Easy Baked Tofu

Ingredients

• 19.5 oz firm or extra firm tofu
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp sugar (, adjust to desired sweetness)
• 1 tbsp vinegar (, I used rice vinegar)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce ( or stir-fry sauce)
• 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder (, see notes)
• Chili sauce ( if you want some spice)

Instructions

1. 1

   You can watch the video to see how to make this.

2. 2

   Press the tofu to drain out any excess water. I like to press mine by wrapping it in a towel and placing a few heavy chopping boards on top.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by mixing it together in a bowl. Taste the marinade and feel free to adjust it according to your desired taste.

4. 4

   Once the tofu has been drained and pressed, place it on a chopping board. With a sharp knife, cut diagonal lines halfway through the tofu. Be careful not to cut all the way through so the tofu stays intact. Repeat this in another direction until you have a criss-cross pattern on your tofu.

5. 5

   Prepare a container enough to fit your block of tofu. If you plan to bake yours in the same dish, you can use a oven-safe container with a lid.

6. 6

   I placed a long sheet of parchment paper over the container before placing the tofu so I could easily remove the tofu after marinating.

7. 7

   In the container, place your block of tofu. Pour over the marinade and scoop some from the sides to place over the cuts.

8. 8

   Cover the container and leave the tofu to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

9. 9

   The next day, remove the tofu from the container unless you’re baking it in the dish.

10. 10

    --- BAKING THE TOFU ---

11. 11

    If baking in the dish, be sure to allow the glass/baking dish or container to come to room temperature first before placing it in an oven/air-fryer. This is to avoid thermal shock since some glass containers can’t withstand sudden changes in temperature.

12. 12

    Place the whole tofu dish in your oven OR remove the tofu from the container and transfer it on your baking tray.

13. 13

    Scoop some of the leftover marinade over the tofu and leave to bake for 30-35 minutes at 180C/350F or until the top of the tofu is browned and slightly charred from the sugars in the marinade.

14. 14

    Don’t discard the marinade since you can brush or scoop this over the cooked tofu for extra sauce and juiciness.

15. 15

    Serve and enjoy hot! You can also enjoy this cold if desired.

16. 16

    --- AIR-FRYING THE TOFU ---

17. 17

    For air-frying, I lined my air-fryer basket with parchment paper so the liquids don’t seep through the basket holes (mine has a metal layer before the actual base/floor of the basket).

18. 18

    Place the tofu on the air-fryer and scoop the leftover marinate to pour over the tofu.

19. 19

    Allow to air-fry for 15-18 minutes or more at 180C/350F or until the top of the tofu is browned and slightly charred from the sugars in the marinade.

20. 20

    Don’t discard the marinade since you can brush or scoop this over the cooked tofu for extra sauce and juiciness.

21. 21

    Serve and enjoy hot! You can also enjoy this cold if desired.