Up until recently I had never grilled tofu. I have admired it for some time on Foodgawker and Tastespotting, and couldn’t wait to experiment with it. I love the way it gets clearly defined grill marks and it is a great alternative to meat, poultry or seafood.
Cook Soba noodles according to package directions, rinse with cool water, toss with some sesame oil. Set aside.
Combine tamari, sesame oil, orange juice, mirin and garlic in a small bowl, divide into two portions. In a shallow 8x8" baking dish cover tofu with 1/2 of the sauce mixture, marinate for about 30 minutes. Make sure the tofu is as dry as possible before marinating. Put vegetables in a pan that is grill tolerant. Cover with the other half of the sauce, marinate for about 30 minutes as well.
Wipe a light layer of canola oil onto your grill grates. Pre heat the grill to medium temperature. On one side put marinated tofu directly on grill grates. The pot or grill basket goes on the other side of the grill. Tofu will grill for about 6-7 minutes per side. Carefully flip with tongs or a flipper. If the tofu sticks to the grill, brush with some more oil. The vegetables will stay on the grill for a total of about 20 minutes or until cooked to your liking, stir occasionally. Serve with soba noodles and any desired garnish.
You can cook your veggies in a pan like I did here or use a grill basket If you want more of a steam then go with the pan. For a little char go with the basket. If using the pan than you will have some sauce to pour over the dish when serving.
The Trader Joe's extra firm tofu just needs to be pat dry with a towel. The firmer the tofu the better it will grill. The heartier & tastier your results will be too. I suggest [pressing your tofuhttp://sweetcheeksinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/08/making-baked-or-grilled-tofu.html] overnight in the fridge if it is not extra firm.
This recipe can be served cool, room temperature or hot.
Serving Size 4 Servings