Don’t forget to submit your plum recipe for this week’s BSI! Deadline is this Sunday!
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I’ve gotten a few requests for more vegetarian “meat free Friday” dishes – this is one that everyone will be able to enjoy.
When I saw dandelion greens at the farmer’s market last weekend, I couldn’t resist. I remembered liking them a lot when I had Korean food in NYC and I thought they would be something fun and different to make at home. Mo always write about how much she loves Korean baked tofu, so I decided to give that a try too.
I loved the flavors on the tofu! The sesame oil gave it a slight sweetness that paired really well with the red peppers and garlic. Since tofu doens’t taste like much, this is really all about the sauce. I sliced the tofu into 8 pieces to get more surface area and made extra sauce, which I think was a good call. My husband was kind of indifferent toward this dish, but he’s not really a fan of tofu.
For the dandelion greens, I made something vaguely similar to kimchee. Or at least as similar as I could get with ingredients that I had on hand and less than an hour. I also served them warm. I liked them that way, but they’re also really good cold. I used sriarcha, which I don’t normally like because I find it too vinegary. It worked really well with this though (except I used way to much!! whoa spicy!!). My husband liked the greens a lot more than the tofu. I liked the tofu more, but that could have had something to do with the fact that my mouth felt like it was on fire! The flavor really was delicious, and I look forward to making them again.
Dandelion greens are also extremely healthy- 1 cup (chopped) has 500% of your RDA of vitamin k and over 100% of your day’s vitamin a. They also contain calcium and iron, and help support digestion, reduce swelling and inflammation. All for just 25 calories!
Spicy Dandelion Greens
- 1 bunch dandelion greens, rinsed well
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 Tbs sriracha (adjust to taste- this will be very spicy!!)
- 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grates
Cut green into 1-inch pices. Place in a bowl and toss with salt. Let sit 10-15 minutes to extract some of the liquid. Pour off/ squeeze out liquid. Combine remaining ingredients. Add to greens and let marinate for another 15 minutes. Transfer to a skillet and cook until thoroughly wilted and warmed through.
Serves 4.
Korean Baked Tofu
- 1 brick extra-firm tofu
- 4 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbs crushed red pepper
- 6 green onions
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 Tbs black sesame seeds
Place tofy under a heavy weight (a plate with a large can on top works well)to drain some of the water out. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in a food processor. Process until a chunky paste is formed.
Cut tofu into 8 slices. Arrange on a baking sheet and top with sauce. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
Serves 4.
Wow! This looks great. I have tofu in my fridge and I’ve been looking for a good recipe for it. I know what I’m having for dinner tonight!
I love the concept of meat free fridays, and this looks absolutely delish! Never heard of dandelion greens either, but I’m looking forward to trying them.
What a great meal! I love dandelion greens, although I don’t ever see them here. The tofu looks amazing!
I think between you and Mo you’ve made me want to try to baked tofu. However I think I’ll be enjoying it on my own.
Love baked tofu. Yum!
Great post and pictures. Nice vegan meal!
Wow LK! Impressive dish. I wish I liked tofu because this seems like it has great flavors.
Im dying to score some dandelion leaves because I LOVE the korean salad i get with my tofu. Im glad you enjoyed the tofu. Its a very fresh tasting sauce! I love it. I started dicing up my tofu to get more sauce everywhere! 🙂
I just made some last night too.
Its a great quick and healthy meal. awesome side dish!
This looks amazing! I’ve never even heard of dandelion greens– how cool!! It all looks beautiful.
Your baked tofu looks terrific! I haven’t had dandelion greens in a while. I’m going to Farmer’s Market on Saturday so I’ll have to look for some!