One day last week my son-in-law made a fantastic tofu curry, and it came up in conversation at least a few times in the following days how much my 18-month-old granddaughter enjoyed that curry. By the third telling, I got the impression she loved that tofu curry so much that there wasn’t much left for her parents!

This came up again last night because we had miso soup with dinner, and my granddaughter was again delighted to discover the tiny cubes of tofu at the bottom of the cup. She learned a new word: “To-tu.” Totu, totu, totu! And her brother learned to enjoy an entirely new food.

All of this is just to say that I found an exciting new recipe for tofu courtesy of Alexandra’s Kitchen, who got it from one of my longstanding heroes, Ruth Reichl, whose storied career has included roles as chef, author, critic, and editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine. This recipe is all about the dipping sauce. The tofu itself is simmered in boiling water until warmed through, and the dipping sauce is spooned over it just prior to serving. I made a couple of small changes (no sugar, less heat) but the recipe is essentially the same.

Ingredients

1 block (14-18 oz.) firm tofu
3 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
4 scallions, sliced thinly
1 tsp. garlic, chopped (1-2 cloves)
2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted
1 tsp. maple syrup (original recipe calls for 1/2 tsp. sugar)
1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes

Directions

Slice a block of tofu in half width-wise (not lengthwise), and place the two smaller blocks in a skillet. Cover with water, heat on medium-high until just boiling, and reduce heat. Simmer covered for about 20 minutes, keeping the tofu warm while you prepare the dressing.

Sprinkle the chopped garlic with a pinch of salt, and continue to chop with a sharp knife until the mound of chopped garlic turns magically into a paste. Transfer the garlic to a bowl, and add the soy sauce (or tamari), sesame oil, sesame seeds, hot pepper flakes, and maple syrup. Mix well with a fork or small whisk. Stir in the scallions.

Use a slotted spatula to lift the tofu blocks out of the boiling water, and transfer to individual bowls. Spoon the sauce over the tofu, serve warm. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, this dish can also be served along with some rice and/or stir-fried broccoli. I am looking forward to making this for my grandchildren! Serves 2.

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And finally, here’s my post this week in the Cleveland Jewish News on being kind to yourself in the New Year.