This post was created in partnership with Raw Rutes.
We’ve got a zinger of a hot weather dish for you today. Have you ever tried cucumber noodles in favor of the more common spiralized zucchini? I’m obsessed. They are the perfect, cooling and hydrating food, especially when dressed with plenty of lime juice, herbs and a kiss of spice. They’re great with tropical fruit, creamy avocado, and a sprinkling of toasted seeds, as well as tofu for more substance and a savory element. The glazed tofu recipe I give here is an absolute favorite of mine and generally very special, easy, and able to transform any tofu hater into a true believer. It’s garlicky and spicy, and with a touch of sweetness. You can see the video of the whole process above.
I love cooking with tofu because it’s a flavor sponge and therefore extremely versatile. One of the most important steps in achieving outstanding tofu involves draining it of the liquid that it comes in. Generally, the less liquid tofu holds, the better it is at absorbing all the surrounding flavors. That’s where the beautiful, stainless steel Tofu Press from Raw Rutes comes in. Raw Rutes is a charming, online shop full of back-to-basics kitchen tools, from dreamy fermenting crocks to home brewing supplies, dehydrators and even freeze dryers (!). They sent me their Ninja Tofu Press to try out, and though I’m often skeptical of single-purpose kitchen tools, this one stole my heart. Previously, I would make a contraption of two plates, kitchen towels and a large jar of water for draining tofu, and I’m pretty relieved that I no longer have to make that much mess for such a simple step. This tofu press looks great and comes with a 4.5 lb weight, which gets all the liquid out of the tofu quickly and efficiently, with no required effort on your part. It can also be used for making your own homemade tofu (still on my list of things to try), as well as getting moisture out of pretty much any foods that fit. I’ll definitely be using it for my homemade nut cheeses.
Some other items on my Raw Rutes wish list include this terra-cotta sprouter, this fermenting crock, and this crazy cherry pitter (why not?).
Discount Code and Giveaway! For 11% off any items on Raw Rutes, enter code GOLUBKA at checkout through July 31st, 2017. To enter to win one Ninja Tofu Press, leave a comment here with your favorite item from the Raw Rutes offering or favorite way to prepare tofu until July 5th, 2017 (USA only).
- 1 14 oz (398 g) package firm tofu (I used sprouted tofu)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice - divided
- ½ tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- ½ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon neutral coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1-2 baby bok choy - sliced into wedges
- splash of tamari
- juice of half a lime
- 2 English cucumbers - spiralized or julienned
- ½ -1 lime
- sea salt
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- large handful each basil and cilantro leaves
- 1 ripe, firm avocado - thinly sliced
- 1-2 small ripe, sweet mangoes - thinly sliced
- toasted sesame seeds
- basil/cilantro/mint leaves - for garnish
- Press the tofu for 15-30 minutes to drain it of as much liquid as possible. Slice it into cubes.
- Combine 1½ tablespoons lime juice together with the tamari and sriracha in a small bowl. Set aside. In another small bowl, combine the miso paste, honey/maple syrup and the remaining ½ tablespoon lime juice, and set aside as well.
- Warm the coconut oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tofu and sauté, flipping periodically until golden on all/most sides. Add more oil if needed throughout the process.
- Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil over the tofu and add the minced garlic, sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tamari mixture, bring it to a boil and cook until reduced and syrupy, for 1-2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add the miso mixture into the pan and toss until well-combined. Remove the tofu from the pan and set it aside.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the bok choy. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until the white parts are lightly golden. Add a splash of tamari and a squeeze of lime juice, and stir until most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat.
- Place the spiralized cucumber into a medium/large serving bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the noodles, sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes, and drizzle with sesame oil. Add the herbs and toss gently to coat.
- Distribute the noodles between serving bowls. Arrange the avocado slices on top of the noodles, followed by the mango, bok choy and spicy tofu, toasted sesame seeds and herbs. Enjoy right away.
Michele says
Thanks for the contest. The tofu press is the most interesting item to me, along with some of the homebrew stuff. The cucumber noodles look lovely. I want to try soon!
Debbie D says
I would agree with Michelle above. The tofu press. I normally don’t like one use items in the kitchen because I have a very small kitchen, but I know I would buy more tofu if I had that press. I only have 24 square inches of prep space in my kitchen so setting up a rig with a plate, weighted objects, etc., to press tofu takes up valuable counter space. This seems like the perfect answer.
I too will have to try this recipe soon. It looks fantastic. My favorite way of prepping tofu is in a spicy sunbutter marinade and sauce. YUM! Just thinking about it makes me want to make some. I then use that in a veggie stirfry.
Anya says
WOW, that marinade sounds delicious :)
Annie says
One of my favorite tofu marinades is a spicy peanut sauce. I throw the tofu on the grill after that for a great vegetarian bahn-mi filling.
Anya says
YUM!
Valentina | The Blue Bride says
As I already wrote on Youtube, this recipe sounds so delicious and perfect for summer – even if it’s still kinda cold here now.
Rawrutes has some amazing items btw! I’d love to ferment veggies at home, I tried in the past but I really suck at it :P I believe a crockpot could be the perfect kitchen prop for me!
Heidi says
The tofu press is something I would use often. We eat a lot of tofu. I love to roast it with herbs, seasoning and nutritional yeast.
Kat says
Wow..what a charming tool! It looks functional as well as pretty! ?
I would love to have it!
WM says
Anything with mango is an automatic yes yes yes!
kibagendi says
A nice mixture of fruits. Healthy all the way
Sheila says
This recipe looks delicious. My favourite way to prepare tofu is my spicy peanut sauce. I would love to have a fermenting crock.
Amy says
Hi Shelia – I just recommended to someone below that she take a look at the pottery at Farmhouse Pottery in Vermont. I had them make me two fermenting crocks that are beautiful and work perfectly. These were the first they had made – and they would be a special order- but they have the system down now.
https://www.farmhousepottery.com/
You could write or call and ask.
Amy
thefolia says
So many gadgets…so little time! I think the European crafted veggie peeler is universal…I would have an easier time with my daily carvings of zucchini lately. As far as tofu preparation there is only one way to eat tofu at least if you tried it the way I have from a local restaurant. He pan fries it with lemongrass to the PERFECT crispiness on the outside and creamy deliciousness on the inside. I can’t eat any other way…seriously I won’t even try to order it anywhere else. Still working on it at home, I just have to sneak back in his kitchen, actually he probably deep fries it come to think of it but he doesn’t cube it either so maybe that is the trick.
Eileen says
This dish sounds so perfect and summery! I love tofu in many forms, but I think my favorite is classic rice paper summer rolls with peanut or chili sauce to dip. So good. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Viviana says
RawRutes looks amazing! The cherry pitter and tofu slicer would be fantastic to use. My favorite recent way to make tofu is lightly pan fried and with many veggies and a sweet peanut sauce.
Gail says
That Tofu press looks amazing! I have two favourite tofu marinades: the first is a simple tamari, sesame oil & black pepper toss from Rebar & the second is the citrus marinade from Happy, Healthy Life with tamari, sesame oil, lime & orange juice & I usually add a pinch of cayenne.Looks like I’ll be adding mangoes to the shopping list :)
Rebecca says
Beautiful dish, everything about it is what I want to eat this summer. And though I had no idea they existed, I would love a tofu press!
Judith says
i love making tofu egg scrambles
Sonia says
My favorite tofu is maple roasted. So yummy! The tofu press would be great…I’m with you that I don’t love single use gadgets, but this looks like it would get the job done really well, and not take up a ton of space.
Hannah says
This shop is a dream to browse! I would love a fermenting crock to really step up my sauerkraut game.
Amy says
I had the potters at Farmhouse Pottery make me one large and one small fermenting crock. These were the first they had ever made, and they have it down now. You could write and ask, if you like the style of their pottery:
https://www.farmhousepottery.com/
Amy
Anya says
Wow, their pottery is so beautiful!
Amy says
I live in Vermont where you just cannot get a good mango. Are there any substitutes you might suggest? Thank you for your wonderful recipes! And beautiful website.
Anya says
Hi Amy,
I can’t think of anything that could directly replace mango, but you could try papaya or even salted watermelon? Thank you so much for your kind words :)
Amy says
This was mighty delicious! LOVED IT! Golubka is my favorite food site. Just perfect! Thanks again!
terrin rockwood says
I have always wanted a tofu press! My favorite way to prepare tofu is to freeze it, then defrost and press it (gets out a ton of liquid!). Then slice and marinade in soy sauce/mirin/sesame oil and bake or pan fry.
This salad looks so refreshing!
Anya says
Hi Terrin,
Thanks so much for the freezing and defrosting tip! Never heard of that before.