Indonesian Tofu

To start the marinade, de-seed the peppers and give them a rough chop. Purée them briefly in a food processor. Next, peel the ginger, onion, garlic and roughly chop them. Add them to the processor and purée until quite fine. Next, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the onion mixture and cook until the onions start to release their juices, about a minute or two. Then turn the heat to medium low and mix in the olive oil, honey, molasses and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has almost completely dissolved. Add the soya sauce and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Once done, allow the marinade to cool completely before using it. *Note: Some brands and types of soya sauce can be quite salty, so be sure to taste it first. If the soya sauce seems overly salty, you can substitute one cup of soya sauce for one cup of water.

To prepare the tofu, cut it into about 1" -inch thick slices. Place the tofu into a shallow dish and then add the marinade. Use just enough marinade to ensure the pieces are well coated. Note: Any remaining marinade can be refrigerated and saved for another use. Cover the dish and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours. Flip the tofu at least once as it marinates.

To cook the tofu, first heat a fry pan over medium heat. Once properly heated, add the oil. Add the tofu and let cook on the first side until it starts to caramelize. Flip the tofu and continue to cook on the other side. Once the tofu has caramelized nicely on both sides, transfer it to a plate and set aside. Add a bit of the marinade to the pan and let it cook for a few minutes just to heat it through. To serve the tofu, place it onto a plate and spoon some of the hot marinade over top. Serve with a salad or side of your choice.