Smoked Tofu Bowls – Vegan Recipe
More and more people are becoming healthy eaters, and this means that odds are higher than ever that you will have several vegetarian or vegan people come around and participate in your grilling events. It is likely that they will be wondering what they can eat at a BBQ besides just grilled vegetables or salads.
Many veteran meat eaters have a preconceived idea that tofu is not tasty or that it is hard to cook, but with this recipe, your plant-eating people are in luck! As a seasoned, versatile grill master, you can create dishes that they can enjoy and that even a person that is new to meatless proteins can perfect with just a little practice.
One of the most popular things to order these days is the all-encompassing "bowl" meal. Here is one recipe that almost any vegan would love to try from your grill. These vegan BBQ smoked tofu bowls are sure to be a hit at any gathering.
What you will need for these tofu bowls (per 2 servings)
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Firstly, tofu, which is pressed bean curd, comes packaged in liquid and as a result, it has to be prepared and pressed correctly to be cooked properly. This should be done at least two hours before it is actually time to cook this meal.
The easiest way to press tofu is to take two heavy plates and two cheese cloths, and press the tofu between the plates and cloths for at least an hour to remove all moisture prior to cutting and cooking it.
Another method of making sure that the tofu is completely ready to be cooked is to take two cast iron skillets and paper towels and press it between the two for at least an hour before This ensures that the tofu absorbs as much flavor as possible when being marinated before cooking. Once your tofu has been pressed, it is time to begin.
Tofu Marinade can be anything really, but in this case, we will go with something simple and delicious for this vegan dish. First, put one tablespoon of dry miso soup mix into a gallon sized freezer bag along with the 8 oz of water.
Shake it to mix it. Cut the tofu carefully into cubes and put into the bag and let sit while preparing the rest of the ingredients. You should turn your smoker to 250 degrees at this point.
This flavoring system works best for tofu if you are using some type of fragrant and sweet wood like cherry, apple etc. Take your tofu and toss it in a cup of BBQ sauce and then put in smoker for up to three hours. Check every 30 minutes, and once it starts to feel more solid on the outside, take it from the smoker and gently coat the tofu with the rest of the BBQ sauce mixture.
Make sure not to overcook the tofu, as it will become chewy and completely unappetizing. Place back into smoker for 20 minutes or so to finish the cooking. Once removed, place in a bowl that will keep it from gathering condensation on the tofu itself (no sealed Tupperware, for example).
This will preserve the smoked flavoring that you cooked into the tofu and will keep it from re-hydrating before being consumed.
Make your rice according to what the instructions say depending on the type of rice you chose, but use the coconut water instead of normal water to cook your rice. Adding parsley or black sesame seeds to the rice while cooking can make it look more decorative and appealing to the taste buds.
Make sure to drain the coconut water and remove all pieces of actual coconut from the coconut water before adding to the rice. This adds flavor and a nice, sweet, tropical undertone to the rice, especially if you have chosen a fragrant rice. Forbidden rice adds a nice colorful touch to this dish if you can find it.
As a side note, you can also use minute rice and save some time during this step, just replace the water with coconut water as stated above. The only difference is that it takes just 5 minutes instead of the longer times required for other types of rice.
Coat your tofu one more time in BBQ sauce and let it rest until sticky to the touch. by this point, there should be a shiny glaze on the surface of each piece. Put the rice in the bottom of your serving bowls. arrange avocado and vegetables around the back side of the bowl, leaving room for your tofu in the front.
Place the cubes of tofu in a desired design in the empty section of the bowl and garnish with cilantro and a slice of lime. Vegan peanut sauce or ponzu sauce is often a great dipping sauce if you like the taste.
Complimentary fruits such as mango, lime, papaya, pineapple, and dragon fruit can also be grilled or smoked to make this beautiful vegan dish shine even more. You will be the talk of the town by expanding your BBQ skills and will also learn how to make perfect smoked tofu, which is an art form in and of itself.
Serve this with a tropical drink or eat it beside the pool and you will feel like you never left the back yard. These smoked BBQ tofu bowls will make all of the vegan diners in your life very happy and will be sure to surprise even the most seasoned palates at your dinner table.
Smoked Tofu Bowls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 14
oz Block of extra firm style tofu - 1
tbsp
Vegan miso soup mix (can be ordered online or found at any Asian grocery store) - 8
oz
Water (room temp or higher) - 1
Cup
Vegan BBQ sauce - 1
Cup Uncooked rice of your choice - 2
Cups Coconut water - 2 Cups Cut and skewered pineapple pieces
- 1
Avocado sliced as thinly as possible - 1
Bell pepper of any color, sliced thinly - Cilantro (garnish)
Instructions
- Firstly, tofu, which is pressed bean curd, comes packaged in liquid and as a result, it has to be prepared and pressed correctly to be cooked properly.
- This should be done at least two hours before it is actually time to cook this meal.
- The easiest way to press tofu is to take two heavy plates and two cheese cloths, and press the tofu between the plates and cloths for at least an hour to remove all moisture prior to cutting and cooking it.
- Another method of making sure that the tofu is completely ready to be cooked is to take two cast iron skillets and paper towels and press it between the two for at least an hour before this ensures that the tofu absorbs as much flavor as possible when being marinated before cooking.
- Once your tofu has been pressed, it is time to begin.
- Tofu Marinade can be anything really, but in this case, we will go with something simple and delicious for this vegan dish.
- First, put one tablespoon of dry miso soup mix into a gallon sized freezer bag along with the 8 oz of water.
- Shake it to mix it. Cut the tofu carefully into cubes and put into the bag and let sit while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- You should turn your smoker to 250 degrees at this point.
- This flavoring system works best for tofu if you are using some type of fragrant and sweet wood like cherry, apple etc.
- Take your tofu and toss it in a cup of BBQ sauce and then put in smoker for up to three hours.
- Check every 30 minutes, and once it starts to feel more solid on the outside, take it from the smoker and gently coat the tofu with the rest of the BBQ sauce mixture.
- Make sure not to overcook the tofu, as it will become chewy and completely unappetizing.
- Place back into smoker for 20 minutes or so to finish the cooking.
- Once removed, place in a bowl that will keep it from gathering condensation on the tofu itself (no sealed Tupperware, for example).
- This will preserve the smoked flavoring that you cooked into the tofu and will keep it from re-hydrating before being consumed.
- Make your rice according to what the instructions say depending on the type of rice you chose, but use the coconut water instead of normal water to cook your rice.
- Adding parsley or black sesame seeds to the rice while cooking can make it look more decorative and appealing to the taste buds.
- Make sure to drain the coconut water and remove all pieces of actual coconut from the coconut water before adding to the rice.
- This adds flavor and a nice, sweet, tropical undertone to the rice, especially if you have chosen a fragrant rice.
- Forbidden rice adds a nice colorful touch to this dish if you can find it.
- As a side note, you can also use minute rice and save some time during this step, just replace the water with coconut water as stated above.
- The only difference is that it takes just 5 minutes instead of the longer times required for other types of rice.
- Coat your tofu one more time in BBQ sauce and let it rest until sticky to the touch. by this point, there should be a shiny glaze on the surface of each piece.
- Put the rice in the bottom of your serving bowls, arrange avocado and vegetables around the back side of the bowl, leaving room for your tofu in the front.
- Place the cubes of tofu in a desired design in the empty section of the bowl and garnish with cilantro and a slice of lime.
- Vegan peanut sauce or ponzu sauce is often a great dipping sauce if you like the taste.
- Serve this with a tropical drink or eat it beside the pool and you will feel like you never left the back yard.
