I recently saw an Instagram reel for a Char Siu pork belly burger that had me instantly salivating. Having just eaten pork and having a tub of tofu in the fridge, I went in another direction with my recipe, giving birth to my char siu tofu burger.
I served this on a toasted brioche bun, with caramelized onions and a hearty dollop of Asian slaw, a slaw recipe that you could probably adapt seasonally as long as crunch was at the forefront of your mind when incorporating the veggies of the existing season.
1/2 block of firm tofu
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
1 1/2 Tbsps hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsps rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp five spice powder
Wrap the tofu in generous amounts of paper towel, place it on a plate and top with another plate, this one weighed down with several cans. Leave for several hours to remove as much liquid from the tofu as possible.
Mix all of the remaining ingredients, except for the oil, together in a shallow dish.
Cut the piece of tofu into thirds, lengthwise. You will need only two pieces for this burger so reserve the remaining piece and use (along with the other half of the block of tofu) in another recipe.
Place the tofu pieces in the marinade, turning to ensure a good coating of marinade on all sides of the tofu. Let marinate at least thirty minutes, and up to an hour, turning every fifteen minutes or so.
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat until very hot.
remove the tofu pieces from the marinade, shaking off the excess rather than blotting them dry, and place in the pan. Lower the heat and cook for 90 seconds per side, until slightly charred and heated through.
Serve at once with the garnishes described above, especially the Asian slaw. The tofu slices will be incredibly juicy and need the crunch and textural difference that it provides.
Inspiration video, here.