One small victory for me in 2022 is that I’m back in the habit of making homemade staples.

What are staples? There are few obvious answers. However, for me, “staples” are everyday household items I use to make or improve my meals.

I always carry Staples with me because I use them a lot.

They include the following:

• Sandwich bread
• Add ketchup
• Barbecue sauce
• Salad dressing
• Vegetarian cheese: Soft cheese, vegetarian ricotta cheese, vegetarian cream cheese, feta cheese, yellow cheese sauce
• falafel
• Sour cream
• Quick-cured onion
• Hummus

Another “staple” for me is simple vegetarian protein.

Regarding macronutrients, I never try to include carbohydrates or healthy fats in my meals.

Protein can be tricky: it’s a macronutrient that I need to pay attention to consciously.

For this reason, I often reflexively structure my meals around plant-based protein sources. When I wrote Vegetarian Week, I deliberately started with the protein chapter; Everything else followed.

For years, I relied on store-bought preserved and roasted tofu. Several major brands, including Nasoya and Wildwood, sell baked tofu that you can buy, cube, or slice and eat right away.

I have nothing against naked tofu. But sometimes it’s nice to have well-seasoned tofu that you don’t have to season yourself.

In other words, pre-baked tofu products are more expensive than regular tofu. I almost always have all the materials at home and need to make something very similar.

Just like with me and cooking, the hardest thing is to get up and start the preparation process. Once I do, the actual cooking is almost always much less than I thought it would be.

Store-bought flavored tofu, the one I most often buy is teriyaki tofu. So today, at the start of a new month and a New Year, I’m sharing a recipe I made recently as an alternative to buying it.

Is there anything wrong with buying teriyaki tofu in a store? No, of course not. I am grateful for the convenient options offered to me. But eating a homemade version is excellent when I have extra time and motivation.

This one is super easy.

It’s about teriyaki.

Before I discuss this recipe further, it’s important to note that in Japan, teriyaki does not refer to sauces or seasonings but to a cooking method.

Teriyaki, which translates to “smooth grilling,” is a method of grilling food using soy sauce, rice wine or sake, and sugar. Garlic and ginger can be added to the glaze.

Braised soy sauce

Bottled teriyaki sauce and teriyaki sauce recipes in the United States often differ from the glaze mentioned above.

They might include vinegar, like my teriyaki tofu or honey; mine has maple syrup.

The American version of teriyaki sauce also often uses cornstarch to thicken. In Japan, this thickening is caused by pan reduction and caramelization.

I learned a lot from Namiko Chen’s article, and I highly recommend it if you want to prepare teriyaki sauce using traditional Japanese methods and ingredients. As Chen says, the sauce is all about its delicate texture.

You may also like and want to make the American version of teriyaki sauce at home. I’ve gotten used to the Americanized taste of store-bought teriyaki tofu, so I follow this recipe.

About this teriyaki sauce

The “sauce” in my grilled teriyaki tofu recipe is more of a marinade than a sauce: it does not contain cornstarch or other thickeners.

Instead, the idea is to reduce the marinade during baking. This will make the tofu cubes darker and more flavorful.

When baked, they won’t glaze, but the flavor will be vital. They also have a crunchy texture when you take them out of the oven or air fryer.

ingredient

Here are the ingredients I used to make my non-Japanese teriyaki glaze:

Soy sauce

I use tamari in this recipe because I almost always make it at home. I also like Kikkoman organic, natural-brewed soy sauce.

You can check out this article to learn more about the history and varieties of soy sauce.

Maple syrup

I replaced the honey or sugar commonly used in American teriyaki sauce with maple syrup.

However, brown sugar can also be used in this recipe. If you are switching, you can use 3-4 tablespoons of sugar (adjusted to your taste).

Rice vinegar

The rice vinegar will add acidity and sourness to offset the sauce’s sweetness and saltiness. If you have apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or distilled white vinegar at home, you can use it instead.

Avocado oil

Refined avocado oil is my go-to for high-temperature cooking, including baking. You can substitute another vegetable oil that tastes neutral and is stable at high temperatures, such as safflower or grapeseed oil.

ginger

I like to use ground spices in my marinade for easier coating and smoother texture. I want to use grated ginger, but fresh grated ginger also works. Ginger is optional.

Garlic powder

As with ginger, I’m using grated garlic powder. If you prefer to use minced garlic cloves, go ahead! You can also omit or increase the amount of garlic according to your taste.

How to make roasted teriyaki tofu cubes

I should have said grilled or air-fried!

I tried teriyaki tofu cubes in both the air fryer and the oven. Both methods are very effective, and I believe I will use both regularly.

If my oven is on because I’m preparing another vegetarian meal – such as roasted vegetables or a baking dish – I can put teriyaki tofu in the oven when it’s ready.

An air fryer is usually a faster option if the oven is not on. Over the past few months, I’ve used it regularly to make tempeh cubes, and it’s also great for tofu.

Step 1: Cube

I cut the tofu into 32 pieces. Each side should be 3/4 “.

Step 2: Marinate

Just two hours of marinating time is enough for the tofu to absorb flavor.

However, if you have time to marinate the tofu overnight, I suggest you do so. It will absorb the sweetness and saltiness of the teriyaki sauce.

I often find overnight marinating easier than a short one because it helps break down my meal preparation process into several steps.

Step 3: Air fry or bake

There are two ways to pickle tofu. One is to use an air fryer if you have one.

The advantage of air fryers is that they cook evenly and quickly. When heated, hot air circulates the tofu, speeding up the cooking time. If you fry it in air, the tofu must be fried at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

In the oven, the tofu cubes will take 12-14 minutes. The cooking temperature is the same:400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Regardless of your chosen method, I find it helpful to “smear” the cubes with leftover marinade halfway through cooking.

Doing so helps to give them the quality of glaze associated with the teriyaki cooking method, adding more flavor.

I use a simple silicone brush to do this. After five minutes in the air fryer, I shake the basket to redistribute the cubes, then use a brush to gently brush more marinade on top of them. You don’t have to be too picky; just put a little more liquid on it.

After cooking in the oven for 6 minutes, I brush the tops of the teriyaki tofu cubes with marinade. Then, I put them on a baking sheet and put them back in the oven for another 6-8 minutes.

Finally, because of the soy sauce, the cube should be well-colored and dark, look hard, and have a little brown edge.

Step 4:Store

Teriyaki tofu cubes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

How to serve

Serving teriyaki tofu cubes may be as simple as putting them in a bowl with cooked rice, vegetables, and your favorite vegetarian sauce.

Add some cubes to hot or cold noodles for a protein boost, or add them to a spicy, juicy winter soup.

Here are some other recipes I like to make with these little cubes:

• 15 minutes to prepare teriyaki tofu noodle bowl
• Add small cubes to this simple, inexpensive brown rice and lentil stir-fry.
• Chili roasted cauliflower and brown rice pickle bowl
• As a supplement to my nurturing breakfast macro bowl or power board macro bowl
• Try putting them on my crumbled kimchi chickpea salad toast.
• Add some protein-rich bits to my grilled broccoli and kimchi spicy soba noodles.
• Add a handful of teriyaki tofu cubes to your bowl to transform my delicious pumpkin and pickle breakfast porridge into a high-protein option.
• Add vegetable protein and seasonings to this simple broccoli stir-fry.
• Make these vegetarian dumpling bowls more fulfilling and fun.

There are many other ways to use cubes. I’ll find more of my own; if you make this recipe, you’ll find yours.

With that in mind, here’s how to do it!

Ingredients

14 oz extra firm tofu (114 oz / 400 g cube tofu)

1/2 cup soy sauce (you can use low-sodium soy sauce if it suits your health needs best)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon of avocado oil

1/4-1/2 TSP ground ginger (optional, adjust to taste; Use 1-2 teaspoons of fresh ground ginger instead)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional; Can be substituted with 1 minced garlic clove)

Instructions

1. Drain the tofu and press gently with a tea towel or paper towel to remove excess water.
2. Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes (you’ll need 32 cubes for a standard 14—or 16-ounce piece of tofu). Put the cubes in a storage container that can easily fit them. Whisk together the soy sauce or tamari, maple syrup, vinegar, avocado oil, ginger, and garlic powder.
3. Pour the marinade over the diced meat. * Cover the container and shake gently to disperse the marinade. Refrigerate the tofu for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
4. If using an air fryer, Use a slotted spoon to remove the tofu cubes from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place them in a single layer in the air fryer (if your basket is small, which is not possible, divide the tofu into two batches). Fry the tofu at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
5. After 5 minutes, pause the cooking cycle, remove the basket from the air fryer, and gently shake it. This will help “stir” the tofu and allow it to cook evenly. Use a brush to coat the tofu cubes with a little extra marinade. Please return them to the air fryer and let them cook for another 5 minutes or until browned around the edges. Service.
6. If baking in the oven, Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tofu cubes from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Place the tofu cubes on a non-stick or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes.
7. Use a brush to brush the tops of the tofu with extra marinade, then turn them gently so they cook evenly. Bake for another 6-8 minutes or until the croutons are browned and crisp along the sides. Service.