written by GARYN (Taryn Gurbach). December 3rd, 2020
It’s Garyn! Very excited to be here. My mission is to empower people to get in the kitchen and do the things they never thought they could do — and eat well while doing it. I’m here to share a non-recipe recipe I love, and some other things I’m planning on making for the holiday season.
The main thing I’ve realized when cooking for myself is the power of sauces. Douse any vegetable in a good sauce and you’re ready to go. I’ve made this crispy tofu with peanut sauce recipe a once a week thing, (even though I’ve made it at home like once?) All I know is that it’s so delicious and it feels like a slightly adulty meal, rather than just me eating roasted sweet potatoes right after they’ve come out of the oven, straight from the pan so I don’t have to clean any plates (I’ve realized I’m extremely lazy).
A few notes on this recipe: do NOT bake this tofu under any circumstances. The purpose of this is crispity little tofu bits doused in this sauce. Would love to know the science behind this, but for some reason when you bake the tofu, all the flavor disappears. Truly one of the most disappointing recipes I’ve ever made. BUT the sauce is magic, even though I rarely have the ingredients on hand. Basically it’s my own recipe at this point. As long as you’ve got peanut butter, some form of acid (lime & rice vinegar are your best bets. Please, for the love of God, do not use balsamic vinegar), soy sauce and garlic, you’re good to go. I do implore you, though, to grate some ginger (don’t peel, it’s too much work) and add a dash of honey. Thin it out with more water than you’d think and you can put it on literally anything.
The secret to really good tofu is to press the water out of it and tear it into crumbles. The surface area will allow the tofu to get super crispy and make it…less tofu-y. Heat up the pan first, then add the oil (heated oil in the pan for too long makes it toxic), then add the tofu and don’t touch until there is good color (I’ve burned the tofu many times and it still works). Work in batches if it doesn’t all fit!
Basically, this recipe is an excuse for me to eat a pot of rice, my favorite meal in the world. If you’re not into tofu, literally just microwave some frozen veg and you’ll be very pleased.
As for another sauce that changed my life, the TJ’s Soyaki… AND the vegan caesar.
In this holiday season, I am expecting you all to take on some form of baking/cooking challenge. That can literally mean making a cheese board for your family or doing something more elaborate. This focaccia is the most hands-off bread I have ever made but it’s still my family’s favorite. I’ve tried other, more involved ones, but this one still is our favorite. Instead of the garlic butter at the end, I drizzle more olive oil–you really want that flavor to shine. A few tips: douse it in flaky salt & rosemary, and opt for a smaller baking dish for fluffier focaccia as opposed to the thin and crispy. Have the best time experimenting with yeast, poking the dough, and watching it rise. It’s truly one of my favorite kitchen experiences.
As for me, I will be trying my hand at these buttery, ridiculous rolls that are completely unnecessary but look soooo good, as well as R&D’ing the most delicious snacking cakes you’ve ever seen (DM me @garynturbach what kind of cakes flavors you want and I’ll ponder).
whats-the-dish.com 