Remember that one time I tried to make kimchi but it never fermented so I just had a boatload of kimchi marinated veggies? Yah, me too. And even though it didn’t work out the way I’d hoped and dreamed, it did lead me to these incredibly fulfilling black sesame tofu tacos. Which I will now bestow unto you, topped with fresh herbs, cucumber lime salad, kimchi marinated veggies, Sriracha sour cream, and chopped peanuts, and radiant in all their taco-y glory.
These tofu tacos first entered my culinary imagination a couple years ago, when my friend Casi served them with homemade kimchi and Sriracha mayo on a humid summer night. I wanted them again and again. This is my own version, and my best shot at recreating the deliciousness we had that night, despite my kimchi hiccups along the way.
A simple word about the veggies and the tofu before we get straight down to business.
First: The veggies. I promise I will get back to making kimchi the proper way someday soon—after all, I’m now the proud owner of a legit fermentation crock (thanks Max!). And when that day comes, I will most certainly look to this kimchi brilliance as a guide. But I’m also a fan of making kitchen experiments work even when they’re far from perfect. Hence eating these delicious, tangy, spicy, umami-rich marinated veggies as they were, even though their association with traditional kimchi is dubious at best. The kimchi marinade below was heavily adapted from a recipe handed down by Korean relatives in Casi’s husband’s family.
And second: This tofu is a variation on a dish my mom made regularly when I was growing up—soy sauce, ginger, and toasted sesame oil, baked to crispy amber deliciousness. To make this version taco-appropriate and updated for our millennial obsession with black sesame, the tofu is cut into mini slabs and coated with dark, rich seeds. Absurdly good.
I think I would eat these at least twice a week if I could. And maybe I will. Tofu tacos here I come. Wanna join me?
Ps, I forgot to say that I made these during a making-my-own-tortillas phase I went through earlier this year. Homemade tortillas are AMAZING and a breeze to make, but these will be every bit as tasty with the store-bought variety, I promise. If you decide to make your own, just Google a flour tortilla recipe—there are a gajillion that’ll light up all your taco dreams.
BLACK SESAME TOFU TACOS WITH SRIRACHA SOUR CREAM & KIMCHI MARINATED VEGGIES.
Ingredients
kimchi marinated vegetables (prepare at least 8-10 hours in advance)
- 1 pounds green or Napa cabbage
- 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon finely grated garlic
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- ¾ - 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ½ cup grated or shaved carrot
black sesame tofu
- 1 block (~14 oz.) firm tofu
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds
cucumber lime salad
- ½ cup shaved cucumber
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- few pinches sea salt more to taste
sriracha sour cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce
additional taco fixings
- 8-12 small flour or corn tortillas
- ½ cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup or more fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup or more fresh Thai basil leaves
Instructions
Kimchi Marinated Vegetables
- Remove outer leaves of cabbage and slice into thin strips.
- Dissolve salt in 2/3 cup lukewarm water. Place cabbage in large bowl and sprinkle salt water over it. Massage gently for thirty seconds, then leave to sit for an hour.
- While cabbage sits, prepare carrots and grate ginger and garlic. In a small bowl, mix grated ginger and garlic, fish sauce, cayenne pepper, and sesame seeds.
- After this time has elapsed, the cabbage should be releasing water. Massage for a few minutes to squeeze out more water, then drain. Rinse in cold, pure water, and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Add carrots, and then mix veggies with kimchi marinade, coating thoroughly. Pack tightly into a jar and let sit in a cool place at least a few hours, and ideally overnight, before eating.
Black Sesame Tofu Tacos
- Preheat oven to 400º. Drain tofu and cut into 2-inch long x ½-inch thick slabs. Lay evenly on a timed baking sheet, with ½-inch space between each piece.
- In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, ume plum vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and grated ginger until well combined. Pour over tofu, coating evenly so that the bottom of each piece also gets some marinade. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds, allowing them to cover both the top and the sides of each piece of tofu.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, checking at 25 to assess level of crispy brownness. Remove when desired level of crispy brownness has been reached!
- While tofu bakes, make the cucumber lime salad by mixing lime juice, shaved cucumber, and sea salt in a small bowl. Let sit until ready to serve.
- Similarly, mix Sriracha and sour cream in a bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve.
- Heat tortillas either on a large skillet or in an oven, wrapped in foil.
- When all ingredients are ready for the party, plate the tofu, and bring smalls bowls of Sriracha sour cream, cucumber lime salad, chopped peanuts, cilantro and Thai basil, and kimchi marinated veggies to the table, along with your tortillas. Plate it up, and enjoy!
