Here is a recipe I’ve been cooking a lot lately, because it’s quite easy and also checks all the boxes (veggies, protein, lots of flavor). Though, I’ve learned some lessons along the way:

Broccoli rabe and broccolini are not interchangeable. While they seem similar at first glance, broccoli rabe is more like mustard greens—spicy and leafy, and the flavor overwhelms this dish. Opt for broccolini, and if you can’t find it, go for regular broccoli.
A clean towel from your pantry is just fine for drying your tofu. I’ve never gotten my tofu very dry before, because we don’t keep paper towels in the house and I always hesitated to use a kitchen towel. But in the January edition of Bon Appetit the suggested a clean towel in their tofu recipe, so I went for it, and now I’m not really sure what my previous hesitation was all about. (And yes, dry your tofu! It’s how you’ll get those nice edges!)
Add the garlic to the pan (not the marinade) for maximum roasted garlic flavor. Add the marinade to the pan at the end of cooking for that sauciness that’s so delicious. While we’re talking about sauce, here’s something else: broccolini is ideal for sauce, because it has all these nooks and crannies that soak up sauce (in other words: bites of broccolini are extra flavorful).

Broccolini & Tofu in Chili Garlic Sauce

Published January 21, 2020 by Caitlin Sherwood

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Serves: 4 with rice | Active Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the marinade/sauce:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

4 tablespoons sambal olek (chili-garlic sauce)

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the stir fry:

1 fourteen ounce block extra-firm tofu

1 clove garlic, minced

1 bunch broccolini or 1 head broccoli, chopped into 1-2 inch pieces (note: I do not recommend broccoli rabe for this dish, which has a much stronger flavor that broccolini, and overwhelms the dish)

1 teaspoon coconut oil

2 green onions, sliced, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons minced cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

For serving: cooked brown rice

Directions:

Drain water from tofu, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess liquid. Cube tofu into bite-sized pieces.
Combine all ingredients for sauce in a medium-sized bowl or pyrex, and stir. Add tofu to sauce, cover, and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes (or all day, until ready to cook).
When ready to make stir fry: heat coconut oil in a large skillet or wok or medium heat. Add minced garlic, and cook until it just begins to brown.
Using a fork or slotted spoon, remove tofu from sauce, allowing excess to drip off. Place in pan (there may be some splattering). Cook tofu for 5 minutes, until tofu begins to brown on one side. Use a spatula to turn tofu over, and cook 3-4 more minutes.
Add chopped broccolini to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Drizzle remaining marinade over stir fry, along with sliced green onions. Stir briefly, and continue to cook for a few more minutes until broccolini is bright green and tender.
Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds.
Serve: Scoop prepared brown rice into bowls, and top with stir fry. Add additional green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds as garnish.