I share this dish in loving memory of a dear friend, Barbara Raimey, who taught me how to make barbecue tofu. I have cooked this dish more than any other and it is always a winner. Barbara came to visit our family several times. She was quiet and sweet and didn’t say too much. She would love to visit because I lived in the countryside, where it was peaceful and quiet. While she stayed with our family, she didn’t ask for much; she was content and happy and enjoyed just being with us. She would spend hours walking with Devannah and me when Devannah was 6 years old. At the time, I didn’t know Barbara had terminal cancer. I found out that at one point she was an owner of a vegan restaurant and had years of experience as a chef.
For barbecue sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil or water on medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, molasses, parsley, Bragg’s liquid aminos, sesame oil and sea salt to taste. Reduce heat to simmer for 15–20 minutes, stirring constantly until sauce is thickened.
For Tofu: Preheat oven 400ºF/200ºC. Drain water from tofu and squeezed excess water out between paper towels or a clean dishcloth. Cut tofu in long strips and set aside. Combine batter in a bowl and mix well. Coat individual tofu strips with batter mix and place on an oiled 9x13 casserole dish. Bake tofu for 20 minutes, or until tofu is golden brown.
Evenly coat tofu with barbecue sauce and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Chef’s Tip: Unsulphured molasses can be used as substitute for pomegranate molasses
Notes
Chef’s Tip: Unsulphured molasses can be used as substitute for pomegranate molassesPublished by permission from Michelle BlackwoodNutritional values based on one serving