWAVE
2 tbsp white miso paste
3 1/2 tbsp gochujang, divided
3 tbsp lime juice
BOWL THINGS
quinoa, cooked
red cabbage, shredded
cucumber, thinly sliced
avocado, thinly sliced
green onion, thinly sliced
sesame seeds
coconut aminos
DIRECTIONS
Start by draining the tofu and wrapping it in paper towels or a clean dish towel, and top with something heavy, like a couple of books or a skillet. Press down and leave for 15 minutes. You want to remove as much moisture as possible.
Meanwhile, make the marinade by adding the butter, miso, and 2 tbsp gochujang. You do not want to microwave because you risk the sauce breaking. So be sure to let it come to room temperature on its own. Mix until smooth.
Once the tofu is drained, slice it into triangles and coat each piece with a thin layer of the marinade on all sides. (see video) I recommend letting the tofu marinate for at least an hour if you can, but the bare minimum is 20 minutes. You will use around 1/3-1/2 of the marinade.
Next, preheat the oven to 375. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the tofu out in a single layer. Bake for 24 minutes, flipping halfway through.
To the leftover marinade, add the remaining gochujang and lime juice. Mix well until it forms a liquidity sauce that quickly falls off the spoon. Taste test, and add more lime juice if needed, or more gochujang if you like spice, but I find this to be already spicy.
Then build your bowl, layering quinoa, cabbage, cucumber, avocado, tofu, gochujang sauce, coconut aminos, green onion, and sesame seeds. Enjoy.
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