Sticky Gochugaru Tofu

This recipe is easy, plant-based, gluten-free and incredibly satisfying. I paired the tofu with broccolini sauteed in sesame oil, but honestly any type of greens would work (I definitely suggest sauteeing whatever veggie you’re having in sesame oil though). The chili pepper featured here is gochugaru, a popular Korean chili flake seen frequently in dishes like kimchi and bulgogi. You can find them at Asian supermarkets and even online (thanks Amazon Prime)! Gochugaru isn’t too spicy, but feel free to adjust the amount of chili pepper included to suit your taste preferences.

The average adult requires 0.8 grams of protein for every kg of bodyweight per day based on Canada’s current RDA guidelines. This is easily calculable by multiplying 0.8 by your bodyweight in kg. For example, a person who weighs 55 kg (121 lbs) would require 44 g of protein every day. Athletes may require more protein than this standard amount. Endurance and elite athletes may require 1 - 1.5 g of protein for every kg of bodyweight. An athlete who weighs 70 kg (154 lbs) would require between 70 - 105 g of protein every day. The graphic below elucidates a few common foods and their protein content:

This recipe uses an entire 350 g (12 oz) block of tofu and serves 2. This means each person is getting 18 g of protein in one meal, just from the tofu. An important thing to keep in mind is that protein is also present in other foods like whole grains, vegetables, and nuts and seeds in varying amounts.

For people who are food secure, it is not difficult to get enough protein. Even those who follow a plant-based diet can get all the essential amino acids (building blocks of protein) they need without much difficulty. (If you follow a plant-based diet, check out the graphic in this post on mutual supplementation.) However, food insecurity is something that every nation is plagued with, and due to recent inflation of basic goods, it is on the rise. The FAO (2021) considers a community, city, or nation to be food secure “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active & healthy lifestyle”. This definition encompasses 7 dimensions:

1. Agency: Individuals can make independent decisions about food choices.

2. Stability: Resilience when faced with shocks affecting food access and availability.

3. Sustainability: Food practices that promote environmental sustainability and regeneration of natural resources.

4. Availability: Sufficient amount and quality of food to be nutritionally competent.

5. Access: Enough money to sustain a nutritionally complete and culturally appropriate diet.

6. Utilization: The combination of having an adequate diet, clean drinking water and sanitation and health care services.

There is no place on earth that can be considered completely food secure, which means there is always work to be done! A great way to help locally is by donating or volunteering to your local food bank. If you want to learn more about food security, there is a wealth of resources on the web - I have listed my favourites below:

• Throwaway nation: food waste and food insecurity

• The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World

• Food Security Interactive Map

*serves 2

Tofu ingredients:

1 block extra firm tofu

3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

3 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup almond flour

 Sauce ingredients:

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch

2-3 tbsp gochugaru chili pepper

¼ cup coconut sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1 inch ginger, grated

¼ cup water

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (+ 1 tsp for topping)

Preheat oven to 425 C and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add cornstarch, almond flour, soy sauce and cubed tofu to a medium sized bowl. Toss with a spatula until coated. Bake tofu until golden and crispy, 18-25 minutes.

While the tofu is baking, prepare the sauce. Combine the soy sauce and cornstarch to form a slurry and add along with all sauce ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 minutes, until thickened. If the sauce looks too thick, add a bit more water. If the sauce looks too thin, let it simmer longer. Taste test and adjust seasonings as necessary. Set aside.

If the sauce has cooled down by the time the tofu is done, reheat until it is bubbling. Toss the tofu in the sauce until coated. Top with toasted sesame seeds.

Serve with your favourite veggies and rice or noodles of choice. I recommend baby bok choy, gai lan, or broccolini sauteed in sesame oil and a dash of soy sauce on brown rice.