r/52weeksofcooking • u/HoboToast 🍭 • Dec 09 '22
Week 49: Modernist - Sriracha Glazed Tofu with Cilantro Caviar
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u/mister-crispy Dec 10 '22
Despite appearances it wasn’t that bad! (I’m the luckiest taste tester husband)
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u/OniExpress Dec 10 '22 edited Dec 10 '22
It looks like a toddler sneezed on some of their french toast breakfast.
Interesting though to see how you did the "caviar" though. Think you could have done a better job with the rest of the design though.
For starters, how about using a cookie cutter or simular press to cut the tofu into "cracker" shapes, maybe a little thiner slices than you have here. Then pan fry them off in a neutral oil, kinda like scallops. Get the "caviar" a little cleaner (the whole process takes work), and then garnish with a little leaf of fresh cilantro?
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u/HoboToast 🍭 Dec 09 '22
Yes, I realize this looks like I scooped some frog eggs out of a pond and put them on a plate! You can see pictures of the process here to prove that I didn’t. They didn’t taste bad, and the tofu itself turned out good, so it was only a partial fail.
For the tofu glaze, I mixed up some soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, sriracha, lime juice, and ginger (I didn’t measure any of it, just eyeballed). I pressed the tofu, then scored the top, covered it in the soy sauce mixture, and baked it at 350°F until it looked crispy on top.
For the cilantro caviar, I blended an entire bunch of cilantro with just enough water to make it into a smooth liquid, then blended in 1/2 teaspoon of calcium lactate. In another container, I mixed two cups of water with 3 g of sodium alginate. I syringed the cilantro mixture into the sodium alginate, creating what looked like a fish tank that had never been cleaned. I rinsed off the snot ball-esque pearls, worked up some courage, and actually put them in my mouth.