Baked Sriracha Lime Tofu

I tried Trader Joe's Baked Sriracha Tofu a few weeks ago and loved it! It's so versatile and totally changes the flavor of salads, sandwiches, stir fry, etc. Some days, I just end up snacking on it straight. However, I found myself adding a little more spice and sesame oil to the dishes I used it in... so why not make my own version at home?! The recipe below has become a staple in my fridge since it's so easy to prepare in a big batch and use throughout the week. As an aside, I use the marinade left over from this recipe to make a stir fry sauce by dissolving 1/2 tsp of cornstarch in it and then cooking it on medium heat until it thickens and doesn't have the whitish color from uncooked cornstarch.

Ingredients

1 package extra firm tofu (I use Trader Joe's sprouted tofu)

2 tbsp Sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce)

1/2 tsp chipotle powder

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp lime juice

Directions

1.  Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Drain in a colander while you prepare the marinade.

2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the Sriracha, chipotle powder, soy sauce, sesame oil, and lime juice.  Taste the marinade and adjust any of the flavors to suit your taste.

3.  Put the tofu in the marinade and gently flip to make sure all of the tofu is coated in the marinade.  Cover in an airtight container and leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours (I leave mine overnight and the flavor is more intense).  Note: I use a container that is just about the right size (not too big) because I want the marinade to cover as much of the tofu as possible.

4.  When you are ready to bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 400 F.  Shake off the extra marinade and arrange the tofu slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.  Bake them for 15 minutes.  Flip them over, and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

5.  After they are cool, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.