What's a good complimentary marinade for tofu with a Thai peanut rice noodle veggie stirfry?

DO NOT do teriyaki!!!! BLUH.

In fact, I wouldn’t marinate the tofu at all. Just cut it up, throw it in a little oil and cook it. However this recipe says to simply marinate in half of the peanut sauce overnight:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=24139.0

Also, may I just say that you are AWESOME for making that for your niece? That’s really sweet of you!

@lilalila Thanks for the recipe and welcome to fluther. Thanks for the input. I thought the teriyaki might clash. I’m making a couple of other dishes for her, she’s a good kid. :)

½ cup veg oil

4 TBS tamari soy sauce

3Tbs lemon juice

3 TBS oriental sesame oil

1½ tsp ground ginger

Blend well in blender or food processor.

After blending add:

3 pressed garlic cloves

1 or 2 thinly sliced scallions.

The longer it marinades the better.

I have been broiling tofu recently to amazing effect. Start with the densest tofu you can find, slice it about ½ inch think and brush whatever marinade on there. I use a combo of soy, garlic, sesame oil, black bean and chili sauce, and mirin (if you have or can find hoisin sauce, add that too, it’s amazing). Try to have some sugars in it so that it caramelizes – could add honey. Then array them on a cookie sheet and put them under a broiler for about 3–5 minutes (as with any broiling, check them – they should be crisping, but can burn easily). Then flip them over and brush more marinade and repeat. You can do this a few times if you have the patience – they will get denser and better as they go, but they’re good after one broil on each side.

Personally, I’d just press the tofu and toss it with the sauce. It’s easy and yummy, and you have other dishes to deal with.

I have to agree, it’s pretty awesome that you’re going the extra mile to accommodate her. I remember feeling so touched when my uncle cleaned the grill before he did my veggie burger. :)

For not-sweet option, broil after sprinkling with Tony Cachere Cajun salt. Flip and broil other side. Then put in liquid aminos (or soy sauce), ginger, crushed garlic, rice vinegar and lemon juice. You can add a dash of agave or plain sugar. All measures are just a splash except the aminos or soy. So, say ¼ c aminos, ½ t lemon juice, rice vinegar, pinch of sugar or something sweet… Fresh cilantro is good, too. Marinate as long as you want. So yummy. Just add those things til it tastes good to you.

I would keep it simple. Stir fry some green onions and mix it in with the noodles.

Thanks for all the ideas. You guys are awesome, including you p2

Thai sweet chili sauce makes a superb condiment for many Thai dishes – excellent with chicken and fish as well as seafood. Also wonderful as a marinade for grilling or as a dip for finger foods. Try it with grilled fish, chicken or chicken wings, shrimp, spring rolls, fresh rolls, tofu etc…

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes
Yield: Makes ½ Cup of Sauce

Ingredients:
½ cup rice vinegar (or substitute white vinegar)
½ cup + 2 Tbsp. white sugar
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. sherry (or cooking sherry)
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ to 1 Tbsp. dried crushed chili (1 Tbsp. makes spicy-hot sauce)
1+½ Tbsp. cornstarch dissolved in 3–4 Tbsp. cool water

Preparation:
Place all ingredients – except the cornstarch-water mixture – in a sauce pan or pot. Bring to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to medium and let boil for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. (Note that the vinegar will be quite pungent as it burns off. Generally, I find rice vinegar less strong than regular white vinegar).
Reduce heat to low and add the cornstarch-water mixture. Stir to incorporate and continue stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 2 minutes).
Remove from heat and taste-test. You should taste “sweet” first, followed by sour, then spicy and salty notes. If the sauce isn’t sweet enough, add a little more sugar. If not spicy enough, add more chili.
Makes an excellent marinade for grilled chicken, fish, seafood or tofu.
Also serve as a condiment with chicken, fish, and seafood, or as a dip with finger foods such as chicken wings, shrimp, or spring rolls.
ENJOY!

@partyparty Thanks, sounds great. She’s coming off a bout with an ulcer, so I’mm going a little light on spice, but that looks like something I’d like.

Followup.
I made a marinade of soy sauce, a cilantro infused champagne vinegar, garlic, ginger, honey and the juice of one lemon. I marinated it for about 90 minutes, fried the tofu with some stir fry vegtables and at the last minute threw in some cooked rice noodles with Thai peanut seasoning. It was excellent. And, my neice told me how sweet it was that someone would make a dish just for her. That was my best Christmas present!

@Adirondackwannabe Come on! You knew you’d win brownie points as much as I did. . . :) Glad it came out well!!

@Taciturnu I expected a few. I got a ton of em. Just for making a dish for her.That was nice. She says she runs into quite a few food nazis.

@Adirondackwannabe ; THAT SOUNDS DELICIOUS!! Can I adopt you as my accepting aunt? :]

@lilalila You can, but I’m lousy at crossdressing. :)

@Adirondackwannabe ; OH MY GOSH. Uncle then? XD