Even if everyone agreed that the Grilled Cheese Sandwich was the best sandwich, we could expect that there would still be debate among fans about the best bread, spread and cheese to use in their melty creations! Sourdough or white? Pickles or tomatoes? Mayo or butter? Muenster or sharp cheddar? I could go on and on, but I would suggest that the best way to enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich is… any way you want! And, if you need some cheesy inspiration, follow this recipe for a savory Black Garlic Grilled Cheese Sandwich, and let us know how you revised it to make it your own!
Read moreA Crash Course on Eating Plant-Based
Black garlic satisfies a plant-based diet and adds flavor to just about any recipe, even cocktails! These lovely cloves provide a touch of sweetness to vegan dressings, add umami depth to homemade veggie burgers, and introduce a subtle black garlic flavor in roasted veggies. We even offer organic black garlic, all sourced in North America!
Read moreBlack Pepper Tofu with Black Garlic Sauce
Black Pepper Tofu with Black Garlic Sauce
Living a vegan lifestyle is probably the best thing you can do for the planet. By shunning animal products, you’re supporting a more sustainable way of life that will provide future generations with a planet they can be proud of.
But while there are many benefits to becoming a vegan, it can be tricky (particularly when you first make the transition) to maintain an exciting and varied diet that doesn’t incorporate meat or dairy.
Thankfully, these days there are plenty of protein-packed substitutions that make dishes just as delicious – if not more so – than a carnivorous diet!
The humble tofu is our go-to when it comes to creating healthy and exciting dinners that are packed full of flavor and intrigue. Many of our meat-eating friends love it when we cook for them, as a vegan diet has encouraged us to become braver and more experimental with flavor profiles to create dishes that are a treat for the taste buds!
One of our absolute favorite ingredients at the moment is the elusive black garlic. It’s less common than the standard garlic cloves you might be familiar with and offers a delectably sweet and syrupy taste with hints of flavor that are reminiscent of balsamic vinegar and tamarind, perfect for Asian cooking.
Black garlic is much softer than fresh garlic, making it easy to transform into a paste, but Black Garlic North America provides a black garlic purée that can save you the time! This makes it absolutely perfect to create flavorful sauces or even transform into a marinade for tofu or any other meal.
If you’re ready to try a delicious Asian-inspired vegan dish that utilizes the versatility of the humble tofu with the incredible and complex notes of black garlic... Then look no further!
As with any tofu recipe, it’s vital to press the tofu before you start cooking to ensure you don’t end up with a flavorless white blob that’s impossible to enjoy. Taking a bit of extra time preparing your tofu will make all the difference in this dish, as will leaving it to marinate for as long as possible before you start cooking.
Black Pepper Tofu with Black Garlic Sauce
We infused our tofu with a black pepper sauce for a more in-depth flavor profile for this recipe and then created an incredible black garlic sauce to flow through the entire dish. We also added some broccoli for a touch of greenery and served it with perfectly cooked Asian rice noodles.
Ingredients
For the tofu
· 1 block extra-firm tofu
· 1 tbsp vegetable oil
· 1 tbsp rice vinegar
· ½ cup black pepper sauce (store-bought or you could make your own in advance)
· 1 tsp sesame oil
For the sauce
· 1 head Black Garlic North America brand Black Garlic
· 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
· ¾ cups low sodium soy sauce
· 3 tbsp rice vinegar
· 1 tsp sesame oil
To finish
· 8oz rice noodles, cooked
· 2 broccoli heads, cut into florets and steamed
Method
1. Use a tofu press or DIY tofu pressing method to remove any excess moisture from your extra-firm tofu.
2. Once all moisture has been squeezed out, cut the tofu into 5 slices, and then cut each slice into 4 pieces.
3. Create the tofu marinade by combining the tofu ingredients (excluding the extra-firm tofu pieces) in a medium-sized bowl.
4. Add the tofu to your black pepper marinade and toss until it’s entirely coated by the sauce.
5. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1-3 hours, or overnight.
6. Once the tofu has finished marinating, heat the sesame oil in a large skillet.
7. Add the tofu to the sesame oiled skillet and fry on medium heat for 6-8 minutes on either side. The tofu should be nice and crispy.
8. While your tofu fries, combine all the sauce ingredients together in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil before reducing down to a simmer.
9. Simmer the sauce for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, then pour it into a food processor and pulse until it’s smooth.
10. Add half the smooth sauce to the tofu along with the cooked rice noodles and broccoli.
11. Cook everything for 2-3 minutes, tossing to combine.
12. Serve in bowls with the rest of the black garlic sauce.
“What is black garlic?” and other frequently asked questions!
What is Black Garlic? What does black garlic taste like? How do I use black garlic? Where can I buy black garlic? We're here to answer all of your burning questions about this curious little black clove!
Read moreWe've Changed Our Look (Not Our Black Garlic)
Things are going to start looking different – on our website, on social media, and our product packaging. And our team at Black Garlic North America is excited to share our changes with you! You will be seeing these visual identity changes happening over the course of the next few months, and we are looking forward to consistency. But these aren’t the only changes you will see.
Read moreCelebrate National Tortilla Day with our Black Garlic Salsa Recipe!
Happy National Tortilla Chip Day to all of you salt-licking, bowl-diving, salsa-dipping, guac-scooping snackers out there! I hope you bought some chips to celebrate because, in honor of this special occasion we at Black Garlic North America are sharing with you our very own Black Garlic Salsa Recipe so that you can make and serve something tasty with those bags of savory snacks! Check out our recipe for Sweet & Spicy Salsa, below. And, if you don’t have any black garlic, shop our Online Store to pick up a bag of Whole Bulbs or a jar of Peeled Cloves! Currently, shipping is free and there are no minimum orders!
Read moreRecipe of the Week: Black Garlic & Soy Glazed Tofu with Chilli & Spring Onions
New year, new flavors, new recipes! Aren’t new years fun? Full of promise for what lies ahead, full of hope & full of new inspirations and ideas for the kitchen. If you’ve never tried black garlic before, this year is your year. Chefs are creating more recipes than ever with our favorite little black clove, and there is truly something for every palette.
Read moreBlack Garlic Gift Guide
Forget someone on your gift list this year? We’ve got you covered!
Want to send a gift your friends and family will love but don’t have time for the post office between baking and cooking and New Year’s parties and the occasional well-deserved nap? Then allow our fun Black Garlic Gift Guide to guide you to the best Black Garlic Gift to suit the ones you care about, and then ship it to them for FREE from our website (and no minimum order!). We think your family and friends will be thrilled that you remembered them and will likely be grateful that our Black Garlic probably fits into their 2020 health goals!
Read moreMaple Syrup + Black Garlic + Dark Chocolate = The Happiest "Bake Cookies" Day!
‘Tis the season for delicious treats and there is no better day to prepare something sweet and yummy than Bake Cookies Day! Today, December 18th, is Bake Cookies Day and the perfect day to get all of those holiday treats finished before your family and friends come to visit! Whether you like crunchy or chewy (or both), we hope you will have the time today to enjoy a baking tradition with the people you love, and add Black Garlic to those recipes!
Read moreEasy Apps for Your Next Holiday Party
If you’re anything like us, making goodies to bring and share is one of the best parts of holiday parties! Black garlic, luckily, is such an easy ingredient to add. It can be used in dipping sauces (i.e. hummus with vegetables), or can be mixed into recipes to add a little punch of unique.
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